10/15/2026
🏛️ A PIECE OF CURTIS FAMILY HISTORY COMES HOME!
We are excited to announce that a remarkable antique traveling trunk, believed to have belonged to Eugene Judson Curtis (1884–1951), has become part of the historic George M. Curtis Mansion in Clinton, Iowa!
Eugene, affectionately known as “E.J.” or “Gene,” was the son of George M. Curtis and Etta Lewis Curtis, the original owners of the mansion, built in 1883–1885.
Dating to approximately 1905–1910, this handsome, canvas-covered trunk was retailed by the famous Marshall Field & Co. department store in Chicago. Most significantly, both ends bear the identifying inscription “E.J.C. CLINTON, IOWA” in red lettering.
The trunk dates to an exciting period in Eugene’s life. He attended Culver Military Academy, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, graduating from Yale in 1909. During his final year at Yale, he served as business manager of the Yale News and even contemplated a trip to Europe.
It is easy to imagine this trunk accompanying Eugene on his journeys between Clinton and his schools. While its exact travel history has not been documented, we know that Eugene later traveled extensively on business, including frequent trips to the Pacific Coast to purchase lumber.
A lifetime devoted to Curtis Woodwork
After graduating from Yale in 1909, Eugene returned to Clinton and joined Curtis Bros. & Co., the family enterprise that had helped establish Clinton as a nationally recognized center of woodworking and millwork manufacturing.
He initially directed purchasing operations, eventually overseeing lumber procurement for the company’s expanding operations. In 1915, he became manager of Curtis Bros. & Co. and later rose through the executive ranks, serving as vice president and ultimately president of Curtis Companies.
Throughout his career, Eugene helped guide a business whose doors, windows, interior trim, and architectural woodwork found their way into homes and buildings across America.
A lifelong connection to Clinton
Beyond his business accomplishments, Eugene’s life remained closely connected to the community in which he was raised. Through his leadership of one of Clinton’s major employers, he contributed to the city’s economic vitality, employment opportunities, and industrial reputation. The Curtis Companies and the Curtis family were closely associated with community activities, employee recreation, and the civic life of Clinton.
Eugene remained associated with the family enterprise until his death in 1951, carrying forward the legacy established by his father and earlier generations of the Curtis family.
More than a century later, this extraordinary trunk has returned to the Curtis family home!
For those of us dedicated to preserving the George M. Curtis Mansion, it represents something especially meaningful: a tangible connection to the people who lived here, their journeys, their accomplishments, and the remarkable history of Clinton, Iowa.
We look forward to sharing this special piece of history with visitors to the mansion!
A special shout out to Peg and Ben at Broken Spoke Antique Mall for making this happen!
