“Before there was two of everything”
Dwayne is a retired veteran and carpenter from Garwin. He now collects antiques in a building that is an antique itself. The building used to be a high-end clothing store in the early 20th century. “People as far out as Chicago would come up to watch fashion shows here”.
Garwin has changed since then. Many businesses have closed. “Before there was two of everything”, Dwayne told me. Now, the downtown has more empty buildings than full ones, as families have moved or passed away.
Dwayne isn’t sure what the future will bring, but he is proud of his history. His building is a testament to this pride. Full of relics from our past, Dwayne’s collection traces the beautiful and complex history of his life, of Garwin, and of Iowa. He also preserves this history by creating history: the building is open to the community as a banquet hall for proms, weddings, and other events.