This summer, residents and visitors alike can interact with the statue of Iowa City's notable historian, Irving Weber, about local history and public art.

In a collaboration with the City’s Public Art program, the Iowa City Downtown District, the Iowa City Public Library (ICPL), and the family of our most cherished historian, the Irving Weber statue on Iowa Avenue will come to life through Hello Lamp Post’s digital engagement chat function. 

Visitors can simply scan a QR code near the statue with their smartphone and have a text conversation with the Irving Weber sculpture about local history and current public art. Thanks to the hard work of ICPL employees who pored over his many historical articles, and John Weber, Irving’s grandchild, who gave firsthand accounts of Martha Weber and her husband, people can enjoy conversations that capture the true character of the local icon.  

“We have incredible public art in this community that most people walk past so often, they stop noticing it,” Rachel Kilburg Varley, the City’s Public Art Coordinator, said. “This project is about giving people a reason to notice it again, and there's no better place to start than with Irving Weber, who spent his life making sure Iowa City's history belonged to everyone who lives here or passes through.” 

About Irving and Martha

Irving and Martha Weber were both longtime residents of Iowa City. Irving was a fourth-generation Iowa Citian who graduated from the University of Iowa, where he became the school’s first All-American swimmer. He then spent his successful professional career working in the dairy industry. 

After his retirement, and at the age of 72, his columns about local history began appearing in the Iowa City Press-Citizen: 800 articles in total ran in the paper for the next 30 years. Many of his historic writings also appeared in an eight-volume Iowa City history collection. Irving passed in 1997, at the age of 97. Martha Weber was married to Irving for 71 years. John Weber, Martha and Irving’s grandchild, said Martha was one of the smartest people he had ever met. Martha passed Jan. 11, 1998.