Montauk Historic Site

10/17/2026

🎼Join us next Sunday for the last organ concert of the season featuring University of Iowa Student David Devine🎼

Concert starts at 2:00 on October 25th at the Union Sunday School!

10/16/2026

We will be closed tomorrow, October 17th, in order for all of staff to attend the funeral services of a long-time guide, Bev Gossling. Thank you for understanding.

10/16/2026

10/13/2026

🎼Meet David Devine, our performer for the October 25th organ concert at the Union Sunday School.

David Devine is a Junior BM organ major at the University of Iowa. At Iowa he studies under Dr. Gregory Hand. Prior to college, he studied under Dr. Max Yount. He is an active performer and has been awarded at competitions, including 1st prize at the 2025 Immanuel Lutheran Organ Scholar competition, in Evanston, Il, 2nd prize at the 2026 Twin Cities AGO competition, and 1st in the organ / piano division of the 2026 ICA competition. Recent performance highlights include the Oregon Bach Festival, and Adolphus Busch Hall, Harvard University.

10/12/2026

It is with fond memories that we remember our long-time tour guide Bev Gossling. If you visited Montauk between 1990 and 2024 then chances are you have gotten a tour from Bev. Her knowledge of the house and Larrabee family was expansive and her dedication to Montauk was unwavering.

In 2024 Bev “retired” as tour guide at Montauk. Her absence just these last two seasons have been heavily felt. No longer was the answer to a question we didn’t know, “Let’s ask Bev.” She was the one we all turned to when we needed more information about something and was a sounding board for me whenever I got a wild idea to change things up around the house. Bev, you are greatly missed.

This post doesn’t do her justice, but those who knew her know what an amazing woman she was.

Bev passed away last week at the age of 83. Service information and obituary can be found here: https://www.helmsfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/beverly-gossling

Montauk will be closed on Saturday, October 17th in order for all of staff to attend Bev’s services.

10/10/2026

🎼Join us tomorrow at 2:00pm at the Union Sunday School for the first of two organ concerts this month!

10/10/2026

In this daily journal, on October 10th, 1853 William Larrabee wrote, “Pleasant. I packed my trunks & set out for Iowa.”

William Larrabee grew up in Ledyard, Connecticut and set out to Northeast Iowa to join other family members in setting up a farm. Fun fact: the house Larrabee grew up in is also a historic house museum in Ledyard and is called Nathan Lester House Museum.

Larrabee wrote in his journal his entire strip west, and it is fascinating to see how cross-country travel worked in 1853.

Tuesday – He arrives in NYC and spends the day visiting the Crystal Palace and Barnum’s Museum.
Wednesday – He leaves NYC early on the train destined for Buffalo. At Buffalo he gets on a steamer across Lake Erie.
Thursday – He is on the steamer “Northern Indiana” which goes from Buffalo to Toledo. After arriving in Toledo he took “the cars for Chicago” over the Michigan Southern RR and arrived in Chicago at 7AM the next morning (a trip that took 11 hours in 1853 that takes less than 4 today).
Friday – Spent the day visiting friends in Chicago. Leaves Chicago at 8:30PM headed to Freeport, IL.
Saturday – Arrives in Freeport, IL at 2AM. From there he gets on a stagecoach to Galena, arriving there at Sundown.
Sunday – Boards a Mississippi steamer called the “Frankline” and takes it up the river to the small town of Clayton, Iowa..
Monday – Left Clayton and arrives at his final destination of Garnavillo, Iowa.

Photos: 1. The small trunk Larrabee brought with him to Iowa from Connecticut. 2. One of the earliest photos of William Larrabee here at Montauk. Taken in the early 1860s.

10/04/2026

Meet Sidney Shide, who will be performing for our October 11th organ concert at the Union Sunday School.

Sidney is a freshman at the University of Iowa, where he studies organ with Dr. Gregory Hand. Sidney has participated in numerous music festivals and training programs, including the Oberlin Organ Academy, St. Olaf Music Academy, University of Iowa Music Academy, and the UNCSA Young Artists Competition.

He has had the opportunity to study and work with many distinguished musicians, including Dr. Timothy Olsen, Dr. Jonathan Sturm, Dr. Jonathan Moyer, and Dr. Martin Schmeding. In addition to solo organ performance, Sidney enjoys collaborative music-making and has performed with ensembles such as the Des Moines Community Chamber Choir and the Urbandale Singers. He has also performed with vocal ensembles including the University of Iowa University Choir and the World Strides Honors Choir.

Sidney currently serves as organist and collaborative pianist at First United Methodist Church in Des Moines, Iowa. Alongside his performance activities, he is passionate about music education and composition, teaching beginner piano students and composing music for use in church services. Sidney aspires to become a collegiate organ performer and pedagogue

10/02/2026

🎉Today we celebrate 50 years as state ran museum🎉

On October 2nd, 1976 the Larrabee family (as Historical Governor Larrabee Home, Inc.) officially handed over the keys of Montauk to the State of Iowa. A large dedication ceremony was held to commemorate the event.

Today, we are part of the State Historical Society of Iowa (Department of Administrative Services) and work to share Montauk's unique history with every visitor who walks through our doors.

Here's to 50 years of education, programs, events, exhibits, and lots of ongoing maintenance 😆

10/01/2026

🎼Mark your calendar for TWO organ concerts this month! Join us on October 11th and 25th at the Union Sunday School for organ performances by University of Iowa students Sidney Shide and David Devine.