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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 Friday, February 28, 2025
"The Inventor of Nylon"
Those who have great talent, often have great personal burdens. This is one of those stories.
Wallace Hume Carothers was born in Burlington on April 27, 1896. He was the oldest of four siblings, and his father was a college teacher and administrator. His favorite sister became well known as part of a musical trio that performed on radio.
Wallace became a scientist and began teaching at the University of South Dakota, working on organic chemistry, especially bonding. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1924, he began teaching at Harvard, and started experimenting with chemical structures of polymers with high molecular weight.
About that same time, in 1928, the DuPont chemical company did something unique at the time...it opened a laboratory for basic research, for development of artificial materials. Carothers found he enjoyed research more than teaching, and joined their team. He separated himself from others by his creativity, enthusiasm, and ability to bring out the best in those working for him. His team developed the first synthetic rubber, called neoprene, in 1931.
As the 1930s began, the U.S. was having a hard time obtaining enough silk to meet commercial demand due to political and trade trouble with Japan, the primary silk supplier. So Wallace Carothers and his team developed a synthetic fiber that could take the place of silk. As the research progressed, he published 31 academic research papers on the subject of polymers, helping establish terminology in the field commonly used today.
On February 28, 1935, a patent was granted for that synthetic fiber. The company called it nylon, and it quickly replaced silk since it was strong, elastic, and unaffected by water. Within five years, nylon stockings were introduced...and nearly 800,000 were sold on the first day alone. By the next year, nylon stockings captured a third of the hosiery market.
But Wallace Carothers did not live to see that. He was prone to depression, disliked socializing, and hated public speaking. Less than two years after the discovery of nylon, in 1937, his favorite sister died suddenly, and it threw him into a deep depression that resulted in him taking his own life a few months later...two days after his 41st birthday, and shortly before the birth of his first child.
The brilliant scientist and researcher Wallace Carothers never knew how popular his creation would be. But he did know the success of developing nylon, on this date in 1935…90 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Inventor of Nylon"
Those who have great talent, often have great personal burdens. This is one of those stories.
Wallace Hume Carothers was born in Burlington on April 27, 1896. He was the oldest of four siblings, and his father was a college teacher and administrator. His favorite sister became well known as part of a musical trio that performed on radio.
Wallace became a scientist and began teaching at the University of South Dakota, working on organic chemistry, especially bonding. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1924, he began teaching at Harvard, and started experimenting with chemical structures of polymers with high molecular weight.
About that same time, in 1928, the DuPont chemical company did something unique at the time...it opened a laboratory for basic research, for development of artificial materials. Carothers found he enjoyed research more than teaching, and joined their team. He separated himself from others by his creativity, enthusiasm, and ability to bring out the best in those working for him. His team developed the first synthetic rubber, called neoprene, in 1931.
As the 1930s began, the U.S. was having a hard time obtaining enough silk to meet commercial demand due to political and trade trouble with Japan, the primary silk supplier. So Wallace Carothers and his team developed a synthetic fiber that could take the place of silk. As the research progressed, he published 31 academic research papers on the subject of polymers, helping establish terminology in the field commonly used today.
On February 28, 1935, a patent was granted for that synthetic fiber. The company called it nylon, and it quickly replaced silk since it was strong, elastic, and unaffected by water. Within five years, nylon stockings were introduced...and nearly 800,000 were sold on the first day alone. By the next year, nylon stockings captured a third of the hosiery market.
But Wallace Carothers did not live to see that. He was prone to depression, disliked socializing, and hated public speaking. Less than two years after the discovery of nylon, in 1937, his favorite sister died suddenly, and it threw him into a deep depression that resulted in him taking his own life a few months later...two days after his 41st birthday, and shortly before the birth of his first child.
The brilliant scientist and researcher Wallace Carothers never knew how popular his creation would be. But he did know the success of developing nylon, on this date in 1935…90 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 27, 2025
"Starting The Presses"
Newspapers have evolved over time. Now we read them in print and on line. One of the best ways for students to learn the craft of journalism is to have a practicum publication. And on February 27, 1897, the students at Morningside College in Sioux City published the first edition of their student newspaper. It was called L’Echo, presumably to reflect the voices of the students. But the name changed the next year to the Collegian Reporter.
A number of famous Morningside graduates took a turn writing for the Morningside Collegian Reporter during its 120 year history.
Former Iowa governor William L. Harding wrote for the paper, as did novelist Josephine Herbst, editor of Ebony magazine Era Bell Thompson, and Des Moines Register editor William Waymack.
But among the Collegian Reporter’s most famous writers were twin sisters Esther and Pauline Friedman, who were born in Sioux City on July 4, 1918. The Friedman twins wrote a gossip column for the paper in the 1930s called The Campus Rat. That wound up being pretty good training for Esther and Pauline…who went on to become the nationally renowned advice columnists Ann Landers and Dear Abby, respectively.
In a sign of the times, the Collegian Reporter stopped publishing a print edition in 2009. But it’s still there as an on-line publication, maintaining the tradition that started with that first edition of L’Echo, published on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Starting The Presses"
Newspapers have evolved over time. Now we read them in print and on line. One of the best ways for students to learn the craft of journalism is to have a practicum publication. And on February 27, 1897, the students at Morningside College in Sioux City published the first edition of their student newspaper. It was called L’Echo, presumably to reflect the voices of the students. But the name changed the next year to the Collegian Reporter.
A number of famous Morningside graduates took a turn writing for the Morningside Collegian Reporter during its 120 year history.
Former Iowa governor William L. Harding wrote for the paper, as did novelist Josephine Herbst, editor of Ebony magazine Era Bell Thompson, and Des Moines Register editor William Waymack.
But among the Collegian Reporter’s most famous writers were twin sisters Esther and Pauline Friedman, who were born in Sioux City on July 4, 1918. The Friedman twins wrote a gossip column for the paper in the 1930s called The Campus Rat. That wound up being pretty good training for Esther and Pauline…who went on to become the nationally renowned advice columnists Ann Landers and Dear Abby, respectively.
In a sign of the times, the Collegian Reporter stopped publishing a print edition in 2009. But it’s still there as an on-line publication, maintaining the tradition that started with that first edition of L’Echo, published on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 26, 2025
"The Legend of Buffalo Bill"
William Cody was born near LeClaire in Scott County on February 26, 1846…Iowa became a state later that same year. He only lived in Iowa a short while as his family moved a lot, although they owned a farm in Iowa for some time.
His father died when Bill was only 11, and the boy took a number of jobs to support himself and his family. One of those was as a rider for the Pony Express when he was only 14.
He fought for the Union during the Civil War, and later served as a courier and a scout. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1872 for “gallantry above and beyond the call of duty” as an Army scout.
Bill Cody got the nickname “Buffalo Bill” after the Civil War. He contracted with the Kansas Pacific Railroad to provide workers with buffalo meat, and is reported to have killed nearly 4,300 buffalo in an 18-month period. He competed with another hunter, Bill Comstock, in an eight-hour buffalo shooting match over the exclusive right to use the name…Cody killed 68 in that time, to Comstock’s 48.
Buffalo Bill Cody’s reputation was made when he was only 23, when a story based on his adventures was published in the “New York Weekly”, then through a series of novels.
After that came a series of stage shows, both across this country and in Europe. Noted headliners such as Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane were part of “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” shows.
He was instrumental in the founding of Cody, Wyoming, and was a noted supporter of Native Americans and equal pay for women…which were not always popular stands to take in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He was honored by not one, but two different U.S. postage stamps over time.
Following his death in 1917, he was buried on Lookout Mountain, just west of Denver, Colorado…leaving an estate worth nearly two million dollars in today’s money.
He became known throughout the world as a legend of the West…but Buffalo Bill Cody was born near LeClaire, Iowa, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Legend of Buffalo Bill"
William Cody was born near LeClaire in Scott County on February 26, 1846…Iowa became a state later that same year. He only lived in Iowa a short while as his family moved a lot, although they owned a farm in Iowa for some time.
His father died when Bill was only 11, and the boy took a number of jobs to support himself and his family. One of those was as a rider for the Pony Express when he was only 14.
He fought for the Union during the Civil War, and later served as a courier and a scout. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1872 for “gallantry above and beyond the call of duty” as an Army scout.
Bill Cody got the nickname “Buffalo Bill” after the Civil War. He contracted with the Kansas Pacific Railroad to provide workers with buffalo meat, and is reported to have killed nearly 4,300 buffalo in an 18-month period. He competed with another hunter, Bill Comstock, in an eight-hour buffalo shooting match over the exclusive right to use the name…Cody killed 68 in that time, to Comstock’s 48.
Buffalo Bill Cody’s reputation was made when he was only 23, when a story based on his adventures was published in the “New York Weekly”, then through a series of novels.
After that came a series of stage shows, both across this country and in Europe. Noted headliners such as Annie Oakley and Calamity Jane were part of “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” shows.
He was instrumental in the founding of Cody, Wyoming, and was a noted supporter of Native Americans and equal pay for women…which were not always popular stands to take in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He was honored by not one, but two different U.S. postage stamps over time.
Following his death in 1917, he was buried on Lookout Mountain, just west of Denver, Colorado…leaving an estate worth nearly two million dollars in today’s money.
He became known throughout the world as a legend of the West…but Buffalo Bill Cody was born near LeClaire, Iowa, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 25, 2025
"Creating A University"
Iowa had officially been a state for less than two months, when on February 25, 1847, the Iowa legislature voted to establish a state university. And it only made sense to place that university where the state's capitol was located, Iowa City.
The State University of Iowa took a while to welcome students and actually hold classes. The first faculty offered instruction to students in March of 1855 in the Old Mechanics Building, which is where Seashore Hall was located for many years before it was torn down not long ago. By September of that year, there were 124 students, including 41 women.
That same year, 1855, saw the university start collecting books for a library. The university received 50 books that year...a good start for a facility that would open in 1857 and become one of the nation's largest research libraries.
In 1857, the state's capitol moved to Des Moines, and the Old Capitol Building became the first permanent home of the university…it is still its signature building today.
Early on, there were nine departments offering programs in Ancient and Modern Languages, Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, History, Natural History, Mathematics and Chemistry.
The first degree from SUI was awarded in 1858 to Dexter Smith, a bachelor of science degree.
But only 59 days after becoming a state, the University of Iowa was founded on this date in 1847.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Creating A University"
Iowa had officially been a state for less than two months, when on February 25, 1847, the Iowa legislature voted to establish a state university. And it only made sense to place that university where the state's capitol was located, Iowa City.
The State University of Iowa took a while to welcome students and actually hold classes. The first faculty offered instruction to students in March of 1855 in the Old Mechanics Building, which is where Seashore Hall was located for many years before it was torn down not long ago. By September of that year, there were 124 students, including 41 women.
That same year, 1855, saw the university start collecting books for a library. The university received 50 books that year...a good start for a facility that would open in 1857 and become one of the nation's largest research libraries.
In 1857, the state's capitol moved to Des Moines, and the Old Capitol Building became the first permanent home of the university…it is still its signature building today.
Early on, there were nine departments offering programs in Ancient and Modern Languages, Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, History, Natural History, Mathematics and Chemistry.
The first degree from SUI was awarded in 1858 to Dexter Smith, a bachelor of science degree.
But only 59 days after becoming a state, the University of Iowa was founded on this date in 1847.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 24, 2025
"Standing Up for Student Rights"
In December of 1965, a group of Des Moines students...four members of the Tinker family, along with their friend Christopher Eckhardt...decided to wear black armbands to school one day in protest of the Vietnam War.
School officials learned of the plan, and implemented a new policy saying anyone wearing an armband would have to remove it or face suspension from school.
Siblings John and Mary Beth Tinker and Christopher Eckhardt wore the armbands anyway, and were suspended.
The Iowa Civil Liberties Union believed this to be a violation of the students' right to free speech, so they helped the families file a lawsuit against the school. It made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and became a landmark decision supporting free speech and students' rights.
By a 7 to 2 vote, the justices ruled that the First Amendment does apply to public schools, and administrators would have to show valid reasons for stifling that speech, such as a true fear of physical violence or classroom disruption that might result.
In legendary language, the court wrote, "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."
A group of Des Moines students, wearing simple armbands to protest a war, made history in advancing the cause of free speech in this country, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided the "Tinker v. Des Moines Schools" case on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Standing Up for Student Rights"
In December of 1965, a group of Des Moines students...four members of the Tinker family, along with their friend Christopher Eckhardt...decided to wear black armbands to school one day in protest of the Vietnam War.
School officials learned of the plan, and implemented a new policy saying anyone wearing an armband would have to remove it or face suspension from school.
Siblings John and Mary Beth Tinker and Christopher Eckhardt wore the armbands anyway, and were suspended.
The Iowa Civil Liberties Union believed this to be a violation of the students' right to free speech, so they helped the families file a lawsuit against the school. It made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and became a landmark decision supporting free speech and students' rights.
By a 7 to 2 vote, the justices ruled that the First Amendment does apply to public schools, and administrators would have to show valid reasons for stifling that speech, such as a true fear of physical violence or classroom disruption that might result.
In legendary language, the court wrote, "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."
A group of Des Moines students, wearing simple armbands to protest a war, made history in advancing the cause of free speech in this country, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided the "Tinker v. Des Moines Schools" case on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Sunday, February 23, 2025
"The Birth of a Party"
A group of abolitionists met in the Washington County town of Crawfordsville on this date in 1854. The meeting was held in the Seceder Church.
At the time, Crawfordsville was an intensely political and intellectual town, with more than the normal discussion about current events. Many who settled there were highly educated. It was a point on the Underground Railroad, and had the first consolidated school west of the Mississippi.
At the February 23 meeting, area men--many of whom had been members of the Whig party--debated political topics, created a platform of positions, and nominated candidates for a new movement, a new political party. Initially, the party was a strong anti-slavery voice.
The movement spread across the country, with similar meetings held in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
The first public meeting of similarly minded people was held in Ripon, Wisconsin a month after the Crawfordsville gathering, leading some to say that meeting was the start of the movement.
And it's not surprising that many claim to be the birthplace of this new party, which in six short years would elect one of their own as president--Abraham Lincoln. But Crawfordsville, Iowa, stakes its claim to be the birthplace of the Republican Party because of the meeting held there on this date in 1854.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Birth of a Party"
A group of abolitionists met in the Washington County town of Crawfordsville on this date in 1854. The meeting was held in the Seceder Church.
At the time, Crawfordsville was an intensely political and intellectual town, with more than the normal discussion about current events. Many who settled there were highly educated. It was a point on the Underground Railroad, and had the first consolidated school west of the Mississippi.
At the February 23 meeting, area men--many of whom had been members of the Whig party--debated political topics, created a platform of positions, and nominated candidates for a new movement, a new political party. Initially, the party was a strong anti-slavery voice.
The movement spread across the country, with similar meetings held in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
The first public meeting of similarly minded people was held in Ripon, Wisconsin a month after the Crawfordsville gathering, leading some to say that meeting was the start of the movement.
And it's not surprising that many claim to be the birthplace of this new party, which in six short years would elect one of their own as president--Abraham Lincoln. But Crawfordsville, Iowa, stakes its claim to be the birthplace of the Republican Party because of the meeting held there on this date in 1854.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Saturday, February 22, 2025
"Finishing First--At First"
They ran the Daytona 500 auto race earlier this month. It’s well known as being the biggest race of the year, and the first race on the yearly NASCAR schedule.
But when the first 500 mile race was run, it was actually the second race of the season. And an Iowan figured prominently.
Johnny Beauchamp was born in Harlan, Iowa. He began his racing career after World War II racing old model stock cars at county fair tracks, and began the 1950s by winning multiple championships at the Playland Park track in Council Bluffs. At the time, NASCAR was focused in the southeastern U.S., and the International Motor Contest Association, IMCA, dominated the Midwest…and Beauchamp dominated IMCA, winning dozens of races and multiple season championships.
Then came 1959, and Beauchamp found himself behind the wheel of a Thunderbird for the first Daytona 500. He took the lead when Fireball Roberts went out on lap 43, and was in the top three places the rest of the race. With about 50 laps left, Lee Petty moved up near the front, and Beauchamp and Petty raced neck-and-neck for the last quarter of the race.
They crossed the line at about the same time, with Iowan Johnny Beauchamp declared the winner. He took the car to victory lane and enjoyed the celebration…but that was not the end of it. Lee Petty protested, saying he was the winner. The Beauchamp side argued that not only was Johnny’s car ahead by two feet, but that Petty had taken more pit stops during the race and was not even on the same lap. At that time, NASCAR had drivers’ wives often counting the laps…far from the scoring system used today.
NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr., studied photos and newsreel footage for three days, and then declared Lee Petty the winner, taking the crown away from Beauchamp.
Johnny won the NASCAR event in Atlanta a month later, and one at Nashville the following year before finishing his career in the 1961 Daytona 500…ironically, in that last race, he was involved in an accident with Lee Petty.
The controversial finish helped put NASCAR on the map, when Iowa’s Johnny Beauchamp was originally declared the first winner of the Daytona 500, on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Finishing First--At First"
They ran the Daytona 500 auto race earlier this month. It’s well known as being the biggest race of the year, and the first race on the yearly NASCAR schedule.
But when the first 500 mile race was run, it was actually the second race of the season. And an Iowan figured prominently.
Johnny Beauchamp was born in Harlan, Iowa. He began his racing career after World War II racing old model stock cars at county fair tracks, and began the 1950s by winning multiple championships at the Playland Park track in Council Bluffs. At the time, NASCAR was focused in the southeastern U.S., and the International Motor Contest Association, IMCA, dominated the Midwest…and Beauchamp dominated IMCA, winning dozens of races and multiple season championships.
Then came 1959, and Beauchamp found himself behind the wheel of a Thunderbird for the first Daytona 500. He took the lead when Fireball Roberts went out on lap 43, and was in the top three places the rest of the race. With about 50 laps left, Lee Petty moved up near the front, and Beauchamp and Petty raced neck-and-neck for the last quarter of the race.
They crossed the line at about the same time, with Iowan Johnny Beauchamp declared the winner. He took the car to victory lane and enjoyed the celebration…but that was not the end of it. Lee Petty protested, saying he was the winner. The Beauchamp side argued that not only was Johnny’s car ahead by two feet, but that Petty had taken more pit stops during the race and was not even on the same lap. At that time, NASCAR had drivers’ wives often counting the laps…far from the scoring system used today.
NASCAR founder Bill France, Sr., studied photos and newsreel footage for three days, and then declared Lee Petty the winner, taking the crown away from Beauchamp.
Johnny won the NASCAR event in Atlanta a month later, and one at Nashville the following year before finishing his career in the 1961 Daytona 500…ironically, in that last race, he was involved in an accident with Lee Petty.
The controversial finish helped put NASCAR on the map, when Iowa’s Johnny Beauchamp was originally declared the first winner of the Daytona 500, on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, February 21, 2025
"Incorporating A Town"
In the spring of 1834, Benjamin Nye laid out a town at the mouth of Pine Creek, the first settlement in what is now Muscatine County. Not long after, Colonel George Davenport brought a stock of goods and built a log cabin nearby, establishing a trading post there.
Colonel John Vanater bought Davenport's trading post and laid out a town of his own in 1836. He named it Bloomington, in honor of his Indiana hometown. In early 1837, Bloomington was named the new county seat. Two years later, the population was 71, and there were 33 buildings in the town.
But by 1850, there was beginning to be some confusion...Bloomington, Indiana; Bloomington, Illinois; Bloomington, Iowa. Local folks thought it might be a good idea to change the name.
One tribe of Native Americans that lived in the area a century before was called Mascoutin, which meant fiery nation. The name was altered to Muscatine, and both the town and county took the new name.
On February 21, 1851, Muscatine was formally incorporated by a special act of the Iowa legislature. It's one of only four Iowa cities that still operate under such special authority.
Mark Twain lived in the city in 1854. He once wrote, "I remember Muscatine for its summer sunsets. I have never seen any on either side of the ocean that equaled them."
Muscatine, incorporated by special action of the state legislature, on this date in 1851.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Incorporating A Town"
In the spring of 1834, Benjamin Nye laid out a town at the mouth of Pine Creek, the first settlement in what is now Muscatine County. Not long after, Colonel George Davenport brought a stock of goods and built a log cabin nearby, establishing a trading post there.
Colonel John Vanater bought Davenport's trading post and laid out a town of his own in 1836. He named it Bloomington, in honor of his Indiana hometown. In early 1837, Bloomington was named the new county seat. Two years later, the population was 71, and there were 33 buildings in the town.
But by 1850, there was beginning to be some confusion...Bloomington, Indiana; Bloomington, Illinois; Bloomington, Iowa. Local folks thought it might be a good idea to change the name.
One tribe of Native Americans that lived in the area a century before was called Mascoutin, which meant fiery nation. The name was altered to Muscatine, and both the town and county took the new name.
On February 21, 1851, Muscatine was formally incorporated by a special act of the Iowa legislature. It's one of only four Iowa cities that still operate under such special authority.
Mark Twain lived in the city in 1854. He once wrote, "I remember Muscatine for its summer sunsets. I have never seen any on either side of the ocean that equaled them."
Muscatine, incorporated by special action of the state legislature, on this date in 1851.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 20, 2025
"Tribal Bingo"
In the mid-1980s, the Meskwaki settlement consisted of about 4,000 acres of land, and 650 people lived there. The unemployment rate was around 70 percent.
At the time, other tribes were finding financial success through bingo and casino projects, taking advantage of federal laws that granted special privileges to tribes and Native American settlement lands.
But it was not an easy sell within the Meskwaki nation. On December 7, 1984, a vote of tribal members to pursue a bingo hall failed. Two years later, a similar measure passed, and on February 20, 1987, a new bingo hall was opened on the settlement grounds near Tama.
It quickly became a big success, and soon came a movement to expand beyond bingo to include casino gaming. As was the case when the bingo discussion came up, consensus was hard to find. Some tribal members argued in favor of the jobs and income a casino would provide; others were fearful of new problems. In December 1991, the tribe voted to expand beyond bingo, and soon a major addition to the bingo hall housed casino gaming.
The impact on the Meskwaki nation was immediate. The unemployment rate of 70 percent when the bingo hall opened dropped to 40 percent in only 8 years, and to less than 12 percent after the start of casino gaming.
Today, the facility includes a full gaming hall, entertainment complex, hotel, and convenience store, and proceeds have gone to build houses and a school. There's still bingo, too...which is how it began, when Meskwaki Bingo opened near Tama on this date in 1987.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Tribal Bingo"
In the mid-1980s, the Meskwaki settlement consisted of about 4,000 acres of land, and 650 people lived there. The unemployment rate was around 70 percent.
At the time, other tribes were finding financial success through bingo and casino projects, taking advantage of federal laws that granted special privileges to tribes and Native American settlement lands.
But it was not an easy sell within the Meskwaki nation. On December 7, 1984, a vote of tribal members to pursue a bingo hall failed. Two years later, a similar measure passed, and on February 20, 1987, a new bingo hall was opened on the settlement grounds near Tama.
It quickly became a big success, and soon came a movement to expand beyond bingo to include casino gaming. As was the case when the bingo discussion came up, consensus was hard to find. Some tribal members argued in favor of the jobs and income a casino would provide; others were fearful of new problems. In December 1991, the tribe voted to expand beyond bingo, and soon a major addition to the bingo hall housed casino gaming.
The impact on the Meskwaki nation was immediate. The unemployment rate of 70 percent when the bingo hall opened dropped to 40 percent in only 8 years, and to less than 12 percent after the start of casino gaming.
Today, the facility includes a full gaming hall, entertainment complex, hotel, and convenience store, and proceeds have gone to build houses and a school. There's still bingo, too...which is how it began, when Meskwaki Bingo opened near Tama on this date in 1987.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 19, 2025
"The Antenna Inventor"
After serving in World War II, John Winegard returned to Burlington, Iowa and found work as a radio repairman. That made sense, since as a boy during the Great Depression, he built his own telegraph set out of a tobacco can, a car horn, and a used battery.
By the late 1940s, the earliest television stations started broadcasting, but only in major cities hundreds of miles away. John wanted to see what the new Chicago station, now WBBM, was putting on the air, so in 1948 he designed and built an outdoor antenna that would allow him to watch TV from Chicago in Burlington. Working out of a friend’s basement, and then his parents’ garage, John Winegard’s designs became more sophisticated, and soon he created the Electro-Lens director system, the first patented improvement on TV antenna design in 25 years.
In 1948, there were fewer than 1 million TV sets in the U.S. Five years later, that number grew to 25 million, all needing antennas to receive the VHF signals of channels 2 through 13. So John founded the Winegard Company on December 29, 1953.
When the government opened up the UHF band, channels 14 through 83, in 1955, Winegard was there, with the first 82-channel antenna. A few years later, he invented the first electronic booster, to improve signal quality.
For a time, the legendary Paul Harvey advertised Winegard products on the air as a spokesman…so did Arthur Godfrey and Milton Berle.
Today, the company is still based in Burlington, with a worldwide reputation for producing antennae for a variety of uses. It’s operated by his children, who carry on their father’s dream of making his home area a great place to live and work. It’s the legacy John Winegard left when he died, on this date in 2002.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Antenna Inventor"
After serving in World War II, John Winegard returned to Burlington, Iowa and found work as a radio repairman. That made sense, since as a boy during the Great Depression, he built his own telegraph set out of a tobacco can, a car horn, and a used battery.
By the late 1940s, the earliest television stations started broadcasting, but only in major cities hundreds of miles away. John wanted to see what the new Chicago station, now WBBM, was putting on the air, so in 1948 he designed and built an outdoor antenna that would allow him to watch TV from Chicago in Burlington. Working out of a friend’s basement, and then his parents’ garage, John Winegard’s designs became more sophisticated, and soon he created the Electro-Lens director system, the first patented improvement on TV antenna design in 25 years.
In 1948, there were fewer than 1 million TV sets in the U.S. Five years later, that number grew to 25 million, all needing antennas to receive the VHF signals of channels 2 through 13. So John founded the Winegard Company on December 29, 1953.
When the government opened up the UHF band, channels 14 through 83, in 1955, Winegard was there, with the first 82-channel antenna. A few years later, he invented the first electronic booster, to improve signal quality.
For a time, the legendary Paul Harvey advertised Winegard products on the air as a spokesman…so did Arthur Godfrey and Milton Berle.
Today, the company is still based in Burlington, with a worldwide reputation for producing antennae for a variety of uses. It’s operated by his children, who carry on their father’s dream of making his home area a great place to live and work. It’s the legacy John Winegard left when he died, on this date in 2002.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 18, 2025
"Sounds Flying Through The Air"
Robert Karlowa was fascinated with the idea that sounds could travel wirelessly from one point to another. So in 1907, he was one of a growing number of people who set up experimental stations, first in Rock Island, Illinois and then in Davenport, Iowa, sending signals to other hobbyists. The word “radio” had not been invented then.
Karlowa’s interest grew, as did his station. On February 18, 1922, he got a license from the federal government to operate a radio station in Davenport, called WOC. It was the first commercial station in Iowa, and one of the first west of the Mississippi.
But operating a commercial station was more than a hobby, both in time and cost. Soon after, he sold the station to Col. B.J. Palmer, who operated the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Palmer wanted the station to promote the Palmer School and he even gave radio lectures about chiropractic treatment.
Broadcasting became big business for Palmer, who later wrote a book, “Radio Salesmanship”, which became must-reading for those in the industry.
WOC became a charter member of the NBC radio network in 1927, and in 1932, gave a young man a job as a sportscaster…Ronald Reagan. The original WOC left the air for a time in the 1930s, but a new WOC was started soon after.
B.J. Palmer always said WOC stood for Wonders of Chiropractic. It actually didn’t, because those call letters were randomly assigned to the station’s founder, Robert Karlowa, on this date in 1922.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Sounds Flying Through The Air"
Robert Karlowa was fascinated with the idea that sounds could travel wirelessly from one point to another. So in 1907, he was one of a growing number of people who set up experimental stations, first in Rock Island, Illinois and then in Davenport, Iowa, sending signals to other hobbyists. The word “radio” had not been invented then.
Karlowa’s interest grew, as did his station. On February 18, 1922, he got a license from the federal government to operate a radio station in Davenport, called WOC. It was the first commercial station in Iowa, and one of the first west of the Mississippi.
But operating a commercial station was more than a hobby, both in time and cost. Soon after, he sold the station to Col. B.J. Palmer, who operated the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Palmer wanted the station to promote the Palmer School and he even gave radio lectures about chiropractic treatment.
Broadcasting became big business for Palmer, who later wrote a book, “Radio Salesmanship”, which became must-reading for those in the industry.
WOC became a charter member of the NBC radio network in 1927, and in 1932, gave a young man a job as a sportscaster…Ronald Reagan. The original WOC left the air for a time in the 1930s, but a new WOC was started soon after.
B.J. Palmer always said WOC stood for Wonders of Chiropractic. It actually didn’t, because those call letters were randomly assigned to the station’s founder, Robert Karlowa, on this date in 1922.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 17, 2025
"Those Kids and Their Darn Music"
It's become something of a stereotype...parents complain about their children's taste in music...then those children grow up and become parents who complain about their children's music.
Rarely, though, does a sitting governor weigh in on the topic. But then again, Harold Hughes always did speak his mind.
In a speech to the Iowa Bank Auditors and Controllers conference at the Hyperion Club in Des Moines on this date in 1966, Hughes said, "Our young people may wear their hair in weird fashions, and listen to godawful music...But then, young people have always done things of equally ridiculous nature. And we have survived."
Hughes went on to compare the anti-war sentiment of the time with past protests, and noted that America survived then, too.
In a far-reaching address that in some ways telegraphed his later interest in national politics, Hughes discussed local, state, and international issues.
He said if any place on the troubled earth has a bright future, "it is this patch of good earth and God-given abundance that we call Iowa."
But the headline writers in The Des Moines Register focused on his comments about the "godawful music" listened to by young people, when they reported on Gov. Hughes' speech, delivered on this date in 1966.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Those Kids and Their Darn Music"
It's become something of a stereotype...parents complain about their children's taste in music...then those children grow up and become parents who complain about their children's music.
Rarely, though, does a sitting governor weigh in on the topic. But then again, Harold Hughes always did speak his mind.
In a speech to the Iowa Bank Auditors and Controllers conference at the Hyperion Club in Des Moines on this date in 1966, Hughes said, "Our young people may wear their hair in weird fashions, and listen to godawful music...But then, young people have always done things of equally ridiculous nature. And we have survived."
Hughes went on to compare the anti-war sentiment of the time with past protests, and noted that America survived then, too.
In a far-reaching address that in some ways telegraphed his later interest in national politics, Hughes discussed local, state, and international issues.
He said if any place on the troubled earth has a bright future, "it is this patch of good earth and God-given abundance that we call Iowa."
But the headline writers in The Des Moines Register focused on his comments about the "godawful music" listened to by young people, when they reported on Gov. Hughes' speech, delivered on this date in 1966.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Sunday, February 16, 2025
"Primary Politics"
We’re well familiar with Iowa’s presidential precinct caucuses, which in their current form date back a half century. Iowa does not have a presidential primary election…it did once, but only once.
Iowa became a state in 1846 and adopted the common national practice of the time of caucuses and conventions where political parties nominated their candidates for public office. Ultimately, Iowa adopted a statewide primary election law in 1907, but that was only for offices filled by direct popular vote…which did not include nomination of presidential candidates, and at that point, not even U.S. Senators, since those were still chosen by the state legislature at that time.
In 1913, Iowa’s primary election law was amended to include selection of delegates to national political conventions, and a presidential preference poll to determine the sentiment of voters.
Iowa held its first—and as it turned out, only—presidential primary on April 10, 1916. But none of the major presidential candidates entered, and less than one-third of the eligible voters cast a ballot. The primary election cost the state $122,000…which would be $2.9 million today.
Gov. George Clarke, who called for a presidential primary law in his inaugural address in 1913, had seen enough, calling the 1916 election a farce and urging repeal of the law. That happened quickly, and on February 16, 1917, the new governor, William Harding, signed the bill into law. And we’ve never had a presidential primary election since.
Iowa’s presidential primary elections were banned, by state law signed on this date in 1917.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Primary Politics"
We’re well familiar with Iowa’s presidential precinct caucuses, which in their current form date back a half century. Iowa does not have a presidential primary election…it did once, but only once.
Iowa became a state in 1846 and adopted the common national practice of the time of caucuses and conventions where political parties nominated their candidates for public office. Ultimately, Iowa adopted a statewide primary election law in 1907, but that was only for offices filled by direct popular vote…which did not include nomination of presidential candidates, and at that point, not even U.S. Senators, since those were still chosen by the state legislature at that time.
In 1913, Iowa’s primary election law was amended to include selection of delegates to national political conventions, and a presidential preference poll to determine the sentiment of voters.
Iowa held its first—and as it turned out, only—presidential primary on April 10, 1916. But none of the major presidential candidates entered, and less than one-third of the eligible voters cast a ballot. The primary election cost the state $122,000…which would be $2.9 million today.
Gov. George Clarke, who called for a presidential primary law in his inaugural address in 1913, had seen enough, calling the 1916 election a farce and urging repeal of the law. That happened quickly, and on February 16, 1917, the new governor, William Harding, signed the bill into law. And we’ve never had a presidential primary election since.
Iowa’s presidential primary elections were banned, by state law signed on this date in 1917.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Saturday, February 15, 2025
"The Oldest in America"
The fact that the oldest standing purpose-built mosque in America is in Iowa might seem curious to some. But it is in keeping with Iowa’s long history of welcoming those from a variety of faiths.
It was once known as The Rose of Fraternity Lodge, located on 9th Street NW in Cedar Rapids. The mosque was completed in 1934. Mosques in Chicago and New York City have been in place longer…but they were converted from existing buildings to be used as a Muslim house of worship. The Iowa structure is the oldest built for this specific purpose.
The mosque in Cedar Rapids was built by a group of immigrants and their descendants from the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Lebanon and Syria. And it served as a place of worship for Muslims for four decades. When the larger Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids was built in 1971, the building was sold and sadly, fell into disrepair.
In 1991, the Islamic Council of Iowa purchased and restored the building as a Muslim cultural center.
The Mother Mosque stands in a residential neighborhood, with houses on all sides. A small marker off First Avenue points the way to the structure, which is listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Construction of what is now The Mother Mosque of America Islamic Cultural and Heritage Center, the oldest mosque in America, was completed on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Oldest in America"
The fact that the oldest standing purpose-built mosque in America is in Iowa might seem curious to some. But it is in keeping with Iowa’s long history of welcoming those from a variety of faiths.
It was once known as The Rose of Fraternity Lodge, located on 9th Street NW in Cedar Rapids. The mosque was completed in 1934. Mosques in Chicago and New York City have been in place longer…but they were converted from existing buildings to be used as a Muslim house of worship. The Iowa structure is the oldest built for this specific purpose.
The mosque in Cedar Rapids was built by a group of immigrants and their descendants from the Ottoman Empire, in what is now Lebanon and Syria. And it served as a place of worship for Muslims for four decades. When the larger Islamic Center of Cedar Rapids was built in 1971, the building was sold and sadly, fell into disrepair.
In 1991, the Islamic Council of Iowa purchased and restored the building as a Muslim cultural center.
The Mother Mosque stands in a residential neighborhood, with houses on all sides. A small marker off First Avenue points the way to the structure, which is listed on both the Iowa State Historical Register and the National Register of Historic Places.
Construction of what is now The Mother Mosque of America Islamic Cultural and Heritage Center, the oldest mosque in America, was completed on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, February 14, 2025
"The Last at the Post"
In a broad sense, the story of the military post at Fort Atkinson is one of removing Native Americans from the east side of the Mississippi River to the west. More narrowly stated, it's about the life of those who lived in the "neutral ground" of first the Iowa territory, and then the State of Iowa.
In the 1830s, Winnebago tribe members resisted leaving their Wisconsin homeland. Their burial grounds were there, and they also did not want to move too close to their old enemies, the Sioux. General Henry Atkinson suggested establishing a temporary fort along the Turkey River, in the established "neutral ground" designed to keep tribes apart from each other, and apart from settlers.
The first log barracks were built in 1840. But they did not hold up well under the Iowa winter, and due to the large number of desertions, stone barracks were constructed the next spring. By the fall of 1842, the two years of work was finally completed, with two dozen buildings erected as part of the fort. Fourteen of the buildings were outside the stockade walls, including the stables, a granary, carpenter shop, and blacksmith shop.
In the year of Iowa statehood, 1846, the regular army members stationed at Fort Atkinson were sent to Mexico to fight in the Mexican-American War, so volunteer troops took over staffing the Iowa fort.
Given the large number of settlers moving into the Iowa Territory, the U.S. government again moved the Winnebagos, this time into Minnesota. The military escort-led relocation took until the summer of 1848, and with no more Winnebagos left in the region, the fort was no longer needed.
After a time in private ownership, the state acquired the fort in the 1920s, and in 1976 it became a state preserve.
On a high bluff overlooking the valley of the Turkey River, the remains of the historic old fort stand as a monument to the era, and when the last company of infantry soldiers left Fort Atkinson, on this date in 1849.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Last at the Post"
In a broad sense, the story of the military post at Fort Atkinson is one of removing Native Americans from the east side of the Mississippi River to the west. More narrowly stated, it's about the life of those who lived in the "neutral ground" of first the Iowa territory, and then the State of Iowa.
In the 1830s, Winnebago tribe members resisted leaving their Wisconsin homeland. Their burial grounds were there, and they also did not want to move too close to their old enemies, the Sioux. General Henry Atkinson suggested establishing a temporary fort along the Turkey River, in the established "neutral ground" designed to keep tribes apart from each other, and apart from settlers.
The first log barracks were built in 1840. But they did not hold up well under the Iowa winter, and due to the large number of desertions, stone barracks were constructed the next spring. By the fall of 1842, the two years of work was finally completed, with two dozen buildings erected as part of the fort. Fourteen of the buildings were outside the stockade walls, including the stables, a granary, carpenter shop, and blacksmith shop.
In the year of Iowa statehood, 1846, the regular army members stationed at Fort Atkinson were sent to Mexico to fight in the Mexican-American War, so volunteer troops took over staffing the Iowa fort.
Given the large number of settlers moving into the Iowa Territory, the U.S. government again moved the Winnebagos, this time into Minnesota. The military escort-led relocation took until the summer of 1848, and with no more Winnebagos left in the region, the fort was no longer needed.
After a time in private ownership, the state acquired the fort in the 1920s, and in 1976 it became a state preserve.
On a high bluff overlooking the valley of the Turkey River, the remains of the historic old fort stand as a monument to the era, and when the last company of infantry soldiers left Fort Atkinson, on this date in 1849.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 13, 2025
"Fire at the Englert"
Not too many years ago, the Englert Theater in downtown Iowa City looked to have met its end. In 1999, the theater was closed and the building sold, destined to become a nightclub. But a group of concerned citizens persuaded the City to buy the theater and hold it in trust until they could raise the money necessary to restore it to its past glory.
It took five years, but the Save the Englert campaign was a success, and since 2004, the theater has hosted live performances and events.
But that wasn't the first time the Englert came back.
The Englert Theater opened on September 26, 1912. William and Etta Englert built the theater to rival the finest stage and movie houses in the Midwest. William died in 1920, and Etta enlisted two managers.
On February 13, 1926, a massive fire nearly destroyed the Englert. Etta Englert and co-manager Dora Chapman watched in horror as fire tore through the roof. The fire caused $125,000 in damage...more than twice the $60,000 it had cost to build the theater only 14 years before. But Etta and her new husband, along with the two managers, brought the theater back, incorporating the styles and tastes of the 1920s to turn the rebuilt Englert into a large and ornate movie palace.
Current Iowa City residents are justifiably proud of how a group of them banded together to save the Englert. But had it not been for the dedication of one of the original owners, the Englert would have passed from the scene long before, after the massive fire that burned on this date in 1926.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Fire at the Englert"
Not too many years ago, the Englert Theater in downtown Iowa City looked to have met its end. In 1999, the theater was closed and the building sold, destined to become a nightclub. But a group of concerned citizens persuaded the City to buy the theater and hold it in trust until they could raise the money necessary to restore it to its past glory.
It took five years, but the Save the Englert campaign was a success, and since 2004, the theater has hosted live performances and events.
But that wasn't the first time the Englert came back.
The Englert Theater opened on September 26, 1912. William and Etta Englert built the theater to rival the finest stage and movie houses in the Midwest. William died in 1920, and Etta enlisted two managers.
On February 13, 1926, a massive fire nearly destroyed the Englert. Etta Englert and co-manager Dora Chapman watched in horror as fire tore through the roof. The fire caused $125,000 in damage...more than twice the $60,000 it had cost to build the theater only 14 years before. But Etta and her new husband, along with the two managers, brought the theater back, incorporating the styles and tastes of the 1920s to turn the rebuilt Englert into a large and ornate movie palace.
Current Iowa City residents are justifiably proud of how a group of them banded together to save the Englert. But had it not been for the dedication of one of the original owners, the Englert would have passed from the scene long before, after the massive fire that burned on this date in 1926.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 12, 2025
"Motoring In Style"
On February 12, 1958, a company called Modernistic Industries opened for business in Forest City; owner John K. Hanson started with 17 employees, making travel trailers. Soon, a groundbreaking 15-foot trailer called the Aljo rolled off the assembly line for the first time, with a retail cost of $895.
Two years later, Modernistic changed its name…both the river that flowed through Forest City as well as the county where the company was located carried the name Winnebago…and soon that name would become synonymous with the American motor home industry.
By 1967, the company debuted the first Winnebago motorhome with the launch of the F17, based on a Ford chassis. The use of assembly line-based production meant Winnebago motorhomes reached the marketplace at roughly half the price of competitors’ products.
The company went public in 1970, and was the top New York Stock Exchange performer the following year, with a return of 470 percent.
Over the past decade, the company expanded its base, returning to the towable market and expanding into the marine industry by purchasing premium boat builder Chris-Craft.
While the corporate headquarters is now in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, manufacturing is done in Forest City, Charles City, Waverly and Lake Mills, Iowa as well as in Middlebury, Indiana.
From 17 employees at the start, to serving as Forest City’s largest employer today…what is now Winnebago Industries was founded there on this date in 1958.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Motoring In Style"
On February 12, 1958, a company called Modernistic Industries opened for business in Forest City; owner John K. Hanson started with 17 employees, making travel trailers. Soon, a groundbreaking 15-foot trailer called the Aljo rolled off the assembly line for the first time, with a retail cost of $895.
Two years later, Modernistic changed its name…both the river that flowed through Forest City as well as the county where the company was located carried the name Winnebago…and soon that name would become synonymous with the American motor home industry.
By 1967, the company debuted the first Winnebago motorhome with the launch of the F17, based on a Ford chassis. The use of assembly line-based production meant Winnebago motorhomes reached the marketplace at roughly half the price of competitors’ products.
The company went public in 1970, and was the top New York Stock Exchange performer the following year, with a return of 470 percent.
Over the past decade, the company expanded its base, returning to the towable market and expanding into the marine industry by purchasing premium boat builder Chris-Craft.
While the corporate headquarters is now in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, manufacturing is done in Forest City, Charles City, Waverly and Lake Mills, Iowa as well as in Middlebury, Indiana.
From 17 employees at the start, to serving as Forest City’s largest employer today…what is now Winnebago Industries was founded there on this date in 1958.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 11, 2025
"A City Named For A Congressman"
Pomeroy is located in Calhoun County in northwest Iowa. The town of 662 residents was almost wiped off the map in 1893 when a devastating tornado struck the town. But the spirit of the people prevailed and the town was rebuilt. That resilient spirit is fitting, and reminds one of the man for whom the town was named.
Charles W. Pomeroy was born in Connecticut and studied and practiced law. At the age of 30, he moved to Iowa, settling in what was then Boonesboro in Boone County. He pursued agriculture as well as law...and then got interested in politics.
He was one of the earliest members of the Republican Party, and was one of Iowa's electors in 1860, casting a vote in the Electoral College for President Abraham Lincoln.
He changed careers in 1861, becoming receiver of the U.S. Land Office at Fort Dodge. He held that position for nearly eight years. Then, Mr. Pomeroy went to Washington, as a member of Congress from Iowa's 6th District. The district at the time covered the northwestern third of the state, extending from the Missouri River as far east as Waterloo, and from the Minnesota border as far south as Marshalltown. He lost his bid for re-nomination two years later and took on yet another career, this one as a claim agent in Washington, D.C., a position he held for the last 20 years of his life.
A new Calhoun County town was platted in 1870, and named Pomeroy after the town's first congressman, who died on this date in 1891.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A City Named For A Congressman"
Pomeroy is located in Calhoun County in northwest Iowa. The town of 662 residents was almost wiped off the map in 1893 when a devastating tornado struck the town. But the spirit of the people prevailed and the town was rebuilt. That resilient spirit is fitting, and reminds one of the man for whom the town was named.
Charles W. Pomeroy was born in Connecticut and studied and practiced law. At the age of 30, he moved to Iowa, settling in what was then Boonesboro in Boone County. He pursued agriculture as well as law...and then got interested in politics.
He was one of the earliest members of the Republican Party, and was one of Iowa's electors in 1860, casting a vote in the Electoral College for President Abraham Lincoln.
He changed careers in 1861, becoming receiver of the U.S. Land Office at Fort Dodge. He held that position for nearly eight years. Then, Mr. Pomeroy went to Washington, as a member of Congress from Iowa's 6th District. The district at the time covered the northwestern third of the state, extending from the Missouri River as far east as Waterloo, and from the Minnesota border as far south as Marshalltown. He lost his bid for re-nomination two years later and took on yet another career, this one as a claim agent in Washington, D.C., a position he held for the last 20 years of his life.
A new Calhoun County town was platted in 1870, and named Pomeroy after the town's first congressman, who died on this date in 1891.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
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.
