Building partnerships that enhance our economic and cultural future through the preservation of Iowa's historic resources.
The future of Iowa is sustainable communities with an authentic sense of place created by their important historic structures. The rehabilitation and reuse of our historic buildings is both economically attractive and environmentally responsible; it is important to citizens and visitors to our state as well as for future generations.
Iowa Programs
Iowa’s Most Endangered Properties
Iowa’s Most Endangered Properties began in 1995 to show Iowans the special buildings and historic sites that are slowly and gradually slipping away from us. The program provides an excellent resource for media coverage and introduces endangered property owners to preservation advocates and resources that can help preserve their historic property.
Preservation at Its Best Awards
Each year Preservation Iowa seeks to honor statewide successes through the “Preservation at its Best Awards”. In doing so, we hope to inspire others to take action to preserve, protect, and promote Iowa’s historic resources. Additionally these projects highlight the work being done around the state to preserve our historic infrastructures by re-purposing them to allow reintegration into their local communities.
Property Types
Preservation Iowa focuses on providing information, raising awareness and protecting property types that hold special significance for Iowans.
Its efforts encompass a wide range of historic resources, including residential buildings, commercial and industrial structures, sacred places, schools, and movie theaters, as well as rural properties such as farmsteads and barns.
Residential
Movie Theaters
Sacred Places
Commercial & Industrial
Schools
Farmsteads & Barns
Preservation News From Across The State
The National Park Service listed the Harcourt Consolidated School Gymnasium (1941) in Harcourt, Iowa on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 2026. This building, designed by Iowa architect Thorwald Thorson, is a well-preserved example of a gymnasium in the Moderne style, an architectural expression popular in the Depression era and closely associated with the New Deal programs of the 1930s and early 1940s. The building’s design and construction was funded by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and built using local labor. The architect’s use of laminated arches to support the soaring roof and other innovative materials including plywood and fiberboard represent both the development of new materials in the mid-twentieth century and of Depression-era frugality. Finally, Iowa sculptor Christian Petersen created bas relief portraits of presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt and a girl and boy basketball player for the façade, an example of the federal government’s employment of artists during the Depression. This building is much loved by the residents of Harcourt and it continues to serve as a community center for meetings, recreation, and special events. Congratulations Harcourt! #webstercountyiowa #IowaHistory #iowaarchitecture #LivingNewDeal
Coming to Des Moines this fall! The National Preservation Institute presents Section 106: Agreement Documents. This advanced seminar focuses on memoranda of agreement and programmatic agreements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Learn how to survive and thrive during the agreement process through careful analysis, clear writing, and good negotiation. Review the available tools, guidelines, alternatives—and non-alternatives—to reach a favorable conclusion to the process. To learn more and register, go to: https://www.npi.org/seminars/laws-and-regulations/section-106-agreement-documents
The famous publicity photograph "Lunch on a Beam," also known as "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper," pictures eleven ironworkers – mid-air on an I-beam bench – during the construction of Rockefeller Center’s RCA Building in 1932. Despite the image’s renown, little factual information or serious history has been available about it. Now, in a new book, Lunch on a Beam (April 2026), Christine Roussel – long-time archivist at Rockefeller Center and author of the definitive books The Art of Rockefeller Center and The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center – unpacks the story behind one of America’s most iconic photographs. Though often seen as a spontaneous snapshot of daring laborers, the image was staged as a publicity tool during the Great Depression. Roussel blends art, architectural, and social history to illuminate the photographers, publicists, financiers, and immigrant and Indigenous workers behind the picture—revealing how the photograph not only honored working men but also helped promote John D. Rockefeller, Jr.’s ambitious vision and shape the mythology of New York City. At this event, Christine will be in conversation with William Bartlett, former head of executive communications at NBC Universal and the author of NBC and 30 Rock: A View from Inside. The program on Tuesday May 26, 2026 — 5:00 PM (Central) will be livestreamed to the Skyscraper Museum YouTube channel here: https://ticketstripe.com/events/9108108705593379 You do NOT need to register for the livestream.
Charity does an interesting interview regarding Iowa's transportation history and historic preservation!
The Iowa State Historic Preservation Office is hiring!
State Awards $28.1 Million for Historic Preservation Projects Across Iowa May 14, 2026 (DES MOINES, IA) — The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) announced more than $28.1 million in awards through the Historic Preservation Tax Credit program to support the revitalization of eight historic properties in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Sioux City and Waterloo. The most recent application round opened in early January, with IEDA receiving 18 applications requesting almost $39 million in tax credits. Projects were evaluated based on readiness, financing, and local support and participation. “This program is about more than preserving buildings; it’s about bringing them back to life in ways that serve today’s communities,” said Debi Durham, director of IEDA and the Iowa Finance Authority. “These projects create housing, support local businesses and help ensure these historic places remain part of Iowa’s story for generations to come.” The Historic Preservation Tax Credit program provides a state income tax credit to encourage the rehabilitation of historic buildings while maintaining the architectural features that make them significant. All work must meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. This round of awards will help transform historic buildings across Iowa, including: Des Moines — Construction is underway to convert a former church, built in 1957 near the Iowa Capitol, into 18 studio apartments and an alternative school for homeless and nontraditional youth. Led by Starts Right Here, a local nonprofit organization, the project will preserve key architectural features. Des Moines — The 14-story Carriers Building, constructed in 1981 and known as Two Ruan, will be converted from office space into 221 market-rate apartments with ground-floor restaurant space. Two Ruan is part of the downtown Ruan Center Complex, which also includes the 36-story Ruan Center — once Iowa’s tallest building — and was added to the National Register of Historic Places last year. Sioux City — The vacant Crescent Park Elementary School, built in 1919, is being rehabilitated into 36 market-rate apartments. The project will preserve historic features while converting classrooms and offices into a mix of studio to four-bedroom units, addressing a need for quality housing on the city’s west side. Waterloo — The long-vacant St. John’s Catholic Church and School, originally established in 1924 with a school addition completed in 1963, is being redeveloped into affordable housing and community-focused space. Plans include 19 apartment units in the school building, a child care facility in the lower-level gym and an event space in the former church. The full list of projects include buildings in Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Dubuque as well as other projects in Des Moines. The Historic Preservation Tax Credit program is administered by IEDA. The next application round opens in June, with applications due in September. For more information, visit iowaeda.com/historic-preservation-tax-credit/.
