Mother Iowa- One Statue to Keep

There’s been a lot of talk recently about statues. Which ones do we keep? Which ones should be moved to a place where they can be placed in a historical context to better help us understand why they were built?

But, we can all agree Carl Rohl-Smith’s Mother Iowa needs to stay.

The story behind it is as wonderful as the statue itself. The statue is one of eleven erected to honor Iowa’s Civil War veterans. The original statue was designed by native Iowan Harriet Ketchum. However, shortly after being chosen to have her statue cast, Ketchum died. So the prize went to the second place design. Rohl-Smith’s statue is… interesting. Titled “Mother Iowa,” the statue features a woman as “an allegorical figure of Iowa representing our state as a beautiful, youthful mother offering nourishment to her children.”

Okay, sure.

Even though the statue was finished in 1897, it wasn’t dedicated until 1945, as people tried to figure out how to describe it with children in the room.

RSS Listen Now

  • Why? Epsiode 293- The Ramoms
  • Why? Episode 292- Escape Rooms
  • Why? Episode 291- The Naturist Research Library
  • Why? Episode 290- Surf Rock with The Surfrajettes
  • Why? Episode 289- The Boot Tan Festival
  • Why? Episode 288- Corgi Racing
  • Why? Episode 287- Even more time with the Accidental Swingers
  • Why? Episode 286- The American Museum of the House Cat
  • Why? Episode 285- The Kennedy Assassination in LEGO
  • Why? Episode 284- Jon Scott on Tom Petty
  • Why? Episode 283- 1/6 the graphic novel
  • Why? Episode 282- Broadway actor and musician Jalen Harris
  • Why? Episode 281 World Naked Gardening Day
  • Why? Episode 280- The Cure's Lol Tolhurst
  • Why? Episode 279- A Very Why Christmas (Flash's Version)
  • Why? Episode 278- Theme Park Entertainment with Mark Brymer
  • Why? Episode 277- Shemp Howard: More Than a Stooge
  • Why? Episode 276- The Accidental Swingers
  • Why? Episode 275- Rock n Roll Name Dropper Laurie Kaye
  • Why? Episode 274- The Country Music Hall of Fame