The Helen Curtiss Arbor Gate

A typical visitor at Farm House will enter the museum through its south-facing front door. Rarely does that visitor stumble upon the beautiful arbor on the east of Farm House. With thousands of burgeoning concord grapes spilling over the Osage orange and eastern red cedar wood structure, the arbor is a quiet spot to cool off in the shade and uncover some campus history!

The arbor gate was originally designed circa 1925 by Helen Curtiss, the youngest daughter of Dean of Agriculture Charles F. Curtiss, as a senior class project. She and her family lived in Farm House from 1897 through 1947 - the longest stay of any other residents! The family was known to be kind and approachable, so many students at Iowa State during the Curtiss era referred to Farm House as the "Curtiss House" instead.

Helen was born at Farm House on September 14th, 1901 in the second floor's southeast bedroom. She quickly grew into the "mischievous and vivacious" woman she is remembered as by her friends today. Playing with paper dolls in the Farm House parlor, riding the elevator in Agriculture Hall (renamed Curtiss Hall in October of 1947) up and down with her friend Marie Mortensen, riding horses through campus, and hosting waffle parties on Sunday evenings were among her most favorite things.



Helen, Edith, and Ruth Curtiss, October 1908 

Helen holding two piglets, ca. 1912

Oftentimes the question is asked during a visit to the Farm House Museum, "Are there any ghosts?" This is highly unlikely, but it has been suggested that Helen Curtiss' ghost would pull back the lace curtains hanging in the window of her old bedroom to see which boyfriend was going to take her out for the night. Being an exceptional beauty and thrill-seeker, it is no surprise that Helen was notorious for sneaking out of Farm House while her mother and father were fast asleep!

Following Helen's graduation from Iowa State University, although it was still called Iowa State College at the time, she left Farm House in 1923. She married soon after to become Mrs. Helen Curtiss Whittaker. The quaint arbor gate she left behind at Farm House inevitably eroded with time, but the Class of 2002 funded a reconstruction of the arbor, herb garden, and water well. Because it is in the museum's permanent collection, visitors for generations to come may enjoy it.

Next time you walk by Farm House Museum, take a moment to experience this literally hidden gem - the grapes sure are tasty when they ripen up in the autumn!

Farm House Museum will close on Friday, July 29th at 4 PM until Monday, August 22nd at 12 PM. We hope to see you soon!