From August 16 through October 22, 2004, during NPR's Morning Edition Mondays and Fridays, KUNI presented a series of five to nine-minute reports called "Iowa's Architectural Treasures." Monday's segment aired between 7:30 and 8:00 a.m., and was re-broadcast Fridays between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m.

The reports focused on the significant architecture of ten buildings across Iowa. The first building, featured on August 16, was Quasqueton's Cedar Rock, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Each week's segment traveled to a different town or city to follow the struggles to rehabilitate a treasured building that may have been neglected for too long.

The series was the brain-child of former KUNI Des Moines news bureau chief Bill Menner. Some of the other buildings he visited includes the Old Capitol in Iowa City, Merchants National Bank in Grinnell, and Brucemore Mansion in Cedar Rapids.

In 2004, the Iowa Chapter of the American Institute of Architects celebrated its 100th Anniversary and announced its list of Iowa's Top 100 Architectural Treasures. The number one choice was featured on KUNI's final report.

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Here's the schedule for the series: (click on the title for audio)

Aug. 16/20: Cedar Rock, Quasqueton

Aug. 23/27: Black Hawk Hotel, Cedar Falls

Aug. 30/Sept. 3: Rock Crest/Rock Glen, Mason City

Sept. 6/10: Medbury Hall and Scott Chapel at Drake University, Des Moines

Sept. 13/17: Brucemore Mansion, Cedar Rapids

Sept. 20/24: Old Capitol Building, Iowa City

Sept. 27/Oct.1: State Capitol Building, Des Moines

Oct. 4/8: Merchants National Bank, Grinnell

Oct. 11/15: LeClaire Park Bandshell, Davenport

Oct. 18/22: C-Y Stephens Auditorium, Ames

updated: 04/03/2007 02:43 PM -0500

This series on KUNI was made possible by grants from Bergland and Cram Architects, Mason City; Gardner Architecture, Strawberry Point; Marcia Brayton, Remax Realtor, Ankeny; and the Historic Blackhawk Hotel, downtown Cedar Falls.