"Iowa Almanac" is a copyrighted production of Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2017 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2017 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 29, 2017
"A Song for a Church"
William Pitts was a Wisconsin schoolteacher who traveled to Iowa in 1857 to visit his fiancée in Fredericksburg. On the way, the stagecoach stopped in Bradford. Pitts took a walk and discovered a vacant lot in the town that had beautiful cedar and oak trees. Inspired, he wrote a poem about the site, which he later set to music. He imagined a church nestled within those trees.
After marrying his fiancée, Pitts moved to Fredericksburg. While going through Bradford on another occasion, he was stunned to see that a church was being built on the very spot of his vision. There was no furniture in it, nor a bell to ring, but the church was dedicated on December 29th, 1864. As part of the dedication, William Pitts sang his song in public for the first time.
It was called “Church in the Wildwood” and quickly became popular in the area. Not long after debuting the song, Pitts moved to Chicago to attend a medical college, but he needed money for tuition. So he sold the rights to the song to the Higgins publishing company, which had published many of the popular Civil War-era ballads and marching songs. He received $25.
The song became forgotten, as did the church when the railroad bypassed Bradford in favor of Nashua.
Finally, in 1914, interest in the church was rekindled, and along with it, interest in the song. With the reopening of what we now know as the Little Brown Church in the Vale, came national acclaim for the hymn, “Church in the Wildwood”.
That seems fitting, since the two have always been linked, ever since William Pitts first performed his composition in public, on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Song for a Church"
William Pitts was a Wisconsin schoolteacher who traveled to Iowa in 1857 to visit his fiancée in Fredericksburg. On the way, the stagecoach stopped in Bradford. Pitts took a walk and discovered a vacant lot in the town that had beautiful cedar and oak trees. Inspired, he wrote a poem about the site, which he later set to music. He imagined a church nestled within those trees.
After marrying his fiancée, Pitts moved to Fredericksburg. While going through Bradford on another occasion, he was stunned to see that a church was being built on the very spot of his vision. There was no furniture in it, nor a bell to ring, but the church was dedicated on December 29th, 1864. As part of the dedication, William Pitts sang his song in public for the first time.
It was called “Church in the Wildwood” and quickly became popular in the area. Not long after debuting the song, Pitts moved to Chicago to attend a medical college, but he needed money for tuition. So he sold the rights to the song to the Higgins publishing company, which had published many of the popular Civil War-era ballads and marching songs. He received $25.
The song became forgotten, as did the church when the railroad bypassed Bradford in favor of Nashua.
Finally, in 1914, interest in the church was rekindled, and along with it, interest in the song. With the reopening of what we now know as the Little Brown Church in the Vale, came national acclaim for the hymn, “Church in the Wildwood”.
That seems fitting, since the two have always been linked, ever since William Pitts first performed his composition in public, on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 28, 2017
"It's Our Birthday"
It was on this date, December 28th, in 1846 that Iowa officially became the 29th state admitted to the union.
What we know today as Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. What was called the Iowa Territory was established in 1838, splitting off from the Wisconsin Territory. It included Iowa and parts of what is now Minnesota and North and South Dakota.
We know Des Moines as our state's capital city, but that was not always the case. The first capitol of the Iowa Territory was in Burlington. After three years there, the territory's capital moved to Iowa City in 1841. It remained the Iowa capital until 1849, when Iowa, the state, was three years old.
The name Iowa comes from the Ioway people, one of many Native American tribes living in the state at the time of European exploration. Popular lore indicates that Iowa means 'beautiful land'.
The Hawkeye State got its nickname back in territorial times. Two Burlington men, a judge and a newspaper publisher, promoted the Hawkeye name as a tribute to Chief Black Hawk; the publisher even changed the name of his paper from the Patriot to the Hawkeye, the name it still has today.
Iowa's state slogan...Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain...was developed by three members of the Iowa Senate just days after statehood. The words became part of our new state seal, and 70 years later, also part of our first official state flag.
President James K. Polk signed legislation establishing Iowa as a state, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"It's Our Birthday"
It was on this date, December 28th, in 1846 that Iowa officially became the 29th state admitted to the union.
What we know today as Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. What was called the Iowa Territory was established in 1838, splitting off from the Wisconsin Territory. It included Iowa and parts of what is now Minnesota and North and South Dakota.
We know Des Moines as our state's capital city, but that was not always the case. The first capitol of the Iowa Territory was in Burlington. After three years there, the territory's capital moved to Iowa City in 1841. It remained the Iowa capital until 1849, when Iowa, the state, was three years old.
The name Iowa comes from the Ioway people, one of many Native American tribes living in the state at the time of European exploration. Popular lore indicates that Iowa means 'beautiful land'.
The Hawkeye State got its nickname back in territorial times. Two Burlington men, a judge and a newspaper publisher, promoted the Hawkeye name as a tribute to Chief Black Hawk; the publisher even changed the name of his paper from the Patriot to the Hawkeye, the name it still has today.
Iowa's state slogan...Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain...was developed by three members of the Iowa Senate just days after statehood. The words became part of our new state seal, and 70 years later, also part of our first official state flag.
President James K. Polk signed legislation establishing Iowa as a state, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 27, 2017
"Organizing Farmers"
Farmers by nature are a somewhat independent sort, sometimes going it alone when working together would suit them better. But even more than a century ago, some Iowa farmers knew there was strength in numbers as they looked to market their products fairly.
In 1912, a group of farmers in Clinton and Scott counties came together; the idea soon spread to other counties, and in addition to farmers, bankers, lawyers, merchants, and teachers joined the farmers in the common effort to help agriculture play its proper role in a stable economy.
On December 27th, 1918, representatives from these groups from 72 of Iowa's 99 counties came together in Marshalltown. They gathered on that cold, snowy day because they saw that working together with a common vision and purpose could lead to better results than if they all worked separately.
And at that meeting, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation was born.
After approving a constitution and by-laws, officers and board members were selected. James R. Howard of Marshall County was elected the group's first president by those in attendance. In that first year, the Iowa Farm Bureau lobbied state and federal legislatures, helped other ag-related organizations get established, and played a key role in joining with other state groups to form the American Farm Bureau Federation.
In the century since its founding, much has changed in agriculture and society generally. But common values such as hard work, love of community and devotion to the land have not changed.
The group now boasts more than 153-thousand member families across the state, and is still made up of a cross-section of Iowans, all with the common interest of furthering agriculture...the same as when the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation was founded in Marshalltown on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Organizing Farmers"
Farmers by nature are a somewhat independent sort, sometimes going it alone when working together would suit them better. But even more than a century ago, some Iowa farmers knew there was strength in numbers as they looked to market their products fairly.
In 1912, a group of farmers in Clinton and Scott counties came together; the idea soon spread to other counties, and in addition to farmers, bankers, lawyers, merchants, and teachers joined the farmers in the common effort to help agriculture play its proper role in a stable economy.
On December 27th, 1918, representatives from these groups from 72 of Iowa's 99 counties came together in Marshalltown. They gathered on that cold, snowy day because they saw that working together with a common vision and purpose could lead to better results than if they all worked separately.
And at that meeting, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation was born.
After approving a constitution and by-laws, officers and board members were selected. James R. Howard of Marshall County was elected the group's first president by those in attendance. In that first year, the Iowa Farm Bureau lobbied state and federal legislatures, helped other ag-related organizations get established, and played a key role in joining with other state groups to form the American Farm Bureau Federation.
In the century since its founding, much has changed in agriculture and society generally. But common values such as hard work, love of community and devotion to the land have not changed.
The group now boasts more than 153-thousand member families across the state, and is still made up of a cross-section of Iowans, all with the common interest of furthering agriculture...the same as when the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation was founded in Marshalltown on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 26, 2017
"Bowling Them Over"
When the 1984 season began, Iowa football fans were again getting used to winning. They had been to three bowl games in three seasons, and expectations were high.
Hayden Fry was in his 6th year as head coach, and the Hawks featured underclassmen such as Chuck Long and Ronnie Harmon. Four seniors wound up being drafted by the NFL, including tight end Jonathan Hayes, running back Owen Gill, linebacker Dave Strobel, and defensive tackle George Little.
The team finished the regular season 7-4-1 and unranked. When college bowl games were making their selections, a brand new game showed interest--the Freedom Bowl, in Anaheim, California. Some thought the team should go to a more established bowl, but when Fry learned the opponent would be the 19th-ranked Texas Longhorns, the native Texan jumped at the chance to play.
It was a rainy night in California, and the conditions did not seem to be conducive to a lot of scoring. But Coach Fry's pregame comments turned out to be right on the money.
The Hawks led 24-17 at the half, but blew the game open with 31 unanswered points in the third quarter, going on to win 55-17. Chuck Long completed 29 of 39 passes for 461 yards and six touchdowns. And the Hawks wound up being ranked 15th nationally in the final coaches' poll that season.
The Freedom Bowl was played 11 times...but no team ever scored as many points, or won by as large a margin, as the Iowa Hawkeyes did in the first Freedom Bowl game, played on this date in 1984.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Bowling Them Over"
When the 1984 season began, Iowa football fans were again getting used to winning. They had been to three bowl games in three seasons, and expectations were high.
Hayden Fry was in his 6th year as head coach, and the Hawks featured underclassmen such as Chuck Long and Ronnie Harmon. Four seniors wound up being drafted by the NFL, including tight end Jonathan Hayes, running back Owen Gill, linebacker Dave Strobel, and defensive tackle George Little.
The team finished the regular season 7-4-1 and unranked. When college bowl games were making their selections, a brand new game showed interest--the Freedom Bowl, in Anaheim, California. Some thought the team should go to a more established bowl, but when Fry learned the opponent would be the 19th-ranked Texas Longhorns, the native Texan jumped at the chance to play.
It was a rainy night in California, and the conditions did not seem to be conducive to a lot of scoring. But Coach Fry's pregame comments turned out to be right on the money.
The Hawks led 24-17 at the half, but blew the game open with 31 unanswered points in the third quarter, going on to win 55-17. Chuck Long completed 29 of 39 passes for 461 yards and six touchdowns. And the Hawks wound up being ranked 15th nationally in the final coaches' poll that season.
The Freedom Bowl was played 11 times...but no team ever scored as many points, or won by as large a margin, as the Iowa Hawkeyes did in the first Freedom Bowl game, played on this date in 1984.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 25, 2017
"The Founder of Iowa State"
By the time Benjamin F. Gue moved to Iowa at the age of 24, he'd already had many life experiences. He was born on December 25th, 1828 on a farm in New York. His parents were Quakers and Abolutionists, and their home was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. When Ben Gue was 10 years of age, his father died, leaving his mother to raise Ben and his siblings, and to manage the farm.
In the early 1850s, he and his younger brother migrated to Iowa and farmed in Scott County. In 1856, he was a delegate to the state convention which formally organized the Republican Party in Iowa. He was elected to the state house in 1858, then the senate in 1862. He also served a term as lieutenant governor of our state.
In 1858, Gue was one of the authors of a bill to establish a state agricultural college and model farm, which became Iowa State University. He served as president of the board of trustees for what was then Iowa Agricultural College. His leadership at that pivotal time led many to call him the founder of the school.
In addition to being a farmer and a politician, Gue was a newspaper editor and publisher. His four volume history of Iowa was published in 1903 and remains the most important work on the earliest days of our state.
The founder of Iowa State University, Benjamin F. Gue, was born on this date, Christmas Day, in 1828.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Founder of Iowa State"
By the time Benjamin F. Gue moved to Iowa at the age of 24, he'd already had many life experiences. He was born on December 25th, 1828 on a farm in New York. His parents were Quakers and Abolutionists, and their home was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. When Ben Gue was 10 years of age, his father died, leaving his mother to raise Ben and his siblings, and to manage the farm.
In the early 1850s, he and his younger brother migrated to Iowa and farmed in Scott County. In 1856, he was a delegate to the state convention which formally organized the Republican Party in Iowa. He was elected to the state house in 1858, then the senate in 1862. He also served a term as lieutenant governor of our state.
In 1858, Gue was one of the authors of a bill to establish a state agricultural college and model farm, which became Iowa State University. He served as president of the board of trustees for what was then Iowa Agricultural College. His leadership at that pivotal time led many to call him the founder of the school.
In addition to being a farmer and a politician, Gue was a newspaper editor and publisher. His four volume history of Iowa was published in 1903 and remains the most important work on the earliest days of our state.
The founder of Iowa State University, Benjamin F. Gue, was born on this date, Christmas Day, in 1828.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 22, 2017
"Dying In The Line of Service"
It was one of the deadliest fires in Iowa history, and prompted sweeping changes in the way fire departments train.
Shortly after 8 in the morning on December 22nd, 1999, fire broke out in Melissa Cooper's Keokuk apartment, one of three in a century-old two-story house. She was awakened by her 4-year-old son Jacob, who said there was a fire. She and Jacob escaped, and fire fighters soon arrived to put out the fire and rescue Melissa's other three children.
They rescued her 2-year-old twins, Robert and Rebecca, but they died a short time later. Three fire fighters re-entered the building to save 7-year-old Jessica, but they were caught in a deadly flashover.
The body of one of the fire fighters was found on the first floor of the building. The bodies of the other two were found on the second floor. One of them had little Jessica in his arms.
The fire that killed three children and three fire fighters was caused by food left on a kitchen stove.
In its 120-year history, the Keokuk Fire Department had never experienced a line-of-duty death. Then three of the department's 19 full-time members died in a single morning--Dave McNally, Jason Bitting, and Nate Tuck.
The fire was used in nationwide training for other departments, in hopes that lessons learned from the Iowa tragedy could save other lives.
But despite training and best efforts, six lives...those of three fire fighters and three children...were lost in Keokuk, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Dying In The Line of Service"
It was one of the deadliest fires in Iowa history, and prompted sweeping changes in the way fire departments train.
Shortly after 8 in the morning on December 22nd, 1999, fire broke out in Melissa Cooper's Keokuk apartment, one of three in a century-old two-story house. She was awakened by her 4-year-old son Jacob, who said there was a fire. She and Jacob escaped, and fire fighters soon arrived to put out the fire and rescue Melissa's other three children.
They rescued her 2-year-old twins, Robert and Rebecca, but they died a short time later. Three fire fighters re-entered the building to save 7-year-old Jessica, but they were caught in a deadly flashover.
The body of one of the fire fighters was found on the first floor of the building. The bodies of the other two were found on the second floor. One of them had little Jessica in his arms.
The fire that killed three children and three fire fighters was caused by food left on a kitchen stove.
In its 120-year history, the Keokuk Fire Department had never experienced a line-of-duty death. Then three of the department's 19 full-time members died in a single morning--Dave McNally, Jason Bitting, and Nate Tuck.
The fire was used in nationwide training for other departments, in hopes that lessons learned from the Iowa tragedy could save other lives.
But despite training and best efforts, six lives...those of three fire fighters and three children...were lost in Keokuk, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 21, 2017
"The Diplomat from Des Moines"
George Wildman Ball was born on December 21st, 1909 in Des Moines. His family later moved to Illinois, and he graduated from Evanston High School and Northwestern University.
After earning his law degree, Ball joined a Chicago law firm which included Adlai Stevenson II as one of its partners. Stevenson became a lifelong mentor to Ball.
His career in government began during World War II, when in 1942, he became an official of the U.S. Lend Lease program with Great Britain.
When Adlai Stevenson was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952, George Ball was one of the campaign speechwriters, served as liaison between Stevenson and President Harry Truman, and was executive director of Volunteers for Stevenson, targeting independent and Republican voters. Ball was also a major part of Stevenson's 1956 bid for the White House.
While Stevenson did not make it there, Ball did. He was Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He became well known for his opposition to escalating the Vietnam War.
During the turbulent summer of 1968, Ball was Ambassador to the United Nations, defending the right of Czechoslovakia to freedom against Soviet invasion. He later advised the Nixon administration on American policy in the Persian Gulf.
An advisor to three presidents, and our country's ambassador to the United Nations...George Ball...born in Des Moines on this date in 1909.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Diplomat from Des Moines"
George Wildman Ball was born on December 21st, 1909 in Des Moines. His family later moved to Illinois, and he graduated from Evanston High School and Northwestern University.
After earning his law degree, Ball joined a Chicago law firm which included Adlai Stevenson II as one of its partners. Stevenson became a lifelong mentor to Ball.
His career in government began during World War II, when in 1942, he became an official of the U.S. Lend Lease program with Great Britain.
When Adlai Stevenson was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952, George Ball was one of the campaign speechwriters, served as liaison between Stevenson and President Harry Truman, and was executive director of Volunteers for Stevenson, targeting independent and Republican voters. Ball was also a major part of Stevenson's 1956 bid for the White House.
While Stevenson did not make it there, Ball did. He was Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He became well known for his opposition to escalating the Vietnam War.
During the turbulent summer of 1968, Ball was Ambassador to the United Nations, defending the right of Czechoslovakia to freedom against Soviet invasion. He later advised the Nixon administration on American policy in the Persian Gulf.
An advisor to three presidents, and our country's ambassador to the United Nations...George Ball...born in Des Moines on this date in 1909.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 20, 2017
"Retreading Globally"
Muscatine was home to a family-owned manufacturing firm, Carver Pump Company. Roy J. Carver was the owner, and had great interest in supporting new business ideas. In 1957, he was on a business trip to West Germany when he learned about a new tire-retreading process invented by Bernard A. Nowak. The Nowak method used lower temperatures than in other retreading processes, meaning less damage to casings, and longer durability.
Carver was intrigued and bought the U.S. rights to the process from Nowak. The inventor, however, insisted that his name be a part of the new American company. So Carver used Nowak's initials...BAN, plus the first letter of Nowak's hometown, Darmstadt, and the letters AG, the German abbreviation for incorporated. And that's how the BANDAG company got its name.
The early days of the business were not easy, but Carver and his engineers improved upon the Nowak method, receiving their own patents on the improved process in 1962.
Growth was explosive. By 1971, Bandag held 10 percent of the U.S. truck tire-retreading market. By 1980, it was the world's largest producer of tread rubber and retreading equipment, with 20 percent of the global retreading market.
Roy Carver died suddenly of a heart attack in 1981, and was succeeded by his son Martin. Martin Carver's aggressive refocus on the company's core business and employee-centered management style was a success. By the end of the 1980s, Bandag held half the U.S. truck tire-retreading market.
Still headquartered in Muscatine, Bandag is now a part of the Bridgestone company but remains the global market leader for retreading materials and equipment. Since its founding, the Bandag retread process has kept some 300 million tires out of the waste stream, saving 4 billion gallons of oil. And it all started when the company licensed a West German process and formally incorporated on this date in 1957—60 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Retreading Globally"
Muscatine was home to a family-owned manufacturing firm, Carver Pump Company. Roy J. Carver was the owner, and had great interest in supporting new business ideas. In 1957, he was on a business trip to West Germany when he learned about a new tire-retreading process invented by Bernard A. Nowak. The Nowak method used lower temperatures than in other retreading processes, meaning less damage to casings, and longer durability.
Carver was intrigued and bought the U.S. rights to the process from Nowak. The inventor, however, insisted that his name be a part of the new American company. So Carver used Nowak's initials...BAN, plus the first letter of Nowak's hometown, Darmstadt, and the letters AG, the German abbreviation for incorporated. And that's how the BANDAG company got its name.
The early days of the business were not easy, but Carver and his engineers improved upon the Nowak method, receiving their own patents on the improved process in 1962.
Growth was explosive. By 1971, Bandag held 10 percent of the U.S. truck tire-retreading market. By 1980, it was the world's largest producer of tread rubber and retreading equipment, with 20 percent of the global retreading market.
Roy Carver died suddenly of a heart attack in 1981, and was succeeded by his son Martin. Martin Carver's aggressive refocus on the company's core business and employee-centered management style was a success. By the end of the 1980s, Bandag held half the U.S. truck tire-retreading market.
Still headquartered in Muscatine, Bandag is now a part of the Bridgestone company but remains the global market leader for retreading materials and equipment. Since its founding, the Bandag retread process has kept some 300 million tires out of the waste stream, saving 4 billion gallons of oil. And it all started when the company licensed a West German process and formally incorporated on this date in 1957—60 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 19, 2017
"A River City Premiere"
By the time his musical hit the Broadway stage on December 19th, 1957, he was 55 years of age, and had already had quite a career.
He attended what is now the Julliard School in New York, was a member of John Phillip Sousa's band, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the director of Arturo Toscanini. After a move to California, he scored music for films, earning Academy Award nominations in successive years, for "The Great Dictator" and "The Little Foxes".
Then came World War II, and work for the Armed Forces Radio Service, which led to a successful career in radio, including his own programs.
But it was that Broadway show that became Meredith Willson's most famous work. "The Music Man" premiered in 1957 and became an instant hit, with some 1,375 performances. It won three Tony Awards, and Robert Preston won a Theater World Award for his portrayal of Professor Harold Hill. The cast recording won the first Grammy for its category. The show was adapted twice for film.
And to show that he had more than one Broadway show in him, Willson's second musical was "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", which ran for more than 500 performances.
The Mason City native once called the show "an Iowan's attempt to pay tribute to his home state". And the world learned of River City, through the genius of Meredith Willson, when "The Music Man" premiered on Broadway, on this date in 1957—60 years ago today..
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A River City Premiere"
By the time his musical hit the Broadway stage on December 19th, 1957, he was 55 years of age, and had already had quite a career.
He attended what is now the Julliard School in New York, was a member of John Phillip Sousa's band, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under the director of Arturo Toscanini. After a move to California, he scored music for films, earning Academy Award nominations in successive years, for "The Great Dictator" and "The Little Foxes".
Then came World War II, and work for the Armed Forces Radio Service, which led to a successful career in radio, including his own programs.
But it was that Broadway show that became Meredith Willson's most famous work. "The Music Man" premiered in 1957 and became an instant hit, with some 1,375 performances. It won three Tony Awards, and Robert Preston won a Theater World Award for his portrayal of Professor Harold Hill. The cast recording won the first Grammy for its category. The show was adapted twice for film.
And to show that he had more than one Broadway show in him, Willson's second musical was "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", which ran for more than 500 performances.
The Mason City native once called the show "an Iowan's attempt to pay tribute to his home state". And the world learned of River City, through the genius of Meredith Willson, when "The Music Man" premiered on Broadway, on this date in 1957—60 years ago today..
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 18, 2017
"The Wizard of Spirit Lake"
It’s always been a popular spot for sportsmen, the area around Spirit Lake. And it’s therefore not surprising that many well-known sportsmen hail from that area.
One of the most famous was Fred Gilbert, known to all as Dood Gilbert…and known to trap shooters as the Wizard of Spirit Lake.
He was born on December 18th, 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, and it was said that young Fred Gilbert had a shotgun in his hands from the time he was able to carry one. At an early age, it was also clear he had a skill that would make him known around the world.
Trap shooting was such a big part of his life that he named his daughter Annie, after Annie Oakley, and his son Tom Marshall, after a fellow shooter and Dood’s longtime mentor.
He won the World’s Pigeon Shooting Championship in Baltimore in 1895 just before he turned 30 years of age, and from then on, shooting became his livelihood.
In the early 1900s, he traveled around the country in a private railroad car, competing at shoots for his employers, the DuPont Powder Company and the Parker Gun Company. He shot targets in every state in the union, as well as in England, Scotland, and Ireland. For years, his run of 591 straight hits in competition stood as a world record.
Dood Gilbert was inducted into the Amateur Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame in 1969, and a park toward the north end of Spirit Lake bears his name. Two others from Spirit Lake are also in the Hall—Johnny Jahn, inducted in 1976, and Bob Allen, inducted in 1982; no other town in America can claim three Hall of Famers.
Fred Gilbert…Dood…a Hall of Fame trapshooter, born in Spirit Lake, on this date in 1865.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Wizard of Spirit Lake"
It’s always been a popular spot for sportsmen, the area around Spirit Lake. And it’s therefore not surprising that many well-known sportsmen hail from that area.
One of the most famous was Fred Gilbert, known to all as Dood Gilbert…and known to trap shooters as the Wizard of Spirit Lake.
He was born on December 18th, 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, and it was said that young Fred Gilbert had a shotgun in his hands from the time he was able to carry one. At an early age, it was also clear he had a skill that would make him known around the world.
Trap shooting was such a big part of his life that he named his daughter Annie, after Annie Oakley, and his son Tom Marshall, after a fellow shooter and Dood’s longtime mentor.
He won the World’s Pigeon Shooting Championship in Baltimore in 1895 just before he turned 30 years of age, and from then on, shooting became his livelihood.
In the early 1900s, he traveled around the country in a private railroad car, competing at shoots for his employers, the DuPont Powder Company and the Parker Gun Company. He shot targets in every state in the union, as well as in England, Scotland, and Ireland. For years, his run of 591 straight hits in competition stood as a world record.
Dood Gilbert was inducted into the Amateur Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame in 1969, and a park toward the north end of Spirit Lake bears his name. Two others from Spirit Lake are also in the Hall—Johnny Jahn, inducted in 1976, and Bob Allen, inducted in 1982; no other town in America can claim three Hall of Famers.
Fred Gilbert…Dood…a Hall of Fame trapshooter, born in Spirit Lake, on this date in 1865.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 15, 2017
"Completing the Road"
Interstate 80 runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. In Iowa, the east/west roadway enters our state at the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, cuts through the capital city of Des Moines, through the former capital city of Iowa City, and passes along the northern edges of Davenport and Bettendorf before leaving the state via the Congressman Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River into Illinois.
The most common roadway connecting east to west along the southern half of the state, prior to the interstate, was what became U.S. Highway 6. In fact, it became the busiest highway in the state.
It took 14 years to complete I-80 in Iowa. The first section opened in the western suburbs of Des Moines in 1958. Construction in eastern Iowa was finished in 1966. The final piece of I-80 in Iowa, the Missouri River bridge to Omaha, opened on December 15th, 1972.
The majority of I-80 runs through farmland, yet roughly one-third of Iowa’s total population lives along the Interstate 80 corridor.
The Iowa Department of Transportation operates 9 rest areas along the I-80 route. And near Walcott on the eastern end of the state is the world’s largest truck stop, Iowa 80.
The final stretch of Interstate 80 in Iowa, the bridge over the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha, opened on this date, in 1972…45 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Completing the Road"
Interstate 80 runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. In Iowa, the east/west roadway enters our state at the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, cuts through the capital city of Des Moines, through the former capital city of Iowa City, and passes along the northern edges of Davenport and Bettendorf before leaving the state via the Congressman Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River into Illinois.
The most common roadway connecting east to west along the southern half of the state, prior to the interstate, was what became U.S. Highway 6. In fact, it became the busiest highway in the state.
It took 14 years to complete I-80 in Iowa. The first section opened in the western suburbs of Des Moines in 1958. Construction in eastern Iowa was finished in 1966. The final piece of I-80 in Iowa, the Missouri River bridge to Omaha, opened on December 15th, 1972.
The majority of I-80 runs through farmland, yet roughly one-third of Iowa’s total population lives along the Interstate 80 corridor.
The Iowa Department of Transportation operates 9 rest areas along the I-80 route. And near Walcott on the eastern end of the state is the world’s largest truck stop, Iowa 80.
The final stretch of Interstate 80 in Iowa, the bridge over the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha, opened on this date, in 1972…45 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 14, 2017
"Iowa's Record-Setting Governor"
When Terry Branstad woke up on the morning of December 14, 2015, he made history.
That was his 7,642nd day serving as Iowa's governor, over two different tenures in office. That is longer than any other governor has served in American history. He broke the record of New York governor George Clinton, who also served during two different tenures--from 1777 to 1795, and again from 1801 to 1804.
Branstad long before set the record for Iowa's longest-serving governor. That all happened when he was governor the first time, from 1983 to 1999. He returned to office in 2011.
Branstad wound up extending that national record-setting streak, serving as governor for just over 23 years. When he was first elected, he was 36, and set a record then for becoming the youngest governor in state history.
Prior to being elected as governor, he served a four-year term as Robert Ray's last lieutenant governor, and before that, he served three terms in the Iowa House.
That's 33 years of elected service. But he has a longer string going than that; he and his wife Chris have been married since 1972, more than 45 years.
The record streak came to an end earlier this year, when Governor Branstad became Ambassador Branstad…approved by the U.S. Senate to become our nation’s Ambassador to China.
Terry Edward Branstad, the 39th and 42nd governor of the state of Iowa, and the longest serving governor in American history, surpassing the all-time record on this date, in 2015.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Record-Setting Governor"
When Terry Branstad woke up on the morning of December 14, 2015, he made history.
That was his 7,642nd day serving as Iowa's governor, over two different tenures in office. That is longer than any other governor has served in American history. He broke the record of New York governor George Clinton, who also served during two different tenures--from 1777 to 1795, and again from 1801 to 1804.
Branstad long before set the record for Iowa's longest-serving governor. That all happened when he was governor the first time, from 1983 to 1999. He returned to office in 2011.
Branstad wound up extending that national record-setting streak, serving as governor for just over 23 years. When he was first elected, he was 36, and set a record then for becoming the youngest governor in state history.
Prior to being elected as governor, he served a four-year term as Robert Ray's last lieutenant governor, and before that, he served three terms in the Iowa House.
That's 33 years of elected service. But he has a longer string going than that; he and his wife Chris have been married since 1972, more than 45 years.
The record streak came to an end earlier this year, when Governor Branstad became Ambassador Branstad…approved by the U.S. Senate to become our nation’s Ambassador to China.
Terry Edward Branstad, the 39th and 42nd governor of the state of Iowa, and the longest serving governor in American history, surpassing the all-time record on this date, in 2015.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 13, 2017
"It Changed His Heart"
The 2000 Iowa Caucuses were held on January 24th that year. Candidate debates were more limited then, just two decades ago. So it was quite an event when all six remaining Republican candidates were on the same stage in Des Moines on December 13th, 1999, some six weeks before our first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Six seemed like a lot of candidates...they included Alan Keyes, Steve Forbes, Gary Bauer, Orrin Hatch, John McCain, and George W. Bush.
Bush was leading in the polls, but he truly made news with his answer to a question posed by one of the debate moderators, John Bachman of Channel 13 in Des Moines. Bachman asked the candidates, "What political philosopher or thinker do you most identify with and why?" When it was his turn, the Texas governor gave a somewhat unique answer.
BUSH: Christ, because he changed my heart.
BACHMAN: I think that the viewer would like to know more on how He has changed your heart.
BUSH: Well, if they don't know it is going to be hard to explain. When you turn your heart and your life over to Christ, when you accept Christ as the savior, it changes your heart, it changes your life
Bush went on to win the Iowa Caucus and his party's nomination, then won the presidency in one of the closest votes in American history, not decided until a U.S. Supreme Court decision 35 days after election day.
But it was during a Des Moines debate that he identified Christ as a political philosopher he admired, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"It Changed His Heart"
The 2000 Iowa Caucuses were held on January 24th that year. Candidate debates were more limited then, just two decades ago. So it was quite an event when all six remaining Republican candidates were on the same stage in Des Moines on December 13th, 1999, some six weeks before our first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Six seemed like a lot of candidates...they included Alan Keyes, Steve Forbes, Gary Bauer, Orrin Hatch, John McCain, and George W. Bush.
Bush was leading in the polls, but he truly made news with his answer to a question posed by one of the debate moderators, John Bachman of Channel 13 in Des Moines. Bachman asked the candidates, "What political philosopher or thinker do you most identify with and why?" When it was his turn, the Texas governor gave a somewhat unique answer.
BUSH: Christ, because he changed my heart.
BACHMAN: I think that the viewer would like to know more on how He has changed your heart.
BUSH: Well, if they don't know it is going to be hard to explain. When you turn your heart and your life over to Christ, when you accept Christ as the savior, it changes your heart, it changes your life
Bush went on to win the Iowa Caucus and his party's nomination, then won the presidency in one of the closest votes in American history, not decided until a U.S. Supreme Court decision 35 days after election day.
But it was during a Des Moines debate that he identified Christ as a political philosopher he admired, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 12, 2017
"The Oldest Co-op"
The oldest active cooperative elevator in the United States was incorporated in Marcus, in Cherokee County, on December 12th, 1887.
The inspiration for co-ops comes from an English society that was formed in 1844, where supplies were sold at market price and savings returned to purchasers in proportion to the volume of their patronage.
There was a need for a fairer deal for farmers in the post-Civil War era. Railroads often constructed elevators in towns along the rail line. Those elevators were typically controlled by a single individual, and the price was fixed at each elevator along the rail line. That meant no competition and poor results for farmers. It was not uncommon for the rail line elevator to realize a 50 percent profit margin on grain.
Co-op elevators started to pop up in Iowa around this time, but the one in Marcus was the earliest one to become permanent.
It was originally called the Marcus Shipping Association, and as a result, the town was soon recognized as the second most important shipping point between Dubuque and Sioux City. While it was authorized to be a general purchasing and shipping business, it soon was known as "the farmers elevator" because of the large amount of small grain, wheat and oats, barley and flax, received there.
By 1912, the entity was reincorporated as the Farmers Elevator Company, and the Shipping Association name was used for a separate livestock marketing service.
In more recent years, the Farmers Coop of Marcus merged with entities in Cleghorn, Cherokee, Meriden and Larrabee, taking the name First Farmers Cooperative Elevator in honor of the country's oldest active co-op, which was organized in Marcus on this date in 1887…130 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Oldest Co-op"
The oldest active cooperative elevator in the United States was incorporated in Marcus, in Cherokee County, on December 12th, 1887.
The inspiration for co-ops comes from an English society that was formed in 1844, where supplies were sold at market price and savings returned to purchasers in proportion to the volume of their patronage.
There was a need for a fairer deal for farmers in the post-Civil War era. Railroads often constructed elevators in towns along the rail line. Those elevators were typically controlled by a single individual, and the price was fixed at each elevator along the rail line. That meant no competition and poor results for farmers. It was not uncommon for the rail line elevator to realize a 50 percent profit margin on grain.
Co-op elevators started to pop up in Iowa around this time, but the one in Marcus was the earliest one to become permanent.
It was originally called the Marcus Shipping Association, and as a result, the town was soon recognized as the second most important shipping point between Dubuque and Sioux City. While it was authorized to be a general purchasing and shipping business, it soon was known as "the farmers elevator" because of the large amount of small grain, wheat and oats, barley and flax, received there.
By 1912, the entity was reincorporated as the Farmers Elevator Company, and the Shipping Association name was used for a separate livestock marketing service.
In more recent years, the Farmers Coop of Marcus merged with entities in Cleghorn, Cherokee, Meriden and Larrabee, taking the name First Farmers Cooperative Elevator in honor of the country's oldest active co-op, which was organized in Marcus on this date in 1887…130 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 11, 2017
"Partnering with the Soviets"
It was no surprise that young John Chrystal would be involved in agriculture and dealings with the Soviet Union.
Chrystal's uncle was Roswell Garst, who hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on his farm in 1959. Chrystal was there, and soon followed in his uncle's footsteps, making his own first trip to the Soviet Union in 1960, touring key agricultural areas and offering criticism of Soviet farming methods.
John Chrystal was invited back more than 30 times over the years, and became a confidant not only of Khrushchev, but of a then-obscure official named Mikhail Gorbachev.
Chrystal was criticized at times for this close association with the Soviets, but in his view, if they prospered from learning better ag methods, they would become better customers of the U.S.
"And if we can be less afraid of each other," he said, "we have a better chance of stopping the arms race and not blowing each other up."
He became chairman and CEO of the Bankers Trust Company in the 1980s, while maintaining a partnership with his brother, running the family farm. He even ran for the Democrat nomination for governor.
As a country banker in Iowa, he helped farmers achieve their dreams by providing money to grow their corn and hog operations. As an international ag expert, he lent advice on growing methods and trade relations. John Chrystal of Coon Rapids, born on this date in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Partnering with the Soviets"
It was no surprise that young John Chrystal would be involved in agriculture and dealings with the Soviet Union.
Chrystal's uncle was Roswell Garst, who hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on his farm in 1959. Chrystal was there, and soon followed in his uncle's footsteps, making his own first trip to the Soviet Union in 1960, touring key agricultural areas and offering criticism of Soviet farming methods.
John Chrystal was invited back more than 30 times over the years, and became a confidant not only of Khrushchev, but of a then-obscure official named Mikhail Gorbachev.
Chrystal was criticized at times for this close association with the Soviets, but in his view, if they prospered from learning better ag methods, they would become better customers of the U.S.
"And if we can be less afraid of each other," he said, "we have a better chance of stopping the arms race and not blowing each other up."
He became chairman and CEO of the Bankers Trust Company in the 1980s, while maintaining a partnership with his brother, running the family farm. He even ran for the Democrat nomination for governor.
As a country banker in Iowa, he helped farmers achieve their dreams by providing money to grow their corn and hog operations. As an international ag expert, he lent advice on growing methods and trade relations. John Chrystal of Coon Rapids, born on this date in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 8, 2017
"Marking the Trail"
It was the Great National North and South Highway...the Daniel Boone Trail. While many groups tried to connect the United States from east to west during the early 1900s, the Daniel Boone Trail Association was one of the first to connect the country with a reliable roadway from north to south...from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
The path was to honor two of the greatest pioneers of the Mississippi Valley--Daniel Boone and his youngest son, Nathan. Colonel Nathan Boone was responsible for making the trail known when he marched with his U.S. troops through Iowa to Minnesota in 1835.
On December 8th, 1915, the Boone Commercial Association met in Fort Dodge to begin retracing and resurrecting the northern portion of the Boone Trail. Less than two months later, a similar meeting was held in Moberly, Missouri to revive the southern part of the trail.
The day after the Fort Dodge meeting, representatives wrote to the Iowa State Highway Commission, seeking registration of the official Daniel Boone Trail stretching from Des Moines to St. Paul, traveling through Polk City, Madrid, Boone, Boxholm, Ogden, Fort Dodge, Dakota City, Humboldt, Algona, Burt, Bancroft, and Elmore in Iowa.
It took a year for the trail supporters to gather enough funds to make the project a reality. Finally, in January 1917, the route was approved by state officials and construction began.
The Daniel Boone Trail connected the United States from north to south, connecting cities in what was called the very garden of the Mississippi Valley, over a route laid out by nature herself. And it all started with a planning meeting in Fort Dodge, on this date in 1915.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Marking the Trail"
It was the Great National North and South Highway...the Daniel Boone Trail. While many groups tried to connect the United States from east to west during the early 1900s, the Daniel Boone Trail Association was one of the first to connect the country with a reliable roadway from north to south...from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
The path was to honor two of the greatest pioneers of the Mississippi Valley--Daniel Boone and his youngest son, Nathan. Colonel Nathan Boone was responsible for making the trail known when he marched with his U.S. troops through Iowa to Minnesota in 1835.
On December 8th, 1915, the Boone Commercial Association met in Fort Dodge to begin retracing and resurrecting the northern portion of the Boone Trail. Less than two months later, a similar meeting was held in Moberly, Missouri to revive the southern part of the trail.
The day after the Fort Dodge meeting, representatives wrote to the Iowa State Highway Commission, seeking registration of the official Daniel Boone Trail stretching from Des Moines to St. Paul, traveling through Polk City, Madrid, Boone, Boxholm, Ogden, Fort Dodge, Dakota City, Humboldt, Algona, Burt, Bancroft, and Elmore in Iowa.
It took a year for the trail supporters to gather enough funds to make the project a reality. Finally, in January 1917, the route was approved by state officials and construction began.
The Daniel Boone Trail connected the United States from north to south, connecting cities in what was called the very garden of the Mississippi Valley, over a route laid out by nature herself. And it all started with a planning meeting in Fort Dodge, on this date in 1915.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 7, 2017
"The First to Make the Ultimate Sacrifice"
Father Aloysius Schmitt had just finished saying Sunday mass on the battleship USS Oklahoma on December 7th, 1941. Then, the unthinkable happened.
Aloysius Schmitt was born in St. Lucas, Iowa on December 4th, 1909. He studied at Loras College in Dubuque, and then prepared for the priesthood as a seminarian in Rome. After serving in parishes in Dubuque and Cheyenne, Wyoming, Father Schmitt received permission to become a chaplain and joined the United States Navy in the summer of 1939, shortly before turning age 30.
As he prepared for mass on December 7th, 1941, Schmitt had just celebrated his 32nd birthday three days earlier, and was one day away from the sixth anniversary of being ordained.
No sooner had he finished the service, than the call went out on the battleship for "general quarters". The USS Oklahoma was near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Japanese were attacking.
The Oklahoma capsized, trapping a number of sailors and Father Schmitt in a compartment with a small porthole as the only means of escape. Father Schmitt helped a number of men through that porthole, and when it was his turn, he declined and turned back to help more men get out. A dozen men escaped thanks to his efforts.
But Father Schmitt made the ultimate sacrifice. He died that day on board the Oklahoma. But it was only in 2016 that DNA identification advancements made it possible for his remains to be identified, and he was laid to rest in Iowa nearly three quarters of a century after his death.
A destroyer escort named the USS Schmitt was commissioned in his honor in 1943. The chapel at his alma mater was dedicated in his memory. And he was just this year posthumously awarded the U.S. military’s third-highest personal decoration, the Silver Star Medal, for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States.
The first chaplain of any faith to have died in World War II, Iowa native Father Aloysius Schmitt, died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First to Make the Ultimate Sacrifice"
Father Aloysius Schmitt had just finished saying Sunday mass on the battleship USS Oklahoma on December 7th, 1941. Then, the unthinkable happened.
Aloysius Schmitt was born in St. Lucas, Iowa on December 4th, 1909. He studied at Loras College in Dubuque, and then prepared for the priesthood as a seminarian in Rome. After serving in parishes in Dubuque and Cheyenne, Wyoming, Father Schmitt received permission to become a chaplain and joined the United States Navy in the summer of 1939, shortly before turning age 30.
As he prepared for mass on December 7th, 1941, Schmitt had just celebrated his 32nd birthday three days earlier, and was one day away from the sixth anniversary of being ordained.
No sooner had he finished the service, than the call went out on the battleship for "general quarters". The USS Oklahoma was near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Japanese were attacking.
The Oklahoma capsized, trapping a number of sailors and Father Schmitt in a compartment with a small porthole as the only means of escape. Father Schmitt helped a number of men through that porthole, and when it was his turn, he declined and turned back to help more men get out. A dozen men escaped thanks to his efforts.
But Father Schmitt made the ultimate sacrifice. He died that day on board the Oklahoma. But it was only in 2016 that DNA identification advancements made it possible for his remains to be identified, and he was laid to rest in Iowa nearly three quarters of a century after his death.
A destroyer escort named the USS Schmitt was commissioned in his honor in 1943. The chapel at his alma mater was dedicated in his memory. And he was just this year posthumously awarded the U.S. military’s third-highest personal decoration, the Silver Star Medal, for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United States.
The first chaplain of any faith to have died in World War II, Iowa native Father Aloysius Schmitt, died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 6, 2017
"Iowa's OSCAR Winner"
Dominic Felix Amici's father was concerned that the Kenosha, Wisconsin boy might fall in with the wrong elements. So the Italian immigrant saloon-keeper sent his 11 year old son to Iowa in 1919.
Young Dom attended St. Birchman's Boys Academy in Marion, where as an 8th grader, he first tried acting, and found it to his liking. He later attended what is now Loras College in Dubuque, where the yearbook described him as one of the most promising actors at the school.
In the early 1930s, actors were making a living performing in radio dramas, and Chicago was one of the nation's broadcasting centers at the time. Amici's rich baritone voice put him in demand, and it wasn't long before he parlayed his radio career into a Hollywood movie career.
Now known as Don Ameche, he made his movie debut in 1936, playing dual roles in the movie "Sins of Man". His portrayal of Alexander Graham Bell in 1939 won him rave reviews, as did the 1943 comedy "Heaven Can Wait". He was part of radio's quarrelsome couple "The Bickersons" and starred on Broadway.
Don Ameche turned to directing in the 1960s and 1970s, but made his return to the movie screen in 1983's "Trading Places". And he was discovered by a new generation for his Oscar-winning performance in the 1985 film "Cocoon".
Don Ameche always considered Iowa his home base, marrying a woman from Dubuque and raising their six children there part-time.
For seven decades, Don Ameche found fame in show business, appearing regularly in major films until his death from prostate cancer, on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's OSCAR Winner"
Dominic Felix Amici's father was concerned that the Kenosha, Wisconsin boy might fall in with the wrong elements. So the Italian immigrant saloon-keeper sent his 11 year old son to Iowa in 1919.
Young Dom attended St. Birchman's Boys Academy in Marion, where as an 8th grader, he first tried acting, and found it to his liking. He later attended what is now Loras College in Dubuque, where the yearbook described him as one of the most promising actors at the school.
In the early 1930s, actors were making a living performing in radio dramas, and Chicago was one of the nation's broadcasting centers at the time. Amici's rich baritone voice put him in demand, and it wasn't long before he parlayed his radio career into a Hollywood movie career.
Now known as Don Ameche, he made his movie debut in 1936, playing dual roles in the movie "Sins of Man". His portrayal of Alexander Graham Bell in 1939 won him rave reviews, as did the 1943 comedy "Heaven Can Wait". He was part of radio's quarrelsome couple "The Bickersons" and starred on Broadway.
Don Ameche turned to directing in the 1960s and 1970s, but made his return to the movie screen in 1983's "Trading Places". And he was discovered by a new generation for his Oscar-winning performance in the 1985 film "Cocoon".
Don Ameche always considered Iowa his home base, marrying a woman from Dubuque and raising their six children there part-time.
For seven decades, Don Ameche found fame in show business, appearing regularly in major films until his death from prostate cancer, on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 5, 2017
"Angels at Rest"
It's every parent's nightmare...a call that says your child is missing.
On July 13th, 2012, cousins Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins were being watched by their grandmother in Evansdale, a city of about 4,700 residents in Black Hawk County. Around the noon hour, the girls went for a bike ride. They were seen shortly before 1 p.m. on their bikes near Meyers Lake, a popular fishing and recreation area.
That was the last time the girls were seen. When they did not return from the bike ride, people began looking for the girls. Both their bikes and Elizabeth's purse were found on a trail on the southeast corner of the lake later that afternoon, but there was no sign of the girls.
In the early afternoon of December 5th, 2012, nearly five months after the girls disappeared, hunters found their bodies in the Seven Bridges Park, a remote wildlife area near Readlyn in Bremer County, some 25 miles from where the girls were last seen.
Early in 2013, officials renamed the trail and park at Meyers Lake to honor the girls' memory and those of others in the area who were killed. It's now called "Angels' Park" and a small island at the lake is "Angels' Park Memorial Island".
While rumors and theories are abundant, the identity of the person or persons who abducted and killed the girls is still not known. In order to help the investigation, how the girls were killed has not been released to the public.
The case of two missing Black Hawk County girls became a murder investigation, when the bodies of 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins and 10-year-old Lyric Cook were found, on this date in 2012.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Angels at Rest"
It's every parent's nightmare...a call that says your child is missing.
On July 13th, 2012, cousins Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins were being watched by their grandmother in Evansdale, a city of about 4,700 residents in Black Hawk County. Around the noon hour, the girls went for a bike ride. They were seen shortly before 1 p.m. on their bikes near Meyers Lake, a popular fishing and recreation area.
That was the last time the girls were seen. When they did not return from the bike ride, people began looking for the girls. Both their bikes and Elizabeth's purse were found on a trail on the southeast corner of the lake later that afternoon, but there was no sign of the girls.
In the early afternoon of December 5th, 2012, nearly five months after the girls disappeared, hunters found their bodies in the Seven Bridges Park, a remote wildlife area near Readlyn in Bremer County, some 25 miles from where the girls were last seen.
Early in 2013, officials renamed the trail and park at Meyers Lake to honor the girls' memory and those of others in the area who were killed. It's now called "Angels' Park" and a small island at the lake is "Angels' Park Memorial Island".
While rumors and theories are abundant, the identity of the person or persons who abducted and killed the girls is still not known. In order to help the investigation, how the girls were killed has not been released to the public.
The case of two missing Black Hawk County girls became a murder investigation, when the bodies of 8-year-old Elizabeth Collins and 10-year-old Lyric Cook were found, on this date in 2012.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 4, 2017
"The Most Beautiful Woman in the World"
Helen Louise Leonard was born in Clinton on December 4th, 1861. Her father was an editor of the Clinton Herald newspaper; her mother, a leader of the suffrage movement. They nicknamed her Nellie.
When Nellie Leonard was a child, the family moved to Chicago. By the time she was 15, she had moved to New York and soon became noticed. Her facial features were termed perfect, her figure voluptuous, and her soprano voice beautiful. The Father of Vaudeville, Tony Pastor, discovered Nellie in 1879 and made her a star. But not as Nellie Leonard, rather by the stage name Lillian Russell.
She became known as the Great American Beauty. Earning up to $5,000 per week in the early 1900s, she'd take the stage in a $3,900, diamond-studded corset and sing her signature song, "Come Down, My Evening Star".
She was often seen with her friend, Diamond Jim Brady, riding bicycles in New York's Central Park. She'd be on a gold-plated bike set with diamonds and emeralds, which cost $1,900.
But even as the lavish Lillian Russell, there was still a part of the Iowa girl left. Her favorite food was always corn on the cob.
From a humble beginning in Clinton as Helen Louise Leonard, the glamorous early 20th century performer Lillian Russell was born on this date in 1861.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Most Beautiful Woman in the World"
Helen Louise Leonard was born in Clinton on December 4th, 1861. Her father was an editor of the Clinton Herald newspaper; her mother, a leader of the suffrage movement. They nicknamed her Nellie.
When Nellie Leonard was a child, the family moved to Chicago. By the time she was 15, she had moved to New York and soon became noticed. Her facial features were termed perfect, her figure voluptuous, and her soprano voice beautiful. The Father of Vaudeville, Tony Pastor, discovered Nellie in 1879 and made her a star. But not as Nellie Leonard, rather by the stage name Lillian Russell.
She became known as the Great American Beauty. Earning up to $5,000 per week in the early 1900s, she'd take the stage in a $3,900, diamond-studded corset and sing her signature song, "Come Down, My Evening Star".
She was often seen with her friend, Diamond Jim Brady, riding bicycles in New York's Central Park. She'd be on a gold-plated bike set with diamonds and emeralds, which cost $1,900.
But even as the lavish Lillian Russell, there was still a part of the Iowa girl left. Her favorite food was always corn on the cob.
From a humble beginning in Clinton as Helen Louise Leonard, the glamorous early 20th century performer Lillian Russell was born on this date in 1861.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 1, 2017
"A Home for Veterans"
The Civil War claimed the lives of 13,001 Iowans. Many others returned home, in need of care.
Governor Samuel Kirkwood proposed building a home for disabled Civil War veterans from Iowa. 75 of Iowa's 99 counties competed to have the soldiers home located in their county.
Marshalltown citizens, many of whom still remembered the city's failed attempt to locate the state capitol in their city, followed by a failed attempt to house a land grant college, raised $30,000 to show the Iowa House and Senate the community was serious about providing a place for Iowa's veterans.
In March 1886, the General Assembly appropriated $75,000 to purchase land and another $25,000 to run the home for its first year. A month later, Marshalltown was officially chosen as the site.
The Main Building of the Iowa Soldier's Home was completed on November 30th, 1887, and the next day, December 1st, the first resident was admitted--Amos Fox of Livermore.
The Main Building, with its capacity of 200 residents, became the men's dormitory, and was used for 76 years, until it was demolished in 1963.
In 1892, cottages were constructed, to be used by veterans and their spouses who wanted to live together.
Today, what is now the Iowa Veterans Home is the third largest state veterans home in the country with 755 available beds.
But the first resident of the Iowa Soldiers Home, Civil War veteran Amos Fox, entered the facility in Marshalltown on this date in 1887.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Home for Veterans"
The Civil War claimed the lives of 13,001 Iowans. Many others returned home, in need of care.
Governor Samuel Kirkwood proposed building a home for disabled Civil War veterans from Iowa. 75 of Iowa's 99 counties competed to have the soldiers home located in their county.
Marshalltown citizens, many of whom still remembered the city's failed attempt to locate the state capitol in their city, followed by a failed attempt to house a land grant college, raised $30,000 to show the Iowa House and Senate the community was serious about providing a place for Iowa's veterans.
In March 1886, the General Assembly appropriated $75,000 to purchase land and another $25,000 to run the home for its first year. A month later, Marshalltown was officially chosen as the site.
The Main Building of the Iowa Soldier's Home was completed on November 30th, 1887, and the next day, December 1st, the first resident was admitted--Amos Fox of Livermore.
The Main Building, with its capacity of 200 residents, became the men's dormitory, and was used for 76 years, until it was demolished in 1963.
In 1892, cottages were constructed, to be used by veterans and their spouses who wanted to live together.
Today, what is now the Iowa Veterans Home is the third largest state veterans home in the country with 755 available beds.
But the first resident of the Iowa Soldiers Home, Civil War veteran Amos Fox, entered the facility in Marshalltown on this date in 1887.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
