Iowa Women's Archives
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa

MARGARET KEYES (1918- )

PAPERS, 1922-1999
(bulk, 1951-1985)

7 linear feet

Collection Overview

Biography

Margaret Naumann Keyes, professor of Home Economics at the University of Iowa and nationally recognized leader in the field of historic preservation, was born in Mount Vernon, Iowa on March 4, 1918.  As a child, Keyes enjoyed unique access to the academic world. She frequently accompanied her father, Charles Reuben Keyes on his archaeological travels. She attended Cornell College and graduated in 1939 with a B.A. in Home Economics.

Following her graduation, Keyes taught home economics at several Iowa high schools and pursued her graduate degree at the University of Wisconsin during summer terms. She received an M.S. in Related Art in 1951. She joined the Home Economics faculty at the State University of Iowa (now the University of Iowa) for the Fall 1951 term. On the advice of home economics department chair F. Eugenia Whitehead, Keyes took a leave of absence from her position in Iowa to enroll in the graduate program at Florida State University. There, Keyes studied historic preservation under the direction of Dr. Janet Smith. In 1961, Keyes’ graduate expenses were alleviated when she won the prestigious Ellen H. Richards Fellowship from the American Home Economics Association. She completed her Ph.D. in 1965 and published her dissertation, “Nineteenth Century Home Architecture of Iowa City,” a year later. She returned to the University of Iowa and taught a variety of courses including Textile Design, Historic Interiors, and research seminars.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Keyes led Iowa’s drive to preserve and renovate its historic structures. She served on a diverse set of historic preservation groups, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Johnson County Bicentennial Commission. Keyes also served as a board member for the State Historical Society of Iowa, the Terrace Hill (the Iowa governor’s mansion) Authority, and the Iowa City Urban Renewal Design Review Board.  Keyes’ most important work in historic preservation was her direction of the restoration of the Old State Capitol in Iowa City. From 1975 until 1988, Keyes organized massive research and restoration projects for the structure. Her work restored the building into a museum that reflected its uses by Iowans over time. In 1988, she published Old Capitol: Portrait of a Landmark (University of Iowa Press), which details her research findings and restoration accomplishments.

Throughout her work in home economics and historic preservation, Keyes sustained memberships in a variety of professional organizations. As chair of the research committee of the Iowa Home Economics Association, Keyes initiated the first institutional history of the organization and organized an annual statewide research survey. In addition, she served on both the state and national boards of directors for the Victorian Society of America. Keyes’ commitments as director of Old Capitol, speaking engagements, and service work left her with little time to fulfill her duties as professor in the Home Economics department. She gradually decreased her course load and officially retired as full professor in 1984.

Keyes relished chances to travel, and toured the world whenever her schedule and the health of her companion, F. Eugenia Whitehead, allowed her the opportunity. The two traveled to a variety of exotic locations, including Israel, Jamaica, Taiwan, and Europe. For over thirty years, the two shared a home on Ferson Avenue in Iowa City that was renowned for its gracious hospitality. Eugenia Whitehead died in 1998.

Scope and Content Note

The Personal series (1944-1999) documents Keyes’ world tour with F. Eugenia Whitehead in 1968. In addition, it includes over fifty years of correspondence from Keyes’ family and friends. Materials regarding Keyes’ membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Beta Kappa honors societies round out the series.

The Home Economics series (1953-1990) documents Keyes’ work and activities in Home Economics while she was a faculty member at the University of Iowa. The Correspondence subseries (1956-1987) contains correspondence between Keyes and students, the University of Iowa Home Economics department, and various home economics related groups and businesses. The Courses subseries (1955-1984) includes syllabi, class notes, weaving samples, and student projects from the courses that Keyes taught at the University of Iowa. The Professional Activities subseries (1953-1990) documents Keyes’ work in Home Economics outside of the University of Iowa Home Economics Department.  Some notable components of this series are Keyes’ personal weaving records, materials from Keyes’ study trips to Europe, and letters to Keyes from other universities offering her positions. The final subseries contains materials regarding Keyes’ membership in Home Economics Professional Associations (1951-1974).  It contains meeting minutes and materials from Keyes’ work on the art section of the American Home Economics Association and correspondence regarding Keyes’ involvement with the Iowa branch of that organization.

The University of Iowa Activities series (1957-1990) includes information regarding Keyes’ activities at the University outside of the home economics department and Old Capitol restoration. The series details her involvement in exhibits at the University of Iowa Arts Museum and her activities on a variety of university committees including the Campus Planning Committee, the University of Iowa Architecture Committee, and the Council of the Friends of the University of Iowa Libraries.

The 19th Century Home Architecture of Iowa City series (1957-1985) provides information on Keyes’ published work and her activities to promote it. It includes short magazine pieces that Keyes published on her research and publicity materials regarding her work. In addition, the series contains handwritten speech notes that Keyes used when presenting her work to area clubs and organizations.

The Old Capitol Restoration series (1931-1992) contains materials from Keyes’ work as director of the restoration of the old state capitol in Iowa City. The bulk of the series consists of Keyes’ original drafts from throughout her writing process for the work Old Capitol: Portrait of a Landmark. The series also contains publicity materials, speech notes, and information about the historic preservation awards she received in recognition of her work on the project.

The Organizations series (1971-1993) documents Keyes’ work in historical organizations. The series is divided into three categories—city and county organizations, state organizations, and national organizations—and includes correspondence, reports, meeting minutes, conference materials, research materials, programs, and speeches. While most of the organizations are represented by just a folder or two, there are substantial files documenting Keyes’ involvement in the State Historical Society of Iowa’s Board of Trustees, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Iowa City Urban Renewal Board, and the Victorian Society of America.

The Photographs series is divided into five subseries: Miscellaneous, Terrace Hill Society, State Historical Society of Iowa, University of Iowa Home Economics Department, and Negatives. Researchers may also find photos of Keyes’ travels and personal life in the Floy Eugenia Whitehead papers of the Iowa Women’s Archives.

2007 ACCESSION

The series used to organize the 2007 accession mirrors the series used in earlier accessions, but it also includes one new series, Education. The 2007 accession consists of correspondence with Keyes, including original cards from local artist Eleanor Simmons, a video interview of Keyes, and additional research, career-related items, slides and photographs. The Education series (1951-1965) documents Keyes’ work as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin and Florida State University. It includes notebooks, assignments, research and essays for classes. The correspondence concerns the progress Keyes made on her PhD while she was living in Iowa City.

Related Collections

University of Iowa Home Economics Department Records
Floy Eugenia Whitehead Papers
Keyes Family Papers

Box List

Box 1
	Personal
		Margaret Keyes and F. Eugenia Whitehead travels, 1968 Correspondence
			1944-1966 1967-1999 (5 folders) Omicron Delta Kappa, certificate and nomination correspondence, 1979 Phi Beta Kappa, Cornell College Alumni chapter, 1975
		Keyes, Charles Reuben (father) (see Box 13)
	Home Economics
		Correspondence
			1956-1968 (3 folders)
Box 2
			1968-1987 (3 folders)
		Courses
			Course outlines and curriculum, 1955-1961 Course summaries, evaluations, syllabi, and objectives, 1974-1984 Course outlines, proposed: Historic textiles and Design in home and clothing, undated Summer school course outline, 1963 Saturday classes, 1954-1958 17:100 Introduction to Home Economics, 1968-1969 17:107 Survey of Interiors, 1962-1967 17:113 Textile Design
Box 3
			Course Instructions, 1959-1970 Weaving, planes, undated Weaving, dots, undated Weaving, lines, undated Weaving, color, undated Weaving, sample warps (3 folders) 17:114 Interior Decoration, 1969-1974 17:121 Senior Seminar, 1963-1971 (2 folders) Fall 1970 17:183 Advanced Textile Design
				Course instructions, 1952 and undated News releases, 1970
Box 4
			17:221 Seminar in Home Economics Research, 1968-1969 17:289 Directed Study and Research in Home Economics Thesis, 1963 17:290 Thesis Seminar, projected for second semester, 1969-1970
		Professional activities
			Book reviews, 1961-1968 Bulletin Boards, 1953-1962 Catalogue material, other universities Departmental positions at other universities, correspondence, 1968 European study tour, 1971 Fabric design education, Philadelphia conference, November 1961 Foreign study, 1966-1970 Graduate programs in home economics, 1955-1961 Graduate study applications, 1958-1960 History and philosophy of home economics, 1968 News releases, 1957-1981 Ph.D. higher education and home economics, 1963 Professional biographies, 1980-1983 Radio programs, 1955-1956 Related art Ph.D. 1959-1960 Vita, 1957-1990 Weaving records, undated
		Home Economics professional organizations
			Home economics associations, 1961-1972 American Home Economics Association
				Aesthetic responsibility workshop, 1974 Art section meeting, Detroit, 1972
Box 5
			Art section nomination committee, 1965-1970
				Publicity, 1951-1961 Research journal 1972-1973
			Iowa Home Economics Association, correspondence and publicity, 1969-1974
	University of Iowa activities
		Business and Industrial Placement, 1966 Campus Campaign Committee, 1988 Campus planning committee, correspondence and publicity, 1981-1984 (2 folders) Committee on Institutional Cooperation, 1970 Council of the Friends of the University of Iowa Libraries, correspondence and publicity, 1971-1976 Film Services, 1957 Iowa Hall/Macbride Hall Campaign, correspondence and publicity, 1981-1982 University of Iowa Art Museum Antique furniture exhibit, 1985 Correspondence, 1985 University of Iowa Alumni Association, distinguished alumni award, 1989
Box 6
		University of Iowa Architecture Advising Committee, 1984 University of Iowa Building Names Advisory Committee, 1983- 1990 University of Iowa Foundation, correspondence and publicity, 1971-1973 University of Iowa Library Committee, 1966
	19th century home architecture of Iowa City
		Iowa City 19th Century Homes study abstract, 1965 “Iowa City’s 19th Century Houses” The Iowan, 1967 19th Century Home Architecture of Iowa City, publicity and correspondence
			1957-1985 (2 folders)
		“Nineteenth Century Home Architecture of Iowa City” [paper presentation at American Home Economics Association conference, 1968] Speeches to Iowa City area clubs, 1967-1968
	Old Capitol restoration
		Correspondence
			1971-1989 (2 folders)
Box 7
			1980-1989
		Jan Nash, “Window Treatments in the Old Capitol,” 1987 “Old Stone Capitol” by Harold Peterson, 1931 National Endowment for the Humanities grant, 1978 University of Iowa developmental leave applications, 1978, 1981-1983 Publicity, 1970-1992 (3 folders) Materials written by Keyes on Old Capitol
			“The Gallery will be reserved for the Ladies,” Annals of Iowa, 1973 “A Home Economist does Historic Preservation,” Journal of Home Economics, 1975 [with correspondence] Old Capitol: Portrait of a Landmark
				Handwritten draft
Box 8
				Early typed manuscript (copy)
					Chapter 1-4 (2 folders)
				Corrected typed manuscript
					Chapter 1-5 and epilogue (3 folders)
				Final manuscript (3 folders)
			Old Capitol Speeches [presented by Margaret Keyes to area organizations], 1972-1990 (2 folders) Presentation at the Iowa Home Economics Association, correspondence, 1973-1974 Honors and Awards
				Historic preservation awards, 1977
Box 9
				Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission award, 1987
	Organizations
		City and county organizaitons
			Brackett House restoration, Cornell College, 1977 Iowa City Architectural Heritage Committee, 1967-1968 Iowa City Urban Renewal
				Design review board, 1971-1975 Design committee plans, 1975 Design committee review, 1975
			Kirkwood and Dodge feasibility study Johnson County American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, correspondence, 1974-1976 Johnson County Citizens’ Advisory Board, 1976 Johnson County Historical Society, correspondence and publicity, 1975-1992
		State organizations
			Iowa Capitol Planning Commission, architecture selection committee, 1978
Box 10
			Iowa Commission on the U.S. Constitution Bicentennial, 1986-1988 (2 folders) Iowa Historical Foundation
				Board membership, 1990 Correspondence, 1989-1990
			Iowa Museum Association
				Correspondence and newsletters, 1988 Meeting, October 1985
			Iowa Society for the Preservation of Historic Landmarks, 1967-1972 Iowa Territorial Sesquicentennial Committee, 1988 State Historical Department of Iowa, Division of Historic Preservation
				Iowa historic preservation conference, 1974 Iowa historic preservation programs, 1974-1976 Iowa State University workshop on historic restoration, 1976
			State Historical Society of Iowa, Board of Trustees
				Appointment papers, 1982-1988 Board of Curators, Correspondence, 1972-1986 Board membership, 1984-1989 Correspondence with Governor Terry Branstad, 1988-1990 Historic preservation speeches by Keyes, 1991 and undated Iowa Cultural Caucus, Keyes speech introducing Willard and Susan Boyd, 1990 Iowa Historical building dedication, 1987 Iowa Historical Building opening, 1988 Publicity and correspondence, 1973-1993
			Terrace Hill Restoration
				Correspondence, 1971-1975 Furnishing collection correspondence, 1971-1985 Images, 1980 Publicity, 1971
Box 11
		National Organizations
			National Trust for Historic Preservation
				Conferences, 1973-1976 Correspondence and publicity, 1973-1978 (5 folders)
			Putnam Museum (Davenport, Iowa) 19th Century architecture exhibit, 1985 Victorian Society of America
				Activities, 1982-1983 Correspondence, 1971-1979 (2 folders)
Box 12
				Correspondence, 1980-1988 Lifetime membership materials, 1979-1982 Newsletter submission, “Iowa’s First Capitol to be restored”, fall 1973 Offices and committees 1974-1983 Publications Committee Meeting minutes and publicity, 1974-1980 Upstairs/downstairs workshops, 1978 Victorian Society of Iowa Foundation, 1984
	Photographs
		Miscellaneous Terrace Hill Authority State Historical Society of Iowa University of Iowa Home Economics Department Negatives
Box 13
	Personal (cont. from Box 1)
		Keyes, Charles Reuben (father)
			Miscellaneous papers, 1947-1988 State Historical Society of Iowa Correspondence with Bertha Shambaugh  “The Keyes Archeological Collection: A Finder’s Guide,” 1981 “History of the Central Section of the American Anthropological Association,” 1978, 1979
2007 ACCESSION
Box 14
	Personal (cont. from Box 13)
		Margaret Keyes and F. Eugenia Whitehead travels
			Passports and journals, 1959-1976 Receipts and itineraries, 1964-1967
		Correspondence
			1987-1991 and undated From Eleanor Simmons, 1958-1990 (2 folders)
		“Tell Me Your Story #27: Margaret Keyes,” interview by Ellen Buchanan, Iowa City Public Library, 1991 (VHS, 31 minutes) [shelved in videocassette collection: V371]
	Education
		University of Wisconsin
			HE 114: Techniques of Interior Design, undated “A Procedure for Study in High School Related Art,” 1951
		University of Florida
			Art 470: American Art, 1961
Box 15
			Art 470: American Art, 1962 Art 476, 1962 Art 591-A, 1962 CD 482, 1960 C&T 514, 1962 HE 590, undated HFL 16, “An Annotated Bibliography of Literature Related to the Proposed Study of Home Architecture of Iowa City” HFL 519 and 516 HFL 514, HFL 519, and LS 500, 1960 Library Science 500, 1960 “A Study of Weaving in Sweden” and “Wallpapers Used in Homes of America from 1700 to 1900,” undated Correspondence, 1959-1965
Box 16
			Correspondence, 1959-1965 (2 folders)
		“Color Coordination for Model Home,” undated
	Home Economics (cont. from Boxes 1-5)
		17:159, David L. Cordes, “The Henry Ambler House of Mount Pleasant, Iowa,” 1981 Mabel Skjelver, 17:23: Art in the Home, 1969 Master’s degree questions, 1961-1984 Retirement, 1982-1986
	University of Iowa activities (cont. from Boxes 5-6)
		Presidential residence restoration, 1907-1990
	19th century home architecture of Iowa City (cont. from Box 6)
		Iowa stone structures notes, undated Newspaper clippings, 1978-1999 (2 folders) Proposal and notes, 1957-1962 Research and bibliographies, undated
Box 17
		Research articles, 1917-1958
	Organizations (cont. from boxes 9-12)
		Certificates and awards, 1975-1995 (2 folders) Iowa Local Historical and Museum Association, 1972 Miscellaneous, 1985-1998
	Artifacts
		Signature stamp, undated
	Photographs (cont. from Box 12)
		Iowa City homes Portraits, 1922-1994 World tour, 1966 and Simmons family, 1969-1980
Box 18
		Framed and oversize, undated (2 folders) Europe, 1981 Slides
			Cedar Rapids; Boston, AAEA, 1967 Annual banquet, Home Economics, 1969 Senior tea, 1971 Fallbrook, California, August 1971; 306 Ferson, 1971-1972 Patio remodeling, 1971; Scenic Athens, Georgia Athens, Georgia, 1971; Savannah beach, 1971; Easter, 1972 Apollo 15, 1971; Apollo 16, 1972 Barnes, Wisconsin, 1972; Pownalls and Simmons, 1972 Jamaica, 1973 Jamaica and Sarasota, Florida, 1973 Orlando, Winter Park, Athens, Georgia, 1973; Kent State Park, Iowa, 1973 Georgia vacation, 1974 La Jolla and Corona del Mar, California, 1974 California, 306 Martha and friends, 1974 Summer, 1975 Georgia, Chataqua, Phil, NY, 1976 Jamaica, 1977; Carter inauguration Easter (Pownalls and Simmons), 1980 Effigy mounds; Wisconsin Pownall’s picnic, undated Houses in Athens, Georgia, undated

 

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