"Iowa Almanac" is a copyrighted production of Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
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Copyright 2016 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 2016 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 31, 2016
"The Band King"
Karl King was born in Ohio in 1891, and was a natural when it came to music. As a 19 year old, he joined the circus as a baritone player. He joined the circus world at a time when the acts needed specialty music, and Karl was a master at writing music. He worked for some of the most famous circus bands in the country, including Barnum and Bailey. Aerial waltzes and circus gallops were his specialty...and the march called Barnum and Bailey's Favorite? That was his composition.
He enlisted in the Army in 1919, but World War I ended before he began service. So he returned to Ohio and spent time directing the Grand Army Band there. The next year, 1920, Karl King gave up circus life for good and accepted the position of conductor of the Fort Dodge Municipal Band...a job he found in a classified ad, and one he would have for 51 years.
By that time, Karl King already had around 150 compositions in print. Impressive for someone whose formal musical training consisted of only three piano lessons and one harmony lesson.
He was instrumental in the passage of the Iowa Band Law in 1921, allowing cities to levy local taxes for maintenance of a municipal band.
He became one of the first to write music for the growing school band programs in America, and he owned his own music publishing company to handle the demand for his work.
Karl King became one of the most loved and respected figures in American music. It was always known as the Fort Dodge Municipal Band, but everyone just called it King's Band...it was officially named the Karl L. King Municipal Band as a tribute after he died on March 31, 1971, and the band still provides an outdoor summer concert series in the bandshell that bears his name, as well as an indoor concert series, all sponsored by the city.
Only a month after he conducted his last concert, in honor of his 80th birthday, Karl King, the March King, died...on this date in 1971.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Band King"
Karl King was born in Ohio in 1891, and was a natural when it came to music. As a 19 year old, he joined the circus as a baritone player. He joined the circus world at a time when the acts needed specialty music, and Karl was a master at writing music. He worked for some of the most famous circus bands in the country, including Barnum and Bailey. Aerial waltzes and circus gallops were his specialty...and the march called Barnum and Bailey's Favorite? That was his composition.
He enlisted in the Army in 1919, but World War I ended before he began service. So he returned to Ohio and spent time directing the Grand Army Band there. The next year, 1920, Karl King gave up circus life for good and accepted the position of conductor of the Fort Dodge Municipal Band...a job he found in a classified ad, and one he would have for 51 years.
By that time, Karl King already had around 150 compositions in print. Impressive for someone whose formal musical training consisted of only three piano lessons and one harmony lesson.
He was instrumental in the passage of the Iowa Band Law in 1921, allowing cities to levy local taxes for maintenance of a municipal band.
He became one of the first to write music for the growing school band programs in America, and he owned his own music publishing company to handle the demand for his work.
Karl King became one of the most loved and respected figures in American music. It was always known as the Fort Dodge Municipal Band, but everyone just called it King's Band...it was officially named the Karl L. King Municipal Band as a tribute after he died on March 31, 1971, and the band still provides an outdoor summer concert series in the bandshell that bears his name, as well as an indoor concert series, all sponsored by the city.
Only a month after he conducted his last concert, in honor of his 80th birthday, Karl King, the March King, died...on this date in 1971.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 30, 2016
"Air Mail Tragedy"
The U.S. post office started air mail in August of 1918, using its own planes, mostly World War I surplus. It was dangerous work, with a third of the original 40 pilots dying in crashes in just two years.
To encourage commercial aviation, in 1925 Congress passed legislation allowing the post office to contract with private airlines to handle some of the work. Five years later, the postmaster general got Congress to pass a new law, allowing him to enter into longer term contracts to cut costs. It sounded like a good idea, but that's where trouble started. Postmaster General Walter Folger Brown conspired with airline executives to consolidate the routes and limit true competition.
That led President Franklin Roosevelt to suspend all U.S. air mail contracts on February 9, 1934. The United States Army Air Corps began flying U.S. air mail. But the danger returned.
In the first week of Army Air Corps delivery of air mail alone, five pilots were killed in accidents, largely due to lack of training of Army pilots at the time for flying at night and in bad weather.
On March 30, 1934, Lt. Thurmond A. Wood was flying the mail to Davenport, Iowa, when he entered a severe spring thunderstorm. He attempted to reverse course, but lost control and spun into the ground near DeWitt. He became the 12th Army death in the effort to fly the mail.
A month later, on May 7, the federal government stopped using Army Air Corps members to fly the mail to regional post offices and worked out temporary contracts with private carriers. During that 78 day period, three quarters of a million pounds of mail were moved...but there were 66 accidents and a dozen crew deaths, including the death of Lt. Thurmond Wood, the last of the 12 Army pilots to die while flying the mail, whose plane crashed near DeWitt on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Air Mail Tragedy"
The U.S. post office started air mail in August of 1918, using its own planes, mostly World War I surplus. It was dangerous work, with a third of the original 40 pilots dying in crashes in just two years.
To encourage commercial aviation, in 1925 Congress passed legislation allowing the post office to contract with private airlines to handle some of the work. Five years later, the postmaster general got Congress to pass a new law, allowing him to enter into longer term contracts to cut costs. It sounded like a good idea, but that's where trouble started. Postmaster General Walter Folger Brown conspired with airline executives to consolidate the routes and limit true competition.
That led President Franklin Roosevelt to suspend all U.S. air mail contracts on February 9, 1934. The United States Army Air Corps began flying U.S. air mail. But the danger returned.
In the first week of Army Air Corps delivery of air mail alone, five pilots were killed in accidents, largely due to lack of training of Army pilots at the time for flying at night and in bad weather.
On March 30, 1934, Lt. Thurmond A. Wood was flying the mail to Davenport, Iowa, when he entered a severe spring thunderstorm. He attempted to reverse course, but lost control and spun into the ground near DeWitt. He became the 12th Army death in the effort to fly the mail.
A month later, on May 7, the federal government stopped using Army Air Corps members to fly the mail to regional post offices and worked out temporary contracts with private carriers. During that 78 day period, three quarters of a million pounds of mail were moved...but there were 66 accidents and a dozen crew deaths, including the death of Lt. Thurmond Wood, the last of the 12 Army pilots to die while flying the mail, whose plane crashed near DeWitt on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, March 29, 2016
"The State Banner"
This is Iowa's Flag Day, the day on which the Iowa General Assembly officially approved a state flag back in 1921.
There was no state flag for the first 75 years that Iowa was a state. In World War I, Iowa's chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution set up a contest to design a flag that Iowans could carry into battle. The winner was Dixie Cornell Gebhardt of Knoxville, and that Iowa regimental flag was adopted as Iowa's state flag a few years after the war.
Some have noticed a good deal of resemblance between the Iowa flag and that of the country of France. That's no accident. The land that is now Iowa was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, when the U.S. bought the land from France.
Dixie Gebhardt wrote that "Iowa's banner should embrace the history of its domain from the time of its occupation by the Indians to discovery by the French and purchase from Napoleon by Jefferson, to its admission into the Union, down to the present time. All this should be represented in a design so simple that school children and adults can recognize its symbolism and know that it meant Iowa."
That includes blue, white and red stripes, with an eagle displayed on the white center stripe. The eagle carries in its beak blue streamers with the state motto, "Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain". The word "Iowa" is in red, the color of blood. Mrs. Gebhardt said she used that to symbolize the wartime "sacrifice our boys may make for us."
That original flag design was drawn in crayon. You can see it today, on display in the Marion County courthouse in Knoxville.
Iowa's flag has flown proudly now for 95 years, ever since it was approved by the state legislature, on this date in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The State Banner"
This is Iowa's Flag Day, the day on which the Iowa General Assembly officially approved a state flag back in 1921.
There was no state flag for the first 75 years that Iowa was a state. In World War I, Iowa's chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution set up a contest to design a flag that Iowans could carry into battle. The winner was Dixie Cornell Gebhardt of Knoxville, and that Iowa regimental flag was adopted as Iowa's state flag a few years after the war.
Some have noticed a good deal of resemblance between the Iowa flag and that of the country of France. That's no accident. The land that is now Iowa was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, when the U.S. bought the land from France.
Dixie Gebhardt wrote that "Iowa's banner should embrace the history of its domain from the time of its occupation by the Indians to discovery by the French and purchase from Napoleon by Jefferson, to its admission into the Union, down to the present time. All this should be represented in a design so simple that school children and adults can recognize its symbolism and know that it meant Iowa."
That includes blue, white and red stripes, with an eagle displayed on the white center stripe. The eagle carries in its beak blue streamers with the state motto, "Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain". The word "Iowa" is in red, the color of blood. Mrs. Gebhardt said she used that to symbolize the wartime "sacrifice our boys may make for us."
That original flag design was drawn in crayon. You can see it today, on display in the Marion County courthouse in Knoxville.
Iowa's flag has flown proudly now for 95 years, ever since it was approved by the state legislature, on this date in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, March 28, 2016
"Lighting Up The Country"
"There is no limit to electricity's power to serve you, and the more you use of it, the less it costs."
Or so read an ad in the Hampton Chronicle newspaper in March of 1938, promoting the Franklin Rural Electric Co-Operative in Hampton.
In the early 1930s, only ten percent of the farms in this country used electricity for home and farm purposes. In May of 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act, to provide federal money to help farmers build distribution lines. The next March, the local newspaper in Hampton ran a story asking if there was enough interest in electrifying the rural areas of north central Iowa.
In February 1937, the Federated Rural Electric Association was created, covering the counties of Franklin, Hardin, Wright, Butler, Grundy and Hancock. Days after, the new group asked for a $222,000 loan from the national REA fund so local farmers could build their own generating plant. When that was approved, things began to move quickly.
A plant was built, and the first meter was set at the E. H. Messerschmidt farm in West Fork township on March 21st, 1938. A week later, as locals remembered it, the juice started to flow.
Over the next decade, a total of four diesel engines were installed in the Hampton plant, which is now owned by the county historical society. It's now on the National Register of Historic Places, and with good reason.
The Franklin Rural Electric Co-Operative became the first coop in the nation to put farmer-owned generated electricity out on farmer-owned lines, when electricity started to run through those lines on this date in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Lighting Up The Country"
"There is no limit to electricity's power to serve you, and the more you use of it, the less it costs."
Or so read an ad in the Hampton Chronicle newspaper in March of 1938, promoting the Franklin Rural Electric Co-Operative in Hampton.
In the early 1930s, only ten percent of the farms in this country used electricity for home and farm purposes. In May of 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Rural Electrification Act, to provide federal money to help farmers build distribution lines. The next March, the local newspaper in Hampton ran a story asking if there was enough interest in electrifying the rural areas of north central Iowa.
In February 1937, the Federated Rural Electric Association was created, covering the counties of Franklin, Hardin, Wright, Butler, Grundy and Hancock. Days after, the new group asked for a $222,000 loan from the national REA fund so local farmers could build their own generating plant. When that was approved, things began to move quickly.
A plant was built, and the first meter was set at the E. H. Messerschmidt farm in West Fork township on March 21st, 1938. A week later, as locals remembered it, the juice started to flow.
Over the next decade, a total of four diesel engines were installed in the Hampton plant, which is now owned by the county historical society. It's now on the National Register of Historic Places, and with good reason.
The Franklin Rural Electric Co-Operative became the first coop in the nation to put farmer-owned generated electricity out on farmer-owned lines, when electricity started to run through those lines on this date in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, March 25, 2016
"Iowa Makes Movie History"
It wasn't all that long ago that people marveled at being able to buy video tapes of their favorite movies to watch any time they wanted at home. Then technology advanced, and DVDs of those movies became all the rage.
Iowa worked aggressively during the 1990s to bring Hollywood filmmakers to Iowa to shoot their movies. One of those was the movie "Twister", which was filmed in part around Boone, Ames, and Eldora. The movie starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as storm chasers researching tornadoes. It had a budget of $92 million, and grossed $10 billion at the box office when it was released in 1996.
One of the scenes called for a tornado to demolish an old Iowa farmhouse. Producers selected a century-old Hardin County home that was once the grandest home in the county. It had been boarded up for the previous 30 years and seemed like the perfect spot.
But people in the area got upset at the thought of the old Follett home being destroyed in this way. So they got the owner of the property to change his mind, and the moviemakers changed the script, demolishing only the barns and outbuildings for the movie...even adding a line to the script, with an actor saying "Look, it didn't take the house."
The "Twister House", as it became known, became a bed and breakfast for about 10 years after the movie. You can see it now if you have a DVD of the movie...and if that DVD was one of the original ones released in 1997, it may actually be a collector's item.
You see, the movie "Twister", filmed in Iowa, was the very first feature film ever to be released on DVD. The "Twister" DVD was released for sale on this date in 1997.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa Makes Movie History"
It wasn't all that long ago that people marveled at being able to buy video tapes of their favorite movies to watch any time they wanted at home. Then technology advanced, and DVDs of those movies became all the rage.
Iowa worked aggressively during the 1990s to bring Hollywood filmmakers to Iowa to shoot their movies. One of those was the movie "Twister", which was filmed in part around Boone, Ames, and Eldora. The movie starred Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as storm chasers researching tornadoes. It had a budget of $92 million, and grossed $10 billion at the box office when it was released in 1996.
One of the scenes called for a tornado to demolish an old Iowa farmhouse. Producers selected a century-old Hardin County home that was once the grandest home in the county. It had been boarded up for the previous 30 years and seemed like the perfect spot.
But people in the area got upset at the thought of the old Follett home being destroyed in this way. So they got the owner of the property to change his mind, and the moviemakers changed the script, demolishing only the barns and outbuildings for the movie...even adding a line to the script, with an actor saying "Look, it didn't take the house."
The "Twister House", as it became known, became a bed and breakfast for about 10 years after the movie. You can see it now if you have a DVD of the movie...and if that DVD was one of the original ones released in 1997, it may actually be a collector's item.
You see, the movie "Twister", filmed in Iowa, was the very first feature film ever to be released on DVD. The "Twister" DVD was released for sale on this date in 1997.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 24, 2016
"Supporting Equal Rights"
The Iowa Legislature adjourned for the year on this date in 1972, after meeting for 75 working days. It was a Friday; the Senate finished its business around 8 p.m., and the House followed suit two hours later.
Among the actions taken on that last day of the session was to ratify the equal rights for women amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Iowa was the fourth state in the nation to ratify the amendment, which passed each chamber of the legislature overwhemingly...44 to 1 in the Senate, and 71 to 15 in the House.
Among those speaking in favor of the measure was Iowa City Democrat Sen. Minnette Doderer. She noted that many men wanted to protect women, as the weaker sex. In response, Sen. Doderer said, "I know you want to protect us...from equal pay, from equal educational opportunities, from every equality you have, and we want."
Only Democrat Sen. Eugene Hill from Newton voted against it in that chamber, joking that he wasn't sure if he was for or against the resolution, because he hadn't discussed it with his wife first.
A New Hartford representative, Charles Grassley, urged the legislature to delay voting until the following year so there was more time to consider the issue. In the end, he voted in favor of ratification, saying on the floor of the House, "If I was getting out of politics, I'd have voted against it."
At that point, Iowa joined Hawaii, Nebraska and New Hampshire as states voting for ratification; the others approved it that same week. The original deadline for states to ratify the amendment was 1979. That was later extended to 1982, but in the end, only 35 states approved the effort, short of the 38 needed for passage.
Now more than 40 years later, there's still no equal rights amendment to the constitution. But despite concern about whether approval would mean integrated toilet facilities, as was suggested during floor debate, the Iowa legislature ratified the equal rights amendment, on this date in 1972.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Supporting Equal Rights"
The Iowa Legislature adjourned for the year on this date in 1972, after meeting for 75 working days. It was a Friday; the Senate finished its business around 8 p.m., and the House followed suit two hours later.
Among the actions taken on that last day of the session was to ratify the equal rights for women amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Iowa was the fourth state in the nation to ratify the amendment, which passed each chamber of the legislature overwhemingly...44 to 1 in the Senate, and 71 to 15 in the House.
Among those speaking in favor of the measure was Iowa City Democrat Sen. Minnette Doderer. She noted that many men wanted to protect women, as the weaker sex. In response, Sen. Doderer said, "I know you want to protect us...from equal pay, from equal educational opportunities, from every equality you have, and we want."
Only Democrat Sen. Eugene Hill from Newton voted against it in that chamber, joking that he wasn't sure if he was for or against the resolution, because he hadn't discussed it with his wife first.
A New Hartford representative, Charles Grassley, urged the legislature to delay voting until the following year so there was more time to consider the issue. In the end, he voted in favor of ratification, saying on the floor of the House, "If I was getting out of politics, I'd have voted against it."
At that point, Iowa joined Hawaii, Nebraska and New Hampshire as states voting for ratification; the others approved it that same week. The original deadline for states to ratify the amendment was 1979. That was later extended to 1982, but in the end, only 35 states approved the effort, short of the 38 needed for passage.
Now more than 40 years later, there's still no equal rights amendment to the constitution. But despite concern about whether approval would mean integrated toilet facilities, as was suggested during floor debate, the Iowa legislature ratified the equal rights amendment, on this date in 1972.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 23, 2016
"The Fabulous Five"
The NCAA men's basketball national championship game on March 23rd, 1956, was a tale of opposites.
On the one hand, there was a University of San Francisco team that was led by the dominant center of his time, Bill Russell. On the other, a University of Iowa squad that relied on all five members to contribute equally, living up to the concept of "team"...they became known as the Fabulous Five.
Legendary coach Bucky O'Connor was mad at his squad in early 1954 for losing a home game against Illinois. To make a point, he benched all the starters for a road game against Indiana, instead starting five sophomores...this at a time when freshmen weren't allowed to play. To the surprise of almost everyone, the Hawkeyes won with the young squad...and that was just the beginning.
They made it to the Final Four the next year, in 1955, but lost in the national semifinal. But the five...Sharm Scheuerman, Bill Logan, Carl Cain, Bill Seaburg and Bill Schoof...had a goal for their senior season--making it to the national championship game.
But Bill Russell's San Francisco Dons were in the middle of a 55-game winning streak and back-to-back national titles. He scored 26 points and grabbed 27 rebounds, as USF defeated the Hawkeyes in the national championship 83 to 71. That's still a record for most rebounds in any title game.
As for the Fabulous Five, they're the only Iowa team to qualify for two consecutive Final Fours, and to play for a national basketball title. Five of the nine retired jerseys in Iowa school history belong to the Fabulous Five, who won back to back Big Ten titles but lost the national championship in Evanston, Illinois, on this date in 1956.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Fabulous Five"
The NCAA men's basketball national championship game on March 23rd, 1956, was a tale of opposites.
On the one hand, there was a University of San Francisco team that was led by the dominant center of his time, Bill Russell. On the other, a University of Iowa squad that relied on all five members to contribute equally, living up to the concept of "team"...they became known as the Fabulous Five.
Legendary coach Bucky O'Connor was mad at his squad in early 1954 for losing a home game against Illinois. To make a point, he benched all the starters for a road game against Indiana, instead starting five sophomores...this at a time when freshmen weren't allowed to play. To the surprise of almost everyone, the Hawkeyes won with the young squad...and that was just the beginning.
They made it to the Final Four the next year, in 1955, but lost in the national semifinal. But the five...Sharm Scheuerman, Bill Logan, Carl Cain, Bill Seaburg and Bill Schoof...had a goal for their senior season--making it to the national championship game.
But Bill Russell's San Francisco Dons were in the middle of a 55-game winning streak and back-to-back national titles. He scored 26 points and grabbed 27 rebounds, as USF defeated the Hawkeyes in the national championship 83 to 71. That's still a record for most rebounds in any title game.
As for the Fabulous Five, they're the only Iowa team to qualify for two consecutive Final Fours, and to play for a national basketball title. Five of the nine retired jerseys in Iowa school history belong to the Fabulous Five, who won back to back Big Ten titles but lost the national championship in Evanston, Illinois, on this date in 1956.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, March 22, 2016
"Boldly Going to Riverside"
James Tiberius Kirk will be born on this date, March 22nd, in the future year 2228 in Riverside, Iowa.
You know Captain James T. Kirk as the commander of the Starship Enterprise in the Star Trek television series and movie. The character was created by Gene Roddenberry, who wrote in 1968 during the TV show's run that Kirk would be born in a small town in Iowa.
Back in March of 1985, Trekkie and Riverside, Iowa city councilman Steve Miller thought since the specific town in Iowa where Kirk would be born was not stated, then why not Riverside? At the very next city council meeting, he proposed that Riverside declare itself to be the future birthplace of James T. Kirk. The motion passed unanimously.
The town changed its slogan from "Where the best begins" to "Where the Trek begins", and changed its annual summer festival from River Fest to Trek Fest. The town wanted to create a bust of Kirk to display, but Paramount Pictures wanted $40,000 for a license fee. So instead, the town simply set a plaque where they believe Kirk will be born, and built a replica of the Enterprise, called the USS Riverside and not built exactly the same, to avoid violating trademark law.
It's one thing to stake a claim; it's another to have it adopted by the creators of the Star Trek movie. That's what happened in 2009, when Riverside, Iowa was identified in that year's Star Trek movie as Kirk's hometown.
Why March 22nd? Perhaps the citizens of Riverside are good at predicting the future. Or perhaps because it's also the birth date of William Shatner, who brought Kirk to life in the TV series.
James T. Kirk will begin going boldly where no man has gone before, when he will be born in Riverside, Iowa, on this date, in 2228.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Boldly Going to Riverside"
James Tiberius Kirk will be born on this date, March 22nd, in the future year 2228 in Riverside, Iowa.
You know Captain James T. Kirk as the commander of the Starship Enterprise in the Star Trek television series and movie. The character was created by Gene Roddenberry, who wrote in 1968 during the TV show's run that Kirk would be born in a small town in Iowa.
Back in March of 1985, Trekkie and Riverside, Iowa city councilman Steve Miller thought since the specific town in Iowa where Kirk would be born was not stated, then why not Riverside? At the very next city council meeting, he proposed that Riverside declare itself to be the future birthplace of James T. Kirk. The motion passed unanimously.
The town changed its slogan from "Where the best begins" to "Where the Trek begins", and changed its annual summer festival from River Fest to Trek Fest. The town wanted to create a bust of Kirk to display, but Paramount Pictures wanted $40,000 for a license fee. So instead, the town simply set a plaque where they believe Kirk will be born, and built a replica of the Enterprise, called the USS Riverside and not built exactly the same, to avoid violating trademark law.
It's one thing to stake a claim; it's another to have it adopted by the creators of the Star Trek movie. That's what happened in 2009, when Riverside, Iowa was identified in that year's Star Trek movie as Kirk's hometown.
Why March 22nd? Perhaps the citizens of Riverside are good at predicting the future. Or perhaps because it's also the birth date of William Shatner, who brought Kirk to life in the TV series.
James T. Kirk will begin going boldly where no man has gone before, when he will be born in Riverside, Iowa, on this date, in 2228.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, March 21, 2016
"A Deadly Derailment"
March 20th, 1910, was a Sunday...Palm Sunday, in fact. A bridge near Shellsburg collapsed, and a freight train there derailed, killing the engineer. That meant trains had to be rerouted, including two Rock Island passenger trains, both bound for Minneapolis. They were instead sent to Marshalltown, then to Waterloo, eventually to make it to Minnesota.
Each train had arrived in Marshalltown by the early morning hours of Monday, March 21st. Rail officials decided instead of running two trains, they would join the two together for the trip to Waterloo and back the locomotives up the whole way. That would prove to be a fatal error.
The combined train left Marshalltown just after 7:30 a.m. It passed through Green Mountain a little after 8. Four miles northeast of Green Mountain, the train--which some think was traveling well above prescribed safe speeds--derailed.
At least 80 passengers and crew were on the train. The so-called pilot of the effort, John While, was badly burned, but he and a passenger managed to get to a farmhouse to get help and notify the railroad agent in Gladbrook.
A group of Marshalltown physicians soon arrived by car. By 10:30, a bit more than two hours after the derailment, a relief train arrived from Marshalltown to take away the injured, quickly overwhelming the medical facilities in town.
A total of 55 people were killed that Monday morning by the Green Mountain Train Wreck, including John White, who later died of his burns. That number does not include the county coroner, who was thrown from a speeding wagon as it rounded the corner of 12th Street and Main died a month later himself.
Today, there's a monument on Zeller Avenue, marking the greatest railroad tragedy in Iowa history, which happened near Green Mountain, on this date in 1910.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Deadly Derailment"
March 20th, 1910, was a Sunday...Palm Sunday, in fact. A bridge near Shellsburg collapsed, and a freight train there derailed, killing the engineer. That meant trains had to be rerouted, including two Rock Island passenger trains, both bound for Minneapolis. They were instead sent to Marshalltown, then to Waterloo, eventually to make it to Minnesota.
Each train had arrived in Marshalltown by the early morning hours of Monday, March 21st. Rail officials decided instead of running two trains, they would join the two together for the trip to Waterloo and back the locomotives up the whole way. That would prove to be a fatal error.
The combined train left Marshalltown just after 7:30 a.m. It passed through Green Mountain a little after 8. Four miles northeast of Green Mountain, the train--which some think was traveling well above prescribed safe speeds--derailed.
At least 80 passengers and crew were on the train. The so-called pilot of the effort, John While, was badly burned, but he and a passenger managed to get to a farmhouse to get help and notify the railroad agent in Gladbrook.
A group of Marshalltown physicians soon arrived by car. By 10:30, a bit more than two hours after the derailment, a relief train arrived from Marshalltown to take away the injured, quickly overwhelming the medical facilities in town.
A total of 55 people were killed that Monday morning by the Green Mountain Train Wreck, including John White, who later died of his burns. That number does not include the county coroner, who was thrown from a speeding wagon as it rounded the corner of 12th Street and Main died a month later himself.
Today, there's a monument on Zeller Avenue, marking the greatest railroad tragedy in Iowa history, which happened near Green Mountain, on this date in 1910.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, March 18, 2016
"A Founder of the Tractor"
In 1892, two students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with similar names met...one was Charles Hart, the other was Charles Parr. They had other interests in common, too. They worked on a special honors thesis together, and from that plan built three working internal combustion engines on the campus there.
After graduation in 1897, Hart and Parr secured $3,000 in capital and founded their own business, the Hart-Parr Gasoline Engine Company. But they needed more money in order to expand the business and explore a new project. Near the end of 1899, Hart visited his parents in Charles City and mentioned his financial dilemma. Hart's father said there were people with money in that area who might be interested. Local attorney Charles Ellis was one of those; he invested $50,000 in the Hart-Parr project.
As a result, the two men moved their business to Charles City in 1901, and the next year, debuted Hart-Parr Tractor number 1. A salesman ran demonstrations at county fairs, and slowly the new machine gained favor. Some of the first tractors delivered were demonstrating usefulness far surpassing that of steam engines.
They used the phrase "traction engine" to define their creation, but in 1906, Hart-Parr's sales manager, W.H. Williams, decided the phrase was too vague and too long to use in news releases, so he invented the word "tractor", combining traction and power.
As a result, and because the Charles City plant was the first to be continuously and exclusively used for tractor production, Hart and Parr were given the title as founders of the tractor industry.
In 1929, the company merged with a number of other similar manufacturers, all using the name Oliver...and while the Hart-Parr name disappeared from machines, Charles Parr stayed with the company he founded until his death in 1941.
Today, we remember one of the founders of the tractor, Charles Parr, for he was born on this date in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Founder of the Tractor"
In 1892, two students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with similar names met...one was Charles Hart, the other was Charles Parr. They had other interests in common, too. They worked on a special honors thesis together, and from that plan built three working internal combustion engines on the campus there.
After graduation in 1897, Hart and Parr secured $3,000 in capital and founded their own business, the Hart-Parr Gasoline Engine Company. But they needed more money in order to expand the business and explore a new project. Near the end of 1899, Hart visited his parents in Charles City and mentioned his financial dilemma. Hart's father said there were people with money in that area who might be interested. Local attorney Charles Ellis was one of those; he invested $50,000 in the Hart-Parr project.
As a result, the two men moved their business to Charles City in 1901, and the next year, debuted Hart-Parr Tractor number 1. A salesman ran demonstrations at county fairs, and slowly the new machine gained favor. Some of the first tractors delivered were demonstrating usefulness far surpassing that of steam engines.
They used the phrase "traction engine" to define their creation, but in 1906, Hart-Parr's sales manager, W.H. Williams, decided the phrase was too vague and too long to use in news releases, so he invented the word "tractor", combining traction and power.
As a result, and because the Charles City plant was the first to be continuously and exclusively used for tractor production, Hart and Parr were given the title as founders of the tractor industry.
In 1929, the company merged with a number of other similar manufacturers, all using the name Oliver...and while the Hart-Parr name disappeared from machines, Charles Parr stayed with the company he founded until his death in 1941.
Today, we remember one of the founders of the tractor, Charles Parr, for he was born on this date in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 17, 2016
"Class Is In Session"
The Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm was officially established on March 22, 1858, by the Iowa Legislature. But that was just in concept. It took more than a year before Story County was selected as the site for the college. And it became the first land grant institution in America, as designated by the Iowa legislature in 1864. But it would still be quite a while later before there were any students.
What became known as the Iowa State Agricultural College, or I.A.C., was formally opened for the admission of students on March 17, 1869, almost 11 years to the day after legislation was passed establishing it. A preparatory class of 70 men and women was received the previous October, making the school coeducational from the beginning.
On that first formal day of classes in 1869, President Adonijah S. Welch was inaugurated, and the Main Building was dedicated. It had been completed the year before at a cost of $10,570 and included a reception room, library, lecture hall, professors' room, students' rooms, a chapel, kitchen, laundry, and dining room.
The curriculum of the new college focused on agriculture and mechanic arts. In the first term, classes were taught in rhetoric, landscape gardening, German, algebra, arithmetic, bookkeeping, geography, analysis, and instrumental music.
The first class, made up of 24 men and 2 women, graduated in 1872.
You might know this facility better today as the Iowa State University of Science and Technology, the name it has had since 1959.
But as the Iowa State Agricultural College, it officially opened to students on this date in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Class Is In Session"
The Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm was officially established on March 22, 1858, by the Iowa Legislature. But that was just in concept. It took more than a year before Story County was selected as the site for the college. And it became the first land grant institution in America, as designated by the Iowa legislature in 1864. But it would still be quite a while later before there were any students.
What became known as the Iowa State Agricultural College, or I.A.C., was formally opened for the admission of students on March 17, 1869, almost 11 years to the day after legislation was passed establishing it. A preparatory class of 70 men and women was received the previous October, making the school coeducational from the beginning.
On that first formal day of classes in 1869, President Adonijah S. Welch was inaugurated, and the Main Building was dedicated. It had been completed the year before at a cost of $10,570 and included a reception room, library, lecture hall, professors' room, students' rooms, a chapel, kitchen, laundry, and dining room.
The curriculum of the new college focused on agriculture and mechanic arts. In the first term, classes were taught in rhetoric, landscape gardening, German, algebra, arithmetic, bookkeeping, geography, analysis, and instrumental music.
The first class, made up of 24 men and 2 women, graduated in 1872.
You might know this facility better today as the Iowa State University of Science and Technology, the name it has had since 1959.
But as the Iowa State Agricultural College, it officially opened to students on this date in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 16, 2016
"The First Championship"
For decades, Iowa girls played six on six basketball. As time went on, it became one of the 20th century's unique traditions, with a state tournament that was more successful than those in other states.
But at the college level, young women played five on five basketball, and states began switching to the full court game over time. A legal challenge was brought in Iowa, alleging that the six on six game discriminated against Iowa girls who wanted college scholarships.
In an attempt to please all parties, schools got the option beginning with the 1984-1985 season...they could play the traditional six on six game, or switch to five on five.
That meant two state tournament fields, and two state champions. In fact, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union would sanction both forms of play for nine seasons, before the six on six format ended in 1993.
The first five on five championship was played on March 16, 1985 before a near capacity crowd at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines. The game had a Linn County flavor, as Linn-Mar lived up to its number one ranking by defeating Cedar Rapids Washington 56 to 40. All tournament team captain Juli Campbell scored 17 points for the Lions, who finished the season 25 and 1.
Later that evening, top-ranked Fort Dodge defeated Waterloo Columbus 88 to 81 in the six on six player championship.
But the night will be forever remembered as when Linn-Mar won Iowa's first girls five on five player basketball championship, on this date in 1985.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Championship"
For decades, Iowa girls played six on six basketball. As time went on, it became one of the 20th century's unique traditions, with a state tournament that was more successful than those in other states.
But at the college level, young women played five on five basketball, and states began switching to the full court game over time. A legal challenge was brought in Iowa, alleging that the six on six game discriminated against Iowa girls who wanted college scholarships.
In an attempt to please all parties, schools got the option beginning with the 1984-1985 season...they could play the traditional six on six game, or switch to five on five.
That meant two state tournament fields, and two state champions. In fact, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union would sanction both forms of play for nine seasons, before the six on six format ended in 1993.
The first five on five championship was played on March 16, 1985 before a near capacity crowd at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines. The game had a Linn County flavor, as Linn-Mar lived up to its number one ranking by defeating Cedar Rapids Washington 56 to 40. All tournament team captain Juli Campbell scored 17 points for the Lions, who finished the season 25 and 1.
Later that evening, top-ranked Fort Dodge defeated Waterloo Columbus 88 to 81 in the six on six player championship.
But the night will be forever remembered as when Linn-Mar won Iowa's first girls five on five player basketball championship, on this date in 1985.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, March 15, 2016
"The Last Execution"
On March 15th, 1963, Victor Harry Feguer was executed at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. He was the last prisoner executed in Iowa, and the last federal inmate executed in the United States before Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
Feguer was a bit of a drifter, a Michigan native. He came to Dubuque in the summer of 1960. Almost immediately, he began carrying out the murder that led to his own death. He began calling doctors, going alphabetically in the phone book, claiming a woman needed medical attention. One, Dr. Edward Bartels, responded. Feguer kidnapped him, crossed into Illinois, and killed him. Officials believed it was to get drugs the doctor might have. Feguer was caught in Alabama, trying to sell the doctor's car.
Because he crossed state lines, his crime came under the federal courts. He was convicted and sentenced to hang. Gov. Harold Hughes, a death penalty opponent, even contacted President John Kennedy, seeking clemency for Feguer, but Kennedy thought the crime was so brutal, he denied the request.
For his last meal, Feguer requested a single olive with the pit still in it. He said he hoped that an olive tree--a symbol of peace--would sprout from his grave.
Shortly before sunrise, wearing a new suit provided by the prison, Victor Feguer was hanged. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Fort Madison, wearing a second new suit provided for his burial--the olive stone from his last meal tucked in a pocket.
Iowa abolished the death penalty for state crimes two years later, making Victor Feguer the last prisoner to be executed in the state, on this date in 1963.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Last Execution"
On March 15th, 1963, Victor Harry Feguer was executed at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. He was the last prisoner executed in Iowa, and the last federal inmate executed in the United States before Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
Feguer was a bit of a drifter, a Michigan native. He came to Dubuque in the summer of 1960. Almost immediately, he began carrying out the murder that led to his own death. He began calling doctors, going alphabetically in the phone book, claiming a woman needed medical attention. One, Dr. Edward Bartels, responded. Feguer kidnapped him, crossed into Illinois, and killed him. Officials believed it was to get drugs the doctor might have. Feguer was caught in Alabama, trying to sell the doctor's car.
Because he crossed state lines, his crime came under the federal courts. He was convicted and sentenced to hang. Gov. Harold Hughes, a death penalty opponent, even contacted President John Kennedy, seeking clemency for Feguer, but Kennedy thought the crime was so brutal, he denied the request.
For his last meal, Feguer requested a single olive with the pit still in it. He said he hoped that an olive tree--a symbol of peace--would sprout from his grave.
Shortly before sunrise, wearing a new suit provided by the prison, Victor Feguer was hanged. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Fort Madison, wearing a second new suit provided for his burial--the olive stone from his last meal tucked in a pocket.
Iowa abolished the death penalty for state crimes two years later, making Victor Feguer the last prisoner to be executed in the state, on this date in 1963.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, March 14, 2016
"Waterloo Boy"
The first company to manufacture and sell gasoline powered farm tractors was the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company.
The company was created in 1893 by John Froelich and a group of Iowa businessmen. The year before, Froelich had invented the first practical gasoline powered tractor, and the new company was given the chance to manufacture and sell his invention. But it was not a success commercially--of the four tractors the company built, only two were purchased, and both of those were returned by unsatisfied customers.
In 1895, the company was sold to John W. Miller, who decided to stop producing tractors and focus on building engines.
By 1911, the company again began manufacturing tractors, but the business did not take off until 1913, when 20 "Waterloo Boy" tractors were produced. The next year, the Model R Waterloo Boy was introduced, with more than 8,000 sold in five years. Despite the company's name, the Waterloo Boy actually burned kerosene for fuel.
Others began building tractors, but the Waterloo Boy was easily one of the most popular. On March 14, 1918, Deere and Company of Moline purchased the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company for $2.1 million. Deere had been anxious to enter the tractor market, but its own initial efforts had been unsuccessful. So Deere executives decided to buy the Waterloo company because their machines had the best field test performance.
The name of the Waterloo company was changed to the John Deere Tractor Company, but the Waterloo Boy was still the name on the tractor for five more years, until the John Deere Model D was introduced in 1923.
That $2.1 million back in 1918 would be the equivalent of $33.4 million today.
John Deere is best known for making tractors, but only because they bought the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company, on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Waterloo Boy"
The first company to manufacture and sell gasoline powered farm tractors was the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company.
The company was created in 1893 by John Froelich and a group of Iowa businessmen. The year before, Froelich had invented the first practical gasoline powered tractor, and the new company was given the chance to manufacture and sell his invention. But it was not a success commercially--of the four tractors the company built, only two were purchased, and both of those were returned by unsatisfied customers.
In 1895, the company was sold to John W. Miller, who decided to stop producing tractors and focus on building engines.
By 1911, the company again began manufacturing tractors, but the business did not take off until 1913, when 20 "Waterloo Boy" tractors were produced. The next year, the Model R Waterloo Boy was introduced, with more than 8,000 sold in five years. Despite the company's name, the Waterloo Boy actually burned kerosene for fuel.
Others began building tractors, but the Waterloo Boy was easily one of the most popular. On March 14, 1918, Deere and Company of Moline purchased the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company for $2.1 million. Deere had been anxious to enter the tractor market, but its own initial efforts had been unsuccessful. So Deere executives decided to buy the Waterloo company because their machines had the best field test performance.
The name of the Waterloo company was changed to the John Deere Tractor Company, but the Waterloo Boy was still the name on the tractor for five more years, until the John Deere Model D was introduced in 1923.
That $2.1 million back in 1918 would be the equivalent of $33.4 million today.
John Deere is best known for making tractors, but only because they bought the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company, on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, March 11, 2016
"From Peking to the Medal of Honor"
On March 11, 1902, the first-year plebes were assembled at the West Point military academy. Their commander in chief, President Theodore Roosevelt, was there. He walked over to Iowa native Calvin Titus, pinned a Medal of Honor on his coat, and said, “Now, don’t let this give you the big head.” The action even impressed one of the second year classmen, named Douglas Mac Arthur.
Calvin Titus was born in Vinton. After his mother died, he left the state at age 11, and accompanied his uncle, who was a travelling preacher, around the country. In 1898, the 19-year-old Calvin heard that the battleship Maine had sank, and that prompted him to enlist.
By the summer of 1900, Titus was an Army bugler, marching toward Peking in scorching heat as part of an international military rescue operation. Their mission was to free a group of foreigners trapped there. The Boxer Rebellion was escalating, and the 14th Infantry from the Philippines was advancing toward Peking. They were stopped by a 30 foot wall surrounding a compound where the foreigners and a group of Chinese Christians were being isolated.
The troop commander looked up at the wall and wondered aloud if it was possible to climb it. Calvin Titus spoke up, saying, “I’ll try it, Sir.” The men of his company watched as Titus made his way up the wall, placing his feet in the cavities and clinging with his fingers to the projecting bricks. Higher and higher he climbed, until he reached the top. But would danger, in the form of Chinese troops, be waiting for him there?
Calvin Titus carefully peered over the top of the wall. The Chinese soldiers had left the scene, and Titus urged his fellow soldiers to follow suit, climbing the wall to liberate those inside the compound. The Allied troops lift the siege, the Boxer Rebellion is stopped, and Titus is a hero. His hometown of Vinton made him the guest of honor at its 1901 Independence Day celebration.
His phrase, “I’ll try, Sir,” became the motto of the 14th Infantry. In honor of his bravery, President William McKinley granted Titus a West Point commission. He later became a lieutenant colonel, and ran the Coe College ROTC program until retiring around 1930. But the president personally awarded Iowa’s Calvin Titus the Medal of Honor, on this date in 1902.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Peking to the Medal of Honor"
On March 11, 1902, the first-year plebes were assembled at the West Point military academy. Their commander in chief, President Theodore Roosevelt, was there. He walked over to Iowa native Calvin Titus, pinned a Medal of Honor on his coat, and said, “Now, don’t let this give you the big head.” The action even impressed one of the second year classmen, named Douglas Mac Arthur.
Calvin Titus was born in Vinton. After his mother died, he left the state at age 11, and accompanied his uncle, who was a travelling preacher, around the country. In 1898, the 19-year-old Calvin heard that the battleship Maine had sank, and that prompted him to enlist.
By the summer of 1900, Titus was an Army bugler, marching toward Peking in scorching heat as part of an international military rescue operation. Their mission was to free a group of foreigners trapped there. The Boxer Rebellion was escalating, and the 14th Infantry from the Philippines was advancing toward Peking. They were stopped by a 30 foot wall surrounding a compound where the foreigners and a group of Chinese Christians were being isolated.
The troop commander looked up at the wall and wondered aloud if it was possible to climb it. Calvin Titus spoke up, saying, “I’ll try it, Sir.” The men of his company watched as Titus made his way up the wall, placing his feet in the cavities and clinging with his fingers to the projecting bricks. Higher and higher he climbed, until he reached the top. But would danger, in the form of Chinese troops, be waiting for him there?
Calvin Titus carefully peered over the top of the wall. The Chinese soldiers had left the scene, and Titus urged his fellow soldiers to follow suit, climbing the wall to liberate those inside the compound. The Allied troops lift the siege, the Boxer Rebellion is stopped, and Titus is a hero. His hometown of Vinton made him the guest of honor at its 1901 Independence Day celebration.
His phrase, “I’ll try, Sir,” became the motto of the 14th Infantry. In honor of his bravery, President William McKinley granted Titus a West Point commission. He later became a lieutenant colonel, and ran the Coe College ROTC program until retiring around 1930. But the president personally awarded Iowa’s Calvin Titus the Medal of Honor, on this date in 1902.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 10, 2016
"Iowa's Jazz Man"
He was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s, and he was born in Davenport on March 10, 1903.
Leon Bismark Beiderbecke, better known as Bix, taught himself to play cornet largely by ear, leading him to adopt a non-standard fingering some critics have associated with his original sound.
In 1927, he recorded “In a Mist”, one of his few piano compositions, which blended classical and jazz influences.
The next year, he joined the most prestigious dance orchestras in the country, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. He played on four number one records with Whiteman in 1928 alone. Along with Louis Armstrong, Bix was one of jazz’s first soloists.
Tragically, the heavy touring schedule and Bix’s alcoholism led to a decline in his health. Despite intervention by both Whiteman and his family, Bix left the orchestra in 1930 and died the following summer in his New York apartment. He was only 28 years of age.
Today, his childhood home on Grand Avenue in Davenport is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And he was posthumously inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
If you go to LeClaire Park in Davenport, you’ll see a memorial to Bix Beiderbecke, the local musician who became nationally known…and who was born on this date in 1903.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Jazz Man"
He was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s, and he was born in Davenport on March 10, 1903.
Leon Bismark Beiderbecke, better known as Bix, taught himself to play cornet largely by ear, leading him to adopt a non-standard fingering some critics have associated with his original sound.
In 1927, he recorded “In a Mist”, one of his few piano compositions, which blended classical and jazz influences.
The next year, he joined the most prestigious dance orchestras in the country, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra. He played on four number one records with Whiteman in 1928 alone. Along with Louis Armstrong, Bix was one of jazz’s first soloists.
Tragically, the heavy touring schedule and Bix’s alcoholism led to a decline in his health. Despite intervention by both Whiteman and his family, Bix left the orchestra in 1930 and died the following summer in his New York apartment. He was only 28 years of age.
Today, his childhood home on Grand Avenue in Davenport is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And he was posthumously inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
If you go to LeClaire Park in Davenport, you’ll see a memorial to Bix Beiderbecke, the local musician who became nationally known…and who was born on this date in 1903.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 9, 2016
"Death by Hanging"
It was a gruesome scene in the basement of the one-room schoolhouse near Dorchester in Allamakee County. On December 12, 1921, a 23-year-old teacher, Inga Magnussen, was bludgeoned in the head with a log by a man named Earl Throst. Throst fantasized about having a relationship with Inga, and when she spurned his advances, he killed her.
Throst was characterized as a local misfit; even his parents said he was very troubled. Once identified as a suspect, bloodhounds were brought in from Waterloo to help with the search for Throst, who was apprehended in Postville, just as he was about to board a train.
The crime was brutal and attracted attention for that fact. But it got even more attention because the Allamakee County sheriff at the time was Gunda Martindale. She had been appointed to fill the rest of her husband's term, after he died while in office. It was not uncommon at the time for spouses to be given the job, since sheriffs did not have pensions to benefit their families.
Papers around the country exaggerated her role in the search and capture of Throst. One said she saved him from a lynch mob by taking him into custody. Another quoted her as being anxious to personally springing the trap at his hanging.
When a reporter actually talked to her, Sheriff Gunda Martindale was clear that the active investigation that led to Throst's capture was carried out by deputies, and denied that she had followed the bloodhounds day and night on the trail. It was a good story, but not true. Her term in office ended on January 1, 1923. She did not run for election because, in her words, "the job of sheriff belongs to a man".
As for Earl Throst, he admitted killing Inga Magnussen. And he became the tenth person executed by hanging in Iowa history, in the prison yard at Fort Madison, on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Death by Hanging"
It was a gruesome scene in the basement of the one-room schoolhouse near Dorchester in Allamakee County. On December 12, 1921, a 23-year-old teacher, Inga Magnussen, was bludgeoned in the head with a log by a man named Earl Throst. Throst fantasized about having a relationship with Inga, and when she spurned his advances, he killed her.
Throst was characterized as a local misfit; even his parents said he was very troubled. Once identified as a suspect, bloodhounds were brought in from Waterloo to help with the search for Throst, who was apprehended in Postville, just as he was about to board a train.
The crime was brutal and attracted attention for that fact. But it got even more attention because the Allamakee County sheriff at the time was Gunda Martindale. She had been appointed to fill the rest of her husband's term, after he died while in office. It was not uncommon at the time for spouses to be given the job, since sheriffs did not have pensions to benefit their families.
Papers around the country exaggerated her role in the search and capture of Throst. One said she saved him from a lynch mob by taking him into custody. Another quoted her as being anxious to personally springing the trap at his hanging.
When a reporter actually talked to her, Sheriff Gunda Martindale was clear that the active investigation that led to Throst's capture was carried out by deputies, and denied that she had followed the bloodhounds day and night on the trail. It was a good story, but not true. Her term in office ended on January 1, 1923. She did not run for election because, in her words, "the job of sheriff belongs to a man".
As for Earl Throst, he admitted killing Inga Magnussen. And he became the tenth person executed by hanging in Iowa history, in the prison yard at Fort Madison, on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, March 8, 2016
"An Attack On Settlers"
The winter of 1856 and 1857 was especially harsh. Supplies were hard to come by, and tensions were high between Iowa frontier settlers and some Native Americans in northwest Iowa.
The federal government had set up a reservation along the Iowa/Minnesota border, pursuant to terms of a treaty. But promised improvements were not made on time, supplies were shipped too late, and what was shipped was not adequate for survival.
On the morning of March 8, 1857, one Native American pushed his way into a cabin occupied by the Rowland Gardner family, a log structure on the south shore of West Okoboji. He demanded food, which was provided. Then another 14 Sioux under the leadership of the renegade chief Inkpaduta entered the cabin. They ate and left.
But they returned that afternoon, and what became known as the Spirit Lake Massacre began. Between 35 and 40 settlers were killed over a five-day period, and four young women were taken captive.
One of the four was Abbie Gardner, a 13-year-old whose family was murdered in that cabin after providing food to the intruders. She was ransomed a few months later to a federal agent who paid two horses, 12 blankets, 20 pounds of tobacco, cloth, calico and ribbon, and two kegs of powder.
Some 30 years after the killing, Abbie Gardner published a memoir, which became popular as one of the last captivity narratives of European Americans being held by Native Americans.
In 1891, she bought the cabin where the events occurred and turned it into a tourist site, where she sold her book and other items for 30 years. The state of Iowa now maintains the Abbie Gardner Sharp home site and park.
The renegade chief Inkpaduta was never found, but the killing spree he organized led to strained relations for decades, and retaliation against innocent individuals. The last Native American attack on settlers in Iowa began on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"An Attack On Settlers"
The winter of 1856 and 1857 was especially harsh. Supplies were hard to come by, and tensions were high between Iowa frontier settlers and some Native Americans in northwest Iowa.
The federal government had set up a reservation along the Iowa/Minnesota border, pursuant to terms of a treaty. But promised improvements were not made on time, supplies were shipped too late, and what was shipped was not adequate for survival.
On the morning of March 8, 1857, one Native American pushed his way into a cabin occupied by the Rowland Gardner family, a log structure on the south shore of West Okoboji. He demanded food, which was provided. Then another 14 Sioux under the leadership of the renegade chief Inkpaduta entered the cabin. They ate and left.
But they returned that afternoon, and what became known as the Spirit Lake Massacre began. Between 35 and 40 settlers were killed over a five-day period, and four young women were taken captive.
One of the four was Abbie Gardner, a 13-year-old whose family was murdered in that cabin after providing food to the intruders. She was ransomed a few months later to a federal agent who paid two horses, 12 blankets, 20 pounds of tobacco, cloth, calico and ribbon, and two kegs of powder.
Some 30 years after the killing, Abbie Gardner published a memoir, which became popular as one of the last captivity narratives of European Americans being held by Native Americans.
In 1891, she bought the cabin where the events occurred and turned it into a tourist site, where she sold her book and other items for 30 years. The state of Iowa now maintains the Abbie Gardner Sharp home site and park.
The renegade chief Inkpaduta was never found, but the killing spree he organized led to strained relations for decades, and retaliation against innocent individuals. The last Native American attack on settlers in Iowa began on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, March 7, 2016
"Routing a Railroad"
Some 30 years after it was first discussed, the first transcontinental railroad in this country was built in the 1860s, connecting a well developed railway network in the eastern United States with the newly settled areas of the west.
Building the rail line was an important goal of President Abraham Lincoln. It was motivated in part to tie California to the Union during the Civil War.
But where to lay the tracks for the new line? There were several options, and the choice was an important one, because towns that had a rail line running through them quickly grew into major cities. Some advocated a southern route, avoiding the Rocky Mountains by going through Texas to Los Angeles. A northern route, along the path taken earlier in the century by Lewis and Clark, was deemed impractical due to snow.
Congress opted for a central route in 1862, and the Central Pacific was hired to lay 690 miles of track starting in Sacramento, California. The Union Pacific was to start at the eastern end of the line, and the 1,087 miles of track they built connected with the Central Pacific track, with a golden spike driven into the rail to denote the connection, at Promontory Summit, Utah.
On March 7, 1864, President Lincoln signed an order that directed the eastern part of the line to be located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, even though at the time, the closest rail line was 150 miles east of there. He had visited the location back in 1859 before he had even run for president, working as a private attorney for Thomas Durant. Durant was a central figure in building the transcontinental line.
That past working relationship and Lincoln's personal familiarity with the location is why Council Bluffs was selected as the location of the transfer depot. where up to seven railroads could transfer mail and other goods to west bound trains.
It was considered by some to be the greatest technological feat of that century, the building of the transcontinental railroad. Its easternmost point was Council Bluffs, thanks to a presidential order issued on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Routing a Railroad"
Some 30 years after it was first discussed, the first transcontinental railroad in this country was built in the 1860s, connecting a well developed railway network in the eastern United States with the newly settled areas of the west.
Building the rail line was an important goal of President Abraham Lincoln. It was motivated in part to tie California to the Union during the Civil War.
But where to lay the tracks for the new line? There were several options, and the choice was an important one, because towns that had a rail line running through them quickly grew into major cities. Some advocated a southern route, avoiding the Rocky Mountains by going through Texas to Los Angeles. A northern route, along the path taken earlier in the century by Lewis and Clark, was deemed impractical due to snow.
Congress opted for a central route in 1862, and the Central Pacific was hired to lay 690 miles of track starting in Sacramento, California. The Union Pacific was to start at the eastern end of the line, and the 1,087 miles of track they built connected with the Central Pacific track, with a golden spike driven into the rail to denote the connection, at Promontory Summit, Utah.
On March 7, 1864, President Lincoln signed an order that directed the eastern part of the line to be located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, even though at the time, the closest rail line was 150 miles east of there. He had visited the location back in 1859 before he had even run for president, working as a private attorney for Thomas Durant. Durant was a central figure in building the transcontinental line.
That past working relationship and Lincoln's personal familiarity with the location is why Council Bluffs was selected as the location of the transfer depot. where up to seven railroads could transfer mail and other goods to west bound trains.
It was considered by some to be the greatest technological feat of that century, the building of the transcontinental railroad. Its easternmost point was Council Bluffs, thanks to a presidential order issued on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, March 4, 2016
"From Iowa Boy to President"
For most, becoming president would be the highlight of a career resume. But not for Herbert Hoover.
Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa on August 10, 1874. By the time he was 9, young Bertie was an orphan, and soon left Iowa to live with relatives in Oregon. He was the first student at Stanford University and became a mining engineer.
When World War I began, Hoover helped organize the return of 120,000 Americans from Europe. By war's end, Hoover was recognized around the world for spearheading global efforts to ward off famine caused by the devastation of war.
A fiscal conservative, one of Hoover's favorite sayings was, "Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt."
Both Democrats and Republicans wanted him to run for president as their respective party's nominee in 1920. Instead, he became Secretary of Commerce, and by 1928, having declared himself a Republican, he became his party's nominee. He was the overwhelming choice of his countrymen to lead them, winning 58 percent of the popular vote in the 1928 election.
At the time of his swearing in, Hoover could hardly have known that in only six months, the stock market would crash and the U.S. would plunge into the Great Depression. He took the blame, and was defeated in his re-election bid by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932.
But Hoover's talents were used by two other presidents: Harry Truman sought his help in feeding the hungry overseas after World War II, and both Truman and Dwight Eisenhower called upon Hoover to lead separate government reorganization efforts.
But that was all in the future, a future that was filled with hope and optimism, as the only native Iowan to become president took the oath of office on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Iowa Boy to President"
For most, becoming president would be the highlight of a career resume. But not for Herbert Hoover.
Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa on August 10, 1874. By the time he was 9, young Bertie was an orphan, and soon left Iowa to live with relatives in Oregon. He was the first student at Stanford University and became a mining engineer.
When World War I began, Hoover helped organize the return of 120,000 Americans from Europe. By war's end, Hoover was recognized around the world for spearheading global efforts to ward off famine caused by the devastation of war.
A fiscal conservative, one of Hoover's favorite sayings was, "Blessed are the young, for they shall inherit the national debt."
Both Democrats and Republicans wanted him to run for president as their respective party's nominee in 1920. Instead, he became Secretary of Commerce, and by 1928, having declared himself a Republican, he became his party's nominee. He was the overwhelming choice of his countrymen to lead them, winning 58 percent of the popular vote in the 1928 election.
At the time of his swearing in, Hoover could hardly have known that in only six months, the stock market would crash and the U.S. would plunge into the Great Depression. He took the blame, and was defeated in his re-election bid by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932.
But Hoover's talents were used by two other presidents: Harry Truman sought his help in feeding the hungry overseas after World War II, and both Truman and Dwight Eisenhower called upon Hoover to lead separate government reorganization efforts.
But that was all in the future, a future that was filled with hope and optimism, as the only native Iowan to become president took the oath of office on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 3, 2016
"The Courthouse Is On Fire"
Around 2 o'clock in the morning of March 3rd, 1882, marshal James Hammond was making his night rounds in Guthrie Center when he saw a light in the sheriff's office on the second story of the county courthouse. At first, he thought someone was working...but then he smelled something burning, and what he thought was a light was actually a fire burning in the courthouse.
County clerk of court F. M. Hopkins was the first to arrive after hearing the alarm bells ring in town. His office was directly under the sheriff's office, but when he entered his office, he found the ceiling had already burned through, and fire was falling down from the second story. He quickly ran upstairs to the court room, to save the records in place there for use in the morning. Meanwhile, county recorder T.C. Hayden and a group removed all the records from that office, and treasurer J.D. Lennon gathered some items from his office's vault.
As the Guthrie County Journal newspaper told the story, "While these labors were being performed, the fire gathered headway with rapidity and everybody was driven out of the building...the burning of the dome was a grand spectacle lighting up the surrounding scenery a great distance."
The courthouse was only five years old, but soon was reduced to ruins by the fire. The citizens to who responded kept the fire from spreading to the nearly Baptist church, real estate office, ice house, and grocery store.
The building was insured, and with the $15,000 of proceeds, the citizens soon built a new courthouse at a total cost of $25,000, including furniture. It took two years to build, but lasted far longer than the first one...81 years, in fact, until it, too, was destroyed by fire as the current structure was being built in 1964.
But the first county courthouse in Guthrie Center burned to the ground, on this date in 1882.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Courthouse Is On Fire"
Around 2 o'clock in the morning of March 3rd, 1882, marshal James Hammond was making his night rounds in Guthrie Center when he saw a light in the sheriff's office on the second story of the county courthouse. At first, he thought someone was working...but then he smelled something burning, and what he thought was a light was actually a fire burning in the courthouse.
County clerk of court F. M. Hopkins was the first to arrive after hearing the alarm bells ring in town. His office was directly under the sheriff's office, but when he entered his office, he found the ceiling had already burned through, and fire was falling down from the second story. He quickly ran upstairs to the court room, to save the records in place there for use in the morning. Meanwhile, county recorder T.C. Hayden and a group removed all the records from that office, and treasurer J.D. Lennon gathered some items from his office's vault.
As the Guthrie County Journal newspaper told the story, "While these labors were being performed, the fire gathered headway with rapidity and everybody was driven out of the building...the burning of the dome was a grand spectacle lighting up the surrounding scenery a great distance."
The courthouse was only five years old, but soon was reduced to ruins by the fire. The citizens to who responded kept the fire from spreading to the nearly Baptist church, real estate office, ice house, and grocery store.
The building was insured, and with the $15,000 of proceeds, the citizens soon built a new courthouse at a total cost of $25,000, including furniture. It took two years to build, but lasted far longer than the first one...81 years, in fact, until it, too, was destroyed by fire as the current structure was being built in 1964.
But the first county courthouse in Guthrie Center burned to the ground, on this date in 1882.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 2, 2016
"The Gibraltar of Iowa Democracy"
As a politician, it was written that William Boyd Allison was so cautious, "he could walk on eggs from Des Moines to Washington without breaking one of them". Allison served as a U.S. Senator from Iowa for 35 years, and chaired the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for 25 of those years, longer than any other Senator.
He was born in Ohio on March 2nd, 1829 and became a lawyer there. He helped found the Ohio Republican Party, and moved to Dubuque in 1857 where he joined a local law partnership. He rose in the ranks of Iowa Republican politics, and as a delegate to the 1860 national convention, was the one as convention secretary who informed the convention chair that Abraham Lincoln had received enough delegates' votes to win the nomination.
He served as a lieutenant colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War and returned to be elected to Congress from northeast Iowa three times. After failing to win election to the Senate in 1870, he tried again in 1872, and was elected a total of six times before dying a few months short of what might have been election to a seventh term.
Despite his early support for Lincoln, as a member of the House, he was one of the so-called Radical Republicans who opposed the president's plans for reconstruction. Later, he voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson.
As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he was the single most powerful Congressional voice on decisions involving finances. He even ran for president in 1896, but lost the GOP nomination to the man who became president, William McKinley. Three U.S. presidents offered him cabinet positions, including secretary of state. But Allison said he thought he could do more for the country in the Senate.
To some, he was known as the Senate Lion, and to honor his long career, his portrait has been placed at the entrance to the Senate Chamber. A large memorial to Senator Allison stands on the state capitol grounds in Des Moines. And the county seat of Butler County bears the name Allison in his honor.
In 1906, one reporter wrote, "Allison is the man of experience...the sage old pilot of the Senate." He was often referred to by colleagues as the Old Fox. No one has served as a U.S. Senator from Iowa longer than William Boyd Allison, who was born on this date in 1829.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Gibraltar of Iowa Democracy"
As a politician, it was written that William Boyd Allison was so cautious, "he could walk on eggs from Des Moines to Washington without breaking one of them". Allison served as a U.S. Senator from Iowa for 35 years, and chaired the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for 25 of those years, longer than any other Senator.
He was born in Ohio on March 2nd, 1829 and became a lawyer there. He helped found the Ohio Republican Party, and moved to Dubuque in 1857 where he joined a local law partnership. He rose in the ranks of Iowa Republican politics, and as a delegate to the 1860 national convention, was the one as convention secretary who informed the convention chair that Abraham Lincoln had received enough delegates' votes to win the nomination.
He served as a lieutenant colonel in the Union Army during the Civil War and returned to be elected to Congress from northeast Iowa three times. After failing to win election to the Senate in 1870, he tried again in 1872, and was elected a total of six times before dying a few months short of what might have been election to a seventh term.
Despite his early support for Lincoln, as a member of the House, he was one of the so-called Radical Republicans who opposed the president's plans for reconstruction. Later, he voted to impeach President Andrew Johnson.
As chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he was the single most powerful Congressional voice on decisions involving finances. He even ran for president in 1896, but lost the GOP nomination to the man who became president, William McKinley. Three U.S. presidents offered him cabinet positions, including secretary of state. But Allison said he thought he could do more for the country in the Senate.
To some, he was known as the Senate Lion, and to honor his long career, his portrait has been placed at the entrance to the Senate Chamber. A large memorial to Senator Allison stands on the state capitol grounds in Des Moines. And the county seat of Butler County bears the name Allison in his honor.
In 1906, one reporter wrote, "Allison is the man of experience...the sage old pilot of the Senate." He was often referred to by colleagues as the Old Fox. No one has served as a U.S. Senator from Iowa longer than William Boyd Allison, who was born on this date in 1829.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, March 1, 2016
"Selling A Television Station"
On February 21st, 1950, local television came to central Iowa, as WOI-TV began broadcasting from the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, the first station to serve the region.
Even after other stations signed on, the station still claimed a number of first, including the first station in the Des Moines market to produce a live local newscast, and in 1981, the first local station in the country to originate a live broadcast of an NCAA athletic event via satellite.
The station maintained a close relationship with ISU and was a laboratory for students in journalism and meteorology. In 1987, in order to allow WOI-TV to operate independently from the university, a separate corporation was established to run Channel 5. The profits from the station and rent paid for using university facilities often added up to a half-million dollars a year of revenue for ISU.
But on June 17, 1992, the state Board of Regents voted to sell the station for $14 million, which was to be placed in trust and the revenue used to support Iowa State.
Alumni, faculty, students and members of the public objected, since at that time WOI was one of only three commercial stations in the country to be owned by a university. A lawsuit ensued, challenging the Regents' authority to sell off university assets. However, the sale went through and the new owners took over on March 1st, 1994.
Major changes were immediately evident, including the abrupt cancellation of the longest-running, locally-produced children's program in U.S. television history, The Magic Window.
The station was sold again in September of 2013, this time as part of a three-station cluster that brought $88 million.
But the check for $14 million from that first sale had cleared, and the keys to WOI-TV were given to private owners, on this date in 1994.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Selling A Television Station"
On February 21st, 1950, local television came to central Iowa, as WOI-TV began broadcasting from the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, the first station to serve the region.
Even after other stations signed on, the station still claimed a number of first, including the first station in the Des Moines market to produce a live local newscast, and in 1981, the first local station in the country to originate a live broadcast of an NCAA athletic event via satellite.
The station maintained a close relationship with ISU and was a laboratory for students in journalism and meteorology. In 1987, in order to allow WOI-TV to operate independently from the university, a separate corporation was established to run Channel 5. The profits from the station and rent paid for using university facilities often added up to a half-million dollars a year of revenue for ISU.
But on June 17, 1992, the state Board of Regents voted to sell the station for $14 million, which was to be placed in trust and the revenue used to support Iowa State.
Alumni, faculty, students and members of the public objected, since at that time WOI was one of only three commercial stations in the country to be owned by a university. A lawsuit ensued, challenging the Regents' authority to sell off university assets. However, the sale went through and the new owners took over on March 1st, 1994.
Major changes were immediately evident, including the abrupt cancellation of the longest-running, locally-produced children's program in U.S. television history, The Magic Window.
The station was sold again in September of 2013, this time as part of a three-station cluster that brought $88 million.
But the check for $14 million from that first sale had cleared, and the keys to WOI-TV were given to private owners, on this date in 1994.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
