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Talk to the couple who own the Bostick Guest House in Iowa City and you'll hear Steve van der Woude, 82BBA, and Barbara Bienlien van der Woude, 84BBA, repeat the words "house" and "home" and "neighborhood" again and again.

"This is our world," says Barbara. "Making houses home is what we're both about. We love the process of renovating old houses and what it does for the neighborhood."

Steve and Barbara live and work in Iowa City's oldest neighborhood—the historic North Side, a 42-square-block area bounded by Brown, Lucas, Jefferson, and Dubuque streets that dates back to 1839. Innkeepers at the century-and-a-half old brick guest house on Gilbert Street, the two met when a friend suggested to Barbara that they would like each other's houses. Barbara owned a vintage home in Cedar Rapids, and Steve owned a home he'd remodeled in Iowa City's North Side neighborhood.

In addition to the Bostick House, they've purchased other older North Side houses, renovated them, and then sold or rented them.

Bostick House

It's thanks to the van der Woudes that the city still has the Bostick House. Built in 1851 by William Bostick, the building served as Iowa City's first town hall. Four years ago when they bought the place, it was in a state of complete disrepair. After extensive renovation inside and out, the building earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places and is now an Iowa City Historic Landmark.

Steve figures that at least 20 other properties on the North Side have benefited from their efforts.

"Neighborhoods are made of houses," he says. "If you lose the houses, you lose the neighborhood."