Celebrate local history with Weber Days this May

Who was Irving B. Weber? Irving B. Weber was born in 1900, lived his entire life in Iowa City, was educated in Iowa City public schools and graduated from the University of Iowa in 1922. Weber is remembered for many accomplishments: He was the University of Iowa's first All-American swimmer, a founder and President of Quality Chekd Dairies, an active member of the Iowa City Host Noon Lions Club, and school board president in 1952-53. In 1994, Irving B. Weber Elementary School
was named in his honor.

Weber wrote more than 800 articles about Iowa City's history for the Iowa City Press-Citizen, beginning in 1973. His view of history was not one of a dull retelling of facts and names. He told what it was like to grow up in Iowa City, the best places to buy penny candy, the joys of cooling off in Melrose Lake in the summer, and of sledding parties on closed-off streets. He recorded for future generations the story of Iowa City as no one else could. In 1989, in gratitude for his work in recording local history, Weber was named Iowa City's Official Historian and his bronze statue stands at the corner of Linn Street and Iowa Avenue in downtown Iowa City.

Celebrate National Historic Preservation Month with Irving B. Weber Days in May and learn more about Johnson County’s vibrant history. Weber Days is also a partnership between the Iowa City Public Library and the Johnson County Historical Society, Friends of Historic Preservation, Iowa City Genealogical Society, Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center, UI-Iowa Project on Place Studies, and Iowa City Host Noon Lions Club.

Visit icpl.org/weber for complete details on all Weber Days events during the month of May, including details about a Civil War walking tour, Civil War re-enactment in Johnson County, genealogy research and the annual Weber Days History Lecture. And tune into The Library Channel (Cable Channel 10) or visit the Library’s online streaming video website (video.icpl.org) to watch Iowa City’s official historian, Irving B. Weber, take viewers on tours of area landmarks.