"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 2025 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 2025 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 10, 2025
"A Town's Independence"
When you look at a map showing the Scott County town of Riverdale, population 379, you notice that its southern boundary is the Mississippi River…and that it is surrounded on all other sides by the city of Bettendorf. And that’s because of an extended legal fight.
In 1912, Iowana Dairy Farms was established by Colonel G. W. French on ground that is now the city of Riverdale. French’s herd of Holsteins became one of the largest and most outstanding cattle herds of its kind in the country. Later, the operation split into the Iowana Milk Farm, and Iowana Holstein Farm.
ALCOA, the Aluminum Company of America, moved into the area in 1946 and opened a new plant there in 1949.
All that development meant significant property tax revenue would go to the local governing authority. Bettendorf planned to annex the area, which was then part of the county. Local residents, as well as ALCOA, objected.
The city of Riverdale was incorporated, but Bettendorf challenged the action in court. A judge ruled on December 27, 1950, that Riverdale could incorporate and elect its own city officials.
But Bettendorf appealed. As Riverdale’s new mayor and city council set up their local government, they were also fighting Bettendorf, all the way to the highest court in the state.
On February 10, 1953, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in Riverdale’s favor, denying Bettendorf’s attempts to annex the ground and settling the matter once and for all.
In addition to July 4 celebrations, Riverdale has held celebrations on this date over time as well…because that’s when the Iowa Supreme Court confirmed independence for the city, on this date in 1953.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Town's Independence"
When you look at a map showing the Scott County town of Riverdale, population 379, you notice that its southern boundary is the Mississippi River…and that it is surrounded on all other sides by the city of Bettendorf. And that’s because of an extended legal fight.
In 1912, Iowana Dairy Farms was established by Colonel G. W. French on ground that is now the city of Riverdale. French’s herd of Holsteins became one of the largest and most outstanding cattle herds of its kind in the country. Later, the operation split into the Iowana Milk Farm, and Iowana Holstein Farm.
ALCOA, the Aluminum Company of America, moved into the area in 1946 and opened a new plant there in 1949.
All that development meant significant property tax revenue would go to the local governing authority. Bettendorf planned to annex the area, which was then part of the county. Local residents, as well as ALCOA, objected.
The city of Riverdale was incorporated, but Bettendorf challenged the action in court. A judge ruled on December 27, 1950, that Riverdale could incorporate and elect its own city officials.
But Bettendorf appealed. As Riverdale’s new mayor and city council set up their local government, they were also fighting Bettendorf, all the way to the highest court in the state.
On February 10, 1953, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in Riverdale’s favor, denying Bettendorf’s attempts to annex the ground and settling the matter once and for all.
In addition to July 4 celebrations, Riverdale has held celebrations on this date over time as well…because that’s when the Iowa Supreme Court confirmed independence for the city, on this date in 1953.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Sunday, February 09, 2025
"An Iowa Astronaut"
She was 9 years old when she saw black and white images of men walking on the moon on the television in her family's home on a farm outside Beaconsfield, Iowa. Peggy Whitson says she thought that would be a cool job to have. But it started becoming possible at the perfect time for her. Just as she was graduating from high school, NASA picked the first set of female astronauts.
Peggy Whitson's first space mission was in 2002, with an extended six month stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 5. By the time she and her crew returned to Earth in December of that year, she had logged nearly 185 days in space.
Five years later, her second mission, Expedition 16, launched. Among those who participated was astronaut Clayton Anderson, an Iowa Statealum. She spent another 192 days in space on that mission, which was remarkable because of a malfunction of their Soyuz craft, which subjected the crew to forces about eight times that of gravity during reentry.
During those two trips, Whitson participated in six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes, making her the female with the most extra vehicular activity time. Her 377 days in space between the two missions...more than one year total...was the most for any woman.
But not satisfied with those records, she returned to space, part of Expedition 50/51, making her officially the oldest female astronaut ever…as well as oldest female spacewalker, the woman with the most total spacewalks, and the first female astronaut to command the International Space Station twice. And on April 24, 2017, she broke the record for most total days spent in space by any NASA astronaut; by the time she returned in September of that year, she had spent a total of 665 days in space during her amazing career.
Peggy Whitson served as chief of the NASA astronaut corps from 2009 until 2012. Reaching unknown heights in space, astronaut Peggy Whitson's life on earth began when she was born in Mount Ayr on this date in 1960...65 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"An Iowa Astronaut"
She was 9 years old when she saw black and white images of men walking on the moon on the television in her family's home on a farm outside Beaconsfield, Iowa. Peggy Whitson says she thought that would be a cool job to have. But it started becoming possible at the perfect time for her. Just as she was graduating from high school, NASA picked the first set of female astronauts.
Peggy Whitson's first space mission was in 2002, with an extended six month stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 5. By the time she and her crew returned to Earth in December of that year, she had logged nearly 185 days in space.
Five years later, her second mission, Expedition 16, launched. Among those who participated was astronaut Clayton Anderson, an Iowa Statealum. She spent another 192 days in space on that mission, which was remarkable because of a malfunction of their Soyuz craft, which subjected the crew to forces about eight times that of gravity during reentry.
During those two trips, Whitson participated in six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes, making her the female with the most extra vehicular activity time. Her 377 days in space between the two missions...more than one year total...was the most for any woman.
But not satisfied with those records, she returned to space, part of Expedition 50/51, making her officially the oldest female astronaut ever…as well as oldest female spacewalker, the woman with the most total spacewalks, and the first female astronaut to command the International Space Station twice. And on April 24, 2017, she broke the record for most total days spent in space by any NASA astronaut; by the time she returned in September of that year, she had spent a total of 665 days in space during her amazing career.
Peggy Whitson served as chief of the NASA astronaut corps from 2009 until 2012. Reaching unknown heights in space, astronaut Peggy Whitson's life on earth began when she was born in Mount Ayr on this date in 1960...65 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Saturday, February 08, 2025
"Halting Foreclosures"
Well before the stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression in this country, those on the farm in Iowa and elsewhere were having financial difficulties of their own.
Throughout the 1920s, roughly 12 percent of Iowa farm land was sold by sheriffs at foreclosure sales; research at the time showed that in some cases, the same farm was sold twice or even three times in a decade. Put another way, one out of every nine farms in Iowa was sold one or more times by a county sheriff in the period between 1921 and 1932.
As 1933 began, $1 billion of farm mortgage debt was outstanding, on 45 percent of the farm land in Iowa. And with prices for farm products at close to the lowest levels in state history, the outlook was not bright.
This put strain on the nation’s banking industry, and federal efforts to remedy the situation fell short.
On January 19, 1933, a small banking panic triggered the failure of 26 Iowa banks in a 24 hour period. Given that the national government was in transition between Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt, with inauguration day not until March 4, Iowa lawmakers had to act. They started with the Iowa Bank Conservation Act, which gave banks the option to restrict depositor withdrawals for a specific period; the bill was written, passed, and signed into law in a six hour period the day after those 26 banks failed.
Then on February 8, the Iowa legislature approved a farm mortgage moratorium act, in effect for two years, to make sure income from farming land susceptible to foreclosure went in priority for taxes, mortgages and the like, to avoid further sheriff’s sales.
It was not a complete success, but it was an effort by Iowa lawmakers to stabilize farming and banking in Iowa, when a two-year mortgage moratorium act was passed on this date in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Halting Foreclosures"
Well before the stock market crash that triggered the Great Depression in this country, those on the farm in Iowa and elsewhere were having financial difficulties of their own.
Throughout the 1920s, roughly 12 percent of Iowa farm land was sold by sheriffs at foreclosure sales; research at the time showed that in some cases, the same farm was sold twice or even three times in a decade. Put another way, one out of every nine farms in Iowa was sold one or more times by a county sheriff in the period between 1921 and 1932.
As 1933 began, $1 billion of farm mortgage debt was outstanding, on 45 percent of the farm land in Iowa. And with prices for farm products at close to the lowest levels in state history, the outlook was not bright.
This put strain on the nation’s banking industry, and federal efforts to remedy the situation fell short.
On January 19, 1933, a small banking panic triggered the failure of 26 Iowa banks in a 24 hour period. Given that the national government was in transition between Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt, with inauguration day not until March 4, Iowa lawmakers had to act. They started with the Iowa Bank Conservation Act, which gave banks the option to restrict depositor withdrawals for a specific period; the bill was written, passed, and signed into law in a six hour period the day after those 26 banks failed.
Then on February 8, the Iowa legislature approved a farm mortgage moratorium act, in effect for two years, to make sure income from farming land susceptible to foreclosure went in priority for taxes, mortgages and the like, to avoid further sheriff’s sales.
It was not a complete success, but it was an effort by Iowa lawmakers to stabilize farming and banking in Iowa, when a two-year mortgage moratorium act was passed on this date in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, February 07, 2025
"From Iowa to the Big and Small Screen"
On February 7, 1978, a Cedar Rapids couple welcomed fraternal twin boys into the world, named Michael and Christopher. Michael had a rough time as a boy, suffering from heart trouble and cerebral palsy. That caused understandable stress at home, leading Chris to worry so much, at age 13 he even contemplated suicide so his brother could have his healthy heart.
He enrolled at the University of Iowa, planning to major in biochemical engineering, in part because he wanted to find a cure for his brother's heart ailment. But he was a typical party boy, even getting kicked out of his apartment for being too wild.
As it turns out, hanging out in Iowa City bars worked to his advantage. While at the Airliner bar downtown, he was approached by a scout for the Fresh Faces of Iowa modeling competition. He entered and won. And that led to a career in modeling and acting.
We first saw him in the TV series "That 70s Show" as Michael Kelso, and later in the final seasons of "Two and a Half Men". You also know him as the producer of the MTV hidden camera series "Punk'd". On the big screen, he's been in movies such as "The Guardian", "Dude, Where's My Car?", and "Jobs". And he has invested heavily in helping startup companies focused on new technology. He himself was the first Twitter user to reach more than 1 million followers.
Professionally, he goes by his middle name, Ashton. But he was born Christopher Ashton Kutcher, in Cedar Rapids, on this date in 1978.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Iowa to the Big and Small Screen"
On February 7, 1978, a Cedar Rapids couple welcomed fraternal twin boys into the world, named Michael and Christopher. Michael had a rough time as a boy, suffering from heart trouble and cerebral palsy. That caused understandable stress at home, leading Chris to worry so much, at age 13 he even contemplated suicide so his brother could have his healthy heart.
He enrolled at the University of Iowa, planning to major in biochemical engineering, in part because he wanted to find a cure for his brother's heart ailment. But he was a typical party boy, even getting kicked out of his apartment for being too wild.
As it turns out, hanging out in Iowa City bars worked to his advantage. While at the Airliner bar downtown, he was approached by a scout for the Fresh Faces of Iowa modeling competition. He entered and won. And that led to a career in modeling and acting.
We first saw him in the TV series "That 70s Show" as Michael Kelso, and later in the final seasons of "Two and a Half Men". You also know him as the producer of the MTV hidden camera series "Punk'd". On the big screen, he's been in movies such as "The Guardian", "Dude, Where's My Car?", and "Jobs". And he has invested heavily in helping startup companies focused on new technology. He himself was the first Twitter user to reach more than 1 million followers.
Professionally, he goes by his middle name, Ashton. But he was born Christopher Ashton Kutcher, in Cedar Rapids, on this date in 1978.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 06, 2025
"Of Democrats and Methodists"
Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver was born on this date in 1858 in what was then Preston County, Virginia. Not long after, the county refused to join the Confederacy and became part of the Union’s new state of West Virginia.
Soon after graduating from the West Virginia University at Morgantown, Dolliver moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1878 to practice law there.
He quickly gained notice for his oratorical skills, traveling around the country speaking on behalf of Republican candidates. In 1884, at only the age of 26, Dolliver received national attention while campaigning for the GOP presidential nominee, James Blaine. Dolliver noted how strongly Iowa was tied to the Republican party, and is reported to have said, “Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist.” Interesting to note that Dolliver was the son of a Methodist minister.
In 1888, Jonathan Dolliver challenged an incumbent from his own party for a seat in Congress. After 110 ballots in the district nominating convention, Dolliver won the party’s nod, and then was elected to the U.S. House six times. In 1900, U.S. Sen. John Gear died while in office, and Dolliver was appointed to replace him.
Dolliver was twice considered for the Republican vice-presidential nomination, and had a national reputation as a progressive as the term was used at the time. He died while serving in the U.S. Senate in 1910 at the age of 52.
Jonathan Dolliver, who told a partisan crowd that “Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist,” was born on this date in 1858.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Of Democrats and Methodists"
Jonathan Prentiss Dolliver was born on this date in 1858 in what was then Preston County, Virginia. Not long after, the county refused to join the Confederacy and became part of the Union’s new state of West Virginia.
Soon after graduating from the West Virginia University at Morgantown, Dolliver moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1878 to practice law there.
He quickly gained notice for his oratorical skills, traveling around the country speaking on behalf of Republican candidates. In 1884, at only the age of 26, Dolliver received national attention while campaigning for the GOP presidential nominee, James Blaine. Dolliver noted how strongly Iowa was tied to the Republican party, and is reported to have said, “Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist.” Interesting to note that Dolliver was the son of a Methodist minister.
In 1888, Jonathan Dolliver challenged an incumbent from his own party for a seat in Congress. After 110 ballots in the district nominating convention, Dolliver won the party’s nod, and then was elected to the U.S. House six times. In 1900, U.S. Sen. John Gear died while in office, and Dolliver was appointed to replace him.
Dolliver was twice considered for the Republican vice-presidential nomination, and had a national reputation as a progressive as the term was used at the time. He died while serving in the U.S. Senate in 1910 at the age of 52.
Jonathan Dolliver, who told a partisan crowd that “Iowa will go Democratic when Hell goes Methodist,” was born on this date in 1858.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 05, 2025
"The First Tournament"
Iowa has a proud tradition when it comes to wrestling. Pioneers of the sport, such as Martin “Farmer” Burns from Wheatland and Frank Gotch from Humboldt, were known around the world as professional wrestlers.
That helped inspire amateur wrestling in our state. The first NCAA wrestling championships were held in Ames in 1912…four years before Iowa State began a team.
1921 was a big year for high school wrestling in Iowa. On January 15 of that year, what was called the “first interscholastic wrestling contest ever staged in Iowa” was held in Fort Dodge. “7 Fast and Furious Matches” were held in a one hour period that Saturday afternoon, between the visitors from Mason City and the home team from Fort Dodge. The wrestling match was held before the first home boys basketball game of the year. The visitors from Mason City won that first wrestling match 24 to 19.
A few weeks later, on February 5, the first Iowa High School Wrestling State Tournament was held in Ames, hosted by Iowa State College. Cedar Rapids Washington won that first state title, easily outscoring 19 other schools. Washington scored 23 points, with Mason City in second with 8 and Red Oak in third with 7. Other schools participating in that first meet included Garden City, Leon, Geneva, Odebolt, Shell Rock, Eldora, Fort Dodge, Humboldt, Boone, East Waterloo, Ames and Marshalltown.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association formally recognized a state meet in 1926…five years after the very first Iowa High School Wrestling State Tournament was held in Ames, on this date in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Tournament"
Iowa has a proud tradition when it comes to wrestling. Pioneers of the sport, such as Martin “Farmer” Burns from Wheatland and Frank Gotch from Humboldt, were known around the world as professional wrestlers.
That helped inspire amateur wrestling in our state. The first NCAA wrestling championships were held in Ames in 1912…four years before Iowa State began a team.
1921 was a big year for high school wrestling in Iowa. On January 15 of that year, what was called the “first interscholastic wrestling contest ever staged in Iowa” was held in Fort Dodge. “7 Fast and Furious Matches” were held in a one hour period that Saturday afternoon, between the visitors from Mason City and the home team from Fort Dodge. The wrestling match was held before the first home boys basketball game of the year. The visitors from Mason City won that first wrestling match 24 to 19.
A few weeks later, on February 5, the first Iowa High School Wrestling State Tournament was held in Ames, hosted by Iowa State College. Cedar Rapids Washington won that first state title, easily outscoring 19 other schools. Washington scored 23 points, with Mason City in second with 8 and Red Oak in third with 7. Other schools participating in that first meet included Garden City, Leon, Geneva, Odebolt, Shell Rock, Eldora, Fort Dodge, Humboldt, Boone, East Waterloo, Ames and Marshalltown.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association formally recognized a state meet in 1926…five years after the very first Iowa High School Wrestling State Tournament was held in Ames, on this date in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 04, 2025
"A Final Trip Through Iowa"
Civil Bend, Iowa was a village established in 1850 in Fremont County, near the town of Percival on the Missouri River. The settlement was established to create a safe haven in the free state of Iowa for those coming from slave-friendly states, such as Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas.
The noted abolitionist John Brown traveled there often from Kansas in the late 1850s, as it was a recognized spot on the Underground Railroad.
His final trip through Iowa started with a raid he led in Missouri in December 1858. John Brown, with 12 men, women and children freed from slavery, and another 10 of his own men, crossed into our state at Civil Bend on February 4, 1859.
They made their way across Iowa during February and March of that year. Reports are that Brown had the sympathy of Iowans during his earlier trips, but the nature of the Missouri raid and his growing boldness generally led some to shy away from Brown this time. But there were enough sympathetic supporters to assist the group through Iowa to freedom, and six weeks after crossing into our state, the party left West Liberty by train to Chicago, with the former slaves entering Canada from there soon after.
Only seven months later, John Brown’s band of 21 men—including three from Iowa—carried out a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. That’s when John Brown was caught and hanged—the first person executed for treason in U.S. history.
But in one of the final trips he would make with a group of freed slaves, John Brown entered Iowa at Civil Bend, on this date in 1859.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Final Trip Through Iowa"
Civil Bend, Iowa was a village established in 1850 in Fremont County, near the town of Percival on the Missouri River. The settlement was established to create a safe haven in the free state of Iowa for those coming from slave-friendly states, such as Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas.
The noted abolitionist John Brown traveled there often from Kansas in the late 1850s, as it was a recognized spot on the Underground Railroad.
His final trip through Iowa started with a raid he led in Missouri in December 1858. John Brown, with 12 men, women and children freed from slavery, and another 10 of his own men, crossed into our state at Civil Bend on February 4, 1859.
They made their way across Iowa during February and March of that year. Reports are that Brown had the sympathy of Iowans during his earlier trips, but the nature of the Missouri raid and his growing boldness generally led some to shy away from Brown this time. But there were enough sympathetic supporters to assist the group through Iowa to freedom, and six weeks after crossing into our state, the party left West Liberty by train to Chicago, with the former slaves entering Canada from there soon after.
Only seven months later, John Brown’s band of 21 men—including three from Iowa—carried out a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. That’s when John Brown was caught and hanged—the first person executed for treason in U.S. history.
But in one of the final trips he would make with a group of freed slaves, John Brown entered Iowa at Civil Bend, on this date in 1859.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 03, 2025
"The Day The Music Died"
We probably all know the story. Early in the morning of February 3, 1959, a small plane piloted by Roger Peterson crashed near the Mason City Airport, killing Peterson and three rock and roll stars…Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. The three had performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake the night before, part of the Winter Dance Party tour.
But this story is about Waylon Jennings.
Waylon and Buddy hung out in Lubbock, Texas…Waylon worked at a radio station there. Both had bands, and wound up running into each other at venues and radio shows. They became friends, and Buddy Holly started helping Waylon Jennings produce his songs, even playing backup on recordings. Holly hired Jennings to play electric bass for him during the Winter Dance Party tour.
That’s how they wound up together on a cold night in Iowa. Buddy Holly chartered a plane for himself, Waylon Jennings, and guitarist Tommy Allsup to take them to the next stop, to avoid another long ride in a bus with a broken heater. The Big Bopper had the flu, so Waylon give him his seat on the plane. When Buddy Holly learned of the switch, he said to Waylon Jennings, “I hope your old bus freezes up.” Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your old plane crashes.” It was very likely the last words the two friends exchanged. Words which haunted Waylon Jennings for the rest of his life.
The Winter Dance Party tour continued despite the plane crash…including five stops in Iowa that next week…in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Dubuque.
Waylon Jennings said Buddy Holly was the first person to have faith in his music, and became his best friend. Which made their joking parting words that much sadder…on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Day The Music Died"
We probably all know the story. Early in the morning of February 3, 1959, a small plane piloted by Roger Peterson crashed near the Mason City Airport, killing Peterson and three rock and roll stars…Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. The three had performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake the night before, part of the Winter Dance Party tour.
But this story is about Waylon Jennings.
Waylon and Buddy hung out in Lubbock, Texas…Waylon worked at a radio station there. Both had bands, and wound up running into each other at venues and radio shows. They became friends, and Buddy Holly started helping Waylon Jennings produce his songs, even playing backup on recordings. Holly hired Jennings to play electric bass for him during the Winter Dance Party tour.
That’s how they wound up together on a cold night in Iowa. Buddy Holly chartered a plane for himself, Waylon Jennings, and guitarist Tommy Allsup to take them to the next stop, to avoid another long ride in a bus with a broken heater. The Big Bopper had the flu, so Waylon give him his seat on the plane. When Buddy Holly learned of the switch, he said to Waylon Jennings, “I hope your old bus freezes up.” Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your old plane crashes.” It was very likely the last words the two friends exchanged. Words which haunted Waylon Jennings for the rest of his life.
The Winter Dance Party tour continued despite the plane crash…including five stops in Iowa that next week…in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Dubuque.
Waylon Jennings said Buddy Holly was the first person to have faith in his music, and became his best friend. Which made their joking parting words that much sadder…on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Sunday, February 02, 2025
"Downtown Gilman On Fire"
The morning of February 2, 1912, started like most others for Willard Seager. His mother owned a restaurant in downtown Gilman in Marshall County, and around 6 o’clock, Willard was preparing to serve breakfast there. He filled the generator of the gasoline stove, and as the Times-Republican newspaper reported, he then went to another room to “shake down the hard coal burner.”
Willard Seager had barely gotten out of the kitchen when the stove exploded with flames shooting out in all directions. As reported, “The building, a one-story frame structure, was easy prey for the flames, and the entire building was soon a blazing mass.”
The restaurant was at the corner of Main and Church Streets. To the west, on Church Street, was the Bank of Gilman. That building “burned like tinder, and was soon a mass of ruins”—all that remained was the contents of the bank vault, including books, papers, and cash.
From there, the fire spread to a shoe store. While the building was destroyed, most of the stock was saved.
The newspaper noted that the volunteers fighting the fire, “who included practically every available able-bodied man in town,” were handicapped due to the weather. It was 13 degrees below zero that morning, and water in the fire hose froze several times. Firefighters relied on buckets to get the fire under control.
The restaurant was fully insured for its $3,000 loss. The bank, however, carried no insurance for its loss of $1,000. No injuries, though, were reported.
Three buildings were destroyed and another housing the post office was damaged, when a restaurant kitchen fire spread in Gilman, on this date in 1912.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Downtown Gilman On Fire"
The morning of February 2, 1912, started like most others for Willard Seager. His mother owned a restaurant in downtown Gilman in Marshall County, and around 6 o’clock, Willard was preparing to serve breakfast there. He filled the generator of the gasoline stove, and as the Times-Republican newspaper reported, he then went to another room to “shake down the hard coal burner.”
Willard Seager had barely gotten out of the kitchen when the stove exploded with flames shooting out in all directions. As reported, “The building, a one-story frame structure, was easy prey for the flames, and the entire building was soon a blazing mass.”
The restaurant was at the corner of Main and Church Streets. To the west, on Church Street, was the Bank of Gilman. That building “burned like tinder, and was soon a mass of ruins”—all that remained was the contents of the bank vault, including books, papers, and cash.
From there, the fire spread to a shoe store. While the building was destroyed, most of the stock was saved.
The newspaper noted that the volunteers fighting the fire, “who included practically every available able-bodied man in town,” were handicapped due to the weather. It was 13 degrees below zero that morning, and water in the fire hose froze several times. Firefighters relied on buckets to get the fire under control.
The restaurant was fully insured for its $3,000 loss. The bank, however, carried no insurance for its loss of $1,000. No injuries, though, were reported.
Three buildings were destroyed and another housing the post office was damaged, when a restaurant kitchen fire spread in Gilman, on this date in 1912.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Saturday, February 01, 2025
"The Medal of Honor"
33-year-old Air Force major Merlyn Dethlefsen stood at attention in the East Room of the White House on February 1, 1968. Virtually all his family was present as President Lyndon Johnson presented the Greenville, Iowa native with the Medal of Honor.
On March 10, 1967, Dethlefsen was flying an F-105 Thunderchief, one of a number of aircraft flying ahead of a strike force of 72 fighter bombers. Dethlefsen was flying the number three aircraft, but as they made their first pass, the flight leader's plane was shot down, and the wing man was forced to withdraw because of damage. That put then-Captain Dethlefsen in charge.
Despite his own aircraft being damaged, he fended off MiG attacks by flying directly into antiaircraft fire. He made repeated strikes with his wing man against the enemy's defensive positions, effectively destroying two missile sites before guiding his nearly crippled plane back to the air base in Thailand, some 500 miles away.
Dethlefsen could have pulled out of the mission honorably many times--when attacked by two MiGs, when hit by flak, or when the smoke of battle made it difficult to locate the enemy. But he made repeated passes, each one more dangerous than the one before.
I mentioned that virtually all of his family was there at the Medal of Honor ceremony. His younger brother, an Army private, couldn't make it. Because of renewed intensive fighting, his plane from Vietnam to Washington was delayed. And soon, that fighting would lead the very president awarding the medal to decline running for another term.
Born in Greenville, raised in Royal, Merlyn Dethlefsen ultimately rose to the rank of Colonel before retiring from the Air Force in 1977. But he became the third Iowan to receive our nation's highest decoration during the Vietnam War--the Medal of Honor--on this date in 1968.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Medal of Honor"
33-year-old Air Force major Merlyn Dethlefsen stood at attention in the East Room of the White House on February 1, 1968. Virtually all his family was present as President Lyndon Johnson presented the Greenville, Iowa native with the Medal of Honor.
On March 10, 1967, Dethlefsen was flying an F-105 Thunderchief, one of a number of aircraft flying ahead of a strike force of 72 fighter bombers. Dethlefsen was flying the number three aircraft, but as they made their first pass, the flight leader's plane was shot down, and the wing man was forced to withdraw because of damage. That put then-Captain Dethlefsen in charge.
Despite his own aircraft being damaged, he fended off MiG attacks by flying directly into antiaircraft fire. He made repeated strikes with his wing man against the enemy's defensive positions, effectively destroying two missile sites before guiding his nearly crippled plane back to the air base in Thailand, some 500 miles away.
Dethlefsen could have pulled out of the mission honorably many times--when attacked by two MiGs, when hit by flak, or when the smoke of battle made it difficult to locate the enemy. But he made repeated passes, each one more dangerous than the one before.
I mentioned that virtually all of his family was there at the Medal of Honor ceremony. His younger brother, an Army private, couldn't make it. Because of renewed intensive fighting, his plane from Vietnam to Washington was delayed. And soon, that fighting would lead the very president awarding the medal to decline running for another term.
Born in Greenville, raised in Royal, Merlyn Dethlefsen ultimately rose to the rank of Colonel before retiring from the Air Force in 1977. But he became the third Iowan to receive our nation's highest decoration during the Vietnam War--the Medal of Honor--on this date in 1968.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.