Hansen & Waggoner, Architects
This firm was a partnership between Harry P. Hansen (b1899) and Karl M. Waggoner (b1894). The two trained as architects in Waterloo, Iowa and moved to Mason City to partner up in 1923. Among their work are the NRHP-listed Floyd County Courthouse, the now non-extant and now-delisted Wagner-Mozart Theater in Mason City; the NRHP-listed Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake; the Iowa Masonic Library in Cedar Rapids; and many others (Enright 2001:3; Svendsen:39-41). Another Hansen & Wagoner-designed building with an interesting Moderne twist is the circa-1953 First United Methodist Church of Mason City, which has an Art Deco/Art Moderne steeple at the center of its façade. An example of related Moderne style influences comes in neighboring Clear Lake is the Surf Ballroom (McDowell 2011, NRHP Reference #10000261) in nearby Clear Lake, less than 9.5 miles away as the crow flies. The building was designed by Hansen & Waggoner and built by Henkel Construction, the successor to Henkel & Rye. The building has a fascinating history with cultural, historical, and architectural significances. The building replaced the original Moderne building of the same name on that site. The Floyd County Courthouse (Svendsen 2003b, NRHP Reference #03000816) was also designed by Mason City’s Hansen & Waggoner.
Rye & Henkel, Builders
This company was founded by German immigrant William Henkel (b1871), who specialized in brick and stone masonry. He began building circa 1891, and beginning in 1902, the business was conducted under the auspices of various partnerships. Henkel’s son, Carl, joined the partnership in 1920, soon thereafter partnering with Carl Rye, forming Rye & Henkel. In 1948, the partnership dissolved and Henkel Construction Company was incorporated; in 1950 Carl Henkel took over the business from his father, who sold out to various shareholders in the 1980s. Among their other notable construction projects was the NRHP-listed Allamakee County Courthouse (Enright 2001:3; GG 1/22/2006).