by Matt Marquardt –
MASON CITY – A couple from Texas passing through North Iowa late last week on Interstate 35 decided to take a detour a few miles east and visit Mason City.
Jerry and Linda Vinson were on their way to Minnesota to visit family when they decided to get a hotel room in town and take in the sights Mason City has to offer.
The couple was walking in Central Park last Friday taking photos when they stopped for a few minutes to chat.
Mason City “is a really delightful place. We stayed here last night,” Jerry said, meaning a hotel on the city’s west side. The couple discovered the Historic Park Inn Hotel by accident; they did not stay there, but said they would go inside and look around. “We want to stay here sometime.”
The couple first visited the Mason City Visitor Center, located at 2021 4th St. SW, and was told about the sculptures that were being installed downtown that day, so they decided to come take a look.
When asked what brought them to Mason City, Jerry and Linda answered, the “Music Man Square.” They had read about it in an RV magazine called the Gypsy Journal.
“This is all really neat. I didn’t realize he (Frank Lloyd Wright) was such an influence in this town,” Jerry remarked.
The Vinsons also paid a visit to the North Iowa Events Center and watched some horses being worked out by trainers. “Our grand daughter does that back in Texas, so it was like a little homecoming,” they said.
Watch video:
httpv://youtu.be/6uPgMFKbll0
15 thoughts on “Texas couple: Mason City “is a really delightful place””
“Mason City is the most unfriendliest places I ever lived in.”
Obviously you have not gotten around much. Try Philly and it’s suburbs, most of NY State, The entire state of MA, Minnesota (if I ever hear the term ‘Minnesota nice’ or any of the other gobblty goop from up there, I am going to be violently ill – – even Skokie, IL was not as stuck up), Detroit, North Jersey, Gary, or Cleveland.
While Mason City has it’s rough edges, however, compared to other places I have lived, it is the proverbial walk in the park.
Love Max’s garden! It should be on every North Iowan tourist’s stop. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy these photos from my recent trip in August! Flickr: Rancho Deluxe Z Garden
So this is what this guy has done over the years instead of having a job.
Now matter how you slice it, it’s still a junk yard!
Take it to the landfill.
Mason city a retirement city is what they want all the young people graduate an go to minnesota or southern iowa nothing here for the younger generation then theres the good ole food stamps and hud houses and beje clark and dirty bars then the city 40k on retarded sculptures wow
What??
Except for retirement city, I certainly agree with you. Mason City is one of the few places I would hate to retire in. I would guess that the retired people living there now did not have much of a choice and are unfortunately stuck there. Mason City is the most unfriendliest places I ever lived in. Glad to be out and away from it.
I just have to chime in here and say I’m always proud to tell people I’m from Mason City. Almost everyone has heard something about our town, and most of it is good. I would say Meredith Willson is mentioned most often but, thanks to the hotel, Frank Lloyd Wright is right up there and gaining ground.
I like this city and I plan to stay.
Have none of the blue hairs in town figured out that no one could care less about FLW or MW. They don’t keep a soul in this town and nobody moves here because of them. Wake up!!
It’s nice to have a positive article about Mason City for a change. I’m surprised you didn’t send them to Max’s garden. 🙂
I just tell them we’re glad they are here and ask them to come back. But, they should go to the garden. Speaking of that, a story about it is on the way.
About how it is an eyesore and needs to be taken to the landfill?
This seems like a good place to comment on Silly Me’s column in the beavis and buttwhiller gazette. It reminded me of the organ grinder and his trained monkey who does tricks for his master in hopes for a pat on the head or a peanut. Or in this case hopes of sitting in someones office and being told how wonderful your story is even tho your whole life has been spent writing for the third from the bottom paper in the state. The line that your wrong unless you jump to salute the beerman and his cronies is everything that is wrong with MC. So in closing when you see silly me throw him a peanut to make him feel good.
By the looks of this guy he probably doesn’t even know when his birthday is or what his home address is…..let alone make an accurate comment on what type of town MC is. The guy is probably a puppet….You just can’t see the old dame with her hand in his back pulling the strings.