"Wind Up" in Historic Traer, Iowa
Intro Paragraph...
Maps & Directions
Famous Winding Staircase
Traer Historical Museum
Traer Public Library
Wilson Prairie Reserve
Rasmussen Salt & Pepper Display
Visitors to Traer can find the famous Winding Stairs in Traer's main business district on Second Street. The iron staircase graces the wide sidewalk on the north side of the street, about the middle of the block. The stairs give access to the Star-Clipper building. Since 1978, the Winding Stairs and the attached building have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
E.E. Taylor and the Winding Stairs
E.E. Taylor (who started the present town newspaper at the ripe old age of 16) was faced with replacing his newspaper office in 1894, after fire destroyed his office in the spring of that year. Taylor decided to rebuild a two-story structure, and to situate the newspaper office on the second floor. He would then rent out the first floor to other businesses for extra income. Most of the business buildings at that time were made of brick and were 20 feet wide. The lots where the Star-Clipper sat were only 18 feet wide. Because of the narrow space, Taylor decided to build an outside stairway to his business on the second floor, leaving the two rented business spaces on the sidewalk level with more floor room
Originally, the stairs stood closer to the building, and there was a smaller landing outside the entrance on the second floor. In 1916, Traer voted to widen the sidewalks. Some members of the town council of the time wanted Taylor to remove his stairway from the sidewalk. He agreed, if the council could figure out another public entrance to his upstairs. Since no solution was found, it was decided to move the stairway to the curb, and employ the Burlington Iron Works again, this time to construct a catwalk to run above the sidewalk from the stairs to the entrance of the building.
In January of 1975, an end loader struck the Stairs while snow was being removed. It snapped off the lower five steps. The Traer Chamber of Commerce had already been trying to find someone to make repairs to the Stairs, as it was rusting and deteriorating. Burlington Iron Works said they would not be interested in the project, and to make matters worse, the molds for the staircase had been destroyed. Other foundries were contacted, but all declined to help. After reading about Traer's problem in the newspaper, a welder from Voorhies, a town 10 miles north of Traer, came to look at the Stairs, and see if he could help. After finding out the iron was wearable, Gary Frahm and his father, Bob, agreed to tackle the job. A crane from a local implement dealer hoisted the staircase onto a flat bed truck while a steel support tripod held up the catwalk that would be repaired at a later date. Frahm contracted out for the missing handrails, which were cast by the Warren Corporation of Manchester, Iowa. They were to match the old rails in every detail. Several weeks later the project was completed and the Stairs re-erected, for a total cost of $4,000.
Many prominent and famous men and women climbed the Stairs in the 60 years that the Star-Clipper was located at their top. Iowa governors, senators and congressmen made the climb to talk to E. E. Taylor, who was well respected as a journalist. And even after retirement as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, "Tama Jim" Wilson visited the Star-Clipper office by way of the Stairs to discuss political matters with Taylor. (Wilson served as a cabinet member longer than any other American.) The Williams Brothers (the youngest being Andy), came to town to give a concert and insisted on dressing in the Star-Clipper building so they could use the Winding Stairs as their grand entrance. Salesmen enjoyed coming to Traer on Thursday so they could watch the people lined up on the Stairs, waiting to pick up the newspaper.
Fame of Stairs Grows
In 1966 an article and photo of the stairs appeared in the Pacific edition of Stars and Stripes carrying the story to U.S. service men throughout the world. The same story appeared on the front page of the Chicago Tribune and was copied and sent out by the Associated Press. Hundreds of tourists have stopped in Traer to take pictures of the Winding Stairs -- many have won prizes in "unusual photo" contests in Iowa and other states.
In 1953, The Traer Star-Clipper newspaper moved its operations a block east into a ground floor site. The building with the Stairs attached was sold to Gordon Smith, one of the tenants in the lower level. From 1953 to 1973 the Chamber of Commerce continued to keep the Stairs in good repair as a community asset. Many offers came to purchase the Stairs. In 1973, 22 local citizens formed the Traer Winding Stairs Association, Inc., and bought the Stairs and the Star-Clipper building. In 1975, after the Stairs were restored, the association leased it back to the Traer Chamber of Commerce to ensure its future upkeep. Later still, the Stairs and building were sold to Dr. Robert Ketter, DVM, another ground floor tenant, with the promise that the Stairs could not be sold without first letting the town buy them. The Traer Historical Museum now owns the building and Stairs. The two lower level business spaces are rented out; the upstairs space is empty at the present.
Our Museum was begun just a few years ago by a group of interested local people. It continues to grow and expand as people continue to make donations of historical items for our collection. The collection reflects the history of the town, founded in 1873. The Museum has become an active, contributing part of the community.
Also at the Museum, on the second floor, we feature displays from Geneseo, Dinsdale and Buckingham, smaller settlements in northern Tama County which are Traer's friends and neighbors. We also have a basement room dedicated to agricultural exhibits.
The top two floors of the Museum are accessible to all, as there is an elevator available.
Group visits to Traer have been arranged in the past, with the Museum playing host to several bus trips. Guided tours of other parts of the community can begin at thislocation, and character performances (in costume) are available here by request. Please call (319) 478-2346 for more information on tours, and what is available to see and do in Traer, or send us an email.
The Traer Community Betterment office is also housed at the Museum. The Museum is open from 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays; and from 2-4 on summer Sundays.
We would like nothing better than to have you visit our Museum.
Monday 1:00pm-7:00pm
Tuesday 1:00pm-5:00pm
Wednesday 10:00am-5:00pm
Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm
Friday 1:00am-5:00pm
Saturday 10:00am-Noon
Contact Information
Telephone: 319-478-2180
FAX: 319-478-2180
Postal Address: 531 Second Street
General Information: traerli1@traer.net
Library Director: traerli2@traer.net
Dr. Raymond Berner
The Carl and Evelyn Wilson Nature Preserve was established in 1990, when their daughter and her husband, Ellen and Eugene Zmolek of Rochester, MN, wanted to memorialize her parents with a gift of two acres to the Town of Traer for an undeveloped natural area. Carl and Evelyn, long time residents, had a strong interest in their natural surroundings. They grew wildflowers in their Traer yard and Carl served as the local weatherman. The Traer Development Board
The prairie reconstruction, in 2003 is in its 14th growing season. A reconstruction needs up to 10 years before it reaches satisfactory saturation of prairie plants. For example, compass plants and leadplants do not bloom until the 4th or 5th year. Wild cream and wild white indigo showed up in 1995 for the first time. We look upon this as a prairie museum. (There are in a small area more flower species than you might see in a virgin prairie.) Since there is only 0.01% of a tall grass virgin prairie left in Iowa, we can provide an opportunity to see what used to be common in 85% of the State of Iowa. As Aldo Leopold (Iowa-born naturalist 1886-1948) said: all conservation of wilderness is self-defeating, for to cherish we must see and fondle, and when enough have seen and fondled, there is no wilderness left to cherish. If all Iowans walked on our remaining prairie remnants, we could destroy them. Reconstructed prairies such as this can partially recreate aspects of the original prairie and provide a means for more people to experience prairie and at the same time help divert pressure from our remaining remnants.
Many Traer community members volunteered money and their time to develop the Preserve. Before moving from the area, Marilyn and Fred Lineberry assisted greatly in the Preserve development. Duane Ingle, only appointed to the Board in July 1997, has been invaluable, as has his wife Marlene. Jared and Marilyn Bauch have from the beginning given a great deal of support and time to make the Preserve one of the most unique city parks in Iowa. Regular visitors are the 5th graders, the Creative Writing classes from North Tama School and the Pied Piper Preschool. Visitors have logged in from 27 states and 5 foreign countries. Guided prairie walks are available during the summer months, and you may call Ray and Yvette Berner at 478-2007 for guided tours during the summer months."