1907 Mason

[Narrator] Generations of Iowans have climbed the steps of the Iowa State Capitol with hopes, curiosity, and even frustrations. It's been a place of celebration, grief and a desire to shape the future. But for one remarkable moment, about a century ago, these steps changed from footpath to roadway. Parking the Mason Car in Iowa's rich automotive history.

This 1907 Mason Runabout, housed at the State Historical Society of Iowa, is the same model as the one that famously  climbed the capitol steps in 1906.

(The car has prominent rounded headlights with gold trim, positioned on either side of a decorative front grill. The body of the vehicle is a bright shade of red, complemented by intricate gold detailing. It features a sleek hood with a smooth surface and elegant curves. The automobile has large, spoked wheels, with a stylish tire design. The driver's seat is upholstered in white leather, adding a luxurious touch to the old-fashioned aesthetic.)

The now legendary Duesenberg brothers, who  grew up in Rockford, Iowa, wanted to prove that the vehicle they designed and built was the fastest and strongest car in America. Turns out they didn't have to drive very  far to pull off their marketing stunt.

[Leo Landis, Historian] The Mason Automotive Company is a really great story, with the Duesenberg brothers being the designers and builders on the Mason. It was made just about a block away from the State Historical Building at 100 Southeast Fifth.

It's still a crank start on the side. But what was new was just having more power, larger engines and being able to have a little more speed. It was known as a good hill climber, you didn't want your car stalling out, going up a hill. So the Mason company, with the Duesenbergs in charge did a promotional stunt driving a Mason automobile up the west steps of the state capital.

[Narrator] Only 1500 of these Mason Runabouts were built, and all of them in Iowa, making this automobile a rare and fascinating artifact.

The lighting system, gas tank, and other features on this car are indicators that the frenzy of early automobile design often incorporated known technology. The bicycle chain on this vehicle proves it. It has an even  stronger connection to the Mason's designers.

[Landis]The Duesenberg brothers had been bicycle builders and bicycle racers in their younger days. So again, people who knew a technology knew how to use it and decided to work to adapt it to an automobile.

[Narrator] During their Mason era, the Duesenbergs were proud of the speed their car demonstrated, but the twists and turns of their business ventures moved even faster.

In 1906, the Mason Automobile Company roared to life thanks to an investment by Edward R. Mason, a Des Moines lawyer. His parents owned the Mason House Inn in Benton's Port, Iowa. He trusted the Duesenberg brothers to design successful cars.

That same year, their first vehicle, the Mason Runabout, climbed the Iowa State Capitol steps and debuted on the market for $1,350, the equivalent of about $50,000 today.

In 1909, Fred Maytag bought a controlling interest in the company, and in 1910 moved the manufacturing from Des Moines to Waterloo. Renaming the business the Maytag Mason Motor Company.

However, by 1915, only nine years after the first Mason car was designed, the Waterloo factory was sold, marking the end of this automobile's manufacturing story.

This particular vehicle represents more than a brief chapter in Iowa's automotive history. It captures the moment when the talents of two young designers were beginning to  reshape the future of automobiles.

After launching their careers here in Iowa, August and Fred Duesenberg became icons of the automobile racing industry in the 1920s. Around the same time, they also designed the Duesenberg Model J, a vehicle that is often considered one of the most luxurious and prestigious cars in history.

Today, this Mason Runabout is more than an early automobile. It's an artifact of ambition, a reminder that some of history's biggest journeys began close to home.