"Iowa Almanac" is a copyrighted production of Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2017 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2017 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 31, 2018
"On The Air"
While television stations had been on the air and reached Dubuque for around 20 years, citizens there were justifiability excited when a television station based in that eastern Iowa city went on the air on May 31st, 1970.
KDUB-TV operated on channel 40, a UHF channel that in the days before cable television required a special antenna in order to be seen. The station went on the air as an ABC network affiliate. At that time, ABC was historically the number three national network, but soon would claim the top spot in viewers, so it was a good time for a new station to join their ranks.
The station was originally based in an office building just south of Dubuque, near Key West, Iowa. The station soon moved into an upper floor of the former Roshek's Department Store, and still later to the 700 block of Main Street.
But the station was plagued by financial troubles. In fact, it went off the air from 1974 to 1976 because the original owner, Dubuque Communication Corporation, could not find an owner for it. A Rockford, Illinois company bought the station in 1976 for $35,000 and sold it again just three years later for $1.5 million.
Part of the problem for Channel 40 was that Channel 9 in Cedar Rapids was also an ABC affiliate, and the competition for viewers hurt both stations.
In 1995, a new operator converted the station to affiliation with the Fox broadcasting network, virtually simulcasting with a Cedar Rapids Fox affiliate. By the late 1990s, there was no local presence in Dubuque at all. Since 2004, the station has been operated by the Christian Television Network, which broadcasts primarily religious programming on the channel.
The first television station to broadcast from Dubuque, then known as KDUB-TV, went on the air on Channel 40, on this date, in 1970.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"On The Air"
While television stations had been on the air and reached Dubuque for around 20 years, citizens there were justifiability excited when a television station based in that eastern Iowa city went on the air on May 31st, 1970.
KDUB-TV operated on channel 40, a UHF channel that in the days before cable television required a special antenna in order to be seen. The station went on the air as an ABC network affiliate. At that time, ABC was historically the number three national network, but soon would claim the top spot in viewers, so it was a good time for a new station to join their ranks.
The station was originally based in an office building just south of Dubuque, near Key West, Iowa. The station soon moved into an upper floor of the former Roshek's Department Store, and still later to the 700 block of Main Street.
But the station was plagued by financial troubles. In fact, it went off the air from 1974 to 1976 because the original owner, Dubuque Communication Corporation, could not find an owner for it. A Rockford, Illinois company bought the station in 1976 for $35,000 and sold it again just three years later for $1.5 million.
Part of the problem for Channel 40 was that Channel 9 in Cedar Rapids was also an ABC affiliate, and the competition for viewers hurt both stations.
In 1995, a new operator converted the station to affiliation with the Fox broadcasting network, virtually simulcasting with a Cedar Rapids Fox affiliate. By the late 1990s, there was no local presence in Dubuque at all. Since 2004, the station has been operated by the Christian Television Network, which broadcasts primarily religious programming on the channel.
The first television station to broadcast from Dubuque, then known as KDUB-TV, went on the air on Channel 40, on this date, in 1970.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 30, 2018
"The Cameras Roll"
If most farmers started plowing under their corn crops in order to build a baseball field, they would not have much family support. But that was the premise for the 1989 motion picture "Field of Dreams", which began filming in Iowa on this date in 1988.
The movie was an adaptation of W.P. Kinsella's novel, "Shoeless Joe". It starred Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and in his final role, Burt Lancaster. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards--Best Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Filming was built around Costner's availability, since he was committed to begin work on another film that August. That meant filming took place six days a week. They had to shoot the interior scenes first, because the corn planted by filmmakers was taking too long to grow. They had to irrigate the crop so it would grow to be as tall as Costner.
A now well-known farm near Dyersville was used for the family home and farm, and an empty warehouse in Dubuque was used for building various interior sets. Experts on sod-laying from the Rose Bowl and Dodger Stadium were hired to create the baseball field itself.
Many believe the phrase, "Build It and They Will Come" is the most famous one from the film. We here in Iowa have another favorite.
"Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa."
The movie "Field of Dreams" began filming near Dyersville, on this date, in 1988…30 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Cameras Roll"
If most farmers started plowing under their corn crops in order to build a baseball field, they would not have much family support. But that was the premise for the 1989 motion picture "Field of Dreams", which began filming in Iowa on this date in 1988.
The movie was an adaptation of W.P. Kinsella's novel, "Shoeless Joe". It starred Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and in his final role, Burt Lancaster. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards--Best Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Filming was built around Costner's availability, since he was committed to begin work on another film that August. That meant filming took place six days a week. They had to shoot the interior scenes first, because the corn planted by filmmakers was taking too long to grow. They had to irrigate the crop so it would grow to be as tall as Costner.
A now well-known farm near Dyersville was used for the family home and farm, and an empty warehouse in Dubuque was used for building various interior sets. Experts on sod-laying from the Rose Bowl and Dodger Stadium were hired to create the baseball field itself.
Many believe the phrase, "Build It and They Will Come" is the most famous one from the film. We here in Iowa have another favorite.
"Is this Heaven? No, it's Iowa."
The movie "Field of Dreams" began filming near Dyersville, on this date, in 1988…30 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 29, 2018
"The Greatest Spectacle in Racing"
The Indianapolis 500 auto race on May 29th, 1977, was steeped in tradition.
There's no spectacle on Earth like the annual gathering of the racing clan at Indy.
But as ABC's Jim McKay would note for the audience, the field of 33 drivers was a little different that year.
And back in 26th position, in the 9th row, in the green car, number 27, a first at Indianapolis--a lady in a race car. 39-year-old Janet Guthrie, who impressed us all tremendously when she qualified for the race at more than 188 miles per hour last Sunday.
Janet Guthrie was born in Iowa City on March 7, 1938. She became the first woman to compete in a NASCAR superspeedway event, when she raced in the 1976 World 600. The next year, she competed in the Daytona 500, and a few months later, she qualified for the Indianapolis 500, becoming the first woman to ever compete in the event. She started 26th, but finished 29th due to engine trouble.
I did just about what I expected on the start. There was some very interesting activity in front of me in turn one and I treated it in a conservative manner. I told you I wouldn’t be surprised if I found myself last on the first lap; I wasn’t quite last, and then when things smoothed out I started moving on up.
The legendary A.J. Foyt won the 500 that year. In all, Janet Guthrie competed in three Indy 500 races, finishing 9th in 1978. Her helmet and race suit from that first Indy race can be found in the Smithsonian Institution.
Iowa City native Janet Guthrie became the first woman to race in the Indianapolis 500, on this date, in 1977.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Greatest Spectacle in Racing"
The Indianapolis 500 auto race on May 29th, 1977, was steeped in tradition.
There's no spectacle on Earth like the annual gathering of the racing clan at Indy.
But as ABC's Jim McKay would note for the audience, the field of 33 drivers was a little different that year.
And back in 26th position, in the 9th row, in the green car, number 27, a first at Indianapolis--a lady in a race car. 39-year-old Janet Guthrie, who impressed us all tremendously when she qualified for the race at more than 188 miles per hour last Sunday.
Janet Guthrie was born in Iowa City on March 7, 1938. She became the first woman to compete in a NASCAR superspeedway event, when she raced in the 1976 World 600. The next year, she competed in the Daytona 500, and a few months later, she qualified for the Indianapolis 500, becoming the first woman to ever compete in the event. She started 26th, but finished 29th due to engine trouble.
I did just about what I expected on the start. There was some very interesting activity in front of me in turn one and I treated it in a conservative manner. I told you I wouldn’t be surprised if I found myself last on the first lap; I wasn’t quite last, and then when things smoothed out I started moving on up.
The legendary A.J. Foyt won the 500 that year. In all, Janet Guthrie competed in three Indy 500 races, finishing 9th in 1978. Her helmet and race suit from that first Indy race can be found in the Smithsonian Institution.
Iowa City native Janet Guthrie became the first woman to race in the Indianapolis 500, on this date, in 1977.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 28, 2018
"The Sister Act"
The five Cherry Sisters…Addie, Effie, Ella, Lizzie, and Jessie…came from Marion. After the death of their parents in the early 1890s, the girls made a living by creating a vaudeville act. It featured songs, dances, skits, and essays written and performed by the sisters.
By all accounts, though…it wasn’t a very good act.
Spectators routinely laughed, heckled, catcalled, booed and threw vegetables at the sisters as they performed. By 1896, the eldest sister had left the group, and as a quartet, the remaining sisters performed on Broadway. The promoter said he had been booking the best talent and did not have success…so he was going to try the worst talent.
After one particularly negative newspaper review published in the Odebolt Chronicle and the Des Moines Leader…in which the reviewer said of the girls, “the mouths of their rancid features opened like caverns and sounds like the wailing of damned souls issued therefrom”…the sisters sued the newspapers for false and malicious libel.
On May 28, 1901, the Iowa Supreme Court issued its ruling, saying a newspaper has the right to publish “fair and reasonable comments, however severe in terms, upon anything which is made…a subject of public exhibition”.
“Surely if one makes himself ridiculous in his public performances, he may be ridiculed by those whose duty or right it is to inform the public regarding the character of the performance,” the court’s ruling said.
The case of Cherry v. Des Moines Leader is considered to be a landmark confirming the right to fair comment and critical analysis by the media, and is still frequently used as precedent in court cases today.
The Cherry Sisters continued to perform, even after the Iowa Supreme Court said newspapers could accurately tell audiences just how bad their act was, on this date in 1901.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Sister Act"
The five Cherry Sisters…Addie, Effie, Ella, Lizzie, and Jessie…came from Marion. After the death of their parents in the early 1890s, the girls made a living by creating a vaudeville act. It featured songs, dances, skits, and essays written and performed by the sisters.
By all accounts, though…it wasn’t a very good act.
Spectators routinely laughed, heckled, catcalled, booed and threw vegetables at the sisters as they performed. By 1896, the eldest sister had left the group, and as a quartet, the remaining sisters performed on Broadway. The promoter said he had been booking the best talent and did not have success…so he was going to try the worst talent.
After one particularly negative newspaper review published in the Odebolt Chronicle and the Des Moines Leader…in which the reviewer said of the girls, “the mouths of their rancid features opened like caverns and sounds like the wailing of damned souls issued therefrom”…the sisters sued the newspapers for false and malicious libel.
On May 28, 1901, the Iowa Supreme Court issued its ruling, saying a newspaper has the right to publish “fair and reasonable comments, however severe in terms, upon anything which is made…a subject of public exhibition”.
“Surely if one makes himself ridiculous in his public performances, he may be ridiculed by those whose duty or right it is to inform the public regarding the character of the performance,” the court’s ruling said.
The case of Cherry v. Des Moines Leader is considered to be a landmark confirming the right to fair comment and critical analysis by the media, and is still frequently used as precedent in court cases today.
The Cherry Sisters continued to perform, even after the Iowa Supreme Court said newspapers could accurately tell audiences just how bad their act was, on this date in 1901.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, May 25, 2018
"Memorial Day Funnels"
Northeast Iowans were enjoying the Memorial Day weekend in 2008. Some were at cookouts…some at college graduation ceremonies…and some were just enjoying home time with family.
Then a strong supercell tornado developed in the late afternoon of Sunday, May 25th. The first tornado warning was issued at 4:22 p.m. for Parkersburg, shortly before a large tornado touched down two miles south of Aplington. Then, just before 5 o’clock, the tornado strengthened to EF5 strength, evolving into a wedge-shaped tornado as it tore through the southern part of the community.
Numerous homes, businesses, banks, and the high school were struck, as the south side of Parkersburg was essentially flattened. Whole neighborhoods were leveled, often leaving only basements behind.
Seven people died in the city that day from a tornado estimated to have been seven-tenths of a mile wide.
Then the tornado struck New Hartford, again obliterating homes and a grainery and toppling headstones at a cemetery. Two more were killed in New Hartford.
After weakening a bit as it moved north of Waterloo and Cedar Falls, it grew again, reaching 1.2 miles wide as it approached Dunkerton, before it finally and abruptly dissipated just west of the town of Fairbank.
It was the first EF5 tornado in Iowa since 1976, and the second deadliest in Iowa since official records were kept. Debris from the storm was found more than 100 miles away in Wisconsin. Close to 400 homes and other buildings were damaged or destroyed, and a total of 10 people died in connection with the Memorial Day weekend tornadoes which struck Parkersburg and New Hartford in Butler County, on this date in 2008…10 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Memorial Day Funnels"
Northeast Iowans were enjoying the Memorial Day weekend in 2008. Some were at cookouts…some at college graduation ceremonies…and some were just enjoying home time with family.
Then a strong supercell tornado developed in the late afternoon of Sunday, May 25th. The first tornado warning was issued at 4:22 p.m. for Parkersburg, shortly before a large tornado touched down two miles south of Aplington. Then, just before 5 o’clock, the tornado strengthened to EF5 strength, evolving into a wedge-shaped tornado as it tore through the southern part of the community.
Numerous homes, businesses, banks, and the high school were struck, as the south side of Parkersburg was essentially flattened. Whole neighborhoods were leveled, often leaving only basements behind.
Seven people died in the city that day from a tornado estimated to have been seven-tenths of a mile wide.
Then the tornado struck New Hartford, again obliterating homes and a grainery and toppling headstones at a cemetery. Two more were killed in New Hartford.
After weakening a bit as it moved north of Waterloo and Cedar Falls, it grew again, reaching 1.2 miles wide as it approached Dunkerton, before it finally and abruptly dissipated just west of the town of Fairbank.
It was the first EF5 tornado in Iowa since 1976, and the second deadliest in Iowa since official records were kept. Debris from the storm was found more than 100 miles away in Wisconsin. Close to 400 homes and other buildings were damaged or destroyed, and a total of 10 people died in connection with the Memorial Day weekend tornadoes which struck Parkersburg and New Hartford in Butler County, on this date in 2008…10 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 24, 2018
"Putting Order In The Court"
He became an Iowan, not by birth, but by choice. Austin Adams was born on May 24th, 1826, in Vermont...a full 20 years before Iowa became a state.
His ancestors included Samuel Adams, of Revolutionary War fame, and John Adams, our country's second president.
He graduated from Dartmouth College, and the Harvard Law School. Shortly after being certified to practice law, in the summer of 1854, Adams joined the westward tied of emigration and settled in Dubuque. He stayed there the rest of his life, saying, "I wanted more liberty, a society with more variety than I had ever seen in the East."
Having built up a good reputation as a lawyer in Dubuque, he was chosen to be a justice on the Iowa Supreme Court, beginning his tenure on January 1st, 1876, just short of his 50th birthday. He served a dozen years on the court before declining a third six-year term.
He served as Chief Justice for four years, and during that time, was the first Chief Justice to admit a woman to practice before the Iowa Supreme Court.
While he enjoyed literature, often reading five to six hours a day, it was said that he usually only read parts of a book, calling the rest unneeded.
After a prolonged illness, he died at the age of 64 in Dubuque. His wife wrote, "his happiness was in the state of his mind, not exterior conditions. He had that peace that passeth understanding."
A steady and considerate man and judge, Iowa Chief Justice Austin Adams was born on this date, in 1826.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Putting Order In The Court"
He became an Iowan, not by birth, but by choice. Austin Adams was born on May 24th, 1826, in Vermont...a full 20 years before Iowa became a state.
His ancestors included Samuel Adams, of Revolutionary War fame, and John Adams, our country's second president.
He graduated from Dartmouth College, and the Harvard Law School. Shortly after being certified to practice law, in the summer of 1854, Adams joined the westward tied of emigration and settled in Dubuque. He stayed there the rest of his life, saying, "I wanted more liberty, a society with more variety than I had ever seen in the East."
Having built up a good reputation as a lawyer in Dubuque, he was chosen to be a justice on the Iowa Supreme Court, beginning his tenure on January 1st, 1876, just short of his 50th birthday. He served a dozen years on the court before declining a third six-year term.
He served as Chief Justice for four years, and during that time, was the first Chief Justice to admit a woman to practice before the Iowa Supreme Court.
While he enjoyed literature, often reading five to six hours a day, it was said that he usually only read parts of a book, calling the rest unneeded.
After a prolonged illness, he died at the age of 64 in Dubuque. His wife wrote, "his happiness was in the state of his mind, not exterior conditions. He had that peace that passeth understanding."
A steady and considerate man and judge, Iowa Chief Justice Austin Adams was born on this date, in 1826.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 23, 2018
"Opening The First School"
We Iowans are justifiably proud of the reputation earned by Iowa State University as a leader in veterinary medicine. Today, it's one of the nation's leading vet medicine centers. And it's always been that way.
When the Iowa legislature first wrote a bill establishing the State Agricultural College and Farm, veterinary studies was specifically included in the list of what students would study. When the first Iowa State class graduated in 1872, seniors who had majored in agriculture had received instruction in veterinary science.
On May 23, 1879, Iowa State's veterinary school was officially founded. It was the first state veterinary college in the United States, and the first veterinary college of any kind in the western half of the country. Prior to the Iowa State school, veterinarians were trained in private institutions, and there were no consistent academic standards. Those early schools soon faded from the scene.
Originally, Iowa State's veterinary division offered a two-year program, but due to advancements being made in the basic sciences, within a decade the curriculum was extended, ultimately to four years--the first four-year veterinary curriculum in the country.
It is the veterinary school with the longest record of continuous operation in the United States--the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, founded on this date, in 1879.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Opening The First School"
We Iowans are justifiably proud of the reputation earned by Iowa State University as a leader in veterinary medicine. Today, it's one of the nation's leading vet medicine centers. And it's always been that way.
When the Iowa legislature first wrote a bill establishing the State Agricultural College and Farm, veterinary studies was specifically included in the list of what students would study. When the first Iowa State class graduated in 1872, seniors who had majored in agriculture had received instruction in veterinary science.
On May 23, 1879, Iowa State's veterinary school was officially founded. It was the first state veterinary college in the United States, and the first veterinary college of any kind in the western half of the country. Prior to the Iowa State school, veterinarians were trained in private institutions, and there were no consistent academic standards. Those early schools soon faded from the scene.
Originally, Iowa State's veterinary division offered a two-year program, but due to advancements being made in the basic sciences, within a decade the curriculum was extended, ultimately to four years--the first four-year veterinary curriculum in the country.
It is the veterinary school with the longest record of continuous operation in the United States--the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, founded on this date, in 1879.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 22, 2018
"The King Comes to Iowa"
On May 22nd, 1956, a 21-year-old singer performed in Iowa for the first time. And he was certainly riding high, with the number one record in the country at the time.
Well, since my baby left me
Well, I found a new place to dwell
Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street
At Heartbreak Hotel
Where I'll be, I'll be so lonely, baby
Well, I'm so lonely
I'll be so lonely, I could die
When Elvis Presley took the stage at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines that night, "Heartbreak Hotel" was in the middle of its 7-week run at the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart. 1956 was a breakout year for the performer, who finished with 5 of the year's top 15 songs, 3 of which were in the year's top 10. And Vets was the hot new venue, barely a year old at the time. Elvis was the first major act to perform there, and tickets ranged from $1.50 to $2.50 each.
It turned out to be a financial disaster for promoter Smokey Smith, because it only drew 3,900 fans; the fact that the concert was held during high school graduation weekend probably didn't help.
The audience that was there was appreciative in Des Moines that night, and in Sioux City the next night. But reviewers for newspapers were not as impressed.
A Des Moines reviewer wrote, "He started to sing and squirm and things got worse in a hurry." The reviewer said Presley "staggered and jerked" his way through one song. And it was worse in Sioux City the next night. "His performance was the most disgusting exhibition this reporter has ever seen," the reviewer wrote. "Elvis Presley is the male counterpart of a hoochee-koochee dancer in a burlesque show...The only consolation is a prediction that Elvis Presley's sensational popularity will be short-lived."
Perhaps as a result of that treatment, perhaps simply because of scheduling, the King of Rock 'n' Roll did not do another concert in Iowa for nearly 20 years, until 1974. In all, Elvis Presley performed live in Iowa five times, the last of which was on that same Vets Auditorium stage just two months before his death in the summer of 1977.
Elvis first took to an Iowa concert stage, in Des Moines, on this date in 1956.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The King Comes to Iowa"
On May 22nd, 1956, a 21-year-old singer performed in Iowa for the first time. And he was certainly riding high, with the number one record in the country at the time.
Well, since my baby left me
Well, I found a new place to dwell
Well, it's down at the end of Lonely Street
At Heartbreak Hotel
Where I'll be, I'll be so lonely, baby
Well, I'm so lonely
I'll be so lonely, I could die
When Elvis Presley took the stage at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines that night, "Heartbreak Hotel" was in the middle of its 7-week run at the top of the Billboard Top 100 chart. 1956 was a breakout year for the performer, who finished with 5 of the year's top 15 songs, 3 of which were in the year's top 10. And Vets was the hot new venue, barely a year old at the time. Elvis was the first major act to perform there, and tickets ranged from $1.50 to $2.50 each.
It turned out to be a financial disaster for promoter Smokey Smith, because it only drew 3,900 fans; the fact that the concert was held during high school graduation weekend probably didn't help.
The audience that was there was appreciative in Des Moines that night, and in Sioux City the next night. But reviewers for newspapers were not as impressed.
A Des Moines reviewer wrote, "He started to sing and squirm and things got worse in a hurry." The reviewer said Presley "staggered and jerked" his way through one song. And it was worse in Sioux City the next night. "His performance was the most disgusting exhibition this reporter has ever seen," the reviewer wrote. "Elvis Presley is the male counterpart of a hoochee-koochee dancer in a burlesque show...The only consolation is a prediction that Elvis Presley's sensational popularity will be short-lived."
Perhaps as a result of that treatment, perhaps simply because of scheduling, the King of Rock 'n' Roll did not do another concert in Iowa for nearly 20 years, until 1974. In all, Elvis Presley performed live in Iowa five times, the last of which was on that same Vets Auditorium stage just two months before his death in the summer of 1977.
Elvis first took to an Iowa concert stage, in Des Moines, on this date in 1956.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 21, 2018
"Fingerprinting Everyone"
Fingerprints have been used as a way to positively identify people for centuries. There’s evidence of fingerprints being used in ancient times, including during the building of the pyramids in Egypt in 2000 B.C.
By 1858, the British Administrator in India, Sir William Herschel, required fingerprints as well as signatures on civil contracts. Some 30 years later, a police official in Argentina started fingerprinting criminals. And the first use of fingerprint identification to solve a crime took place in Illinois in 1892, when an investigator used a bloody fingerprint left on a door post to identify a killer.
America felt the pain of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, whose infant son was kidnapped and killed in 1932, with people all across the country thinking they saw the missing boy based on photos that ran in newspapers.
The concepts of protecting citizens, including children, as well as providing a database from which law enforcement officials could draw when investigating crimes were all factors when the Oskaloosa City Council voted on May 21, 1934, to enact an ordinance requiring all citizens to be fingerprinted and the records kept on file.
Kidnapped children could easily be identified, and possible criminals could be apprehended, all through mandatory fingerprinting. It was an idea that didn’t catch on…but Oskaloosa became the first city in America to require its citizens, of all ages, to be fingerprinted, when a new law was passed on this date, in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Fingerprinting Everyone"
Fingerprints have been used as a way to positively identify people for centuries. There’s evidence of fingerprints being used in ancient times, including during the building of the pyramids in Egypt in 2000 B.C.
By 1858, the British Administrator in India, Sir William Herschel, required fingerprints as well as signatures on civil contracts. Some 30 years later, a police official in Argentina started fingerprinting criminals. And the first use of fingerprint identification to solve a crime took place in Illinois in 1892, when an investigator used a bloody fingerprint left on a door post to identify a killer.
America felt the pain of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh, whose infant son was kidnapped and killed in 1932, with people all across the country thinking they saw the missing boy based on photos that ran in newspapers.
The concepts of protecting citizens, including children, as well as providing a database from which law enforcement officials could draw when investigating crimes were all factors when the Oskaloosa City Council voted on May 21, 1934, to enact an ordinance requiring all citizens to be fingerprinted and the records kept on file.
Kidnapped children could easily be identified, and possible criminals could be apprehended, all through mandatory fingerprinting. It was an idea that didn’t catch on…but Oskaloosa became the first city in America to require its citizens, of all ages, to be fingerprinted, when a new law was passed on this date, in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, May 18, 2018
"A Leader for Women's Suffrage"
Martha Coonley was born on May 18, 1826 on a farm near the Hudson River in New York. She was raised as a Quaker, and at the age of 20, married James Callanan. The couple had no children, and in 1863, at the age of 37, she and her husband moved to Des Moines.
Their home soon became the unofficial headquarters of the women's suffrage movement in Iowa.
Martha had substantial property and money in her own name, and financed many of her interests, believing that with wealth came certain responsibilities.
In 1870, she helped organize what became the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association. When Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton came to Iowa in 1871, the Callanans entertained the two noted suffragists in their home.
James Callanan was elected president of the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association in 1875, and Martha succeeded him in the role the next year. She held the office for four terms.
On August 16, 1901, Martha Callanan died from injuries sustained when her carriage overturned. Her estate at the time was worth more than 40 thousand dollars. In her will, she made various bequests totalling more than 30 thousand dollars. But her husband challenged the will in court, citing a state law saying that no more than one-fourth of an estate could go to non-profit corporations. He won, but perhaps as a tribute to his wife and a symbol of his own commitment to the cause, when he died three years later, James left 3 thousand dollars to the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association.
One of Iowa's leading suffragists, Martha Coonley Callanan, was born on this date, in 1826.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Leader for Women's Suffrage"
Martha Coonley was born on May 18, 1826 on a farm near the Hudson River in New York. She was raised as a Quaker, and at the age of 20, married James Callanan. The couple had no children, and in 1863, at the age of 37, she and her husband moved to Des Moines.
Their home soon became the unofficial headquarters of the women's suffrage movement in Iowa.
Martha had substantial property and money in her own name, and financed many of her interests, believing that with wealth came certain responsibilities.
In 1870, she helped organize what became the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association. When Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton came to Iowa in 1871, the Callanans entertained the two noted suffragists in their home.
James Callanan was elected president of the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association in 1875, and Martha succeeded him in the role the next year. She held the office for four terms.
On August 16, 1901, Martha Callanan died from injuries sustained when her carriage overturned. Her estate at the time was worth more than 40 thousand dollars. In her will, she made various bequests totalling more than 30 thousand dollars. But her husband challenged the will in court, citing a state law saying that no more than one-fourth of an estate could go to non-profit corporations. He won, but perhaps as a tribute to his wife and a symbol of his own commitment to the cause, when he died three years later, James left 3 thousand dollars to the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association.
One of Iowa's leading suffragists, Martha Coonley Callanan, was born on this date, in 1826.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 17, 2018
"Stop the Construction"
City leaders on both sides of the Mississippi River were excited about the prospects. The existing bridges connecting Iowa to Illinois and Wisconsin were carrying more cars each day than they were designed to, so the idea in 1978 of a new $35 million, four lane bridge was quite welcome.
But the Higgins' Eye Clam almost put a halt to the project.
Clam hunting was once a profitable business on the Mississippi River, reaching its highest profitability in the late 1800s when several varieties were used in the button industry.
The Higgins' Eye Clam was named for the man who discovered the species in Muscatine in 1857. But by the 1970s, over-harvesting and changing climate led to the clam becoming endangered, with only four known clam beds remaining...including one off City Island at Dubuque, near the bridge construction site.
On May 17, 1978, the Iowa Department of Transportation awarded an $8,000 grant to Loras biology professor Edward Cawley. He and his team set out to determine if the Higgins' Eye Clam would be adversely affected by the bridge project. Construction stopped immediately, and for the next two months, researchers brought a thousand clams to the surface. Only one Higgins' Eye Clam was found, and it died within 24 hours of being transferred to an aquarium.
That led to careful construction of the bridge, so as not to disturb the habitat where the clam was found, just less than 1,000 feet from the bridge itself.
That wasn't the only snag in construction, though. Two years later, construction was halted when a Native American burial site was found on the bluff where the bridge was to connect with Wisconsin. Archaeologists had read a map incorrectly and missed the site originally.
But not long after the Tennessee Valley Authority was stopped from building a project thanks to the snail darter fish, a bridge over the Mississippi River was temporarily stopped in order to protect the Higgins' Eye Clam, on this date in 1978…40 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Stop the Construction"
City leaders on both sides of the Mississippi River were excited about the prospects. The existing bridges connecting Iowa to Illinois and Wisconsin were carrying more cars each day than they were designed to, so the idea in 1978 of a new $35 million, four lane bridge was quite welcome.
But the Higgins' Eye Clam almost put a halt to the project.
Clam hunting was once a profitable business on the Mississippi River, reaching its highest profitability in the late 1800s when several varieties were used in the button industry.
The Higgins' Eye Clam was named for the man who discovered the species in Muscatine in 1857. But by the 1970s, over-harvesting and changing climate led to the clam becoming endangered, with only four known clam beds remaining...including one off City Island at Dubuque, near the bridge construction site.
On May 17, 1978, the Iowa Department of Transportation awarded an $8,000 grant to Loras biology professor Edward Cawley. He and his team set out to determine if the Higgins' Eye Clam would be adversely affected by the bridge project. Construction stopped immediately, and for the next two months, researchers brought a thousand clams to the surface. Only one Higgins' Eye Clam was found, and it died within 24 hours of being transferred to an aquarium.
That led to careful construction of the bridge, so as not to disturb the habitat where the clam was found, just less than 1,000 feet from the bridge itself.
That wasn't the only snag in construction, though. Two years later, construction was halted when a Native American burial site was found on the bluff where the bridge was to connect with Wisconsin. Archaeologists had read a map incorrectly and missed the site originally.
But not long after the Tennessee Valley Authority was stopped from building a project thanks to the snail darter fish, a bridge over the Mississippi River was temporarily stopped in order to protect the Higgins' Eye Clam, on this date in 1978…40 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
"A Vote Against Impeachment"
James Grimes served with distinction as governor and U.S. Senator from Iowa. First elected to public office as a Whig, he was influential in the creation of the Republican party in the state.
He served as a senator during the Civil War, and was an ally of President Abraham Lincoln. And he had no love for Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson.
Grimes was one of Johnson's most bitter and influential opponents in the U.S. Senate, but he was also fair. And when members of his own party started impeachment proceedings against President Johnson, Grimes ultimately opposed the move, upset about how the proceedings had been manipulated to give a one-sided view of the evidence. He declared he would vote against impeachment, and others said they'd follow suit.
That brought tremendous pressure upon Grimes, and he suffered a paralyzing stroke just two days before the impeachment vote was to be taken. Impeachment supporters were counting on Grimes being too sick to vote. But on May 16th, 1868, four men literally carried him into the chamber and to his seat. When the time came, with help, he struggled to his feet and in a firm voice called out his vote--not guilty.
Six other Republicans followed Grimes' lead, and Johnson was not removed from office.
Grimes resigned from the Senate the following year due to increasingly poor health. He died in 1872 at the age of 55. Now, a state office building and a town near Des Moines bear his name.
Rising from his sick bed, Iowa's James Grimes cast the deciding vote against impeaching a president, on this date, in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Vote Against Impeachment"
James Grimes served with distinction as governor and U.S. Senator from Iowa. First elected to public office as a Whig, he was influential in the creation of the Republican party in the state.
He served as a senator during the Civil War, and was an ally of President Abraham Lincoln. And he had no love for Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson.
Grimes was one of Johnson's most bitter and influential opponents in the U.S. Senate, but he was also fair. And when members of his own party started impeachment proceedings against President Johnson, Grimes ultimately opposed the move, upset about how the proceedings had been manipulated to give a one-sided view of the evidence. He declared he would vote against impeachment, and others said they'd follow suit.
That brought tremendous pressure upon Grimes, and he suffered a paralyzing stroke just two days before the impeachment vote was to be taken. Impeachment supporters were counting on Grimes being too sick to vote. But on May 16th, 1868, four men literally carried him into the chamber and to his seat. When the time came, with help, he struggled to his feet and in a firm voice called out his vote--not guilty.
Six other Republicans followed Grimes' lead, and Johnson was not removed from office.
Grimes resigned from the Senate the following year due to increasingly poor health. He died in 1872 at the age of 55. Now, a state office building and a town near Des Moines bear his name.
Rising from his sick bed, Iowa's James Grimes cast the deciding vote against impeaching a president, on this date, in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 15, 2018
"Deadly Tornadoes"
In the late afternoon of May 15th, 1968, a large tornado tore through five counties in northern Iowa, hitting the town of Charles City around 5 p.m. Overall, the tornado killed 13 people, injured 462 others, and caused $30 million of damage in Charles City alone. That would be nearly $200 million in today's dollars. All 8 churches and 3 of the city schools were damaged or destroyed.
It's going to be a long, arduous process throughout Charles City. The town will not be back to normal for a long time, we can just face that fact.
He was the long-time chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, but at the time, Brian Ross was a college student working part-time for various radio stations, and was on the scene just after the tornado struck Charles City.
People are wandering around downtown in a state of shock, not knowing just...what...how could this happen, it happened so quickly and so suddenly. You just don't really expect these sort of things. But there's been no report of looting, none of these things. So there's people, everybody is out trying to help.
Soon after, a second tornado hit Fayette County, killing 5 and injuring 156 others. The hardest hit areas were Oelwein and Maynard, with $21 million in damage caused by this tornado, which destroyed or damaged another 1,000 homes.
It's an odd thing about tragedies like these, but these people getting together, helping one another, it's the thing you don't see very often and it makes you feel among all the tragedy there's perhaps something good.
Throughout America that year, there were only four F5 tornadoes. Two of them were in Iowa, on this date, in 1968…50 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Deadly Tornadoes"
In the late afternoon of May 15th, 1968, a large tornado tore through five counties in northern Iowa, hitting the town of Charles City around 5 p.m. Overall, the tornado killed 13 people, injured 462 others, and caused $30 million of damage in Charles City alone. That would be nearly $200 million in today's dollars. All 8 churches and 3 of the city schools were damaged or destroyed.
It's going to be a long, arduous process throughout Charles City. The town will not be back to normal for a long time, we can just face that fact.
He was the long-time chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, but at the time, Brian Ross was a college student working part-time for various radio stations, and was on the scene just after the tornado struck Charles City.
People are wandering around downtown in a state of shock, not knowing just...what...how could this happen, it happened so quickly and so suddenly. You just don't really expect these sort of things. But there's been no report of looting, none of these things. So there's people, everybody is out trying to help.
Soon after, a second tornado hit Fayette County, killing 5 and injuring 156 others. The hardest hit areas were Oelwein and Maynard, with $21 million in damage caused by this tornado, which destroyed or damaged another 1,000 homes.
It's an odd thing about tragedies like these, but these people getting together, helping one another, it's the thing you don't see very often and it makes you feel among all the tragedy there's perhaps something good.
Throughout America that year, there were only four F5 tornadoes. Two of them were in Iowa, on this date, in 1968…50 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 14, 2018
"The Tulips Are In Bloom"
In the early 1930s, the citizens of Orange City decided to honor the traditions and customs of their Dutch ancestors. So in 1933, the first Tulip Show was sponsored by the local Lions Club, Yard and Garden Club, and the Women's Club. It was a success, so they did it again the next year. By 1935, another 50,000 tulip bulbs were imported and planted by citizens. And soon, it became more than a tulip show.
On May 14, 1936, the first Spring Festival was held in Orange City. It was a one-day event, and some 3,500 people attended. Residents were asked to bring antiques and rarities from the Netherlands for display in store windows, to be seen by the visitors. A costume parade was held, and the Sioux City Symphony performed that evening.
The festival was, of course, centered around Orange City's tulips. Ironically, adverse weather conditions in 1936 meant few of the tulips were in bloom at festival time. But that did not deter organizers from expanding the event the very next year, adding election of a Tulip Festival Queen. By 1938, the event had expanded to two days, and by 1941, a night parade was added. After converting the festival to a Victory Days celebration during the Second World War, the original intention returned soon after, and by 1950, a third day was added to accommodate the more than 15,000 visitors.
Now, the Orange City tulip festival features two daily parades, Dutch folk dancing, a musical night show, and of course, the blooming of tens of thousands of tulips. Weather permitting of course.
As the headline in the Sioux County Capital newspaper proclaimed, "All Roads Lead to Orange City" for the first spring festival, centered around tulips, held on this date, in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Tulips Are In Bloom"
In the early 1930s, the citizens of Orange City decided to honor the traditions and customs of their Dutch ancestors. So in 1933, the first Tulip Show was sponsored by the local Lions Club, Yard and Garden Club, and the Women's Club. It was a success, so they did it again the next year. By 1935, another 50,000 tulip bulbs were imported and planted by citizens. And soon, it became more than a tulip show.
On May 14, 1936, the first Spring Festival was held in Orange City. It was a one-day event, and some 3,500 people attended. Residents were asked to bring antiques and rarities from the Netherlands for display in store windows, to be seen by the visitors. A costume parade was held, and the Sioux City Symphony performed that evening.
The festival was, of course, centered around Orange City's tulips. Ironically, adverse weather conditions in 1936 meant few of the tulips were in bloom at festival time. But that did not deter organizers from expanding the event the very next year, adding election of a Tulip Festival Queen. By 1938, the event had expanded to two days, and by 1941, a night parade was added. After converting the festival to a Victory Days celebration during the Second World War, the original intention returned soon after, and by 1950, a third day was added to accommodate the more than 15,000 visitors.
Now, the Orange City tulip festival features two daily parades, Dutch folk dancing, a musical night show, and of course, the blooming of tens of thousands of tulips. Weather permitting of course.
As the headline in the Sioux County Capital newspaper proclaimed, "All Roads Lead to Orange City" for the first spring festival, centered around tulips, held on this date, in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, May 11, 2018
"Spreading the News"
John King came to Dubuque from Ohio in 1834, and while he was not a printer himself, he saw there was a need for a publication to inform the increasing number of people settling in the area. He returned to his home state the next year, and hired an experienced printer named William Cary Jones to come back to Dubuque with him, at the wage of $350 per year plus board and lodging to run King's new printing office.
Not long after, on May 11, 1836, the first edition of The Dubuque Visitor was published, stating its location as "Dubuque Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory". At that time, the Dubuque area was still part of Michigan Territory, but a bill was pending in Congress to establish a Wisconsin Territory...so from the start, the paper was not shy about taking a stand.
Its motto was "Truth Our Guide--The Public Good Our Aim." That first issue was made up of four pages, and soon was a regular, weekly publication.
But the partnership between King and Jones only lasted a short time; by the end of the summer, Jones cut all ties, saying King was too supportive of the Andrew Jackson administration, while he held opposite political views.
After a year, The Dubuque Visitor was renamed the Iowa News; then in 1841, it took the name The Miner's Express. Due to increased competition, The Miner's Express expanded to daily publication in 1851. It later merged with another daily newspaper, The Dubuque Herald, in 1854 to become The Daily Express and Herald. A number of other mergers and name changes took place over time. It's now well known as the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald.
In 1919, the National Historical Society, meeting in Cincinnati, officially declared that The Dubuque Visitor was the first newspaper published west of the Mississippi River. And its first issue was published on this date in 1836.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Spreading the News"
John King came to Dubuque from Ohio in 1834, and while he was not a printer himself, he saw there was a need for a publication to inform the increasing number of people settling in the area. He returned to his home state the next year, and hired an experienced printer named William Cary Jones to come back to Dubuque with him, at the wage of $350 per year plus board and lodging to run King's new printing office.
Not long after, on May 11, 1836, the first edition of The Dubuque Visitor was published, stating its location as "Dubuque Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory". At that time, the Dubuque area was still part of Michigan Territory, but a bill was pending in Congress to establish a Wisconsin Territory...so from the start, the paper was not shy about taking a stand.
Its motto was "Truth Our Guide--The Public Good Our Aim." That first issue was made up of four pages, and soon was a regular, weekly publication.
But the partnership between King and Jones only lasted a short time; by the end of the summer, Jones cut all ties, saying King was too supportive of the Andrew Jackson administration, while he held opposite political views.
After a year, The Dubuque Visitor was renamed the Iowa News; then in 1841, it took the name The Miner's Express. Due to increased competition, The Miner's Express expanded to daily publication in 1851. It later merged with another daily newspaper, The Dubuque Herald, in 1854 to become The Daily Express and Herald. A number of other mergers and name changes took place over time. It's now well known as the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald.
In 1919, the National Historical Society, meeting in Cincinnati, officially declared that The Dubuque Visitor was the first newspaper published west of the Mississippi River. And its first issue was published on this date in 1836.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 10, 2018
"First in Flight"
From his youngest days, Arthur J. Hartman of Burlington was restless. He once told his wife he couldn't stand just looking at four walls.
That led him to the sky.
On September 6th of 1903, when he was only 15, Art Hartman made his first solo flight in a balloon. That was before the Wright Brothers took to the sky. He soon got a job parachuting from balloons.
But he was convinced that the future of powered flight lay in heavier-than-air craft, and before he was 22 years of age, Art had built his own monoplane.
Early on the morning of May 10, 1910, on a stretch of the Burlington Country Club, Art Hartman tested his plane in front of five spectators. It flew...granted, only 10 feet in the air, the height of a basketball hoop, and not very far...but it flew. That made it the first flight of heavier-than-air craft in Iowa.
After World War I, Hartman rebuilt and sold crashed planes, and started his own airplane manufacturing company in 1928. And he never stopped testing aircraft. In 1956, at the age of 67, he hooked 50 hydrogen balloons to a bicycle and soared 150 feet in the air--15 times higher than his first flight almost a half century before.
Hartman kept flying in one way or another, until his death in 1971 at the age of 82.
There were some 46 flights by 23 aviators across our state between 1910 and 1911 alone. But the first was by Art Hartman in Burlington, on this date in 1910.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"First in Flight"
From his youngest days, Arthur J. Hartman of Burlington was restless. He once told his wife he couldn't stand just looking at four walls.
That led him to the sky.
On September 6th of 1903, when he was only 15, Art Hartman made his first solo flight in a balloon. That was before the Wright Brothers took to the sky. He soon got a job parachuting from balloons.
But he was convinced that the future of powered flight lay in heavier-than-air craft, and before he was 22 years of age, Art had built his own monoplane.
Early on the morning of May 10, 1910, on a stretch of the Burlington Country Club, Art Hartman tested his plane in front of five spectators. It flew...granted, only 10 feet in the air, the height of a basketball hoop, and not very far...but it flew. That made it the first flight of heavier-than-air craft in Iowa.
After World War I, Hartman rebuilt and sold crashed planes, and started his own airplane manufacturing company in 1928. And he never stopped testing aircraft. In 1956, at the age of 67, he hooked 50 hydrogen balloons to a bicycle and soared 150 feet in the air--15 times higher than his first flight almost a half century before.
Hartman kept flying in one way or another, until his death in 1971 at the age of 82.
There were some 46 flights by 23 aviators across our state between 1910 and 1911 alone. But the first was by Art Hartman in Burlington, on this date in 1910.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 9, 2018
"A Sit-Down Strike"
In early May, 1938, management at the Maytag Washing Machine Company plant in Newton posted a notice, saying employees would soon be taking a 10 percent pay cut.
In that Depression-era time, the news did not sit well with workers and their families.
Union workers called for a relatively new strategy--a sit-down strike. The idea was that if workers stayed at their jobs, literally sitting down instead of walking out, then owners could not hire strike breakers to replace them. It had worked two years before at the General Motors auto plant in Flint, Michigan.
But in Newton, police arrested some union leaders, charging them with kidnapping when they refused to let foremen and company officials leave the factory.
On May 9, 1938, strikers closed down the plant and three months of turmoil began. A fight broke out between strikers and some who changed their minds and tried to return to work. Hundreds of people surrounded the plant, stretching for blocks.
By July, the National Guard was called in by the governor to restore order, and more street fighting broke out.
Finally, on August 3rd, workers said they'd return to work, with the pay cut, provided that they could recover those lost wages if the company's profits improved within two years.
Owner Fred Maytag the Second was quoted as saying, "Apparently, our employees weren't so happy as we thought."
The violent, three-month long work stoppage at the Maytag plant in Newton, over pay cuts, started with a sit-down strike, on this date, in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Sit-Down Strike"
In early May, 1938, management at the Maytag Washing Machine Company plant in Newton posted a notice, saying employees would soon be taking a 10 percent pay cut.
In that Depression-era time, the news did not sit well with workers and their families.
Union workers called for a relatively new strategy--a sit-down strike. The idea was that if workers stayed at their jobs, literally sitting down instead of walking out, then owners could not hire strike breakers to replace them. It had worked two years before at the General Motors auto plant in Flint, Michigan.
But in Newton, police arrested some union leaders, charging them with kidnapping when they refused to let foremen and company officials leave the factory.
On May 9, 1938, strikers closed down the plant and three months of turmoil began. A fight broke out between strikers and some who changed their minds and tried to return to work. Hundreds of people surrounded the plant, stretching for blocks.
By July, the National Guard was called in by the governor to restore order, and more street fighting broke out.
Finally, on August 3rd, workers said they'd return to work, with the pay cut, provided that they could recover those lost wages if the company's profits improved within two years.
Owner Fred Maytag the Second was quoted as saying, "Apparently, our employees weren't so happy as we thought."
The violent, three-month long work stoppage at the Maytag plant in Newton, over pay cuts, started with a sit-down strike, on this date, in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 8, 2018
"The End of the War"
It was the day some thought would never come. May 8th, 1945, Victory in Europe Day. The word reached Iowans in a variety of ways, but for many, it was the familiar voice of one of Iowa's best-known broadcasters, reporting from Germany, that made it real.
This is your war correspondent, Herb Plambeck, speaking from Germany, on the evening of the glad day when the end of the war in Europe was announced to our men here.
Herb Plambeck was WHO radio's farm broadcaster who became a war correspondent. Local stations were not allowed to send reporters overseas until late in the war. Iowa's WHO was one of the few, and Plambeck and news director Jack Shelley provided comfort to Iowans worried about the safety of their soldier or sailor serving in World War II.
This is another of those occasions when mere words cannot tell the full story--the story we've waited so long to bring you, and the one you've waited so long to hear.
A total of 226,638 Iowans served in World War II...of those, 8,398 died. And the war against Japan was still going on; it would not end until the signing of surrender documents on September 2nd. But the European threat had been defeated, and the voice of Herb Plambeck delivered the welcome news...
Today is a day of prayerful gratitude.
...on this date in 1945.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The End of the War"
It was the day some thought would never come. May 8th, 1945, Victory in Europe Day. The word reached Iowans in a variety of ways, but for many, it was the familiar voice of one of Iowa's best-known broadcasters, reporting from Germany, that made it real.
This is your war correspondent, Herb Plambeck, speaking from Germany, on the evening of the glad day when the end of the war in Europe was announced to our men here.
Herb Plambeck was WHO radio's farm broadcaster who became a war correspondent. Local stations were not allowed to send reporters overseas until late in the war. Iowa's WHO was one of the few, and Plambeck and news director Jack Shelley provided comfort to Iowans worried about the safety of their soldier or sailor serving in World War II.
This is another of those occasions when mere words cannot tell the full story--the story we've waited so long to bring you, and the one you've waited so long to hear.
A total of 226,638 Iowans served in World War II...of those, 8,398 died. And the war against Japan was still going on; it would not end until the signing of surrender documents on September 2nd. But the European threat had been defeated, and the voice of Herb Plambeck delivered the welcome news...
Today is a day of prayerful gratitude.
...on this date in 1945.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 7, 2018
"The First Woman Selected"
The most talented basketball players dream of hearing their names called by the National Basketball Association commissioner as part of the professional league's annual player draft.
But on May 7th, 1969, a different sounding name was called. It wasn't the first player selected; he was then known as Lew Alcindor from UCLA, selected as the top pick by the Milwaukee Bucks. He went on to win rookie of the year honors.
This was a player selected in the 13th round, right out of Union-Whitten High School in Iowa. The owner of the San Francisco Warriors, Franklin Mieuli, told his staff to select a 5' 11" player who averaged 68.2 points per game as a high school senior, including 111 points in a single game.
That player was Denise Long, who ended her high school career with 6,250 points, and became the first female ever drafted by an NBA team.
Franklin Mieuli thought it was time for a women's professional league, and his drafting of Denise Long was a statement toward that goal. He even had women playing games before the Warriors contests, but it was an idea ahead of its time. The WNBA finally started play in 1997, nearly 30 years later.
As for Long, her notoriety led to an appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson...pretty heady stuff for a girl from Whitten, Iowa.
Ten years after she was selected in the NBA draft, Denise Long was part of an Iowa professional team, the Iowa Cornets. She played in one game, scoring one point...but the fans in Cedar Rapids honored her amazing high school career by giving her a standing ovation when she came into the game.
Back when Denise Long led her Union-Whitten team to a state 6-on-6 championship in 1968, there weren't many options for young women who wanted to play basketball. It was before Title IX equal rights laws...women did not play basketball in the Olympics...and there was no way to make playing basketball a career.
But there was that amazing high school career...and the designation of being the first female ever drafted by an NBA team, on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Woman Selected"
The most talented basketball players dream of hearing their names called by the National Basketball Association commissioner as part of the professional league's annual player draft.
But on May 7th, 1969, a different sounding name was called. It wasn't the first player selected; he was then known as Lew Alcindor from UCLA, selected as the top pick by the Milwaukee Bucks. He went on to win rookie of the year honors.
This was a player selected in the 13th round, right out of Union-Whitten High School in Iowa. The owner of the San Francisco Warriors, Franklin Mieuli, told his staff to select a 5' 11" player who averaged 68.2 points per game as a high school senior, including 111 points in a single game.
That player was Denise Long, who ended her high school career with 6,250 points, and became the first female ever drafted by an NBA team.
Franklin Mieuli thought it was time for a women's professional league, and his drafting of Denise Long was a statement toward that goal. He even had women playing games before the Warriors contests, but it was an idea ahead of its time. The WNBA finally started play in 1997, nearly 30 years later.
As for Long, her notoriety led to an appearance on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson...pretty heady stuff for a girl from Whitten, Iowa.
Ten years after she was selected in the NBA draft, Denise Long was part of an Iowa professional team, the Iowa Cornets. She played in one game, scoring one point...but the fans in Cedar Rapids honored her amazing high school career by giving her a standing ovation when she came into the game.
Back when Denise Long led her Union-Whitten team to a state 6-on-6 championship in 1968, there weren't many options for young women who wanted to play basketball. It was before Title IX equal rights laws...women did not play basketball in the Olympics...and there was no way to make playing basketball a career.
But there was that amazing high school career...and the designation of being the first female ever drafted by an NBA team, on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, May 4, 2018
"Batter Up"
The first professional baseball team in Keokuk opened play for the 1875 season on this date. They were called the Keokuk Westerns and they were part of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players. That league had been founded four years before as the first professional league in the United States.
The Westerns played in a field located beyond Rand Park, called Perry Park. Pictured above is player/manager Joe Simmons. The 11-player roster performed as many expansion teams do in professional leagues today, with a woeful 1 and 12 record. Things were so bad, the team actually dropped out of the league on June 16th, barely six weeks into the season.
During that time, they faced one of the greatest pitchers of his day, Albert Goodwill Spalding. He won 207 games in the league, the most of any pitcher ever. After his playing days were over, Albert founded a sporting goods company and named it after himself--the Spalding Company.
Spalding played for the Boston team. Others in the league included teams from St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. Those teams had been around for a while, and the following year, 1876, they left the National Association of Professional Baseball Teams to form a new group, called the National League. They're still in business today,
And while there was organized baseball in Keokuk in various forms for nearly a hundred years after the Keokuk Westerns were founded, one has to wonder what might have been if the Westerns had made it through that first season and joined the teams we now call the Cubs, Braves, and others as members of the National League. That did not happen, but the first pitch for professional baseball in Keokuk was thrown on this date in 1875.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Batter Up"
The first professional baseball team in Keokuk opened play for the 1875 season on this date. They were called the Keokuk Westerns and they were part of the National Association of Professional Baseball Players. That league had been founded four years before as the first professional league in the United States.
The Westerns played in a field located beyond Rand Park, called Perry Park. Pictured above is player/manager Joe Simmons. The 11-player roster performed as many expansion teams do in professional leagues today, with a woeful 1 and 12 record. Things were so bad, the team actually dropped out of the league on June 16th, barely six weeks into the season.
During that time, they faced one of the greatest pitchers of his day, Albert Goodwill Spalding. He won 207 games in the league, the most of any pitcher ever. After his playing days were over, Albert founded a sporting goods company and named it after himself--the Spalding Company.
Spalding played for the Boston team. Others in the league included teams from St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. Those teams had been around for a while, and the following year, 1876, they left the National Association of Professional Baseball Teams to form a new group, called the National League. They're still in business today,
And while there was organized baseball in Keokuk in various forms for nearly a hundred years after the Keokuk Westerns were founded, one has to wonder what might have been if the Westerns had made it through that first season and joined the teams we now call the Cubs, Braves, and others as members of the National League. That did not happen, but the first pitch for professional baseball in Keokuk was thrown on this date in 1875.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 3, 2018
"May Flowers...or May Snowfall?"
We know that the weather in Iowa can change rapidly. But rarely did it change as rapidly as it did in the days leading up to May 3rd of 2013.
The spring that year had been cold and damp. But on April 30th, the temperature reached 86 degrees in Des Moines. There were some thunderstorms as well, leading to hail damage in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, among other places.
Then the weather changed--precipitation continued, but the temperature dropped. On May 1st, the high temperatures were 40 degrees colder than the day before. And as the temperature dropped, and the precipitation continued, it turned to snow--a lot of it.
By the time the storm ended on May 3rd, Osage had 13 inches of snow, the highest May storm total in Iowa history. Chariton had a foot of new white stuff...Lake Mills had more than 11 and a half inches, while Britt and Forest City each reported 11 inches.
Snow was continuously reported at the Des Moines International Airport from 6:34 a.m. on May 2nd, to 2:48 p.m. on May 3rd, an uninterrupted 31 hours and 14 minutes, leading to just under 7 inches of snow in less than a day and a half.
And just like that, it was over. The temperatures warmed back to seasonal norms, in the 60s...the snow melted...and a wild weather week was over. It started with temperatures in the 80s with thunderstorms and hail, and ended with a foot of snow common in many areas of the state, when the record May snowstorm ended on this date in 2013.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"May Flowers...or May Snowfall?"
We know that the weather in Iowa can change rapidly. But rarely did it change as rapidly as it did in the days leading up to May 3rd of 2013.
The spring that year had been cold and damp. But on April 30th, the temperature reached 86 degrees in Des Moines. There were some thunderstorms as well, leading to hail damage in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, among other places.
Then the weather changed--precipitation continued, but the temperature dropped. On May 1st, the high temperatures were 40 degrees colder than the day before. And as the temperature dropped, and the precipitation continued, it turned to snow--a lot of it.
By the time the storm ended on May 3rd, Osage had 13 inches of snow, the highest May storm total in Iowa history. Chariton had a foot of new white stuff...Lake Mills had more than 11 and a half inches, while Britt and Forest City each reported 11 inches.
Snow was continuously reported at the Des Moines International Airport from 6:34 a.m. on May 2nd, to 2:48 p.m. on May 3rd, an uninterrupted 31 hours and 14 minutes, leading to just under 7 inches of snow in less than a day and a half.
And just like that, it was over. The temperatures warmed back to seasonal norms, in the 60s...the snow melted...and a wild weather week was over. It started with temperatures in the 80s with thunderstorms and hail, and ended with a foot of snow common in many areas of the state, when the record May snowstorm ended on this date in 2013.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 2, 2018
"Outshining the Sun"
It was a quarter after five in the afternoon on May 2nd, 1890, when residents of Winnebago County saw something quite remarkable.
Witnesses heard a roaring sound, and looked into the western sky to find an object with a head compared to the size of a full moon, sputtering and throwing off a long train of sparks, with a trail of heavy black smoke creating a line in the sky. It looked like a great fireball, which for a moment eclipsed the sunlight of what was an almost cloudless sky that day.
It was a meteorite shower, which wound up being seen across the state...but fragments showered down on an eight-mile area of the county after the meteorite exploded about 11 miles northwest of Forest City, next to the town of Thompson.
The Forest City Meteorite, as it quickly was called, rained 269 pounds of fragments onto the ground, with the largest piece weighing 81 pounds alone. For many miles, the noise sounded like heavy cannonading, along with a hissing and a tremor that brought people from their houses, to find out what was going on.
People picked up fragments right away, and geologists traveled to the area to get samples. One from Minnesota offered top dollar for fragments, which led Peter Hoagland to sell a particularly large piece to a geologist, after a bidding war. But a legal battle ensued, since Hoagland sold a fragment which had landed on his neighbor's property. The case went all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court...the stone stayed at the University of Minnesota, and Hoagland had to give back the money.
Witnesses throughout northwest Iowa--near Mason City, Fort Dodge, Sioux City--and even into South Dakota said they saw and heard it, which was unique because of the time of day and weather conditions, when the Forest City Meteorite fell to the ground and shook Winnebago County, on this date in 1890.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Outshining the Sun"
It was a quarter after five in the afternoon on May 2nd, 1890, when residents of Winnebago County saw something quite remarkable.
Witnesses heard a roaring sound, and looked into the western sky to find an object with a head compared to the size of a full moon, sputtering and throwing off a long train of sparks, with a trail of heavy black smoke creating a line in the sky. It looked like a great fireball, which for a moment eclipsed the sunlight of what was an almost cloudless sky that day.
It was a meteorite shower, which wound up being seen across the state...but fragments showered down on an eight-mile area of the county after the meteorite exploded about 11 miles northwest of Forest City, next to the town of Thompson.
The Forest City Meteorite, as it quickly was called, rained 269 pounds of fragments onto the ground, with the largest piece weighing 81 pounds alone. For many miles, the noise sounded like heavy cannonading, along with a hissing and a tremor that brought people from their houses, to find out what was going on.
People picked up fragments right away, and geologists traveled to the area to get samples. One from Minnesota offered top dollar for fragments, which led Peter Hoagland to sell a particularly large piece to a geologist, after a bidding war. But a legal battle ensued, since Hoagland sold a fragment which had landed on his neighbor's property. The case went all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court...the stone stayed at the University of Minnesota, and Hoagland had to give back the money.
Witnesses throughout northwest Iowa--near Mason City, Fort Dodge, Sioux City--and even into South Dakota said they saw and heard it, which was unique because of the time of day and weather conditions, when the Forest City Meteorite fell to the ground and shook Winnebago County, on this date in 1890.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 1, 2018
"A New Sandwich"
In 1926, Fred Angell was a butcher in Muscatine. He wanted to create a new meat sandwich, so he worked to come up with just the right combination of cut and grind of loose meat, with a selected blend of spices.
A deliveryman tasted the new creation and said, "This sandwich is made right".
And with that, a new American tradition was born.
Fred Angell's first Maid-Rite sandwich shop opened on May 1st, 1926 at 110 Cedar Street in Muscatine. It was a traditional walk-up restaurant, but quickly became so popular, Fred and his son Francis opened a second, this one including a new idea so people could get their food without leaving their cars...a drive up window.
The second town in Iowa to offer the Maid-Rite was Durant, just a few miles east of Muscatine. By the end of the 1920s, there were four Maid-Rite restaurants in Iowa, and by the time of the company's 70th anniversary in the mid-1990s, there were 138 stores in the chain nationwide.
It's not uncommon for former Iowans to have Maid-Rite sandwiches shipped to them across the country. When people go back to visit their hometowns, like Muscatine, Marshalltown, or Toledo, one of their stops is always for a fresh steamed Maid-Rite, typically in a diner-like setting much like was popular in the early days.
Like when Fred Angell opened his first Maid-Rite sandwich shop in Muscatine, on this date in 1926.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A New Sandwich"
In 1926, Fred Angell was a butcher in Muscatine. He wanted to create a new meat sandwich, so he worked to come up with just the right combination of cut and grind of loose meat, with a selected blend of spices.
A deliveryman tasted the new creation and said, "This sandwich is made right".
And with that, a new American tradition was born.
Fred Angell's first Maid-Rite sandwich shop opened on May 1st, 1926 at 110 Cedar Street in Muscatine. It was a traditional walk-up restaurant, but quickly became so popular, Fred and his son Francis opened a second, this one including a new idea so people could get their food without leaving their cars...a drive up window.
The second town in Iowa to offer the Maid-Rite was Durant, just a few miles east of Muscatine. By the end of the 1920s, there were four Maid-Rite restaurants in Iowa, and by the time of the company's 70th anniversary in the mid-1990s, there were 138 stores in the chain nationwide.
It's not uncommon for former Iowans to have Maid-Rite sandwiches shipped to them across the country. When people go back to visit their hometowns, like Muscatine, Marshalltown, or Toledo, one of their stops is always for a fresh steamed Maid-Rite, typically in a diner-like setting much like was popular in the early days.
Like when Fred Angell opened his first Maid-Rite sandwich shop in Muscatine, on this date in 1926.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.