Montauk

Iowa's thirteenth governor, William Larrabee (1832-1912), built this striking Italianate-style home in 1874. It is the centerpiece of a 46-acre property now known as the Montauk Historic Site. Larrabee, who was a Republican, served in the state senate before serving as governor from 1886 to 1890. As governor, he is perhaps best known for reigning in the railroads, which charged high transportation rates and were essentially in control of the state legislature. Visitors to the house will see a variety of furnishings and items on display including Tiffany lamps, Wedgewood china, paintings, marble busts and statues, thousands of books, and music boxes from Switzerland. These items reflect the changing tastes and technology of the Larrabee family, who lived in the house until 1967 when they opened it to the public. The property was once a working farm and includes several other buildings. 

William Larrabee was born on January 20, 1832 in Ledyard, Connecticut. One of nine children, he attended common schools up to eighth grade and for two months enrolled at a private academy. His father also trained him in business. When he was 15 or 16, he lost his right eye in a gun accident (this injury prevented him from serving in the Civil War). As a young man, he became a teacher and taught briefly in country schools in Connecticut. In 1853, he moved Clayton County, Iowa, where a brother and sister (and her husband) lived.

It appears Larrabee first taught for one term in neighboring Allamakee County and then started working on his brother-in-law's farm as a foreman. Eventually, he started buying land of his own to farm. He worked extremely hard during these years, often 20 hours a day. This effort enabled him to gradually become one of the largest landowners in the state by the 1880s when he owned more than 200,000 acres.

Larrabee's business interests expanded in other ares. In 1857, he settled in Clermont and invested in a flour mill, which he eventually bought out two years later. The mill operated until 1873 when corn became the prevalent crop in Iowa. In 1872, he and brother bought an interest in the First National Bank in McGregor, Iowa. By 1885, Larrabee would go on to have interests in thirteen banks in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and one in Clermont. He also invested in railroads. That experience would help him in his effort to regulate the industry in Iowa as governor.

Larrabee earned a good reputation for being an honest and generous businessman. He supported communities in a variety of ways including providing financial support to schools and churches. His generosity, along with his stature as a leading businessman in Iowa, made him a logical choice for public office and he ran for the senate for the first time in 1867. He was a member of several committees and served as chairman of the Ways and Means committee.

During his years in public office, Larrabee supported a variety of progressive causes including labor rights, women's suffrage, public education, civil rights, racial equality, and, of course, railroad regulation. Oftentimes his Republican colleagues considered his political views too progressive. However, these misgivings did not prevent them from supporting his candidacy to become governor, since their main concern was to weaken the power of the railroads. Larrabee accomplished this, signing legislation that regulated transportation rates throughout the state. Other achievements include providing free tuition for six months to three residents from each county who attended the Iowa Agricultural College, improving public libraries, and establishing the Iowa Board of Control, which oversaw state prison, asylums, and hospitals.

Larrabee remained active in public affairs during his later years, serving in a variety of positions including as chairman of the Iowa Board of Control for two years and as president of the Iowa Commission that represented Iowa at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. He died on November 16, 1912 in Clermont and was laid to rest at God's Acre Cemetery.

Allen, Vice President A.W. "Montauk." National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. February 21, 1973. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/73000725_text.

"Gov. William Larrabee." National Governors Association. Accessed October 26, 2021. https://www.nga.org/governor/william-larrabee.

"Larrabee, William." The Biographical Dictionary of Iowa. Accessed October 26, 2021. http://uipress.lib.uiowa.edu/bdi/DetailsPage.aspx?id=225.

"Montauk Historic Site History." State Historical Society of Iowa. Accessed October 26, 2021. https://iowaculture.gov/sites/default/files/history-sites-montauk-sitehistory.pdf