George
Wyth achieved his greatest prominence as a founder and first
president of Viking Pump Company. Along with P. C. Petersen
and Dr. Will Hearst, he formed the company in 1911 to manufacture
a rotary pump invented by Jens Nielsen of Cedar Falls.
Wyth retired
as president in 1944 and was succeeded by his son, Robert.
Both men were extremely active in local community affairs.
George Wyth was instrumental in establishing the Cedar Falls
parks system. He was elected to the first Park Board in
1919, when the city had just two small parks. By 1937 the
city had 250 acres of park land, including riverfront areas
and a golf course. George Wyth Memorial State Park between
Cedar Falls and Waterloo was named in honor of this outstanding
supporter of public recreation areas.
F. W. Paulger
built the George Wyth House around 1907. It was originally
a white frame structure. The brick veneer was added as insulation
in 1925 after Wyth purchased the house.
The house was
bequesthed to the Cedar Falls Historical Society by George
Wyth's daughter, Dorothy. The house was refurbished with
the theme, "a family home influenced by the Art Deco
period." The third floor houses a gallery featuring
Viking Pump and also shares the early history of the pumps.
On prominent display are the original wooden prototypes
created by Jens Nielsen. |