Naumann's passion for historical architecture benefits Lansing tour groups

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

How many secrets can a building hold? Many, according to Molly Myers Naumann, architectural historian who led walking tours for approximately 60 people during the celebration of Lansing’s designation as a National Historic District May 7.
In an interview prior to the tours, Naumann described her role as a consultant for historic preservation and the process she uses to research such locations.

BACKGROUND
Part detective, part cheerleader and part pixie, Naumann’s eyes sparkle as she describes her passion for historical preservation and architecture. She states, “My love of history was inspired by my parents. When I was a child, we would go down South during the winter. I don’t think there was a historical marker that we ever missed; we stopped at every one. Then, I majored in art history as both an undergrad and in graduate school at Iowa, but my emphasis was in Oriental art with an emphasis on the art of India. I loved its sculpture, culture and architecture, but jobs weren’t plentiful in that subject in Ottumwa. There was a need for an architectural historian in Ottumwa for a five-year study, so I applied and have been an architectural historian ever since.”
That was 30-plus years ago, and Naumann says every job seems to provide a new learning experience. What she credits for her ability to adapt is her Methodology of Art History and Criticism class because it taught her the research skills she needs to dig into the past.
In the 1960s, there were no degrees in historic preservation, so her background in art and architecture helped her develop a keen eye. The largest project that Naumann has worked on was in Ottumwa, where she helped to identify and research 91 resources.
During the '60s, the team that did the research included at least three experts: one in historical preservation, one historian and an archaeologist. Now the architectural historian has combined most of those jobs into one, unless an archaeologist is needed for the study of a location. Several categories can be included in historic preservation and research. The National Park Service includes places, structures and objects such as sculpture or bridges as resources to consider for preservation.
About the same time that the Main Street Iowa movement was happening, there was also a movement for historical preservation. Most of the preservation is now accomplished through applications from certified local government agencies which can be a city, county or some other designated governmental body.
When Lansing sent out a request for proposals to several architectural historians approved by the State Historical Society in order to proceed with its nomination for designation as a National Historic District, Naumann’s personality and enthusiasm brought her application to the top.
She says she chose to apply for the position to research Lansing because “It was a beautiful part of the state: I love working in river towns and limestone. The  size of the community appealed to me as well.” She prefers towns under 10,000 in population for her studies.

DISCOVERY PROCESS
The beginning process of discovery starts with Naumann’s exploration of the town both on paper and in person. Naumann’s favorite print resources are  the "Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa,” which was created in 1875 by Anderas Atlas Company, and the Sanford Maps, in addition to maps of the community and county. The Sanford Maps were compiled by The Sanborn Map Company of Pelham, NY. This company would come to a community approximately every five years and map every building and structure. This process began in 1867.
The legend of the map also indicates what each building was made of. These maps were upgraded each time the company came back to the community. Their primary usage was for fire insurance companies, but they now provide an invaluable resource to architectural historians and other researchers.
The Iowa originals are kept at the State Historical Society. The United States Library of Congress also has these maps in its research collection since they cover the United States, Canada and Mexico. According to the  Library of Congress website, they have “some fifty thousand editions of fire insurance maps comprising an estimated seven hundred thousand individual sheets.” The Iowa maps are accessible online now for certain individuals, and Naumann smiles as she says, “I’ve been able to see the originals.”
Next, Naumann looks at the community as a whole, driving down the proposed district and looking at individual buildings. Naumann researches the history of the town and its origins. “Buildings excite me. They tell us about our past. History and architecture show us where something happened."
“Lansing is an exciting town because there are so many buildings from the 1850s and 60s that are still intact and in great condition," Naumann offered. "The Kerndt Brothers Building at the corner of Fourth and Main was built around 1861 and it has been beautifully restored and has a very useful existence as a community center. It was a logical place to start the Historic District designation because  the district needs a boundary. The western boundary is the Kerndt Brothers Building and the eastern boundary is, naturally, the Mississippi River, since that’s where Main Street ends. The oldest buildings tend to be located next to the river, but the building next to the plaza is one of the oldest, dating from the early 1850s. There were two major fires in downtown Lansing, with the biggest one in 1885. The entire south side of the 200 block burned, except for the building where The Red Geranium is now. In less than a year, the entire block was rebuilt. That’s the reason that so many of those buildings look similar.
“Many of the buildings are limestone because that was the building material that was close-by. Many of them now have a brick front which covers the limestone. That seems to have been more popular here than in other river towns. Another key element to a building’s age is the top of the window, the lintel. Straight lintels tend to be on buildings prior to the Civil War; curved lintels were the style after the Civil War.”
On the May 7 walking tours, Naumann pointed out these features on several of the buildings as well as the recessed doorways, the use of prism glass, iron cornices, Italianette style rooflines and the small windows above the large front display windows.
The tour group also had an opportunity to stop at a building which is in the process of being restored. The building known as “The Pilot House”  is being totally redone on the interior so that it will be available for retail space. The projected tenant is an artist who will have a shop and studio in the space. There will also be an upstairs apartment. The facade of the building is being restored true to the many architectural details that Naumann enumerated on her May 7 tour.
Naumann concludes, “I hope my work helps people enjoy their town more through learning about its history.”