Ottumwa in Wapello County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

J. B. Sax Co.

Author, Artist, Designer

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 21, 2025

1. J. B. Sax Co. Marker

Inscription.

J. B. Sax Co.. Author, Artist, Designer. , Main Street and Beyond , The Main Street district of Ottumwa has been central to the economic and cultural development of the city, region, and far beyond. Many people with connections to Main Street Ottumwa have made significant national and international impacts. Main Street Ottumwa is proud to share the stories of these connections. , J.B. Sax Co. , The Sax Co. was a premier clothier and downtown anchor for over 100 years beginning in the 1860s when J.B. immigrated from Germany to join his brother, Charles, in business. , Jacob B. Sax worked to help others find success by establishing a charitable trust that provided interest-free loans regardless of a person's religion or gender. , Fire in 1960 , The J.B. Sax Store was severely damaged as a result of a fire that started at nearby Hill Drug in January 1962. The fire destroyed several businesses on the block. , Following the fire, a new J.B. Sax Co. store was built that same year, though the company hadn't been owned or operated by the Sax family since the early 1900s. , Carol Sax, and his younger sister, Clara were born in Ottumwa to Jacob and Estella Sax. The family was very involved in the city's business growth and civic development. , Carol was a respected artist, teacher, and world war one camouflage designer. , Carol Sax , Carol Mayer Sax, was born in Ottumwa in 1885. His parents, Jacob and Estella were avid art collectors and travelers who showcased these collections within their home. , After high school, Carol went on to study art at several prestigious schools including the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Academy of Design. , While working as a theater and set designer in Baltimore, Sax was recruited to develop and design camouflage for ships for transport and cargo ships during world war one. This job required a deep knowledge of science and principles of camouflage design. , Carol was an artist and teacher who continued to be involved in theater productions throughout his lifetime.

Main Street and Beyond
The Main Street district of Ottumwa has been central to the economic and cultural development of the city, region, and far beyond. Many people with connections to Main Street Ottumwa have made significant national and international impacts. Main Street Ottumwa is proud to share the stories of these connections.

J.B. Sax Co.
The Sax Co. was a premier clothier and downtown anchor for over 100 years beginning in the 1860s when J.B. immigrated from Germany to join his brother, Charles, in business.

Jacob B. Sax worked to help others find success by establishing a charitable trust that provided interest-free loans regardless of a person's religion or gender.

Fire in 1960
The J.B. Sax Store was severely damaged as a result of a fire that started at nearby Hill Drug in January 1962. The fire destroyed several businesses on the block.

Following the fire, a new J.B. Sax Co. store was built that same year, though the company hadn't been owned or operated by the Sax family since the early 1900s.

Carol Sax, and his younger sister, Clara were born in Ottumwa to Jacob and Estella Sax. The family was very involved

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in the city's business growth and civic development.

Carol was a respected artist, teacher, and WWI camouflage designer.

Carol Sax
Carol Mayer Sax, was born in Ottumwa in 1885. His parents, Jacob and Estella were avid art collectors and travelers who showcased these collections within their home.

After high school, Carol went on to study art at several prestigious schools including the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Academy of Design.

While working as a theater and set designer in Baltimore, Sax was recruited to develop and design camouflage for ships for transport and cargo ships during WWI. This job required a deep knowledge of science and principles of camouflage design.

Carol was an artist and teacher who continued to be involved in theater productions throughout his lifetime.

Erected 2025 by Main Street Ottumwa and City of Ottumwa.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce • War, World I • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 41° 1.056′ N, 92° 24.718′ W. Marker is in Ottumwa,

Marker detail: J. B. Sax Company Building image. Click for full size.

2. Marker detail: J. B. Sax Company Building

Iowa, in Wapello County. It can be reached from East Main Street just west of South Market Street, on the right when traveling west. The marker is mounted on the west wall in Canteen Alley. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 127 East Main Street, Ottumwa IA 52501, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southern Iowa. It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Edna Ferber (a few steps from this marker); Philip B. Hofmann (a few steps from this marker); Twin Galaxies (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); J.W. Garner Building (about 500 feet away); Ottumwa City Hall (about 600 feet away); National Humane Alliance Fountain (about 700 feet away); Civil War Memorial (about 800 feet away); Ottumwa Public Library (approx. 0.2 miles away).

Marker detail: J. B. Sax Company Fire image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: J. B. Sax Company Fire

The J.B. Sax Store was severely damaged as a result of a fire that started at nearby Hill Drug in January 1962.

Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ottumwa.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Canteen Alley Historical Markers

Also see . . . Camouflage Artist: Carol Sax from Ottumwa, IA (camoupedia.blogspot.com).

Excerpt: IOWAN AIDED US AS CAMOUFLEUR in Des Moines Register. February 2, 1919, p. 30—
OTTUMWA, IA, Feb. 1—C.M. Sax, an Ottumwa boy who was one of the 246 artists of the country salaried by the Emergency Fleet Corporation as an official camoufleur has laid down his brush for a time with the coming of peace and has been visiting at his home here. His particular duty was camouflaging Uncle Sam’s transports and cargo carriers so that these ocean liners could evade the German sub. Recent figures given out show that camouflage of ships played one of the biggest parts in the defeat of submarines. So effective was the “dazzle” system of camouflage used by the Americans that of the 1,240 ships painted in this manner only nine were sunk by subs. The percentage of sinkings among uncamouflaged vessels is said to have been nearly four times as great.
“At the outset,” says Mr. Sax, “painters were secured and foremen employed to mark off lines from the designs furnished in a purely mechanical way. This was effective only when the designs had been drawn to the scale of a given ship. However, when designs had to be adapted to other ships of differing types and sizes, as was invariably the case, it was necessary to have the supervision of a camoufleur thoroughly conversant with the principles of camouflage.”
"In the beginning camoufleurs experienced some difficulty in convincing proud ship captains that at times neatly kept brass fittings must be marred by great streaks of paint. To leave any parts undone meant the annulling of the whole camouflage scheme. It was the purpose to break up straight lines or any distinguishing angles about the ship’s structure so that from the periscope it would be unable to determine the course of the ship. Many of the designs caused the ship to have two bows or sterns…”

(Submitted on March 31, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Marker detail: Camouflaged World War I Ships image. Click for full size.

4. Marker detail: Camouflaged World War I Ships

Ottumwa native, Carol Sax used his expertise in theater set design and camouflage principles to develop innovative camouflage schemes for cargo and transport ships during World War I.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 21, 2025

5. J. B. Sax Co. Marker

The marker is mounted on the west wall of the Canteen Alley pedestrian walkway.

Canteen Alley image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 21, 2025

6. Canteen Alley

Looking north into Canteen Alley from Main Street. The marker is on the west/left side of the pedestrian walkway.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 25, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 31, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.