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History - The Douglas Era : 1906-1937
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George Bruce Douglas had a profound influence on the industrial development of Cedar Rapids. The Douglases had moved to Iowa to invest their substantial capital in businesses that relied on agriculture and a well-educated labor force made up largely of German and Czech immigrants seeking opportunity in America. Working first in his  father’s cereal business, George Bruce Douglas later became a partner of the business his father co-founded, The Quaker Oats Company. George and his brother Walter founded Douglas & Company, which originally processed linseed oil. In 1903, the company switched over to processing corn into starch and related products.
The company flourished, distinguishing itself not only as a leading industry in Cedar Rapids, but also the largest starch factory west of the Mississippi. In May of 1919, a grain dust explosion destroyed most the buildings on the ten-acre site - the worst industrial accident in Cedar Rapids history.
When George Bruce Douglas and his wife Irene Hazeltine Douglas moved to the mansion in 1906, the estate was renamed Brucemore; combining George’s middle name with an allusion to the moors of Scotland. The property grew from 10 to more than 33 acres. Chicago architect Howard van Doren Shaw, who specialized in North Shore mansions, oversaw the renovation(which exceeded $30,000).  Shaw relocated the entrance to the south facade and built a terrace on the north side, which faced the extensive lawn. Inside, butternut paneling and ceiling beams were added to the great hall. In the 1920s, the Douglases enhanced this space with a dramatic mural depicting scenes from Richard Wagner’s opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung. A Skinner player organ was later installed with its 678 pipes housed on the third floor. A sleeping porch was designed and created in 1925 by Grant Wood, a local artist who later became world renowned for his Regionalist paintings, most notably American Gothic. These are some examples of the Douglases’ interest in supporting local artists. Although Mrs. Douglas had access to the arts in larger cities, she was most interested in promoting regional artists and craftsmen.
George and Irene Douglas took an active part in shaping their community. George Douglas helped found the Cedar Rapids National Bank, and served on the boards of St. Luke’s Hospital and First Presbyterian Church. Irene Douglas was a charter member of the White Cross Society and the Cedar Rapids Art Association, and helped found the Junior League. Both were trustees of Coe College.
At home, Irene Douglas was a tolerant mother and Brucemore a generous playground for the Douglases’ three daughters, Margaret, Ellen, and Barbara. In the early years, the girls and their friends were tutored in the third-floor preschool. As they grew older, they enjoyed such treats as roller-skating in the halls and playing Ping-Pong on the large mahogany dining room table. Much later, the rugs in the Great Hall would be removed for dancing. Irene Douglas encouraged her daughters to develop themselves artistically as well as academically. Margaret, the eldest by twelve years, was a sculptor, Ellen was a writer and Barbara was a musician.
Irene Douglas was a benefactor of many civic organizations, although her contributions were often made anonymously. She was one of the six original donors to Camp Good Health, a summer camp for physically handicapped children. Though not a member of the Public Heath Nursing Association, she kept a standing agreement with the association’s board to provide financial help in emergencies. She helped raise funds to send several young artists to Europe for study, and opened her home to annual meetings of the Beethoven Club, the College Club, and the Cedar Rapids Garden Club. Irene Douglas’ generosity extended even to the gardens she loved, from which colorful bouquets were sent to families and social clubs for many years.
Renovation of the Brucemore landscape was largely complete by 1915. The servants’ duplex was finished circa 1909, followed by the barn, bookbindery/squash court, and Garden House. The book bindery/squash court was built in part to accommodate Irene Douglas’ book binding hobby.
Under the supervision of Chicago landscape architect, O.C. Simonds, the Douglases added a duck pond, large formal gardens, and vegetable and cutting gardens. The swimming pool was installed in 1927. A grass tennis court located in front of the Garden House provided another recreational option.
In 1937, fourteen years after the death of her husband, Irene Douglas died in the house she had made a home. She bequeathed the Brucemore estate to her eldest daughter, Margaret Douglas Hall.
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