"Iowa Almanac" is a copyrighted production of Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
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No use of the material is allowed without prior written permission of the copyright holder.
Copyright 2015 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 2015 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 31
"The Creator of Paul Bunyan"
James Floyd Stevens was born in Iowa, but he did not have an easy childhood. Born on a farm near Albia in 1892, his father was a so-called gypsy farmer who liked to move around, and his mother worked as a hired girl for $12 per month. Young James lived with his grandmother in Moravia for five years, from the time he was 4 years old.
He later moved to Idaho. After fighting in World War I, he returned to the Pacific Northwest and worked in the woods, logging camps, and sawmills of Oregon. It was there he first heard tall tales about a gigantic lumberjack.
He researched the character, tracing the legend back to French Canada in the early 1800s, and possibly a real logger by that name.
In 1925, Stevens collected the stories about the lumberjack and wrote a best-selling book named after the character--Paul Bunyan. And so began a fifty-year literary career, which included nine books and more than 250 stories and magazine articles. He was known for exaggeration and satire, which offended some readers who lived in the places he wrote about.
While some knew the tales of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, they only became well known through the mind and pen of an Iowan...James Stevens, who died at age 79 on this date in 1971.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Creator of Paul Bunyan"
James Floyd Stevens was born in Iowa, but he did not have an easy childhood. Born on a farm near Albia in 1892, his father was a so-called gypsy farmer who liked to move around, and his mother worked as a hired girl for $12 per month. Young James lived with his grandmother in Moravia for five years, from the time he was 4 years old.
He later moved to Idaho. After fighting in World War I, he returned to the Pacific Northwest and worked in the woods, logging camps, and sawmills of Oregon. It was there he first heard tall tales about a gigantic lumberjack.
He researched the character, tracing the legend back to French Canada in the early 1800s, and possibly a real logger by that name.
In 1925, Stevens collected the stories about the lumberjack and wrote a best-selling book named after the character--Paul Bunyan. And so began a fifty-year literary career, which included nine books and more than 250 stories and magazine articles. He was known for exaggeration and satire, which offended some readers who lived in the places he wrote about.
While some knew the tales of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, they only became well known through the mind and pen of an Iowan...James Stevens, who died at age 79 on this date in 1971.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 30
"Dissolving the Trust"
In hindsight, it sounded too good to be true. Perhaps that should have been our first clue.
Steven Wymer founded a company in Irvine, California, called Institutional Treasury Management. He set up funds in which cities and towns could invest. One was called the Iowa Trust, and 88 government agencies in Iowa invested more than $70 million in the Iowa Trust. Formed in January 1989, the Trust was designed to pool dozens of small and medium investment accounts to create better opportunities. Wymer had done business with various Iowa cities, including Marshalltown, and other cities soon joined the new venture.
It should have been safe, with investment only in government securities. But it was a fraud, with Wymer deceiving his clients, sending false monthly statements overstating the amount of money in clients' accounts and forging brokerage documents to support those false statements.
The bubble burst on December 12, 1991, when the house of cards came falling down. Wymer faced fraud charges tied to $113 million of money given him by municipalities. Officials in California and Colorado were seriously affected, but nowhere was the crisis more severe than in Iowa.
Cities and towns across the state had to put off plans to maintain roads, buildings, and cemeteries...build libraries...and they had to lay off employees. Money was lost, never to be recovered.
The Trust itself was put in the hands of a receiver to pursue claims and recover some of the money. Long before the case of Bernie Madoff hit national headlines, there was Steve Wymer and the Iowa Trust, termed the worst financial scandal in our state's history.
Lawsuits continued throughout the decade, but nearly three years to the day the fraud was discovered, the Iowa Trust itself was dissolved by order of an Iowa District Court, on this date in 1994.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Dissolving the Trust"
In hindsight, it sounded too good to be true. Perhaps that should have been our first clue.
Steven Wymer founded a company in Irvine, California, called Institutional Treasury Management. He set up funds in which cities and towns could invest. One was called the Iowa Trust, and 88 government agencies in Iowa invested more than $70 million in the Iowa Trust. Formed in January 1989, the Trust was designed to pool dozens of small and medium investment accounts to create better opportunities. Wymer had done business with various Iowa cities, including Marshalltown, and other cities soon joined the new venture.
It should have been safe, with investment only in government securities. But it was a fraud, with Wymer deceiving his clients, sending false monthly statements overstating the amount of money in clients' accounts and forging brokerage documents to support those false statements.
The bubble burst on December 12, 1991, when the house of cards came falling down. Wymer faced fraud charges tied to $113 million of money given him by municipalities. Officials in California and Colorado were seriously affected, but nowhere was the crisis more severe than in Iowa.
Cities and towns across the state had to put off plans to maintain roads, buildings, and cemeteries...build libraries...and they had to lay off employees. Money was lost, never to be recovered.
The Trust itself was put in the hands of a receiver to pursue claims and recover some of the money. Long before the case of Bernie Madoff hit national headlines, there was Steve Wymer and the Iowa Trust, termed the worst financial scandal in our state's history.
Lawsuits continued throughout the decade, but nearly three years to the day the fraud was discovered, the Iowa Trust itself was dissolved by order of an Iowa District Court, on this date in 1994.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 29
"A Song for a Church"
William Pitts was a Wisconsin schoolteacher who traveled to Iowa in 1857 to visit his fiancée in Fredericksburg. On the way, the stagecoach stopped in Bradford. Pitts took a walk and discovered a vacant lot in the town that had beautiful cedar and oak trees. Inspired, he wrote a poem about the site, which he later set to music. He imagined a church nestled within those trees.
After marrying his fiancée, Pitts moved to Fredericksburg. While going through Bradford on another occasion, he was stunned to see that a church was being built on the very spot of his vision. There was no furniture in it, nor a bell to ring, but the church was dedicated on December 29th, 1864. As part of the dedication, William Pitts sang his song in public for the first time.
It was called “Church in the Wildwood” and quickly became popular in the area. Not long after debuting the song, Pitts moved to Chicago to attend a medical college, but he needed money for tuition. So he sold the rights to the song to the Higgins publishing company, which had published many of the popular Civil War-era ballads and marching songs. He received $25.
The song became forgotten, as did the church when the railroad bypassed Bradford in favor of Nashua.
Finally, in 1914, interest in the church was rekindled, and along with it, interest in the song. With the reopening of what we now know as the Little Brown Church in the Vale, came national acclaim for the hymn, “Church in the Wildwood”.
That seems fitting, since the two have always been linked, ever since William Pitts first performed his composition in public, on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Song for a Church"
William Pitts was a Wisconsin schoolteacher who traveled to Iowa in 1857 to visit his fiancée in Fredericksburg. On the way, the stagecoach stopped in Bradford. Pitts took a walk and discovered a vacant lot in the town that had beautiful cedar and oak trees. Inspired, he wrote a poem about the site, which he later set to music. He imagined a church nestled within those trees.
After marrying his fiancée, Pitts moved to Fredericksburg. While going through Bradford on another occasion, he was stunned to see that a church was being built on the very spot of his vision. There was no furniture in it, nor a bell to ring, but the church was dedicated on December 29th, 1864. As part of the dedication, William Pitts sang his song in public for the first time.
It was called “Church in the Wildwood” and quickly became popular in the area. Not long after debuting the song, Pitts moved to Chicago to attend a medical college, but he needed money for tuition. So he sold the rights to the song to the Higgins publishing company, which had published many of the popular Civil War-era ballads and marching songs. He received $25.
The song became forgotten, as did the church when the railroad bypassed Bradford in favor of Nashua.
Finally, in 1914, interest in the church was rekindled, and along with it, interest in the song. With the reopening of what we now know as the Little Brown Church in the Vale, came national acclaim for the hymn, “Church in the Wildwood”.
That seems fitting, since the two have always been linked, ever since William Pitts first performed his composition in public, on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 28
"It's Our Birthday"
It was on this date, December 28th, in 1846 that Iowa officially became the 29th state admitted to the union.
What we know today as Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. What was called the Iowa Territory was established in 1838, splitting off from the Wisconsin Territory. It included Iowa and parts of what is now Minnesota and North and South Dakota.
We know Des Moines as our state's capital city, but that was not always the case. The first capitol of the Iowa Territory was in Burlington. After three years there, the territory's capital moved to Iowa City in 1841. It remained the Iowa capital until 1849, when Iowa, the state, was three years old.
The name Iowa comes from the Ioway people, one of many Native American tribes living in the state at the time of European exploration. Popular lore indicates that Iowa means 'beautiful land'.
The Hawkeye State got its nickname back in territorial times. Two Burlington men, a judge and a newspaper publisher, promoted the Hawkeye name as a tribute to Chief Black Hawk; the publisher even changed the name of his paper from the Patriot to the Hawkeye, the name it still has today.
Iowa's state slogan...Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain...was developed by three members of the Iowa Senate just days after statehood. The words became part of our new state seal, and 70 years later, also part of our first official state flag.
President James K. Polk signed legislation establishing Iowa as a state, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"It's Our Birthday"
It was on this date, December 28th, in 1846 that Iowa officially became the 29th state admitted to the union.
What we know today as Iowa was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. What was called the Iowa Territory was established in 1838, splitting off from the Wisconsin Territory. It included Iowa and parts of what is now Minnesota and North and South Dakota.
We know Des Moines as our state's capital city, but that was not always the case. The first capitol of the Iowa Territory was in Burlington. After three years there, the territory's capital moved to Iowa City in 1841. It remained the Iowa capital until 1849, when Iowa, the state, was three years old.
The name Iowa comes from the Ioway people, one of many Native American tribes living in the state at the time of European exploration. Popular lore indicates that Iowa means 'beautiful land'.
The Hawkeye State got its nickname back in territorial times. Two Burlington men, a judge and a newspaper publisher, promoted the Hawkeye name as a tribute to Chief Black Hawk; the publisher even changed the name of his paper from the Patriot to the Hawkeye, the name it still has today.
Iowa's state slogan...Our Liberties We Prize and Our Rights We Will Maintain...was developed by three members of the Iowa Senate just days after statehood. The words became part of our new state seal, and 70 years later, also part of our first official state flag.
President James K. Polk signed legislation establishing Iowa as a state, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 25
"The Founder of Iowa State"
By the time Benjamin F. Gue moved to Iowa at the age of 24, he'd already had many life experiences. He was born on December 25th, 1828 on a farm in New York. His parents were Quakers and Abolutionists, and their home was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. When Ben Gue was 10 years of age, his father died, leaving his mother to raise Ben and his siblings, and to manage the farm.
In the early 1850s, he and his younger brother migrated to Iowa and farmed in Scott County. In 1856, he was a delegate to the state convention which formally organized the Republican Party in Iowa. He was elected to the state house in 1858, then the senate in 1862. He also served a term a lieutenant governor of our state.
In 1858, Gue was one of the authors of a bill to establish a state agricultural college and model farm, which became Iowa State University. He served as president of the board of trustees for what was then Iowa Agricultural College. His leadership at that pivotal time led many to call him the founder of the school.
In addition to being a farmer and a politician, Gue was a newspaper editor and publisher. His four volume history of Iowa was published in 1903 and remains the most important work on the earliest days of our state.
The founder of Iowa State University, Benjamin F. Gue, was born on this date, Christmas Day, in 1828.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Founder of Iowa State"
By the time Benjamin F. Gue moved to Iowa at the age of 24, he'd already had many life experiences. He was born on December 25th, 1828 on a farm in New York. His parents were Quakers and Abolutionists, and their home was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. When Ben Gue was 10 years of age, his father died, leaving his mother to raise Ben and his siblings, and to manage the farm.
In the early 1850s, he and his younger brother migrated to Iowa and farmed in Scott County. In 1856, he was a delegate to the state convention which formally organized the Republican Party in Iowa. He was elected to the state house in 1858, then the senate in 1862. He also served a term a lieutenant governor of our state.
In 1858, Gue was one of the authors of a bill to establish a state agricultural college and model farm, which became Iowa State University. He served as president of the board of trustees for what was then Iowa Agricultural College. His leadership at that pivotal time led many to call him the founder of the school.
In addition to being a farmer and a politician, Gue was a newspaper editor and publisher. His four volume history of Iowa was published in 1903 and remains the most important work on the earliest days of our state.
The founder of Iowa State University, Benjamin F. Gue, was born on this date, Christmas Day, in 1828.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 24
"A Raffle...or a Scam"
To some in Sioux City, John Peirce was an upstanding citizen and land developer. To others, he was a wheeler-dealer and a scam artist.
Peirce was a veteran of the Civil War from the Sixth Iowa infantry and a major promoter of Sioux City during the late 1800s, a boom time for that area of Iowa.
Like many in business, Peirce had been hurt by the national financial panic of 1893. To pay back his debts, Peirce looked for an easy answer. He decided to raffle off his well known mansion on the city's north side. He charged a dollar a ticket with the drawing to be at the Union passenger depot on Christmas Eve 1900. Some 40,000 tickets were sold. That would be worth more than $1.1-million today.
It was announced that the winner was a jeweler from Vinton. But it was soon discovered that the winning ticket was actually held by a New York millionaire, William Barbour...the same William Barbour to whom John Peirce owed a substantial debt.
To make matters worse, legal documents showed that Peirce had signed a deed transferring ownership of the mansion to Barbour nine days before the Christmas Eve drawing.
Barbour quickly sold the mansion to another party in exchange for bonds in a local bridge company. As for Peirce, he took the money and ran...literally. He wrote a farewell letter to the city that was published in the newspaper and moved with his family to Seattle. He never returned.
John Peirce's fraudulent house raffle, where he made off with what would be more than a million dollars in today's money, happened in Sioux City on this date, Christmas Eve, in 1900.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Raffle...or a Scam"
To some in Sioux City, John Peirce was an upstanding citizen and land developer. To others, he was a wheeler-dealer and a scam artist.
Peirce was a veteran of the Civil War from the Sixth Iowa infantry and a major promoter of Sioux City during the late 1800s, a boom time for that area of Iowa.
Like many in business, Peirce had been hurt by the national financial panic of 1893. To pay back his debts, Peirce looked for an easy answer. He decided to raffle off his well known mansion on the city's north side. He charged a dollar a ticket with the drawing to be at the Union passenger depot on Christmas Eve 1900. Some 40,000 tickets were sold. That would be worth more than $1.1-million today.
It was announced that the winner was a jeweler from Vinton. But it was soon discovered that the winning ticket was actually held by a New York millionaire, William Barbour...the same William Barbour to whom John Peirce owed a substantial debt.
To make matters worse, legal documents showed that Peirce had signed a deed transferring ownership of the mansion to Barbour nine days before the Christmas Eve drawing.
Barbour quickly sold the mansion to another party in exchange for bonds in a local bridge company. As for Peirce, he took the money and ran...literally. He wrote a farewell letter to the city that was published in the newspaper and moved with his family to Seattle. He never returned.
John Peirce's fraudulent house raffle, where he made off with what would be more than a million dollars in today's money, happened in Sioux City on this date, Christmas Eve, in 1900.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 23
"Planning a Zoo"
For generations in the 1900s, a zoo was a place for families to go to view animals from around the world. But you can't simply start a zoo. It's a long process, as citizens of Des Moines found out.
Back in 1961, the federal government approached the city of Des Moines about donating some land near Fort Des Moines to be used for recreational purposes. The idea of a zoo in Iowa's capital city was discussed, and on December 23rd, 1963, the city signed an agreement to create the Des Moines Children's Zoo. A.H. Blank donated $150,000 to the city to build the zoo, and civic leaders and citizens worked to raise additional funds.
On May 8, 1966, the Des Moines Children's Zoo opened. Designed primarily around nursery rhyme themes, it included a castle with a moat, Monkey Island, an animal petting area, and miniature train. Zoo director Bob Elgin welcomed 186-thousand visitors that first year alone.
By 1980, though, attendance had dropped off to only 43-thousand a year. That led to the founding of the Blank Park Zoo Foundation. Voters approved a $1.8-million bond referendum, and a community campaign raised another $1.4-million. The zoo was closed for three years for renovation, and under its new name, the Blank Park Zoo opened again in 1986, broadening its focus from just being a children's zoo.
Since then, there have been many other changes, and some years, attendance nears 400-thousand people. But it all began when the city signed off on a development agreement to create a zoo in Des Moines, on this date in 1963.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Planning a Zoo"
For generations in the 1900s, a zoo was a place for families to go to view animals from around the world. But you can't simply start a zoo. It's a long process, as citizens of Des Moines found out.
Back in 1961, the federal government approached the city of Des Moines about donating some land near Fort Des Moines to be used for recreational purposes. The idea of a zoo in Iowa's capital city was discussed, and on December 23rd, 1963, the city signed an agreement to create the Des Moines Children's Zoo. A.H. Blank donated $150,000 to the city to build the zoo, and civic leaders and citizens worked to raise additional funds.
On May 8, 1966, the Des Moines Children's Zoo opened. Designed primarily around nursery rhyme themes, it included a castle with a moat, Monkey Island, an animal petting area, and miniature train. Zoo director Bob Elgin welcomed 186-thousand visitors that first year alone.
By 1980, though, attendance had dropped off to only 43-thousand a year. That led to the founding of the Blank Park Zoo Foundation. Voters approved a $1.8-million bond referendum, and a community campaign raised another $1.4-million. The zoo was closed for three years for renovation, and under its new name, the Blank Park Zoo opened again in 1986, broadening its focus from just being a children's zoo.
Since then, there have been many other changes, and some years, attendance nears 400-thousand people. But it all began when the city signed off on a development agreement to create a zoo in Des Moines, on this date in 1963.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 22
"Dying in the Line of Service"
It was one of the deadliest fires in Iowa history, and prompted sweeping changes in the way fire departments train.
Shortly after 8 in the morning on December 22nd, 1999, fire broke out in Melissa Cooper's Keokuk apartment, one of three in a century-old two-story house. She was awakened by her 4-year-old son Jacob, who said there was a fire. She and Jacob escaped, and fire fighters soon arrived to put out the fire and rescue Melissa's other three children.
They rescued her 2-year-old twins, Robert and Rebecca, but they died a short time later. Three fire fighters re-entered the building to save 7-year-old Jessica, but they were caught in a deadly flashover.
The body of one of the fire fighters was found on the first floor of the building. The bodies of the other two were found on the second floor. One of them had little Jessica in his arms.
The fire that killed three children and three fire fighters was caused by food left on a kitchen stove.
In its 120-year history, the Keokuk Fire Department had never experienced a line-of-duty death. Then three of the department's 19 full-time members died in a single morning--Dave McNally, Jason Bitting, and Nate Tuck.
The fire was used in nationwide training for other departments, in hopes that lessons learned from the Iowa tragedy could save other lives.
But despite training and best efforts, six lives...those of three fire fighters and three children...were lost in Keokuk, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Dying in the Line of Service"
It was one of the deadliest fires in Iowa history, and prompted sweeping changes in the way fire departments train.
Shortly after 8 in the morning on December 22nd, 1999, fire broke out in Melissa Cooper's Keokuk apartment, one of three in a century-old two-story house. She was awakened by her 4-year-old son Jacob, who said there was a fire. She and Jacob escaped, and fire fighters soon arrived to put out the fire and rescue Melissa's other three children.
They rescued her 2-year-old twins, Robert and Rebecca, but they died a short time later. Three fire fighters re-entered the building to save 7-year-old Jessica, but they were caught in a deadly flashover.
The body of one of the fire fighters was found on the first floor of the building. The bodies of the other two were found on the second floor. One of them had little Jessica in his arms.
The fire that killed three children and three fire fighters was caused by food left on a kitchen stove.
In its 120-year history, the Keokuk Fire Department had never experienced a line-of-duty death. Then three of the department's 19 full-time members died in a single morning--Dave McNally, Jason Bitting, and Nate Tuck.
The fire was used in nationwide training for other departments, in hopes that lessons learned from the Iowa tragedy could save other lives.
But despite training and best efforts, six lives...those of three fire fighters and three children...were lost in Keokuk, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 21
"The Diplomat from Des Moines"
George Wildman Ball was born on December 21st, 1909 in Des Moines. His family later moved to Illinois, and he graduated from Evanston High School and Northwestern University.
After earning his law degree, Ball joined a Chicago law firm which included Adlai Stevenson II as one of its partners. Stevenson became a lifelong mentor to Ball.
His career in government began during World War II, when in 1942, he became an official of the U.S. Lend Lease program with Great Britain.
When Adlai Stevenson was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952, George Ball was one of the campaign speechwriters, served as liaison between Stevenson and President Harry Truman, and was executive director of Volunteers for Stevenson, targeting independent and Republican voters. Ball was also a major part of Stevenson's 1956 bid for the White House.
While Stevenson did not make it there, Ball did. He was Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He became well known for his opposition to escalating the Vietnam War.
During the turbulent summer of 1968, Ball was Ambassador to the United Nations, defending the right of Czechoslovakia to freedom against Soviet invasion. He later advised the Nixon administration on American policy in the Persian Gulf.
An advisor to three presidents, and our country's ambassador to the United Nations...George Ball...born in Des Moines on this date in 1909.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Diplomat from Des Moines"
George Wildman Ball was born on December 21st, 1909 in Des Moines. His family later moved to Illinois, and he graduated from Evanston High School and Northwestern University.
After earning his law degree, Ball joined a Chicago law firm which included Adlai Stevenson II as one of its partners. Stevenson became a lifelong mentor to Ball.
His career in government began during World War II, when in 1942, he became an official of the U.S. Lend Lease program with Great Britain.
When Adlai Stevenson was the Democratic presidential nominee in 1952, George Ball was one of the campaign speechwriters, served as liaison between Stevenson and President Harry Truman, and was executive director of Volunteers for Stevenson, targeting independent and Republican voters. Ball was also a major part of Stevenson's 1956 bid for the White House.
While Stevenson did not make it there, Ball did. He was Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He became well known for his opposition to escalating the Vietnam War.
During the turbulent summer of 1968, Ball was Ambassador to the United Nations, defending the right of Czechoslovakia to freedom against Soviet invasion. He later advised the Nixon administration on American policy in the Persian Gulf.
An advisor to three presidents, and our country's ambassador to the United Nations...George Ball...born in Des Moines on this date in 1909.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 18
"The Wizard of Spirit Lake"
It’s always been a popular spot for sportsmen, the area around Spirit Lake. And it’s therefore not surprising that many well-known sportsmen hail from that area.
One of the most famous was Fred Gilbert, known to all as Dood Gilbert…and known to trap shooters as the Wizard of Spirit Lake.
He was born on December 18th, 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, and it was said that young Fred Gilbert had a shotgun in his hands from the time he was able to carry one. At an early age, it was also clear he had a skill that would make him known around the world.
Trap shooting was such a big part of his life that he named his daughter Annie, after Annie Oakley, and his son Tom Marshall, after a fellow shooter and Dood’s longer mentor.
He won the World’s Pigeon Shooting Championship in Baltimore in 1895 just before he turned 30 years of age, and from then on, his shooting became his livelihood.
In the early 1900s, he traveled around the country in a private railroad car, competing at shoots for his employers, the DuPont Powder Company and the Parker Gun Company. He shot targets in every state in the union, as well as in England, Scotland, and Ireland. For years, his run of 591 straight hits in competition stood as a world record.
Dood Gilbert was inducted into the Amateur Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame in 1969, and a park toward the north end of Spirit Lake bears his name. Two others from Spirit Lake are also in the Hall—Johnny Jahn in 1976 and Bob Allen in 1982; no other town in America can claim three Hall of Famers.
Fred Gilbert…Dood…a Hall of Fame trapshooter, born in Spirit Lake, on this date in 1865.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Wizard of Spirit Lake"
It’s always been a popular spot for sportsmen, the area around Spirit Lake. And it’s therefore not surprising that many well-known sportsmen hail from that area.
One of the most famous was Fred Gilbert, known to all as Dood Gilbert…and known to trap shooters as the Wizard of Spirit Lake.
He was born on December 18th, 1865, just after the end of the Civil War, and it was said that young Fred Gilbert had a shotgun in his hands from the time he was able to carry one. At an early age, it was also clear he had a skill that would make him known around the world.
Trap shooting was such a big part of his life that he named his daughter Annie, after Annie Oakley, and his son Tom Marshall, after a fellow shooter and Dood’s longer mentor.
He won the World’s Pigeon Shooting Championship in Baltimore in 1895 just before he turned 30 years of age, and from then on, his shooting became his livelihood.
In the early 1900s, he traveled around the country in a private railroad car, competing at shoots for his employers, the DuPont Powder Company and the Parker Gun Company. He shot targets in every state in the union, as well as in England, Scotland, and Ireland. For years, his run of 591 straight hits in competition stood as a world record.
Dood Gilbert was inducted into the Amateur Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame in 1969, and a park toward the north end of Spirit Lake bears his name. Two others from Spirit Lake are also in the Hall—Johnny Jahn in 1976 and Bob Allen in 1982; no other town in America can claim three Hall of Famers.
Fred Gilbert…Dood…a Hall of Fame trapshooter, born in Spirit Lake, on this date in 1865.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 17
"Life is a Terrible Thing to Sleep Through"
Peter Hedges was born in West Des Moines in 1962. His mother was a psychotherapist; his father, a retired Episcopalian minister. The Valley High School grad was active in theater while in school, and went on to study drama in college.
Before he was 30 years of age, Hedges published his first novel. "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" told the story of a young man in Endora, Iowa, who has to care for his challenged brother Arnie and his obese mother, all of which gets in the way when love walks into his life. One review called it a classic American novel. The book was made into a movie, which premiered on December 17th, 1993.
The movie starred a young Johnny Depp as Gilbert Grape, and an even younger Leonardo DiCaprio as his brother Arnie.
DiCaprio earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film, which grossed more than $10 million nationally at the box office.
Hedges wrote the screenplay, adapting his own novel. In 2002, he received his own Academy Award nomination for adapting the screenplay for the film "About A Boy". More recently, he not only writes but directs his films.
The movie poster used the phrase "life is a terrible thing to sleep through" to promote the story of a young man whose life is at a crossroads in small town Iowa. The movie, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", from the book written by Iowa native Peter Hedges, premiered on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Life is a Terrible Thing to Sleep Through"
Peter Hedges was born in West Des Moines in 1962. His mother was a psychotherapist; his father, a retired Episcopalian minister. The Valley High School grad was active in theater while in school, and went on to study drama in college.
Before he was 30 years of age, Hedges published his first novel. "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" told the story of a young man in Endora, Iowa, who has to care for his challenged brother Arnie and his obese mother, all of which gets in the way when love walks into his life. One review called it a classic American novel. The book was made into a movie, which premiered on December 17th, 1993.
The movie starred a young Johnny Depp as Gilbert Grape, and an even younger Leonardo DiCaprio as his brother Arnie.
DiCaprio earned an Academy Award nomination for his role in the film, which grossed more than $10 million nationally at the box office.
Hedges wrote the screenplay, adapting his own novel. In 2002, he received his own Academy Award nomination for adapting the screenplay for the film "About A Boy". More recently, he not only writes but directs his films.
The movie poster used the phrase "life is a terrible thing to sleep through" to promote the story of a young man whose life is at a crossroads in small town Iowa. The movie, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape", from the book written by Iowa native Peter Hedges, premiered on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 16
"Shock Waves"
These days we know a lot about earthquakes, including measurement of their severity and to a limited degree, predicting where they might occur.
That was not the case in 1811, a time when communication was limited and it literally took days and weeks to get information from one point to another.
On December 16th, 1811, the most powerful earthquakes to hit the contiguous United States east of the Rocky Mountains occurred. The earthquakes shook all corners of the land that would soon become the Iowa Territory, and later, the state of Iowa.
The epicenter was in what is now northeast Arkansas, and the series of estimated 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that day and the next were named for the nearby Mississippi River town of New Madrid, which is now in the state of Missouri.
The earthquakes were strongly felt over a 50,000 square mile area, and roughly felt across a million square miles of our country.
Damage was not as severe as you might expect, because so much of the area at the time was sparsely populated, and largely rural. Aftershocks continued for two months.
Witnesses recall an awful noise like loud but distant thunder and awoke to find cracks in the structures of buildings.
The area is now part of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, and analysts predict a 7 to 10 percent chance of another major earthquake in that region in the next 50 years.
The first earthquakes ever reported to be felt in Iowa were part of the New Madrid earthquakes, which started on this date in 1811.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Shock Waves"
These days we know a lot about earthquakes, including measurement of their severity and to a limited degree, predicting where they might occur.
That was not the case in 1811, a time when communication was limited and it literally took days and weeks to get information from one point to another.
On December 16th, 1811, the most powerful earthquakes to hit the contiguous United States east of the Rocky Mountains occurred. The earthquakes shook all corners of the land that would soon become the Iowa Territory, and later, the state of Iowa.
The epicenter was in what is now northeast Arkansas, and the series of estimated 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that day and the next were named for the nearby Mississippi River town of New Madrid, which is now in the state of Missouri.
The earthquakes were strongly felt over a 50,000 square mile area, and roughly felt across a million square miles of our country.
Damage was not as severe as you might expect, because so much of the area at the time was sparsely populated, and largely rural. Aftershocks continued for two months.
Witnesses recall an awful noise like loud but distant thunder and awoke to find cracks in the structures of buildings.
The area is now part of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, and analysts predict a 7 to 10 percent chance of another major earthquake in that region in the next 50 years.
The first earthquakes ever reported to be felt in Iowa were part of the New Madrid earthquakes, which started on this date in 1811.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 15
"Completing the Road"
Interstate 80 runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. In Iowa, the east/west roadway enters our state at the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, cuts through the capital city of Des Moines, through the former capital city of Iowa City, and passes along the northern edges of Davenport and Bettendorf before leaving the state via the Congressman Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River into Illinois.
Prior to the interstate, the most common roadway connecting east to west along the southern half of the state was what became U.S. Highway 6. In fact, it became the busiest highway in the state.
It took 14 years to complete I-80 in Iowa. The first section opened in the western suburbs of Des Moines in 1958. Construction in eastern Iowa was finished in 1966. The final piece of I-80 in Iowa, the Missouri River bridge to Omaha, opened on December 15th, 1972.
The majority of I-80 runs through farmland, yet roughly one-third of Iowa’s total population lives along the Interstate 80 corridor.
The Iowa Department of Transportation operates 9 rest areas along the I-80 route. And near Walcott on the eastern end of the state is the world’s largest truck stop, Iowa 80.
The final stretch of Interstate 80 in Iowa, the bridge over the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha, opened on this date, in 1972.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Completing the Road"
Interstate 80 runs from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey. In Iowa, the east/west roadway enters our state at the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, cuts through the capital city of Des Moines, through the former capital city of Iowa City, and passes along the northern edges of Davenport and Bettendorf before leaving the state via the Congressman Fred Schwengel Memorial Bridge over the Mississippi River into Illinois.
Prior to the interstate, the most common roadway connecting east to west along the southern half of the state was what became U.S. Highway 6. In fact, it became the busiest highway in the state.
It took 14 years to complete I-80 in Iowa. The first section opened in the western suburbs of Des Moines in 1958. Construction in eastern Iowa was finished in 1966. The final piece of I-80 in Iowa, the Missouri River bridge to Omaha, opened on December 15th, 1972.
The majority of I-80 runs through farmland, yet roughly one-third of Iowa’s total population lives along the Interstate 80 corridor.
The Iowa Department of Transportation operates 9 rest areas along the I-80 route. And near Walcott on the eastern end of the state is the world’s largest truck stop, Iowa 80.
The final stretch of Interstate 80 in Iowa, the bridge over the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Omaha, opened on this date, in 1972.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 14
"Iowa's Record-Setting Governor"
When Terry Branstad woke up this morning, he made history.
This is his 7,642nd day serving as Iowa's governor, over two different tenures in office. That is longer than any other governor has served in American history. He breaks the record of New York governor George Clinton, who also served during two different tenures--from 1777 to 1795, and again from 1801 to 1804.
Branstad long ago set the record for Iowa's longest-serving governor. That all happened when he was governor the first time, from 1983 to 1999. He returned to office in 2011.
Branstad is now 69 years of age, and has served as governor for just under 21 years. When he was first elected, he was 36---almost half his lifetime ago--and set a record then for becoming the youngest governor in state history.
Prior to being elected as governor, he served a four-year term as Robert Ray's last lieutenant governor, and before that, he served three terms in the Iowa House.
That's 31 years of elected service. But he has a longer string going than that; he and his wife Chris have been married since 1972, more than 43 years.
Today, the governor will hold an open house at the capitol, and be the guest of honor at a gala event tonight, with proceeds to support one of his passions, preserving Iowa history.
Terry Edward Branstad, the 39th and 42nd governor of the state of Iowa, and now, the longest serving governor in American history. And it's happening today...on this date, in 2015.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Record-Setting Governor"
When Terry Branstad woke up this morning, he made history.
This is his 7,642nd day serving as Iowa's governor, over two different tenures in office. That is longer than any other governor has served in American history. He breaks the record of New York governor George Clinton, who also served during two different tenures--from 1777 to 1795, and again from 1801 to 1804.
Branstad long ago set the record for Iowa's longest-serving governor. That all happened when he was governor the first time, from 1983 to 1999. He returned to office in 2011.
Branstad is now 69 years of age, and has served as governor for just under 21 years. When he was first elected, he was 36---almost half his lifetime ago--and set a record then for becoming the youngest governor in state history.
Prior to being elected as governor, he served a four-year term as Robert Ray's last lieutenant governor, and before that, he served three terms in the Iowa House.
That's 31 years of elected service. But he has a longer string going than that; he and his wife Chris have been married since 1972, more than 43 years.
Today, the governor will hold an open house at the capitol, and be the guest of honor at a gala event tonight, with proceeds to support one of his passions, preserving Iowa history.
Terry Edward Branstad, the 39th and 42nd governor of the state of Iowa, and now, the longest serving governor in American history. And it's happening today...on this date, in 2015.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 11
"Partnering With The Soviets"
It was no surprise that young John Chrystal would be involved in agriculture and dealings with the Soviet Union.
Chrystal's uncle was Roswell Garst, who hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on his farm in 1959. Chrystal was there, and soon followed in his uncle's footsteps, making his own first trip to the Soviet Union in 1960, touring key agricultural areas and offering criticism of Soviet farming methods.
John Chrystal was invited back more than 30 times over the years, and became a confidant not only of Khrushchev, but of a then-obscure official named Mikhail Gorbachev.
Chrystal was criticized at times for this close association with the Soviets, but in his view, if they prospered from learning better ag methods, they would become better customers of the U.S.
"And if we can be less afraid of each other," he said, "we have a better chance of stopping the arms race and not blowing each other up."
He became chairman and CEO of the Bankers Trust Company in the 1980s, while maintaining a partnership with his brother, running the family farm. He even ran for the Democrat nomination for governor.
As a country banker in Iowa, he helped farmers achieve their dreams by providing money to grow their corn and hog operations. As an international ag expert, he lent advice on growing methods and trade relations. John Chrystal of Coon Rapids, born on this date in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Partnering With The Soviets"
It was no surprise that young John Chrystal would be involved in agriculture and dealings with the Soviet Union.
Chrystal's uncle was Roswell Garst, who hosted Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev on his farm in 1959. Chrystal was there, and soon followed in his uncle's footsteps, making his own first trip to the Soviet Union in 1960, touring key agricultural areas and offering criticism of Soviet farming methods.
John Chrystal was invited back more than 30 times over the years, and became a confidant not only of Khrushchev, but of a then-obscure official named Mikhail Gorbachev.
Chrystal was criticized at times for this close association with the Soviets, but in his view, if they prospered from learning better ag methods, they would become better customers of the U.S.
"And if we can be less afraid of each other," he said, "we have a better chance of stopping the arms race and not blowing each other up."
He became chairman and CEO of the Bankers Trust Company in the 1980s, while maintaining a partnership with his brother, running the family farm. He even ran for the Democrat nomination for governor.
As a country banker in Iowa, he helped farmers achieve their dreams by providing money to grow their corn and hog operations. As an international ag expert, he lent advice on growing methods and trade relations. John Chrystal of Coon Rapids, born on this date in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 10
"On The Cover"
Albert Cummins was a powerful Iowa political figure. He served as our state's governor, and later for 18 years as a U.S. Senator from the state. He even ran for president twice, in both 1912 and 1916.
After an early career as a civil engineer building railroads, he became a lawyer. In his most famous case, he represented a group of farmers in an attempt to break an eastern syndicate's control of the production of barbed wire.
A Republican, he generally supported Democrat President Woodrow Wilson's efforts to regulate business, and even wrote a clause of the Sherman Anti-trust Act. But on foreign policy matters, especially as they related to the first world war, he stuck to his party's platform.
Cummins was president pro tem of the U.S. Senate for six years, from 1919 to 1925. He also chaired the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and the body's committee on interstate commerce.
It was because of that power in Washington that a new weekly newsmagazine put Albert Cummins on the cover of its December 10th, 1923 issue. The magazine had only been around for six months at that point, but it would come to be one of the most recognized names in American journalism--Time magazine.
Cummins lost a primary fight for re-election in 1926, and died a month after at the age of 76.
A national political figure from Iowa, governor and U.S. senator Albert Cummins was pictured on the cover of Time magazine, on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"On The Cover"
Albert Cummins was a powerful Iowa political figure. He served as our state's governor, and later for 18 years as a U.S. Senator from the state. He even ran for president twice, in both 1912 and 1916.
After an early career as a civil engineer building railroads, he became a lawyer. In his most famous case, he represented a group of farmers in an attempt to break an eastern syndicate's control of the production of barbed wire.
A Republican, he generally supported Democrat President Woodrow Wilson's efforts to regulate business, and even wrote a clause of the Sherman Anti-trust Act. But on foreign policy matters, especially as they related to the first world war, he stuck to his party's platform.
Cummins was president pro tem of the U.S. Senate for six years, from 1919 to 1925. He also chaired the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and the body's committee on interstate commerce.
It was because of that power in Washington that a new weekly newsmagazine put Albert Cummins on the cover of its December 10th, 1923 issue. The magazine had only been around for six months at that point, but it would come to be one of the most recognized names in American journalism--Time magazine.
Cummins lost a primary fight for re-election in 1926, and died a month after at the age of 76.
A national political figure from Iowa, governor and U.S. senator Albert Cummins was pictured on the cover of Time magazine, on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 9
"The First Heisman"
John Jay Berwanger was born in Dubuque on March 19, 1914. He was a talented athlete and played football at the University of Chicago in the 1930s, when the school was part of the Big Ten Conference.
Berwanger played halfback for the Maroons. But that wasn't all. He called plays, ran, passed, punted, blocked, tackled, kicked off, kicked extra points, and returned punts and kickoffs.
In a 1934 game against Michigan, he was tackled by future president Gerald Ford. But the tackle was more memorable for Ford, who suffered a gash under his left eye while making the tackle, and bore the scar the rest of his life.
In November 1935, Jay Berwanger received a telegram from Manhattan's Downtown Athletic Club, informing him he had won a trophy for being the most valuable football player east of the Mississippi. It included a trip for two to New York, which Berwanger later said was more important than the trophy, because it included his first airplane flight.
That first trophy actually didn't have a name. It was named for athletic club director John W. Heisman the following year.
That wasn't the end of firsts for Jay Berwanger. In the first National Football League draft in the spring of 1936, he was the first player selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. They traded his rights to the Chicago Bears, but Berwanger and legendary Bears coach George Halas could not agree on a salary. So he never played pro ball.
For some years, that trophy was actually used as a doorstop in his aunt's house. Later, as the award became more prestigious, the trophy was placed on display at the university.
The first winner of what became the Heisman Trophy, Dubuque native Jay Berwanger, picked up his trophy in New York on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Heisman"
John Jay Berwanger was born in Dubuque on March 19, 1914. He was a talented athlete and played football at the University of Chicago in the 1930s, when the school was part of the Big Ten Conference.
Berwanger played halfback for the Maroons. But that wasn't all. He called plays, ran, passed, punted, blocked, tackled, kicked off, kicked extra points, and returned punts and kickoffs.
In a 1934 game against Michigan, he was tackled by future president Gerald Ford. But the tackle was more memorable for Ford, who suffered a gash under his left eye while making the tackle, and bore the scar the rest of his life.
In November 1935, Jay Berwanger received a telegram from Manhattan's Downtown Athletic Club, informing him he had won a trophy for being the most valuable football player east of the Mississippi. It included a trip for two to New York, which Berwanger later said was more important than the trophy, because it included his first airplane flight.
That first trophy actually didn't have a name. It was named for athletic club director John W. Heisman the following year.
That wasn't the end of firsts for Jay Berwanger. In the first National Football League draft in the spring of 1936, he was the first player selected by the Philadelphia Eagles. They traded his rights to the Chicago Bears, but Berwanger and legendary Bears coach George Halas could not agree on a salary. So he never played pro ball.
For some years, that trophy was actually used as a doorstop in his aunt's house. Later, as the award became more prestigious, the trophy was placed on display at the university.
The first winner of what became the Heisman Trophy, Dubuque native Jay Berwanger, picked up his trophy in New York on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 8
"Marking The Trail"
It was the Great National North and South Highway...the Daniel Boone Trail. While many groups tried to connect the United States from east to west during the early 1900s, the Daniel Boone Trail Association was one of the first to connect the country with a reliable roadway from north to south...from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
The path was to honor two of the greatest pioneers of the Mississippi Valley--Daniel Boone and his youngest son, Nathan. Colonel Nathan Boone was responsible for making the trail known when he marched with his U.S. troops through Iowa to Minnesota in 1835.
On December 8th, 1915, the Boone Commercial Association met in Fort Dodge to begin retracing and resurrecting the northern portion of the Boone Trail. Less than two months later, a similar meeting was held in Moberly, Missouri to revive the southern part of the trail.
The day after the Fort Dodge meeting, representatives wrote to the Iowa State Highway Commission, seeking registration of the official Daniel Boone Trail stretching from Des Moines to St. Paul, traveling through Polk City, Madrid, Boone, Boxholm, Ogden, Fort Dodge, Dakota City, Humboldt, Algona, Burt, Bancroft, and Elmore in Iowa.
It took a year for the trail supporters to gather enough funds to make the project a reality. Finally, in January 1917, the route was approved by state officials and construction began.
The Daniel Boone Trail connected the United States from north to south, connecting cities in what was called the very garden of the Mississippi Valley, over a route laid out by nature herself. And it all started with a planning meeting in Fort Dodge, on this date in 1915.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Marking The Trail"
It was the Great National North and South Highway...the Daniel Boone Trail. While many groups tried to connect the United States from east to west during the early 1900s, the Daniel Boone Trail Association was one of the first to connect the country with a reliable roadway from north to south...from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
The path was to honor two of the greatest pioneers of the Mississippi Valley--Daniel Boone and his youngest son, Nathan. Colonel Nathan Boone was responsible for making the trail known when he marched with his U.S. troops through Iowa to Minnesota in 1835.
On December 8th, 1915, the Boone Commercial Association met in Fort Dodge to begin retracing and resurrecting the northern portion of the Boone Trail. Less than two months later, a similar meeting was held in Moberly, Missouri to revive the southern part of the trail.
The day after the Fort Dodge meeting, representatives wrote to the Iowa State Highway Commission, seeking registration of the official Daniel Boone Trail stretching from Des Moines to St. Paul, traveling through Polk City, Madrid, Boone, Boxholm, Ogden, Fort Dodge, Dakota City, Humboldt, Algona, Burt, Bancroft, and Elmore in Iowa.
It took a year for the trail supporters to gather enough funds to make the project a reality. Finally, in January 1917, the route was approved by state officials and construction began.
The Daniel Boone Trail connected the United States from north to south, connecting cities in what was called the very garden of the Mississippi Valley, over a route laid out by nature herself. And it all started with a planning meeting in Fort Dodge, on this date in 1915.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, December 7
"The First to Make the Ultimate Sacrifice"
Father Aloysius Schmitt had just finished saying Sunday mass on the battleship USS Oklahoma on December 7th, 1941. Then, the unthinkable happened.
Aloysius Schmitt was born in St. Lucas, Iowa on December 4th, 1909. He studied at Loras College in Dubuque, and then prepared for the priesthood as a seminarian in Rome. After serving in parishes in Dubuque and Cheyenne, Wyoming, Father Schmitt received permission to become a chaplain and joined the United States Navy in the summer of 1939, shortly before turning age 30.
As he prepared for mass on December 7th, 1941, Schmitt had just celebrated his 32nd birthday three days earlier, and was one day away from the sixth anniversary of being ordained.
No sooner had he finished the service, than the call went out on the battleship for "general quarters". The USS Oklahoma was near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Japanese were attacking.
The Oklahoma capsized, trapping a number of sailors and Father Schmitt in a compartment with a small porthole as the only means of escape. Father Schmitt helped a number of men through that porthole, and when it was his turn, he declined and turned back to help more men get out. A dozen men escaped thanks to his efforts.
But Father Schmitt made the ultimate sacrifice. He died that day on board the Oklahoma. While his body was never found, his liturgical book was
A destroyer escort named the USS Schmitt was commissioned in his honor in 1943. And the chapel at his alma mater was dedicated in his memory.
The first chaplain of any faith to have died in World War II, Iowa native Father Aloysius Schmitt, died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First to Make the Ultimate Sacrifice"
Father Aloysius Schmitt had just finished saying Sunday mass on the battleship USS Oklahoma on December 7th, 1941. Then, the unthinkable happened.
Aloysius Schmitt was born in St. Lucas, Iowa on December 4th, 1909. He studied at Loras College in Dubuque, and then prepared for the priesthood as a seminarian in Rome. After serving in parishes in Dubuque and Cheyenne, Wyoming, Father Schmitt received permission to become a chaplain and joined the United States Navy in the summer of 1939, shortly before turning age 30.
As he prepared for mass on December 7th, 1941, Schmitt had just celebrated his 32nd birthday three days earlier, and was one day away from the sixth anniversary of being ordained.
No sooner had he finished the service, than the call went out on the battleship for "general quarters". The USS Oklahoma was near Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the Japanese were attacking.
The Oklahoma capsized, trapping a number of sailors and Father Schmitt in a compartment with a small porthole as the only means of escape. Father Schmitt helped a number of men through that porthole, and when it was his turn, he declined and turned back to help more men get out. A dozen men escaped thanks to his efforts.
But Father Schmitt made the ultimate sacrifice. He died that day on board the Oklahoma. While his body was never found, his liturgical book was
A destroyer escort named the USS Schmitt was commissioned in his honor in 1943. And the chapel at his alma mater was dedicated in his memory.
The first chaplain of any faith to have died in World War II, Iowa native Father Aloysius Schmitt, died in the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, December 4
"The Most Beautiful Woman in the World"
Helen Louise Leonard was born in Clinton on December 4th, 1861. Her father was an editor of the Clinton Herald newspaper; her mother, a leader of the suffrage movement. They nicknamed her Nellie.
When Nellie Leonard was a child, the family moved to Chicago. By the time she was 15, she had moved to New York and soon became noticed. Her facial features were termed perfect, her figure voluptuous, and her soprano voice beautiful. The Father of Vaudeville, Tony Pastor, discovered Nellie in 1879 and made her a star. But not as Nellie Leonard, rather by the stage name Lillian Russell.
She became known as the Great American Beauty. Earning up to $5,000 per week in the early 1900s, she'd take the stage in a $3,900, diamond-studded corset and sing her signature song, "Come Down, My Evening Star".
She was often seen with her friend, Diamond Jim Brady, riding bicycles in New York's Central Park. She'd be on a gold-plated bike set with diamonds and emeralds, which cost $1,900.
But even as the lavish Lillian Russell, there was still a part of the Iowa girl left. Her favorite food was always corn on the cob.
From a humble beginning in Clinton as Helen Louise Leonard, the glamorous early 20th century performer Lillian Russell was born on this date in 1861.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Most Beautiful Woman in the World"
Helen Louise Leonard was born in Clinton on December 4th, 1861. Her father was an editor of the Clinton Herald newspaper; her mother, a leader of the suffrage movement. They nicknamed her Nellie.
When Nellie Leonard was a child, the family moved to Chicago. By the time she was 15, she had moved to New York and soon became noticed. Her facial features were termed perfect, her figure voluptuous, and her soprano voice beautiful. The Father of Vaudeville, Tony Pastor, discovered Nellie in 1879 and made her a star. But not as Nellie Leonard, rather by the stage name Lillian Russell.
She became known as the Great American Beauty. Earning up to $5,000 per week in the early 1900s, she'd take the stage in a $3,900, diamond-studded corset and sing her signature song, "Come Down, My Evening Star".
She was often seen with her friend, Diamond Jim Brady, riding bicycles in New York's Central Park. She'd be on a gold-plated bike set with diamonds and emeralds, which cost $1,900.
But even as the lavish Lillian Russell, there was still a part of the Iowa girl left. Her favorite food was always corn on the cob.
From a humble beginning in Clinton as Helen Louise Leonard, the glamorous early 20th century performer Lillian Russell was born on this date in 1861.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, December 3
"The First Inauguration"
Iowa became a state in December of 1846. The territorial government was converted to a state government, and Iowa's first state governor was an unlikely choice.
Ansel Briggs was a Vermont native who moved from Ohio to Iowa in 1839 after hearing of great opportunities in the new land. He opened a stagecoach business and earned a good living transporting mail for the government.
His travel in eastern Iowa for his business led him to become well known, and he soon held various positions, declaring himself a Democrat.
As Iowa was forming its state government, Briggs became a candidate for governor, using as his slogan a toast he had once made at a banquet--"No banks but earth, and they well tilled." He won the nomination against two opponents, and then won the general election against his Whig opponent by only 247 votes out of more than 15,000 cast.
On December 3, 1846, an informal inauguration was held for Iowa's first governor. A committee of two Senators and two Representatives escorted Briggs into the House Chamber of the Capitol in Iowa City. The Chief Justice administered an oath. Then the governor sat and listened as his inaugural address was read aloud by a friend who was a member of the state Senate. He asked for the General Assembly's "aid and indulgence" as he began the job.
Briggs declined to serve more than that first four-year term, believing the job should be placed in more capable hands. A consistently humble man, he did not live in Iowa City, the capitol, while governor. He lived in his Iowa home town of Andrew in Jackson County, despite the fact there were no traveled roads from there to Iowa City. Briggs would make the trips on horseback and on foot, days and nights at a time.
That's how Ansel Briggs got to Iowa City to be sworn in as Iowa's first governor, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Inauguration"
Iowa became a state in December of 1846. The territorial government was converted to a state government, and Iowa's first state governor was an unlikely choice.
Ansel Briggs was a Vermont native who moved from Ohio to Iowa in 1839 after hearing of great opportunities in the new land. He opened a stagecoach business and earned a good living transporting mail for the government.
His travel in eastern Iowa for his business led him to become well known, and he soon held various positions, declaring himself a Democrat.
As Iowa was forming its state government, Briggs became a candidate for governor, using as his slogan a toast he had once made at a banquet--"No banks but earth, and they well tilled." He won the nomination against two opponents, and then won the general election against his Whig opponent by only 247 votes out of more than 15,000 cast.
On December 3, 1846, an informal inauguration was held for Iowa's first governor. A committee of two Senators and two Representatives escorted Briggs into the House Chamber of the Capitol in Iowa City. The Chief Justice administered an oath. Then the governor sat and listened as his inaugural address was read aloud by a friend who was a member of the state Senate. He asked for the General Assembly's "aid and indulgence" as he began the job.
Briggs declined to serve more than that first four-year term, believing the job should be placed in more capable hands. A consistently humble man, he did not live in Iowa City, the capitol, while governor. He lived in his Iowa home town of Andrew in Jackson County, despite the fact there were no traveled roads from there to Iowa City. Briggs would make the trips on horseback and on foot, days and nights at a time.
That's how Ansel Briggs got to Iowa City to be sworn in as Iowa's first governor, on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, December 2
"The Ames Project"
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, the head of physical chemistry at Iowa State College, Professor Frank Spedding, was quietly recruited by the federal government for a war-related project. After travelling to meetings in Chicago and elsewhere, Spedding convinced his colleagues that his portion of the research should be done in his lab in Ames. Iowa State president Charles Friley gave his permission, even though details at the project were top secret and he didn't have the proper security clearance at the time.
Spedding had expertise in spectroscopy and separation of rare earth elements. That was important because he now was part of the Manhattan Project, which led to development of the atomic bomb. Spedding and his team in Ames, including chemist Harley Wilhelm, were tasked with the job of transforming bulk uranium ore into highly purified uranium metal. By February 1942, only two months after the U.S. entered World War II, a new team was up and running in Ames.
By September of that year, they had their first breakthrough...creation of small blocks of pure uranium metal, the first ones ever manufactured. On December 2nd, 1942, Spedding and a group of 40 scientists, including the noted physicist Enrico Fermi, watched a test of the Iowa State discovery at the University of Chicago. Workers there had converted an old squash court into a mini-reactor. The material developed in Ames was the key component leading to a reaction and production of nuclear energy, which would later be channeled into development of the most destructive bomb ever created.
Work continued in Ames secretly, and then on August 6th, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped from a plane piloted by a former Iowan. The work of the Ames Project then became known.
The Manhattan Project's first breakthrough, converting theory to practice, was made possible because of research done at Iowa State, successfully tested on this date in 1942.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Ames Project"
Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, the head of physical chemistry at Iowa State College, Professor Frank Spedding, was quietly recruited by the federal government for a war-related project. After travelling to meetings in Chicago and elsewhere, Spedding convinced his colleagues that his portion of the research should be done in his lab in Ames. Iowa State president Charles Friley gave his permission, even though details at the project were top secret and he didn't have the proper security clearance at the time.
Spedding had expertise in spectroscopy and separation of rare earth elements. That was important because he now was part of the Manhattan Project, which led to development of the atomic bomb. Spedding and his team in Ames, including chemist Harley Wilhelm, were tasked with the job of transforming bulk uranium ore into highly purified uranium metal. By February 1942, only two months after the U.S. entered World War II, a new team was up and running in Ames.
By September of that year, they had their first breakthrough...creation of small blocks of pure uranium metal, the first ones ever manufactured. On December 2nd, 1942, Spedding and a group of 40 scientists, including the noted physicist Enrico Fermi, watched a test of the Iowa State discovery at the University of Chicago. Workers there had converted an old squash court into a mini-reactor. The material developed in Ames was the key component leading to a reaction and production of nuclear energy, which would later be channeled into development of the most destructive bomb ever created.
Work continued in Ames secretly, and then on August 6th, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped from a plane piloted by a former Iowan. The work of the Ames Project then became known.
The Manhattan Project's first breakthrough, converting theory to practice, was made possible because of research done at Iowa State, successfully tested on this date in 1942.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, December 1
"A Home for Veterans"
The Civil War claimed the lives of 13,001 Iowans. Many others returned home, in need of care.
Governor Samuel Kirkwood proposed building a home for disabled Civil War veterans from Iowa. 75 of Iowa's 99 counties competed to have the soldiers home located in their county.
Marshalltown citizens, many of whom still remembered the city's failed attempt to locate the state capitol in their city, followed by a failed attempt to house a land grant college, raised $30,000 to show the Iowa House and Senate the community was serious about providing a place for Iowa's veterans.
In March 1886, the General Assembly appropriated $75,000 to purchase land and another $25,000 to run the home for its first year. A month later, Marshalltown was officially chosen as the site.
The Main Building of the Iowa Soldier's Home was completed on November 30th, 1887, and the next day, December 1st, the first resident was admitted--Amos Fox of Livermore.
The Main Building, with its capacity of 200 residents, became the men's dormitory, and was used for 76 years, until it was demolished in 1963.
In 1892, cottages were constructed, to be used by veterans and their spouses who wanted to live together.
Today, what is now the Iowa Veterans Home is the third largest state veterans home in the country with 755 available beds.
But the first resident of the Iowa Soldiers Home, Civil War veteran Amos Fox, entered the facility in Marshalltown on this date in 1887.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Home for Veterans"
The Civil War claimed the lives of 13,001 Iowans. Many others returned home, in need of care.
Governor Samuel Kirkwood proposed building a home for disabled Civil War veterans from Iowa. 75 of Iowa's 99 counties competed to have the soldiers home located in their county.
Marshalltown citizens, many of whom still remembered the city's failed attempt to locate the state capitol in their city, followed by a failed attempt to house a land grant college, raised $30,000 to show the Iowa House and Senate the community was serious about providing a place for Iowa's veterans.
In March 1886, the General Assembly appropriated $75,000 to purchase land and another $25,000 to run the home for its first year. A month later, Marshalltown was officially chosen as the site.
The Main Building of the Iowa Soldier's Home was completed on November 30th, 1887, and the next day, December 1st, the first resident was admitted--Amos Fox of Livermore.
The Main Building, with its capacity of 200 residents, became the men's dormitory, and was used for 76 years, until it was demolished in 1963.
In 1892, cottages were constructed, to be used by veterans and their spouses who wanted to live together.
Today, what is now the Iowa Veterans Home is the third largest state veterans home in the country with 755 available beds.
But the first resident of the Iowa Soldiers Home, Civil War veteran Amos Fox, entered the facility in Marshalltown on this date in 1887.
And that's Iowa Almanac for December 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 30
"The Video Game Capital of the World"
During the summer of 1981, a man named Walter Day visited more than 100 video game arcades over four months, recording the high scores he found on each game.
After that tour, on November 10, he opened his own arcade in Ottumwa, naming it Twin Galaxies. On February 9 of the next year, his database of records from that summer 1981 tour was released publicly as the Twin Galaxies National Scoreboard.
Twin Galaxies became known as the official scoreboard, arranging contests between top players. Twin Galaxies' first event in 1982 attracted international media attention for gathering the first teams of video-game stars.
Similar competitions were also conducted during the next two summers when Walter Day organized players in many states, including Iowa, to form teams and compete in high score contests for the Guinness Book of World Records.
On November 30, 1982, Ottumwa mayor Jerry Parker declared Ottumwa to be the "Video Game Capital of the World".
That claim was backed up by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, the Atari video game company, and the Amusement Game Manufacturers Association in a ceremony at Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa in early 1983.
In January 1983, Twin Galaxies organized the first significant video-game championship, to crown a world champion. This event was filmed in Ottumwa by ABC-TV's That's Incredible! and was aired on the night of February 21, 1983.
Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day left the company in 2010 to pursue a career in music. But his work led to Ottumwa being dubbed the Video Game Capital of the World, on this date in 1982.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Video Game Capital of the World"
During the summer of 1981, a man named Walter Day visited more than 100 video game arcades over four months, recording the high scores he found on each game.
After that tour, on November 10, he opened his own arcade in Ottumwa, naming it Twin Galaxies. On February 9 of the next year, his database of records from that summer 1981 tour was released publicly as the Twin Galaxies National Scoreboard.
Twin Galaxies became known as the official scoreboard, arranging contests between top players. Twin Galaxies' first event in 1982 attracted international media attention for gathering the first teams of video-game stars.
Similar competitions were also conducted during the next two summers when Walter Day organized players in many states, including Iowa, to form teams and compete in high score contests for the Guinness Book of World Records.
On November 30, 1982, Ottumwa mayor Jerry Parker declared Ottumwa to be the "Video Game Capital of the World".
That claim was backed up by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, the Atari video game company, and the Amusement Game Manufacturers Association in a ceremony at Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa in early 1983.
In January 1983, Twin Galaxies organized the first significant video-game championship, to crown a world champion. This event was filmed in Ottumwa by ABC-TV's That's Incredible! and was aired on the night of February 21, 1983.
Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day left the company in 2010 to pursue a career in music. But his work led to Ottumwa being dubbed the Video Game Capital of the World, on this date in 1982.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 27
"A Life Centered On Faith"
Sarah Pollard was born in Bloomfield on November 27th, 1862. You won't recognize her by that name, because early on, she decided she didn't like it, and instead went by Adelaide Pollard.
A deeply religious woman, by the time she was 40 years of age in 1902, Adelaide wanted to travel to Africa to become a missionary. But she could not raise the needed money.
Discouraged, she attended a prayer meeting one evening, and was inspired by the meditations that night. She went home and wrote a hymn, which millions have sung in the century since it was written.
Have Thine own way, Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Adelaide wrote more than 100 other songs, but since she seldom sought credit, we don't know how many for sure.
Just before World War I, she did reach Africa, but the fighting forced her to retreat to Scotland. She returned to the U.S. after the war and continued preaching until her death due to a ruptured appendix just before Christmas 1934, at the age of 72. She's buried in a cemetery in Fort Madison.
You may not recall her name, but you've no doubt sung her hymns. Adelaide Pollard, born in Iowa on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Life Centered On Faith"
Sarah Pollard was born in Bloomfield on November 27th, 1862. You won't recognize her by that name, because early on, she decided she didn't like it, and instead went by Adelaide Pollard.
A deeply religious woman, by the time she was 40 years of age in 1902, Adelaide wanted to travel to Africa to become a missionary. But she could not raise the needed money.
Discouraged, she attended a prayer meeting one evening, and was inspired by the meditations that night. She went home and wrote a hymn, which millions have sung in the century since it was written.
Have Thine own way, Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Adelaide wrote more than 100 other songs, but since she seldom sought credit, we don't know how many for sure.
Just before World War I, she did reach Africa, but the fighting forced her to retreat to Scotland. She returned to the U.S. after the war and continued preaching until her death due to a ruptured appendix just before Christmas 1934, at the age of 72. She's buried in a cemetery in Fort Madison.
You may not recall her name, but you've no doubt sung her hymns. Adelaide Pollard, born in Iowa on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 26
"They Love to Sing"
In March 1868, four homesick Norwegian immigrants in northeastern Iowa began to sing together regularly. They took the name Luren from an area in Norway, and so began what we known today as the Luren Singing Society.
The Luren Singing Society is the world's oldest Norwegian-American male chorus, now in its 148th year of continuous existence, with the slogan, "We Love To Sing!"
For many years, the group gathered and shared fellowship. But on November 26th, 1874, it was time for a public concert. The group of 22 had been practicing twice a week for most of that year. The concert at Radliff's Hall in Cresco cost attendees 50 cents a ticket, but that included a dance afterwards.
The printed program showed 11 choral pieces in Norse and three solos by chorus director Emil Berg.
A month later, the group had its first Decorah concert, in the Steyer Opera House.
The next year, a group of Decorah women made a large banner for the Luren Singers. That original banner hangs today in the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah.
The Luren Singing Society, the world's oldest Norwegian-American male chorus, performed at World's Fairs in two different centuries. But their first public concert was in Cresco, on this date, in 1874.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"They Love to Sing"
In March 1868, four homesick Norwegian immigrants in northeastern Iowa began to sing together regularly. They took the name Luren from an area in Norway, and so began what we known today as the Luren Singing Society.
The Luren Singing Society is the world's oldest Norwegian-American male chorus, now in its 148th year of continuous existence, with the slogan, "We Love To Sing!"
For many years, the group gathered and shared fellowship. But on November 26th, 1874, it was time for a public concert. The group of 22 had been practicing twice a week for most of that year. The concert at Radliff's Hall in Cresco cost attendees 50 cents a ticket, but that included a dance afterwards.
The printed program showed 11 choral pieces in Norse and three solos by chorus director Emil Berg.
A month later, the group had its first Decorah concert, in the Steyer Opera House.
The next year, a group of Decorah women made a large banner for the Luren Singers. That original banner hangs today in the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah.
The Luren Singing Society, the world's oldest Norwegian-American male chorus, performed at World's Fairs in two different centuries. But their first public concert was in Cresco, on this date, in 1874.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 25
"Saving The Cupola"
As was the case in many Iowa counties, a fierce fight developed over time over where the county seat of Butler County would be located. There was Clarksville and Butler Center, but ultimately Allison became the choice, in great part because of how the railroad lines ran.
Even after a courthouse was built there, over nearly a century, the citizens were torn about the building. Voters approved adding on to it a few times, and a few other times proposals to build new buildings were rejected.
Finally, in May 1973, voters approved a new courthouse in a vote that had to be delayed a month because of the historic April blizzard that year.
The new courthouse would cost just under a million dollars. It took a year and a half to build, and was opened on December 14, 1975 on a piece of ground just to the south of the old one.
But a few weeks before that, on November 25, 1975, the 94-year-old courthouse made news when an Iowa National Guard helicopter lifted the distinctive round cupola off the building, carefully placing it on the courthouse grounds. It was to be a county American Revolution Bicentennial project, and include a hall of fame of county residents.
In April 1976, the old courthouse was torn down, leaving its replacement standing on the courthouse grounds. But there was one reminder of the old building left. The cupola from the old courthouse, left to honor the old structure, was moved by helicopter to the ground on this date in 1975.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Saving The Cupola"
As was the case in many Iowa counties, a fierce fight developed over time over where the county seat of Butler County would be located. There was Clarksville and Butler Center, but ultimately Allison became the choice, in great part because of how the railroad lines ran.
Even after a courthouse was built there, over nearly a century, the citizens were torn about the building. Voters approved adding on to it a few times, and a few other times proposals to build new buildings were rejected.
Finally, in May 1973, voters approved a new courthouse in a vote that had to be delayed a month because of the historic April blizzard that year.
The new courthouse would cost just under a million dollars. It took a year and a half to build, and was opened on December 14, 1975 on a piece of ground just to the south of the old one.
But a few weeks before that, on November 25, 1975, the 94-year-old courthouse made news when an Iowa National Guard helicopter lifted the distinctive round cupola off the building, carefully placing it on the courthouse grounds. It was to be a county American Revolution Bicentennial project, and include a hall of fame of county residents.
In April 1976, the old courthouse was torn down, leaving its replacement standing on the courthouse grounds. But there was one reminder of the old building left. The cupola from the old courthouse, left to honor the old structure, was moved by helicopter to the ground on this date in 1975.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 24
"The Dance That Turned Tragic"
It was Thanksgiving eve 1965 in Keokuk, and about 75 persons were in the national guard armory there for a gala square dance.
About four dozen were dancing in six squares, with another dozen sitting along the sidelines. More than a dozen children played in the basement of the building.
It was the weekly meeting of the Swing Ezy club, and with the holiday coming up, spirits were high.
Then came an explosion and flash fire that demolished the building in an instant.
The building was heated by natural gas, and when it ignited, the explosion blew out the walls and sent the roof high into the air.
A total of 21 people died as a result of the explosion on burns they received. More than a month later, another 12 were still hospitalized.
It was the top news story of the year in Iowa, and the greatest tragedy in Keokuk's history.
And it was 50 years ago today, when 21 people were killed in an explosion that destroyed the Keokuk national guard armory...on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Dance That Turned Tragic"
It was Thanksgiving eve 1965 in Keokuk, and about 75 persons were in the national guard armory there for a gala square dance.
About four dozen were dancing in six squares, with another dozen sitting along the sidelines. More than a dozen children played in the basement of the building.
It was the weekly meeting of the Swing Ezy club, and with the holiday coming up, spirits were high.
Then came an explosion and flash fire that demolished the building in an instant.
The building was heated by natural gas, and when it ignited, the explosion blew out the walls and sent the roof high into the air.
A total of 21 people died as a result of the explosion on burns they received. More than a month later, another 12 were still hospitalized.
It was the top news story of the year in Iowa, and the greatest tragedy in Keokuk's history.
And it was 50 years ago today, when 21 people were killed in an explosion that destroyed the Keokuk national guard armory...on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 23
"The Day Without Football"
It was to be the game of the year. On Saturday, November 23rd, 1963, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were to play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa Stadium. It would be the last game of the Hawkeyes' season, and fourteen Iowa seniors were looking forward to ending their careers on a high note against a perennial power.
And then, everything changed.
From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official...President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2 o'clock Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy changed the world in many ways. In Iowa, there was uncertainty whether the football game the next day should be played or not.
The Notre Dame team had already flown into Iowa and was checking into a Coralville motel when the shooting occurred.
The Hawkeyes went through their final practice and were taken by bus to a Mount Vernon motel, where they typically stayed at that time the night before a home game.
A crowd of 55,000 was expected, each paying $5 for the ticket.
Iowa athletic director Forest Evashevski met with his Notre Dame counterpart and decided that the game should be played. That was the word Friday night.
Then just after midnight, after further consideration, the decision was made to not play the game. Players did not find out until the next morning.
No Big Ten games were played that day. NFL games were played that weekend, a decision commissioner Pete Rozelle said years later he regretted.
Notre Dame offered to play the game two weeks later, but Iowa declined since extending the season by those two weeks would interfere too much with class work.
It was the only game in Iowa football history to not be played in the season it was scheduled, when the Hawkeyes game against Notre Dame was cancelled due to the assassination of President Kennedy, on this date in 1963.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Day Without Football"
It was to be the game of the year. On Saturday, November 23rd, 1963, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were to play the Iowa Hawkeyes at Iowa Stadium. It would be the last game of the Hawkeyes' season, and fourteen Iowa seniors were looking forward to ending their careers on a high note against a perennial power.
And then, everything changed.
From Dallas, Texas, the flash, apparently official...President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2 o'clock Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy changed the world in many ways. In Iowa, there was uncertainty whether the football game the next day should be played or not.
The Notre Dame team had already flown into Iowa and was checking into a Coralville motel when the shooting occurred.
The Hawkeyes went through their final practice and were taken by bus to a Mount Vernon motel, where they typically stayed at that time the night before a home game.
A crowd of 55,000 was expected, each paying $5 for the ticket.
Iowa athletic director Forest Evashevski met with his Notre Dame counterpart and decided that the game should be played. That was the word Friday night.
Then just after midnight, after further consideration, the decision was made to not play the game. Players did not find out until the next morning.
No Big Ten games were played that day. NFL games were played that weekend, a decision commissioner Pete Rozelle said years later he regretted.
Notre Dame offered to play the game two weeks later, but Iowa declined since extending the season by those two weeks would interfere too much with class work.
It was the only game in Iowa football history to not be played in the season it was scheduled, when the Hawkeyes game against Notre Dame was cancelled due to the assassination of President Kennedy, on this date in 1963.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 20
"From Aunt Fanny, to Fran"
Frances Allison was born on November 20th, 1907 in LaPorte City. Fran graduated from Coe College, and was a teacher. Her love of performing led her to WMT radio's Waterloo studios, where she became a regular on the air.
At the age of 30, she moved to network radio in Chicago, as a staff singer and personality on the NBC network. She became a regular on The Breakfast Club program, and for 25 years portrayed "Aunt Fanny", a small-town gossip.
In the earliest days of television, in 1947, Burr Tillstrom was asked to put together a puppet show for children. He asked Fran Allison to appear alongside his creations, and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie was born.
The show aired throughout the 1950s on NBC, and returned for another decade in the late 60s and early 70s on CBS. Fran appeared in other television programs, featuring her singing talents, but she's best remembered for her time with a family of puppets.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie were even honored by having a U.S. postage stamp issued with their images on it in 2009, 20 years after Fran's death. She was laid to rest in Cedar Rapids.
The only human to appear alongside the Kuklapolitan Players, Fran Allison, was born in LaPorte City on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Aunt Fanny, to Fran"
Frances Allison was born on November 20th, 1907 in LaPorte City. Fran graduated from Coe College, and was a teacher. Her love of performing led her to WMT radio's Waterloo studios, where she became a regular on the air.
At the age of 30, she moved to network radio in Chicago, as a staff singer and personality on the NBC network. She became a regular on The Breakfast Club program, and for 25 years portrayed "Aunt Fanny", a small-town gossip.
In the earliest days of television, in 1947, Burr Tillstrom was asked to put together a puppet show for children. He asked Fran Allison to appear alongside his creations, and Kukla, Fran, and Ollie was born.
The show aired throughout the 1950s on NBC, and returned for another decade in the late 60s and early 70s on CBS. Fran appeared in other television programs, featuring her singing talents, but she's best remembered for her time with a family of puppets.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie were even honored by having a U.S. postage stamp issued with their images on it in 2009, 20 years after Fran's death. She was laid to rest in Cedar Rapids.
The only human to appear alongside the Kuklapolitan Players, Fran Allison, was born in LaPorte City on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 19
"They Ran for the Cornfields"
In the mid-1960s, Amish living near Hazleton in Buchanan County found themselves in the middle of a conflict between two school districts that were merging. Many in the smaller school district were opposed to the merger.
The Amish themselves wanted to be included in an area of the new district where one-room schools, which the Amish preferred, would still be operated. The Amish had also come under pressure from the state for failing to meet new teacher certification standards.
Some say the Amish were convinced by the larger school's superintendent to vote for the merger, with the promise that there would be one-room schools. The merger passed, thanks to the Amish vote.
But state inspectors visited the Amish schools, and imposed fines against the Amish for using uncertified teachers. And that led to a pivotal moment on November 19th, 1965.
On that Friday morning, a yellow Oelwein school bus pulled up to the Amish school to take the children to a consolidated town school. Sobbing parents were arrested for noncompliance with Iowa school law. Frightened children fled their school, running for cover in nearby cornfields. The iconic photos of the scene were on the front pages of major newspapers across the country the next morning.
The governor intervened to calm the situation, and eventually, the state legislature changed the law, allowing religious exemptions from state school standards. And the conflict was a factor in the 1972 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Wisconsin v. Yoder, granting Amish and other groups religious exemptions from state-mandated schooling standards.
But the conflict between the Amish and their beliefs, and state officials who wanted to force children to attend school in town, came to a head near Hazelton, on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"They Ran for the Cornfields"
In the mid-1960s, Amish living near Hazleton in Buchanan County found themselves in the middle of a conflict between two school districts that were merging. Many in the smaller school district were opposed to the merger.
The Amish themselves wanted to be included in an area of the new district where one-room schools, which the Amish preferred, would still be operated. The Amish had also come under pressure from the state for failing to meet new teacher certification standards.
Some say the Amish were convinced by the larger school's superintendent to vote for the merger, with the promise that there would be one-room schools. The merger passed, thanks to the Amish vote.
But state inspectors visited the Amish schools, and imposed fines against the Amish for using uncertified teachers. And that led to a pivotal moment on November 19th, 1965.
On that Friday morning, a yellow Oelwein school bus pulled up to the Amish school to take the children to a consolidated town school. Sobbing parents were arrested for noncompliance with Iowa school law. Frightened children fled their school, running for cover in nearby cornfields. The iconic photos of the scene were on the front pages of major newspapers across the country the next morning.
The governor intervened to calm the situation, and eventually, the state legislature changed the law, allowing religious exemptions from state school standards. And the conflict was a factor in the 1972 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Wisconsin v. Yoder, granting Amish and other groups religious exemptions from state-mandated schooling standards.
But the conflict between the Amish and their beliefs, and state officials who wanted to force children to attend school in town, came to a head near Hazelton, on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 18
"Strike Up The Band"
Charlie Barnhouse was a talented musician. He taught himself to play the cornet, and became a conductor and composer. By the late 1880s, he decided to leave his home in West Virginia and see where his musical talents would take him.
He wound up leading town bands in both Mt. Pleasant and Burlington. Along the way, he started a music publishing company 129 years ago, with the first selection being The Battle of Shiloh March. In December 1890, he made his final move, settling in Oskaloosa. His C.L. Barnhouse Company soon became prominent in the band world, thanks to his works as well as those by Karl L. King, Fred Jewell and Russell Alexander.
When Charlie died on November 18, 1929, his son, C.L. Barnhouse, Jr., better known as Lloyd, led the company into a new era, at the start of the school band movement. During World War II, the Barnhouse Company became a major supplier of music for military bands, as well.
The third generation of the family assumed management of the company in 1957, and the fourth generation took over in 1979.
The C.L. Barnhouse company is unique, for preserving a nearly complete archive of all publications, dating back to 1886. As a result, virtually no Barnhouse publication is out of print.
The founder of a new type of company 129 years ago that continues to thrive today, C.L. Barnhouse, died on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Strike Up The Band"
Charlie Barnhouse was a talented musician. He taught himself to play the cornet, and became a conductor and composer. By the late 1880s, he decided to leave his home in West Virginia and see where his musical talents would take him.
He wound up leading town bands in both Mt. Pleasant and Burlington. Along the way, he started a music publishing company 129 years ago, with the first selection being The Battle of Shiloh March. In December 1890, he made his final move, settling in Oskaloosa. His C.L. Barnhouse Company soon became prominent in the band world, thanks to his works as well as those by Karl L. King, Fred Jewell and Russell Alexander.
When Charlie died on November 18, 1929, his son, C.L. Barnhouse, Jr., better known as Lloyd, led the company into a new era, at the start of the school band movement. During World War II, the Barnhouse Company became a major supplier of music for military bands, as well.
The third generation of the family assumed management of the company in 1957, and the fourth generation took over in 1979.
The C.L. Barnhouse company is unique, for preserving a nearly complete archive of all publications, dating back to 1886. As a result, virtually no Barnhouse publication is out of print.
The founder of a new type of company 129 years ago that continues to thrive today, C.L. Barnhouse, died on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 17
"Death Before Dishonor"
Iowa soldiers distinguished themselves in many battles during the Civil War. Some suffered mightily at the Camp Sumter military prison at Andersonville, Georgia. The Confederate prisoner of war camp was overcrowded to four times its capacity, with inadequate water supply, low food rations, and generally unsanitary conditions.
Of the approximately 45,000 Union prisoners held there during the war, nearly 13,000 died. 202 of those were Iowans. No other state, north or south, had a higher percentage of its male population between the ages of 15 and 40 serve in the military during the course of the war than Iowa did.
In 1904, the Iowa General Assembly appropriated $10,000 to build a monument at Andersonville "in commemoration of the patriotism, suffering and martyrdom of the Iowa soldiers who were imprisoned and died" at the Camp Sumter prison.
Two years later, on November 17, 1906, the Iowa Monument at Andersonville was dedicated. Gov. Albert B. Cummins spoke of the sacrifices all the prisoners there made. "These boys suffered the unparalleled inhumanity of prison and the infinite cruelties of the stockade rather than surrender for a single moment their privilege to fight and die for the Union, and for the sovereignty of the old flag." Remember, many Civil War veterans were still alive at this time, barely 20 years after the war's end.
A commission of veterans selected the design of a weeping woman kneeling, mourning the loss of so many lives. Under the inscription Death Before Dishonor is a list of names of Iowans known to have died there.
It still stands in the national cemetery there, surrounded by the Civil War burials. The Iowa Monument, to honor Iowa Civil War veterans who endured the Andersonville prisoner of war camp, was dedicated on this date in 1906.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Death Before Dishonor"
Iowa soldiers distinguished themselves in many battles during the Civil War. Some suffered mightily at the Camp Sumter military prison at Andersonville, Georgia. The Confederate prisoner of war camp was overcrowded to four times its capacity, with inadequate water supply, low food rations, and generally unsanitary conditions.
Of the approximately 45,000 Union prisoners held there during the war, nearly 13,000 died. 202 of those were Iowans. No other state, north or south, had a higher percentage of its male population between the ages of 15 and 40 serve in the military during the course of the war than Iowa did.
In 1904, the Iowa General Assembly appropriated $10,000 to build a monument at Andersonville "in commemoration of the patriotism, suffering and martyrdom of the Iowa soldiers who were imprisoned and died" at the Camp Sumter prison.
Two years later, on November 17, 1906, the Iowa Monument at Andersonville was dedicated. Gov. Albert B. Cummins spoke of the sacrifices all the prisoners there made. "These boys suffered the unparalleled inhumanity of prison and the infinite cruelties of the stockade rather than surrender for a single moment their privilege to fight and die for the Union, and for the sovereignty of the old flag." Remember, many Civil War veterans were still alive at this time, barely 20 years after the war's end.
A commission of veterans selected the design of a weeping woman kneeling, mourning the loss of so many lives. Under the inscription Death Before Dishonor is a list of names of Iowans known to have died there.
It still stands in the national cemetery there, surrounded by the Civil War burials. The Iowa Monument, to honor Iowa Civil War veterans who endured the Andersonville prisoner of war camp, was dedicated on this date in 1906.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 16
"The Grinnell 14"
It was the fall of 1961, and the protests that marked the decade were years away. But one group of Iowa college students set the example.
The 10 men and 4 women left Grinnell College by car on November 13th of that year, arriving in Washington, D.C. three days later. Their goal was to protest against atmospheric nuclear testing, seeking to influence the young president who was still in his first year in office.
Grinnell's student senate passed a resolution in support of the protestors. Around 160 students on campus fasted in solidarity while the group was in the nation's capitol.
They caused quite a stir, getting national news coverage on NBC's "Huntley Brinkley Report", and making headlines in international newspapers. They were welcomed into the White House to meet with officials; President Kennedy was away at the time.
They even went to the Soviet embassy to ask why nuclear testing was continuing.
And they set an example. Tom Hayden, later part of the Chicago 7, credited the Grinnell group with helping launch the broader 1960s student peace movement. The Grinnell 14 were followed by students from dozens of other schools, one after another, in a series of protests that lasted at least a year.
Less than two years after the protest, the U.S., Soviet Union, and United Kingdom signed a partial test ban treaty that ended the atmospheric tests.
Attention was given to the issue by a group of 14 Grinnell College students, who arrived for a week of protesting in Washington, D.C., on this date in 1961.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Grinnell 14"
It was the fall of 1961, and the protests that marked the decade were years away. But one group of Iowa college students set the example.
The 10 men and 4 women left Grinnell College by car on November 13th of that year, arriving in Washington, D.C. three days later. Their goal was to protest against atmospheric nuclear testing, seeking to influence the young president who was still in his first year in office.
Grinnell's student senate passed a resolution in support of the protestors. Around 160 students on campus fasted in solidarity while the group was in the nation's capitol.
They caused quite a stir, getting national news coverage on NBC's "Huntley Brinkley Report", and making headlines in international newspapers. They were welcomed into the White House to meet with officials; President Kennedy was away at the time.
They even went to the Soviet embassy to ask why nuclear testing was continuing.
And they set an example. Tom Hayden, later part of the Chicago 7, credited the Grinnell group with helping launch the broader 1960s student peace movement. The Grinnell 14 were followed by students from dozens of other schools, one after another, in a series of protests that lasted at least a year.
Less than two years after the protest, the U.S., Soviet Union, and United Kingdom signed a partial test ban treaty that ended the atmospheric tests.
Attention was given to the issue by a group of 14 Grinnell College students, who arrived for a week of protesting in Washington, D.C., on this date in 1961.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 13
"Taking On The Press"
It was never a secret that President Richard Nixon and the news media did not get along. At the height of the Vietnam War, protests were held across the country. On November 13th, 1969, the Administration decided to fight back.
Vice President Spiro Agnew was set to speak to the Midwestern Regional Republican Conference in Des Moines. He took advantage of the occasion to criticize the news media, in a speech written by future presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.
“The American people would rightly not tolerate this concentration of power in Government. Is it not fair and relevant to question its concentration in the hands of a tiny, enclosed fraternity of privileged men elected by no one and enjoying a monopoly sanctioned and licensed by Government? The views of a -- the majority of this fraternity do not -- and I repeat, not -- represent the views of America.”
“Now I want to make myself perfectly clear: I'm not asking for Government censorship or any other kind of censorship. I am asking whether a form of censorship already exists when the news that 40 million Americans -- when the news that 40 million Americans receive each night is determined by a handful of men responsible only to their corporate employers and is filtered through a handful of commentators who admit to their own set of biases.”
This was merely the first of a series of speeches. In a later one, Agnew called the media pundits nattering nabobs of negativism. And of course, Agnew himself had legal troubles that forced him from office.
But the Nixon Administration’s public criticism of the news media, through Vice President Spiro Agnew, started in Des Moines on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Taking On The Press"
It was never a secret that President Richard Nixon and the news media did not get along. At the height of the Vietnam War, protests were held across the country. On November 13th, 1969, the Administration decided to fight back.
Vice President Spiro Agnew was set to speak to the Midwestern Regional Republican Conference in Des Moines. He took advantage of the occasion to criticize the news media, in a speech written by future presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.
“The American people would rightly not tolerate this concentration of power in Government. Is it not fair and relevant to question its concentration in the hands of a tiny, enclosed fraternity of privileged men elected by no one and enjoying a monopoly sanctioned and licensed by Government? The views of a -- the majority of this fraternity do not -- and I repeat, not -- represent the views of America.”
“Now I want to make myself perfectly clear: I'm not asking for Government censorship or any other kind of censorship. I am asking whether a form of censorship already exists when the news that 40 million Americans -- when the news that 40 million Americans receive each night is determined by a handful of men responsible only to their corporate employers and is filtered through a handful of commentators who admit to their own set of biases.”
This was merely the first of a series of speeches. In a later one, Agnew called the media pundits nattering nabobs of negativism. And of course, Agnew himself had legal troubles that forced him from office.
But the Nixon Administration’s public criticism of the news media, through Vice President Spiro Agnew, started in Des Moines on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 12
"The First Legislature"
The land west of the Mississippi River, including what is now Iowa, was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory, but ultimately, the parcel was divided. Some wanted to call the new territory Washington, after our first president. Others wanted to name it Jefferson, after the president who bought the land.
Imagine…instead of our state being Iowa, we were actually fairly close to living in the state of Washington, or the state of Jefferson. But instead, the name given the area by Albert M. Lea was used. Iowa.
On June 12th, 1838, President Martin Van Buren signed the bill which created the Iowa Territory. It went into effect on July 4th, Independence Day. The president appointed Robert Lucas as governor. He had previous experience as governor of Ohio. The president also appointed three justices for a territorial supreme court.
The people of the new territory were to elect their own legislatures, and on November 12th, 1838, the first Iowa territorial legislature began meeting, two months after the first election. Governor Lucas decided Burlington would be the capital of the new territory, until the legislature selected another location.
That first legislature settled various orders of business, but one of the first was to establish a new city in Johnson County, named Iowa City, to be the capitol. The cornerstone for the capitol building was set in 1840, but it took a long time for the stone capitol to be built. The legislature did meet there in 1841, but in a temporary frame building; they moved into the stone capitol the next year.
Today, our legislature meets annually, from January until typically April or May. But the first legislative session, for the Iowa Territory, was on this date in 1838.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Legislature"
The land west of the Mississippi River, including what is now Iowa, was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory, but ultimately, the parcel was divided. Some wanted to call the new territory Washington, after our first president. Others wanted to name it Jefferson, after the president who bought the land.
Imagine…instead of our state being Iowa, we were actually fairly close to living in the state of Washington, or the state of Jefferson. But instead, the name given the area by Albert M. Lea was used. Iowa.
On June 12th, 1838, President Martin Van Buren signed the bill which created the Iowa Territory. It went into effect on July 4th, Independence Day. The president appointed Robert Lucas as governor. He had previous experience as governor of Ohio. The president also appointed three justices for a territorial supreme court.
The people of the new territory were to elect their own legislatures, and on November 12th, 1838, the first Iowa territorial legislature began meeting, two months after the first election. Governor Lucas decided Burlington would be the capital of the new territory, until the legislature selected another location.
That first legislature settled various orders of business, but one of the first was to establish a new city in Johnson County, named Iowa City, to be the capitol. The cornerstone for the capitol building was set in 1840, but it took a long time for the stone capitol to be built. The legislature did meet there in 1841, but in a temporary frame building; they moved into the stone capitol the next year.
Today, our legislature meets annually, from January until typically April or May. But the first legislative session, for the Iowa Territory, was on this date in 1838.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 11
"The Armistice Day Blizzard"
The fall of 1940 was warm and uneventful. Hunters were waiting for the normal cold fronts to move in, so the birds they were targeting would move south.
But they didn’t want, nor expect, what hit on November 11th.
Weather forecasting was nothing like today, so the weather systems that converged on Iowa and the Midwest were a surprise. One system was moving east from the Rocky Mountains. A Canadian cold air mass was sliding down from the north, while warm moist air came up from the south.
The combination was deadly, resulting in a thousand mile wide path of destruction, becoming the most famous and disastrous blizzard in American history.
The barometric pressure dropped to an all-time record low in Charles City. The temperature dropped from the 60s to single digits in a matter of a few hours.
The storm dropped more than two feet of snow, killed thousands of cattle, and destroyed a million Thanksgiving turkeys. All tolled in the Midwest, 160 people died.
Hunters in Iowa were especially at risk, because without warning, they were trapped out in the wild. Thousands of ducks flew overhead, but the hunt was difficult in the hurricane force winds. And many hunters were so focused on their shooting, they did not pay enough attention to their own safety, and were lucky to escape with their lives.
Even decades later, the lucky ones, now in their 80s, still think about being out hunting during the greatest blizzard in American history, the Armistice Day Blizzard, on this date in 1940.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Armistice Day Blizzard"
The fall of 1940 was warm and uneventful. Hunters were waiting for the normal cold fronts to move in, so the birds they were targeting would move south.
But they didn’t want, nor expect, what hit on November 11th.
Weather forecasting was nothing like today, so the weather systems that converged on Iowa and the Midwest were a surprise. One system was moving east from the Rocky Mountains. A Canadian cold air mass was sliding down from the north, while warm moist air came up from the south.
The combination was deadly, resulting in a thousand mile wide path of destruction, becoming the most famous and disastrous blizzard in American history.
The barometric pressure dropped to an all-time record low in Charles City. The temperature dropped from the 60s to single digits in a matter of a few hours.
The storm dropped more than two feet of snow, killed thousands of cattle, and destroyed a million Thanksgiving turkeys. All tolled in the Midwest, 160 people died.
Hunters in Iowa were especially at risk, because without warning, they were trapped out in the wild. Thousands of ducks flew overhead, but the hunt was difficult in the hurricane force winds. And many hunters were so focused on their shooting, they did not pay enough attention to their own safety, and were lucky to escape with their lives.
Even decades later, the lucky ones, now in their 80s, still think about being out hunting during the greatest blizzard in American history, the Armistice Day Blizzard, on this date in 1940.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 10
"Little House on the Iowa Prairie"
Generations have enjoyed the books and television program inspired by the writing of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There have been various Iowa angles in the stories, including when Laura's older sister Mary went blind and attended school in Vinton for a time.
Not talked about in the Little House books was the time the Ingalls family spent in Burr Oak, Iowa. Charles Ingalls--Pa-- for a year. It was during that year, on May 23rd, 1877, that Charles and Caroline Ingalls welcomed their fifth and final child into the world, a girl they name Grace Pearl Ingalls.
Grace moved from Iowa when she was an infant, and ultimately the family settled in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Like her mother and sister Laura, Grace also became a school teacher, near DeSmet, South Dakota. In later years, Grace became her sister Mary's caretaker.
There's another Iowa angle to note. Laura's daughter, Rose, also became a writer. In fact, she wrote the first biography of Herbert Hoover, before he became president. Rose donated her papers and those of her mother to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, where today, scholars travel to study her works.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's youngest sister, Grace Pearl Ingalls Dow, born in Iowa, died on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Little House on the Iowa Prairie"
Generations have enjoyed the books and television program inspired by the writing of Laura Ingalls Wilder. There have been various Iowa angles in the stories, including when Laura's older sister Mary went blind and attended school in Vinton for a time.
Not talked about in the Little House books was the time the Ingalls family spent in Burr Oak, Iowa. Charles Ingalls--Pa-- for a year. It was during that year, on May 23rd, 1877, that Charles and Caroline Ingalls welcomed their fifth and final child into the world, a girl they name Grace Pearl Ingalls.
Grace moved from Iowa when she was an infant, and ultimately the family settled in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Like her mother and sister Laura, Grace also became a school teacher, near DeSmet, South Dakota. In later years, Grace became her sister Mary's caretaker.
There's another Iowa angle to note. Laura's daughter, Rose, also became a writer. In fact, she wrote the first biography of Herbert Hoover, before he became president. Rose donated her papers and those of her mother to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, where today, scholars travel to study her works.
Laura Ingalls Wilder's youngest sister, Grace Pearl Ingalls Dow, born in Iowa, died on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 9
"Floyd of Rosedale"
Iowa and Minnesota have always been friendly rivals. Sometimes, not so friendly.
The football rivalry between the University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota got a little heated in the middle 1930s, in large part because of what Iowa thought was unduly rough treatment suffered by Iowa's star halfback Ozzie Simmons, one of the few black players of the time.
In 1935, both teams entered the game undefeated, and the rhetoric got a little heated. To try to ease tensions, Minnesota Gov. Floyd Olson sent a telegram to Iowa Gov. Clyde Herring, betting a prize Minnesota hog against a prize Iowa hog that Minnesota would win the game...and requiring that the loser deliver the hog in person to the winner.
Gov. Herring accepted, and on November 9th, the Golden Gophers won the game 13-6; later that year, they won their second straight national championship.
Allen Loomis, the owner of Rosedale Farms near Fort Dodge, donated a pig so Gov. Herring could pay off the bet. The pig was the brother of Blue Boy, from the Will Rogers movie "State Fair", and in honor of Gov. Olson, was named Floyd. Soon Gov. Herring personally walked Floyd into Gov. Olson's carpeted office in St. Paul.
Amazingly, some complained that the wager violated state gambling laws, and because it was across state lines, that the pig was subject to interstate commerce regulations. Lawsuits were even filed.
The Minnesota governor offered Floyd as first prize in a statewide essay-writing contest, won by 14-year-old Robert Jones.
To replace the real Floyd, Gov. Olson commissioned a scuptor to capture Floyd's image. The result is a 98 pound bronze pig trophy, and every year, the Hawkeyes and Gophers play for the right to win Floyd of Rosedale.
In 2008, Rivals.com named Floyd of Rosedale the top rivalry trophy in all of college football. But the real Floyd was the subject of a wager, on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Floyd of Rosedale"
Iowa and Minnesota have always been friendly rivals. Sometimes, not so friendly.
The football rivalry between the University of Iowa and the University of Minnesota got a little heated in the middle 1930s, in large part because of what Iowa thought was unduly rough treatment suffered by Iowa's star halfback Ozzie Simmons, one of the few black players of the time.
In 1935, both teams entered the game undefeated, and the rhetoric got a little heated. To try to ease tensions, Minnesota Gov. Floyd Olson sent a telegram to Iowa Gov. Clyde Herring, betting a prize Minnesota hog against a prize Iowa hog that Minnesota would win the game...and requiring that the loser deliver the hog in person to the winner.
Gov. Herring accepted, and on November 9th, the Golden Gophers won the game 13-6; later that year, they won their second straight national championship.
Allen Loomis, the owner of Rosedale Farms near Fort Dodge, donated a pig so Gov. Herring could pay off the bet. The pig was the brother of Blue Boy, from the Will Rogers movie "State Fair", and in honor of Gov. Olson, was named Floyd. Soon Gov. Herring personally walked Floyd into Gov. Olson's carpeted office in St. Paul.
Amazingly, some complained that the wager violated state gambling laws, and because it was across state lines, that the pig was subject to interstate commerce regulations. Lawsuits were even filed.
The Minnesota governor offered Floyd as first prize in a statewide essay-writing contest, won by 14-year-old Robert Jones.
To replace the real Floyd, Gov. Olson commissioned a scuptor to capture Floyd's image. The result is a 98 pound bronze pig trophy, and every year, the Hawkeyes and Gophers play for the right to win Floyd of Rosedale.
In 2008, Rivals.com named Floyd of Rosedale the top rivalry trophy in all of college football. But the real Floyd was the subject of a wager, on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, November 6
"The Baseball Evangelist"
They say more than a million people accepted Christ as a direct result of his preaching. But early on, there was not much to suggest that William Ashley Sunday would be one of the best known evangelists of the early 1900s.
He was born in Ames in 1862. He never knew his father, who died during the Civil War. His mother tried to keep the family together, but ultimately Billy Sunday spent part of his childhood in various homes for orphans of soldiers.
After high school, he was a locomotive firefighter for the railroad and played baseball in Marshalltown, leading his amateur team to a state title.
Marshalltown native and baseball hall of famer Cap Anson saw him play and arranged for Sunday to get a tryout with the Chicago National League ball club. He made the team, and soon proved to be the fastest runner in the whole league.
In 1886, he joined a group of young people on their way to Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission. After about a half-dozen meetings, he converted. In 1890, he gave up a $350 per week baseball contract to make only a thousand dollars a year working for the YMCA and touring the country, spreading the gospel.
He was known for pounding the pulpit, moving around the room while preaching, waving his arms and enthusiastically delivering his message.
He preached for 39 years, before dying of a heart attack in Chicago on November 6th, 1935. He was less than two weeks away from his 73rd birthday.
Iowa born Billy Sunday, pro athlete and preacher, died on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Baseball Evangelist"
They say more than a million people accepted Christ as a direct result of his preaching. But early on, there was not much to suggest that William Ashley Sunday would be one of the best known evangelists of the early 1900s.
He was born in Ames in 1862. He never knew his father, who died during the Civil War. His mother tried to keep the family together, but ultimately Billy Sunday spent part of his childhood in various homes for orphans of soldiers.
After high school, he was a locomotive firefighter for the railroad and played baseball in Marshalltown, leading his amateur team to a state title.
Marshalltown native and baseball hall of famer Cap Anson saw him play and arranged for Sunday to get a tryout with the Chicago National League ball club. He made the team, and soon proved to be the fastest runner in the whole league.
In 1886, he joined a group of young people on their way to Chicago’s Pacific Garden Mission. After about a half-dozen meetings, he converted. In 1890, he gave up a $350 per week baseball contract to make only a thousand dollars a year working for the YMCA and touring the country, spreading the gospel.
He was known for pounding the pulpit, moving around the room while preaching, waving his arms and enthusiastically delivering his message.
He preached for 39 years, before dying of a heart attack in Chicago on November 6th, 1935. He was less than two weeks away from his 73rd birthday.
Iowa born Billy Sunday, pro athlete and preacher, died on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, November 5
"Changing Its Name"
There are a number of items on an election day ballot. There are obviously votes for candidates for public office, and often voters are asked to render judgment on a taxation or a bond issue.
Rarely, though, are they asked to change the name of their city.
But that was the case in the Greene county town of New Rippey on November 5, 1957.
There had been a village by the name of Rippey. Then, a new settlement was organized nearby, and took the name New Rippey.
But by 1957, the original Rippey was just a memory, having ceased to be long before. Besides, people who did refer to it called it Old Rippey, even though that was not its official name.
New Rippey was actually called Rippey by most people, since it was the only one left. The only time it was ever called New Rippey was in legal descriptions or judicial use.
The only way to change the city's name was through the will of the voters. Why bother? Because there was some fear that if someone called it Rippey in one place, and New Rippey in another, there would be confusion in legal documents.
So on November 5th, 1957, the citizens of New Rippey went to the polls to vote on a variety of municipal issues, including whether to officially call themselves Rippey.
The measure passed. And the name was changed.
Many of us know Rippey as the place where a mid-winter bicycle ride is held, the Bike Ride to Rippey, better known by its acronym, BRR. Imagine if the town was still called New Rippey...the acronym would not be nearly as clever.
Thanks to the will of a majority of voters, New Rippey became Rippey, on this date in 1957.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Changing Its Name"
There are a number of items on an election day ballot. There are obviously votes for candidates for public office, and often voters are asked to render judgment on a taxation or a bond issue.
Rarely, though, are they asked to change the name of their city.
But that was the case in the Greene county town of New Rippey on November 5, 1957.
There had been a village by the name of Rippey. Then, a new settlement was organized nearby, and took the name New Rippey.
But by 1957, the original Rippey was just a memory, having ceased to be long before. Besides, people who did refer to it called it Old Rippey, even though that was not its official name.
New Rippey was actually called Rippey by most people, since it was the only one left. The only time it was ever called New Rippey was in legal descriptions or judicial use.
The only way to change the city's name was through the will of the voters. Why bother? Because there was some fear that if someone called it Rippey in one place, and New Rippey in another, there would be confusion in legal documents.
So on November 5th, 1957, the citizens of New Rippey went to the polls to vote on a variety of municipal issues, including whether to officially call themselves Rippey.
The measure passed. And the name was changed.
Many of us know Rippey as the place where a mid-winter bicycle ride is held, the Bike Ride to Rippey, better known by its acronym, BRR. Imagine if the town was still called New Rippey...the acronym would not be nearly as clever.
Thanks to the will of a majority of voters, New Rippey became Rippey, on this date in 1957.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, November 4
"Taken Hostage"
Jesup native Katy Koob became a teacher. But she had always been fascinated by the work of Edward R. Murrow and his reporting from Britain during World War II. That ultimately led to a second career as a foreign service officer. And that led to becoming a piece of history.
In the summer of 1979, the 42-year-old became director of the Iran-American Society, a non-profit group established by the U.S. government to build educational and community relationships between the U.S. and Iran. She had only been on the job for four months, when on November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students supporting the revolution took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking embassy workers hostage. While her office was two miles from the Embassy, she too was soon taken hostage.
For 444 days, 52 Americans were held by the student group. A rescue effort in the spring of 1980 was unsuccessful and led to the deaths of eight American servicemen.
The hostage crisis dominated the presidency of Jimmy Carter and was clearly a factor in his landslide loss to Ronald Reagan in November of 1980. It was only when Reagan took the oath of office, literally, that the hostages were released by Iran into U.S. custody shortly after 12 noon on January 20, 1981.
Amazingly, all were safe, and all were able to walk onto the plane to freedom.
Kathryn Koob returned to the foreign service, serving in Austria, Germany and Australia, ultimately retiring in 1996 and moving back to Iowa.
Iowa native Kathryn Koob was one of only two females taken hostage, along with 50 others, in Iran on this date in 1979.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Taken Hostage"
Jesup native Katy Koob became a teacher. But she had always been fascinated by the work of Edward R. Murrow and his reporting from Britain during World War II. That ultimately led to a second career as a foreign service officer. And that led to becoming a piece of history.
In the summer of 1979, the 42-year-old became director of the Iran-American Society, a non-profit group established by the U.S. government to build educational and community relationships between the U.S. and Iran. She had only been on the job for four months, when on November 4, 1979, a group of Iranian students supporting the revolution took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking embassy workers hostage. While her office was two miles from the Embassy, she too was soon taken hostage.
For 444 days, 52 Americans were held by the student group. A rescue effort in the spring of 1980 was unsuccessful and led to the deaths of eight American servicemen.
The hostage crisis dominated the presidency of Jimmy Carter and was clearly a factor in his landslide loss to Ronald Reagan in November of 1980. It was only when Reagan took the oath of office, literally, that the hostages were released by Iran into U.S. custody shortly after 12 noon on January 20, 1981.
Amazingly, all were safe, and all were able to walk onto the plane to freedom.
Kathryn Koob returned to the foreign service, serving in Austria, Germany and Australia, ultimately retiring in 1996 and moving back to Iowa.
Iowa native Kathryn Koob was one of only two females taken hostage, along with 50 others, in Iran on this date in 1979.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, November 3
"Iowa's First Newspaper"
The land that is now Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory. In 1838, the parcel of land was divided, and the Iowa Territory was formed, with a capital located at Burlington. Burlington was actually the last capital of the larger Wisconsin Territory, and in 1837, James Clarke and Cyrus Jacobs founded the Wisconsin Territorial Gazette there. After the land became Iowa, they changed the name of their publication on November 3rd, 1838 to the Iowa Territorial Gazette, becoming the Iowa territory’s first newspaper.
Clarke went on to become the third and last governor of the Iowa Territory. A county in southern Iowa is named in his honor. His partner, Jacobs, was killed in a duel just three days before the Iowa Territorial Gazette published its first issue.
Not long after, a rival paper was started, called the Iowa Patriot, encouraged by David Rorer, the man who won the duel with Cyrus Jacobs. The paper’s name was changed to the Hawk Eye in honor of Chief Black Hawk. That paper became the driving force to have “Hawkeye” adopted as our state’s nickname.
Ultimately, the Gazette and Hawk Eye both thrived in Burlington, long after Iowa became a state and its capital moved from the city. But the Depression took its toll, and a Galesburg man, O.N. Custer, purchased the papers and merged them into The Hawk Eye Gazette, the name it held until 1960, when the name was shortened to The Hawk Eye.
The first newspaper in the Iowa Territory, the Iowa Territorial Gazette, now the Hawk Eye, was published in Burlington on this date in 1838.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's First Newspaper"
The land that is now Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory. In 1838, the parcel of land was divided, and the Iowa Territory was formed, with a capital located at Burlington. Burlington was actually the last capital of the larger Wisconsin Territory, and in 1837, James Clarke and Cyrus Jacobs founded the Wisconsin Territorial Gazette there. After the land became Iowa, they changed the name of their publication on November 3rd, 1838 to the Iowa Territorial Gazette, becoming the Iowa territory’s first newspaper.
Clarke went on to become the third and last governor of the Iowa Territory. A county in southern Iowa is named in his honor. His partner, Jacobs, was killed in a duel just three days before the Iowa Territorial Gazette published its first issue.
Not long after, a rival paper was started, called the Iowa Patriot, encouraged by David Rorer, the man who won the duel with Cyrus Jacobs. The paper’s name was changed to the Hawk Eye in honor of Chief Black Hawk. That paper became the driving force to have “Hawkeye” adopted as our state’s nickname.
Ultimately, the Gazette and Hawk Eye both thrived in Burlington, long after Iowa became a state and its capital moved from the city. But the Depression took its toll, and a Galesburg man, O.N. Custer, purchased the papers and merged them into The Hawk Eye Gazette, the name it held until 1960, when the name was shortened to The Hawk Eye.
The first newspaper in the Iowa Territory, the Iowa Territorial Gazette, now the Hawk Eye, was published in Burlington on this date in 1838.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, November 2
"Back in Office"
Terry Branstad has never lost an election. And the one on November 2nd, 2010, was no different.
From 1973 to 1979, he was a member of the Iowa House, followed by four years as Lieutenant Governor under Governor Robert D. Ray.
Branstad was first elected Governor at age 36, the youngest ever in Iowa history. Before leaving office, he was elected governor four times—over Roxanne Conlin in 1982, Lowell Junkins in 1986, Don Avenson in 1990, and Bonnie Campbell in 1994. Branstad stepped down when his term ended in January 1999, after becoming the longest serving governor in Iowa history.
He spent a dozen years away from elected office, during which time the Democrats held the governor’s seat. Then Branstad ran for his old job again in 2010. He held off two challengers in the Republican primary, and then unseated incumbent Governor Chet Culver in the general election, winning by 10 percentage points.
He’s not the first Iowa governor to leave office and be elected again later…but Samuel Kirkwood did it in 1875, 135 years before Branstad.
And he’s been elected once since then…but Terry Branstad was first returned to office in the general election held on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Back in Office"
Terry Branstad has never lost an election. And the one on November 2nd, 2010, was no different.
From 1973 to 1979, he was a member of the Iowa House, followed by four years as Lieutenant Governor under Governor Robert D. Ray.
Branstad was first elected Governor at age 36, the youngest ever in Iowa history. Before leaving office, he was elected governor four times—over Roxanne Conlin in 1982, Lowell Junkins in 1986, Don Avenson in 1990, and Bonnie Campbell in 1994. Branstad stepped down when his term ended in January 1999, after becoming the longest serving governor in Iowa history.
He spent a dozen years away from elected office, during which time the Democrats held the governor’s seat. Then Branstad ran for his old job again in 2010. He held off two challengers in the Republican primary, and then unseated incumbent Governor Chet Culver in the general election, winning by 10 percentage points.
He’s not the first Iowa governor to leave office and be elected again later…but Samuel Kirkwood did it in 1875, 135 years before Branstad.
And he’s been elected once since then…but Terry Branstad was first returned to office in the general election held on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for November 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, October 30
"Begging Door to Door"
In the 1930s, Halloween in Des Moines was focused more on vandalism than going door to door for treats. Police there responded to a record 550 calls of vandalism in one year alone.
The director of what is now the parks and rec department, Kathryn Krieg, came up with a campaign to encourage less destructive forms of fun.
In 1938, the city set aside October 30th as Beggars’ Night, encouraging children on that night only to go door to door and say the phrase, “Tricks for Eats”. The city council said “eats should be given only if such a ‘trick’ as a song, a poem, a stunt or a musical number, either solo or in group participation, is presented.”
The Beggars’ Night program worked. By the mid-1940s, the number of Halloween police calls in Iowa’s capital city had been cut by more than half.
There was a down side, though. Some of the worst jokes and riddles ever have been told as part of the yearly event.
Kathryn Krieg retired in 1974 after 43 years on the job. Her yearly reminders to make children work for their Halloween candy were carried by local media for parts of five different decades. She died in 1999 at the age of 94, but her legacy is intact today.
The first Beggars’ Night in Des Moines, where children said “Tricks for Eats” and then were held to it, was on this date in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Begging Door to Door"
In the 1930s, Halloween in Des Moines was focused more on vandalism than going door to door for treats. Police there responded to a record 550 calls of vandalism in one year alone.
The director of what is now the parks and rec department, Kathryn Krieg, came up with a campaign to encourage less destructive forms of fun.
In 1938, the city set aside October 30th as Beggars’ Night, encouraging children on that night only to go door to door and say the phrase, “Tricks for Eats”. The city council said “eats should be given only if such a ‘trick’ as a song, a poem, a stunt or a musical number, either solo or in group participation, is presented.”
The Beggars’ Night program worked. By the mid-1940s, the number of Halloween police calls in Iowa’s capital city had been cut by more than half.
There was a down side, though. Some of the worst jokes and riddles ever have been told as part of the yearly event.
Kathryn Krieg retired in 1974 after 43 years on the job. Her yearly reminders to make children work for their Halloween candy were carried by local media for parts of five different decades. She died in 1999 at the age of 94, but her legacy is intact today.
The first Beggars’ Night in Des Moines, where children said “Tricks for Eats” and then were held to it, was on this date in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, October 29
"Autumn Leaves Rising, Not Falling"
Early on, people in Des Moines knew Louis Weertz had talent. His father was a minister; his mother, a music teacher. The family moved to Des Moines before Louis was even a year old, and by the time he was three, he was already playing the piano…by ear.
His studies in piano at Drake University were interrupted by World War II, but he later returned to Drake and earned a masters degree. After that, it was on to the famous Julliard school. While in New York, he won a national TV talent contest. The founder of Kapp Records heard him play and signed him to a recording contract.
And that’s how Louis Weertz became known as Roger Williams.
In 1955, Roger Williams recorded “Autumn Leaves”. It became the only piano instrumental to ever reach number one on Billboard magazine’s pop music chart. It was the fourth number one song of the rock era and first moved to the top of the chart on October 29th of that year.
It stayed at number one for four weeks, and wound up being the fourth most popular song of the whole year.
Roger Williams scored 18 gold and platinum albums, and played for nine U.S. presidents, ranging from Harry S. Truman to George W. Bush.
He died of pancreatic cancer in 2011, just a week after his 87th birthday.
Iowa’s Louis Weertz—known to the world as pianist Roger Williams—went to number one on the pop charts with “Autumn Leaves”, on this date in 1955.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Autumn Leaves Rising, Not Falling"
Early on, people in Des Moines knew Louis Weertz had talent. His father was a minister; his mother, a music teacher. The family moved to Des Moines before Louis was even a year old, and by the time he was three, he was already playing the piano…by ear.
His studies in piano at Drake University were interrupted by World War II, but he later returned to Drake and earned a masters degree. After that, it was on to the famous Julliard school. While in New York, he won a national TV talent contest. The founder of Kapp Records heard him play and signed him to a recording contract.
And that’s how Louis Weertz became known as Roger Williams.
In 1955, Roger Williams recorded “Autumn Leaves”. It became the only piano instrumental to ever reach number one on Billboard magazine’s pop music chart. It was the fourth number one song of the rock era and first moved to the top of the chart on October 29th of that year.
It stayed at number one for four weeks, and wound up being the fourth most popular song of the whole year.
Roger Williams scored 18 gold and platinum albums, and played for nine U.S. presidents, ranging from Harry S. Truman to George W. Bush.
He died of pancreatic cancer in 2011, just a week after his 87th birthday.
Iowa’s Louis Weertz—known to the world as pianist Roger Williams—went to number one on the pop charts with “Autumn Leaves”, on this date in 1955.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, October 28
"First in the Nation"
The third debate of this presidential election cycle between Republican candidates takes place tonight in Boulder, Colorado.
Ever since the first Iowa presidential precinct caucus in 1972, Iowa has become a popular place for those who seek the nation's highest office, especially since a relative unknown named Jimmy Carter used a strong showing in the 1976 event to ultimately win his party's nomination and later the presidency.
In those early days, the caucus was held in late January, and for many years, in mid to late February. But as Iowa's role in the process became more prominent, other states wanted to leapfrog Iowa and be first in the nation.
That led to party rules declaring that Iowa would be the first in the nation caucus state, and New Hampshire would host the first in the nation primary. But other states kept inching earlier and earlier, and there was a real danger that Iowa would actually have to hold its 2008 caucuses in calendar year 2007 in order to remain first.
On October 28th, 2007, representatives of the Iowa Democratic Party voted to move the caucuses to January 3rd, 2008, just about as early as possible while still being in the year of the election. Earlier in the month, our state's Republicans did the same thing, continuing a 30-year trend of the two parties holding their respective caucuses on the same night, to maximize national exposure.
Despite threats, no other state moved ahead of Iowa, and on January 3rd, 2008, 38 percent of Iowa Democrats chose a U.S. Senator from Ilinois, Barack Obama, as their choice for president, edging former U.S. Senator John Edwards from North Carolina with 30 percent. Obama, of course, went on to win the nomination and the election to become the first non-Caucasian to hold the presidency.
The date for that historic caucus was set when Iowa Democrats moved the event to an earlier date to remain first in the nation; a decision made on this date in 2007.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"First in the Nation"
The third debate of this presidential election cycle between Republican candidates takes place tonight in Boulder, Colorado.
Ever since the first Iowa presidential precinct caucus in 1972, Iowa has become a popular place for those who seek the nation's highest office, especially since a relative unknown named Jimmy Carter used a strong showing in the 1976 event to ultimately win his party's nomination and later the presidency.
In those early days, the caucus was held in late January, and for many years, in mid to late February. But as Iowa's role in the process became more prominent, other states wanted to leapfrog Iowa and be first in the nation.
That led to party rules declaring that Iowa would be the first in the nation caucus state, and New Hampshire would host the first in the nation primary. But other states kept inching earlier and earlier, and there was a real danger that Iowa would actually have to hold its 2008 caucuses in calendar year 2007 in order to remain first.
On October 28th, 2007, representatives of the Iowa Democratic Party voted to move the caucuses to January 3rd, 2008, just about as early as possible while still being in the year of the election. Earlier in the month, our state's Republicans did the same thing, continuing a 30-year trend of the two parties holding their respective caucuses on the same night, to maximize national exposure.
Despite threats, no other state moved ahead of Iowa, and on January 3rd, 2008, 38 percent of Iowa Democrats chose a U.S. Senator from Ilinois, Barack Obama, as their choice for president, edging former U.S. Senator John Edwards from North Carolina with 30 percent. Obama, of course, went on to win the nomination and the election to become the first non-Caucasian to hold the presidency.
The date for that historic caucus was set when Iowa Democrats moved the event to an earlier date to remain first in the nation; a decision made on this date in 2007.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, October 27
"Our State Fair is a Great State Fair"
We’re used to the Iowa State Fair lasting more than two weeks, and being a focus of our late summer, August activities.
But it wasn’t always that way.
The first Iowa State Fair was held after harvest, from October 25th through the 27th, 1854. The fair was staged in Fairfield on a budget of only $323. There was no railroad at the time in Fairfield; that was still four years off.
Fairfield hosted the event the next year as well, before moving from town to town for the next 20 years. Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Iowa City, Dubuque, Burlington, Clinton, and Keokuk each hosted the fair for two year terms; Cedar Rapids played host twice, for a total of four years.
The Iowa State Fair moved to Des Moines permanently in 1878. It has been at its current location, at East 30th and East Grand Avenue, since 1886.
Since that first year, the Fair has been cancelled only five times, all due to war…the Spanish-American War in 1898, and for four years during World War II.
That first fair opened with presentation of a 360-pound “Great Denmark Cheese” to Iowa’s governor-elect James Grimes, from his friends from Lee County. The final day of the fair featured ten girls showing off their equestrian skills. Belle Turner of Lee County won first prize and a gold watch, but popular sentiment for a poor girl, 14-year-old Eliza Jane Hodges of Iowa City, led to $165 in cash and six month’s school tuition being raised for her from the crowd on the spot.
It cost 25 cents to get in, and first place winners got red ribbons, not the blue ribbons we know today. Some 10,000 people attended part of the three days of that first Iowa State Fair, which wrapped up in Fairfield on this date in 1854.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Our State Fair is a Great State Fair"
We’re used to the Iowa State Fair lasting more than two weeks, and being a focus of our late summer, August activities.
But it wasn’t always that way.
The first Iowa State Fair was held after harvest, from October 25th through the 27th, 1854. The fair was staged in Fairfield on a budget of only $323. There was no railroad at the time in Fairfield; that was still four years off.
Fairfield hosted the event the next year as well, before moving from town to town for the next 20 years. Muscatine, Oskaloosa, Iowa City, Dubuque, Burlington, Clinton, and Keokuk each hosted the fair for two year terms; Cedar Rapids played host twice, for a total of four years.
The Iowa State Fair moved to Des Moines permanently in 1878. It has been at its current location, at East 30th and East Grand Avenue, since 1886.
Since that first year, the Fair has been cancelled only five times, all due to war…the Spanish-American War in 1898, and for four years during World War II.
That first fair opened with presentation of a 360-pound “Great Denmark Cheese” to Iowa’s governor-elect James Grimes, from his friends from Lee County. The final day of the fair featured ten girls showing off their equestrian skills. Belle Turner of Lee County won first prize and a gold watch, but popular sentiment for a poor girl, 14-year-old Eliza Jane Hodges of Iowa City, led to $165 in cash and six month’s school tuition being raised for her from the crowd on the spot.
It cost 25 cents to get in, and first place winners got red ribbons, not the blue ribbons we know today. Some 10,000 people attended part of the three days of that first Iowa State Fair, which wrapped up in Fairfield on this date in 1854.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, October 26
"The Ida Grove Train"
Just a few years after Iowa became a state, surveyors were running township lines in what is now Ida County. The name does not refer to a famous citizen, nor is it a derivative of a Native American word.
The surveyors noted that Native Americans in the area had camped on a high hill west of where the town of Ida Grove was later established. They had fires burning on the top of that hill, drying strips of meat over green sampling frames so it would not spoil during the winter. The fires were visible through the night, reminding the surveyors of the vestal fires on Mount Ida in Greece.
And that’s how Ida County got its name.
A nearby grove of trees was in place near what became the John Moorehead home, also known as the Stagecoach Inn because it was placed at the crossroads of least five small stagecoach lines. Martha Moorehead had a habit of naming their family homes, and dubbed this one Ida Grove.
And as more buildings went up, as more settlers moved into the area, a town developed near that grove of trees…named Ida Grove.
The Stagecoach Inn became the first post office for the town, and later the first county courthouse.
The stagecoach lines gave way to the arrival of the railroad, and the first Chicago and Northwestern Railroad train made its way through Ida Grove on October 26th, 1877. As was often the case after rail service, the town grew quickly.
A new courthouse was built, on Moorehead Street, named after the original settlers of Ida Grove, which was officially named when the first train arrived in town, on this date in 1877.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Ida Grove Train"
Just a few years after Iowa became a state, surveyors were running township lines in what is now Ida County. The name does not refer to a famous citizen, nor is it a derivative of a Native American word.
The surveyors noted that Native Americans in the area had camped on a high hill west of where the town of Ida Grove was later established. They had fires burning on the top of that hill, drying strips of meat over green sampling frames so it would not spoil during the winter. The fires were visible through the night, reminding the surveyors of the vestal fires on Mount Ida in Greece.
And that’s how Ida County got its name.
A nearby grove of trees was in place near what became the John Moorehead home, also known as the Stagecoach Inn because it was placed at the crossroads of least five small stagecoach lines. Martha Moorehead had a habit of naming their family homes, and dubbed this one Ida Grove.
And as more buildings went up, as more settlers moved into the area, a town developed near that grove of trees…named Ida Grove.
The Stagecoach Inn became the first post office for the town, and later the first county courthouse.
The stagecoach lines gave way to the arrival of the railroad, and the first Chicago and Northwestern Railroad train made its way through Ida Grove on October 26th, 1877. As was often the case after rail service, the town grew quickly.
A new courthouse was built, on Moorehead Street, named after the original settlers of Ida Grove, which was officially named when the first train arrived in town, on this date in 1877.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, October 23
"Championship Horseshoe Pitching"
Frank Elroy Jackson was a farmer near Kellerton, Iowa, in Ringgold County. To pass the time, he like many others enjoyed horseshoe pitching. But Frank Jackson took it to a new level.
He first got a taste of competition in 1910, just as he was turning 40 years of age. He saw how others had tossed the horseshoes, and was surprised. He had never heard of being able to hold a shoe so it would open toward the stake. Instead, he had been holding the shoe with his finger around the heel calk.
At the time, games were played on dirt or sand courts, with stakes sticking two inches high off the ground, and placed 38 feet apart. Frank Jackson had developed the skill of pitching a ringer over that two inch stake, then laying a second shoe on top of the stake so opponents could not keep their ringers on. Later, the stake height was adjusted to six inches.
Jackson took it seriously, using a pair of shoes he had specially made by a local blacksmith, who bent the calks so the shoe would slide better in the sand, and help him slide ringers on the stake.
The first national horseshoe pitching tournament was held on October 23rd, 1915, in Kansas City, Kansas. And Frank Jackson won the title. He held it for four years, and was never defeated in competition.
Wearing a battered old felt hat, a long-sleeved shirt with a skinny necktie tucked in near one of the top buttons, and unpressed pants held up by suspenders, Kellerton, Iowa’s Frank Elroy Jackson became the national horseshoe pitching champion, on this date in 1915.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Championship Horseshoe Pitching"
Frank Elroy Jackson was a farmer near Kellerton, Iowa, in Ringgold County. To pass the time, he like many others enjoyed horseshoe pitching. But Frank Jackson took it to a new level.
He first got a taste of competition in 1910, just as he was turning 40 years of age. He saw how others had tossed the horseshoes, and was surprised. He had never heard of being able to hold a shoe so it would open toward the stake. Instead, he had been holding the shoe with his finger around the heel calk.
At the time, games were played on dirt or sand courts, with stakes sticking two inches high off the ground, and placed 38 feet apart. Frank Jackson had developed the skill of pitching a ringer over that two inch stake, then laying a second shoe on top of the stake so opponents could not keep their ringers on. Later, the stake height was adjusted to six inches.
Jackson took it seriously, using a pair of shoes he had specially made by a local blacksmith, who bent the calks so the shoe would slide better in the sand, and help him slide ringers on the stake.
The first national horseshoe pitching tournament was held on October 23rd, 1915, in Kansas City, Kansas. And Frank Jackson won the title. He held it for four years, and was never defeated in competition.
Wearing a battered old felt hat, a long-sleeved shirt with a skinny necktie tucked in near one of the top buttons, and unpressed pants held up by suspenders, Kellerton, Iowa’s Frank Elroy Jackson became the national horseshoe pitching champion, on this date in 1915.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, October 22
"Letterman Comes to Iowa"
Earlier this year, David Letterman ended his record-setting 33 years hosting late night TV shows. Many forget that his first TV show was on at a very different time, and had a different sound.
The David Letterman Show aired at 9 a.m. Iowa time for a four month period in the summer and fall of 1980. It wound up winning an Emmy, but it was a little too unique for an audience used to game shows and soap operas, and not a comedian with quirky humor.
As an example…the show sponsored an essay contest, telling why Letterman and his New York-based crew should tape an episode at your house. Jane Goldsworthy of Cresco, Iowa, submitted a 100-word essay, and before long, she found out she had won.
And that was how Howard and Jane Goldsworthy became national TV stars for a day, on October 22nd, 1980. The Letterman program that day included taped man-on-the-street segments from downtown Cresco, stupid pet tricks, and guest Cloris Leachman, herself an Iowa native.
The show almost did not make it on the air. It was taped in the late summer, and then the show was cancelled. But before the last daytime Letterman program on October 24th, the producers made sure the Iowa episode aired, on this date, in 1980.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Letterman Comes to Iowa"
Earlier this year, David Letterman ended his record-setting 33 years hosting late night TV shows. Many forget that his first TV show was on at a very different time, and had a different sound.
The David Letterman Show aired at 9 a.m. Iowa time for a four month period in the summer and fall of 1980. It wound up winning an Emmy, but it was a little too unique for an audience used to game shows and soap operas, and not a comedian with quirky humor.
As an example…the show sponsored an essay contest, telling why Letterman and his New York-based crew should tape an episode at your house. Jane Goldsworthy of Cresco, Iowa, submitted a 100-word essay, and before long, she found out she had won.
And that was how Howard and Jane Goldsworthy became national TV stars for a day, on October 22nd, 1980. The Letterman program that day included taped man-on-the-street segments from downtown Cresco, stupid pet tricks, and guest Cloris Leachman, herself an Iowa native.
The show almost did not make it on the air. It was taped in the late summer, and then the show was cancelled. But before the last daytime Letterman program on October 24th, the producers made sure the Iowa episode aired, on this date, in 1980.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, October 21
"Iowa Brothers Top The Charts"
Given the family history, it was no surprise that Phillip and Donald Everly would turn to music. Their father, Ike, had developed a unique style of guitar playing and soon was a full-time musician. Ike and Margaret moved their family to Shenandoah so Ike could take a job performing on KMA radio. Little Donnie and Baby Boy Phil soon joined their parents on the air, when they were only 8 and 6 years old.
The Everlys lived in Shenandoah from 1945 to 1952…not long after, America knew of the brothers thanks to their first single, “Bye Bye Love”, which peaked at number 2 on the pop charts in 1957.
Their next single, though, went to the very top.
“Wake Up Little Susie” hit number one in Billboard magazine’s chart on October 21, 1957. It stayed at number one for four weeks and became their second million selling record in a row. Don was 20, Phil was 18.
The Everly Brothers were among the first 10 artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Together they had 35 Billboard Hot 100 singles…26 of those made the Top 40. But their first number one hit, “Wake Up Little Susie”, first topped the pop charts on this date in 1957.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa Brothers Top The Charts"
Given the family history, it was no surprise that Phillip and Donald Everly would turn to music. Their father, Ike, had developed a unique style of guitar playing and soon was a full-time musician. Ike and Margaret moved their family to Shenandoah so Ike could take a job performing on KMA radio. Little Donnie and Baby Boy Phil soon joined their parents on the air, when they were only 8 and 6 years old.
The Everlys lived in Shenandoah from 1945 to 1952…not long after, America knew of the brothers thanks to their first single, “Bye Bye Love”, which peaked at number 2 on the pop charts in 1957.
Their next single, though, went to the very top.
“Wake Up Little Susie” hit number one in Billboard magazine’s chart on October 21, 1957. It stayed at number one for four weeks and became their second million selling record in a row. Don was 20, Phil was 18.
The Everly Brothers were among the first 10 artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Together they had 35 Billboard Hot 100 singles…26 of those made the Top 40. But their first number one hit, “Wake Up Little Susie”, first topped the pop charts on this date in 1957.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, October 20
"A Racist Attack on the Field"
Johnny Bright was a star halfback and quarterback for the Drake Bulldogs. In 1951, he was a pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate, and led the nation in total offense.
Drake was riding a five-game winning streak that season when the Bulldogs traveled to Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, on October 20th of that year. Two years before, Bright had been the first African-American to play on the Aggie’s home turf at Lewis Field.
It was no secret that A&M players were targeting Bright. Newspapers in Stillwater wrote that Bright was a marked man.
During the first seven minutes of the game alone, Bright was knocked unconscious three times by shots by A&M defensive tackle Wilbanks Smith. That last shot broke Johnny Bright’s jaw, but he still completed a 61-yard touchdown pass a few plays later. He did have to leave the game due to his injuries and the Bulldogs lost 27-14.
Given the times, it was hard to get some people to believe that Bright was targeted. But a six-photograph sequence of the final shot to Bright’s jaw, taken by Des Moines Register photographers Don Ultang and John Robinson, proved the case, winning the pair a Pulitzer Prize in the process.
When it became clear the Missouri Valley Conference was not going to take action against Oklahoma A&M, Drake actually withdrew from the conference in protest, not returning as a football member for 20 years.
Johnny Bright finished fifth in the Heisman voting, despite missing most of the last three games of that season because of the injury. He later spent 12 years in the professional Canadian Football League and was inducted into the league’s hall of fame.
In 2005, the president of Oklahoma State wrote a letter to Drake’s president, formally apologizing for the incident. But it came 22 years after Johnny Bright died.
Drake’s star was brutally knocked out of the game, simply because of his race, on this date in 1951.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Racist Attack on the Field"
Johnny Bright was a star halfback and quarterback for the Drake Bulldogs. In 1951, he was a pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate, and led the nation in total offense.
Drake was riding a five-game winning streak that season when the Bulldogs traveled to Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, on October 20th of that year. Two years before, Bright had been the first African-American to play on the Aggie’s home turf at Lewis Field.
It was no secret that A&M players were targeting Bright. Newspapers in Stillwater wrote that Bright was a marked man.
During the first seven minutes of the game alone, Bright was knocked unconscious three times by shots by A&M defensive tackle Wilbanks Smith. That last shot broke Johnny Bright’s jaw, but he still completed a 61-yard touchdown pass a few plays later. He did have to leave the game due to his injuries and the Bulldogs lost 27-14.
Given the times, it was hard to get some people to believe that Bright was targeted. But a six-photograph sequence of the final shot to Bright’s jaw, taken by Des Moines Register photographers Don Ultang and John Robinson, proved the case, winning the pair a Pulitzer Prize in the process.
When it became clear the Missouri Valley Conference was not going to take action against Oklahoma A&M, Drake actually withdrew from the conference in protest, not returning as a football member for 20 years.
Johnny Bright finished fifth in the Heisman voting, despite missing most of the last three games of that season because of the injury. He later spent 12 years in the professional Canadian Football League and was inducted into the league’s hall of fame.
In 2005, the president of Oklahoma State wrote a letter to Drake’s president, formally apologizing for the incident. But it came 22 years after Johnny Bright died.
Drake’s star was brutally knocked out of the game, simply because of his race, on this date in 1951.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, October 19
"The True Father of the Computer"
Computers, and the latest technology computers have spawned, dominate our lives. It’s hard to imagine a time without them.
Who deserves the credit for inventing the computer has been hotly contested over time.
One night in the late 1930s, Iowa State University physics professor John Vincent Atanasoff was working in his lab. He had a particularly frustrating day, performing tedious mathematical calculations. So he left work and went to a bar to relax.
He wanted to find a way to make working those calculations easier. It was in that bar that he came upon the idea that a binary number system and electronic switches, combined with an array of capacitors on a moving drum to serve as memory, could produce a computing machine that would make his life easier.
So he went back and built the machine. It worked, and nearly two years later, in 1939, Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry built a prototype of the ABC…the Atansaoff-Berry Computer.
But he never patented the device, and others took the foundation developed by Atanasoff to create machines that advanced the ABC.
Lawsuits later resulted, because if the ABC was in fact the foundation of more modern computers, a lot of money was at stake.
On October 19, 1973, a judge ruled that the fight at the time between Honeywell and Sperry-Rand over who invented the computer missed the point…because the true father of the computer was John Atanasoff.
The decision came just two weeks after his 70th birthday. From that point on, John Atanasoff’s name would go down in history. Recognition that the Iowa State professor invented the first electronic digital computer came in a court decision, on this date, in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The True Father of the Computer"
Computers, and the latest technology computers have spawned, dominate our lives. It’s hard to imagine a time without them.
Who deserves the credit for inventing the computer has been hotly contested over time.
One night in the late 1930s, Iowa State University physics professor John Vincent Atanasoff was working in his lab. He had a particularly frustrating day, performing tedious mathematical calculations. So he left work and went to a bar to relax.
He wanted to find a way to make working those calculations easier. It was in that bar that he came upon the idea that a binary number system and electronic switches, combined with an array of capacitors on a moving drum to serve as memory, could produce a computing machine that would make his life easier.
So he went back and built the machine. It worked, and nearly two years later, in 1939, Atanasoff and graduate student Clifford Berry built a prototype of the ABC…the Atansaoff-Berry Computer.
But he never patented the device, and others took the foundation developed by Atanasoff to create machines that advanced the ABC.
Lawsuits later resulted, because if the ABC was in fact the foundation of more modern computers, a lot of money was at stake.
On October 19, 1973, a judge ruled that the fight at the time between Honeywell and Sperry-Rand over who invented the computer missed the point…because the true father of the computer was John Atanasoff.
The decision came just two weeks after his 70th birthday. From that point on, John Atanasoff’s name would go down in history. Recognition that the Iowa State professor invented the first electronic digital computer came in a court decision, on this date, in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, October 16
"Cy Takes The Field"
The Iowa State athletic teams have been known as the Cyclones since 1895. That’s when the Chicago Tribune said the Northwestern football team had been “struck by a cyclone” when the team from Ames came to town. The name stuck.
But it’s hard to have a cyclone as a mascot. After all, what costume would you come up with?
In 1954, members of Iowa State’s Pep Council decided the university needed a mascot. They decided on a cardinal, since the school colors are cardinal and gold. A contest was held to name the new mascot, and 17 people submitted the name “Cy”, short for “Cyclone”.
Cy the Cardinal made his debut at Homecoming on October 16th, 1954. That first Cy was 8 feet tall and the costume cost $200 to create.
A slightly more agile version of the mascot, named Clone, debuted in 1989. Cy and Clone both served for a number of years, before being merged in 1995 into the Cy who prowls the sidelines on game day today.
Cy the Cardinal won a national mascot of the year contest in 2008, but he made his debut at Homecoming, on this date, in 1954.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Cy Takes The Field"
The Iowa State athletic teams have been known as the Cyclones since 1895. That’s when the Chicago Tribune said the Northwestern football team had been “struck by a cyclone” when the team from Ames came to town. The name stuck.
But it’s hard to have a cyclone as a mascot. After all, what costume would you come up with?
In 1954, members of Iowa State’s Pep Council decided the university needed a mascot. They decided on a cardinal, since the school colors are cardinal and gold. A contest was held to name the new mascot, and 17 people submitted the name “Cy”, short for “Cyclone”.
Cy the Cardinal made his debut at Homecoming on October 16th, 1954. That first Cy was 8 feet tall and the costume cost $200 to create.
A slightly more agile version of the mascot, named Clone, debuted in 1989. Cy and Clone both served for a number of years, before being merged in 1995 into the Cy who prowls the sidelines on game day today.
Cy the Cardinal won a national mascot of the year contest in 2008, but he made his debut at Homecoming, on this date, in 1954.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, October 15
"Graduating Cadets"
The United States entered World War I in 1917, and thousands of Americans enlisted to fight Germany in the Great War. That included thousands of black Americans, from all parts of the country.
Keep in mind this was only 50 years after the end of the U.S. Civil War.
Despite the eagerness of some blacks to join the fight, enlistments were limited by the federal government. While some groups such as the NAACP pushed for officer training for blacks, government officials were afraid the race issue would hurt the war effort.
So a compromise was reached, whereby one officer candidate school in the country would be open to blacks. It was located at Fort Des Moines.
Fort Des Moines had been built on 400 acres of land in 1901 and had previously hosted all-black units for training.
The first black officer candidates arrived at Fort Des Moines in May of 1917, consisting of 1,000 black college graduates and faculty members. At the time, Des Moines’ black population only numbered 5,000.
The troops were highly educated, and well received by the community. That was in contrast to an all-black Alabama enlisted regiment based at Camp Dodge across town, which often faced discrimination.
After 90 days of rigorous training, 638 captains and lieutenants received their commissions and were dispatched for basic training across the country. They would reunite in New Jersey in June of the next year, to fight as a unit in France.
Graduation day for the country’s only class of black officers, trained at Fort Des Moines, happened on this date in 1917.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Graduating Cadets"
The United States entered World War I in 1917, and thousands of Americans enlisted to fight Germany in the Great War. That included thousands of black Americans, from all parts of the country.
Keep in mind this was only 50 years after the end of the U.S. Civil War.
Despite the eagerness of some blacks to join the fight, enlistments were limited by the federal government. While some groups such as the NAACP pushed for officer training for blacks, government officials were afraid the race issue would hurt the war effort.
So a compromise was reached, whereby one officer candidate school in the country would be open to blacks. It was located at Fort Des Moines.
Fort Des Moines had been built on 400 acres of land in 1901 and had previously hosted all-black units for training.
The first black officer candidates arrived at Fort Des Moines in May of 1917, consisting of 1,000 black college graduates and faculty members. At the time, Des Moines’ black population only numbered 5,000.
The troops were highly educated, and well received by the community. That was in contrast to an all-black Alabama enlisted regiment based at Camp Dodge across town, which often faced discrimination.
After 90 days of rigorous training, 638 captains and lieutenants received their commissions and were dispatched for basic training across the country. They would reunite in New Jersey in June of the next year, to fight as a unit in France.
Graduation day for the country’s only class of black officers, trained at Fort Des Moines, happened on this date in 1917.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, October 14
"A Fruit Pie"
Anita Bryant was known in the 1950s and 1960s as a singer, then as the commercial spokesperson for Florida orange juice.
By the mid-1970s, she became active in the anti-gay rights movement, first in Florida, and then around the country.
That's what led her to come to Des Moines on August 14th, 1977. Only two months before, her efforts led to repeal of an anti-discrimination ordinance in her home state. She was speaking at a news conference when suddenly a gay rights activist from Minnesota named Thom Higgins hit Bryant in the face with a cream pie. Some called for security, but Bryant waved them off, quipping, "At least it was a fruit pie."
Immediately afterward, Bryant and her husband Bob Green prayed for God to forgive the activist for his deviant lifestyle. Higgins was one of four who attended the news conference to protest against Bryant. They brought with them a spare pie. Bryant's husband confronted the four outside the news conference, and tossed that spare pie into the face of one of the protesters.
No charges were filed.
It's been nearly 40 years, and the issue of gay rights still raises controversy. One of the most public displays of the dispute came in Des Moines when Anita Bryant was hit in the face with a pie by a gay rights activist, on this date, in 1977.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Fruit Pie"
Anita Bryant was known in the 1950s and 1960s as a singer, then as the commercial spokesperson for Florida orange juice.
By the mid-1970s, she became active in the anti-gay rights movement, first in Florida, and then around the country.
That's what led her to come to Des Moines on August 14th, 1977. Only two months before, her efforts led to repeal of an anti-discrimination ordinance in her home state. She was speaking at a news conference when suddenly a gay rights activist from Minnesota named Thom Higgins hit Bryant in the face with a cream pie. Some called for security, but Bryant waved them off, quipping, "At least it was a fruit pie."
Immediately afterward, Bryant and her husband Bob Green prayed for God to forgive the activist for his deviant lifestyle. Higgins was one of four who attended the news conference to protest against Bryant. They brought with them a spare pie. Bryant's husband confronted the four outside the news conference, and tossed that spare pie into the face of one of the protesters.
No charges were filed.
It's been nearly 40 years, and the issue of gay rights still raises controversy. One of the most public displays of the dispute came in Des Moines when Anita Bryant was hit in the face with a pie by a gay rights activist, on this date, in 1977.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, October 13
"A Post Office Before The Town"
A U.S. post office was established in the town of Williams, Iowa on this date, October 13th, in 1869.
But it wasn't very busy. That's because at the time the post office was established, the town had not even been platted.
William H. Merritt owned a number of parcels of land in Iowa at that time, and thanks to the growing railroad, set up a number of small towns through which rail lines could run.
That was the case with Williams, located in Hamilton County. The town was not platted until the winter of 1869 and the only building that was built was the railroad depot. The first postmaster was Isaac H. Brown, who also served as the depot agent...truly a one-man town.
Merritt named his town for Major William Williams of Ford Dodge.
The first house in Williams was built in 1870, but by 1900, the town had a population of 500. It was among the first in Iowa to have a complete water and sewage system, and in 1930, it was chosen by Bell Telephone as the first rural community west of the Mississippi to have dial telephones.
And one of the town's favorite sons, Al McCoy, has been the play by play voice of the Phoenix Suns NBA team since 1972 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
There were no homes and no citizens, but you could send a letter to the post office in Williams, Iowa, which was established on this date in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Post Office Before The Town"
A U.S. post office was established in the town of Williams, Iowa on this date, October 13th, in 1869.
But it wasn't very busy. That's because at the time the post office was established, the town had not even been platted.
William H. Merritt owned a number of parcels of land in Iowa at that time, and thanks to the growing railroad, set up a number of small towns through which rail lines could run.
That was the case with Williams, located in Hamilton County. The town was not platted until the winter of 1869 and the only building that was built was the railroad depot. The first postmaster was Isaac H. Brown, who also served as the depot agent...truly a one-man town.
Merritt named his town for Major William Williams of Ford Dodge.
The first house in Williams was built in 1870, but by 1900, the town had a population of 500. It was among the first in Iowa to have a complete water and sewage system, and in 1930, it was chosen by Bell Telephone as the first rural community west of the Mississippi to have dial telephones.
And one of the town's favorite sons, Al McCoy, has been the play by play voice of the Phoenix Suns NBA team since 1972 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
There were no homes and no citizens, but you could send a letter to the post office in Williams, Iowa, which was established on this date in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, October 12
"Iowa and the War Between the States"
It was on this date, October 12th, 1864, that a Civil War battle was fought...in Iowa.
Just north of the Missouri border, near Bloomfield, Confederate forces led by Lieutenant Bill Jackson made their way into Iowa. Jackson led a dozen heavily armed Missouri Partisan Rangers dressed in Union uniforms in a raid through Davis County. It led to the murder of three local citizens.
It was the furthermost north of any confederate incursion during the civil war.
Now, some folks near Salineville, Ohio claim that distinction, as well. While that location is further south than the Iowa site, the Ohio battle was a full engagement between Union and Confederate forces. By contrast, the incursion into Iowa sounds more like a gang in disguise.
But they were still Confederate soldiers on a raid that led to the deaths of three Iowans, farther north than any others went, near Bloomfield in Davis County, on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa and the War Between the States"
It was on this date, October 12th, 1864, that a Civil War battle was fought...in Iowa.
Just north of the Missouri border, near Bloomfield, Confederate forces led by Lieutenant Bill Jackson made their way into Iowa. Jackson led a dozen heavily armed Missouri Partisan Rangers dressed in Union uniforms in a raid through Davis County. It led to the murder of three local citizens.
It was the furthermost north of any confederate incursion during the civil war.
Now, some folks near Salineville, Ohio claim that distinction, as well. While that location is further south than the Iowa site, the Ohio battle was a full engagement between Union and Confederate forces. By contrast, the incursion into Iowa sounds more like a gang in disguise.
But they were still Confederate soldiers on a raid that led to the deaths of three Iowans, farther north than any others went, near Bloomfield in Davis County, on this date in 1864.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, October 9
"Up, Up and Away"
We take air travel for granted these days, but it wasn’t that long ago that soaring through the sky was quite a novelty.
While the first public demonstration of an unmanned hot air balloon was in France in 1783, it took 62 years before a similar event occurred in Iowa. It was for Independence Day 1845, and an unmanned balloon was sent aloft in Burlington, staying in the sky for close to an hour.
On October 9th, 1856, some 15,000 people gathered in Muscatine for the third Iowa State Fair. Among that day’s attractions was the first manned balloon ascension ever in the state.
The balloon was owned by Silas M. Brooks, and was called Hercules. Newspapers called the event “entertainment with a very heavy expense” and “the greatest novelty that has ever visited this city”.
At around 4:30 p.m., the balloon began to rise and a male known now only as Mr. Leonard climbed into the basket. He drifted for 45 minutes, coming back to earth in Cedar County, three miles north of Wilton and fifteen miles from where he started in Muscatine.
The first manned balloon ascension, a highlight of the third Iowa State Fair in Muscatine, on this date in 1856.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Up, Up and Away"
We take air travel for granted these days, but it wasn’t that long ago that soaring through the sky was quite a novelty.
While the first public demonstration of an unmanned hot air balloon was in France in 1783, it took 62 years before a similar event occurred in Iowa. It was for Independence Day 1845, and an unmanned balloon was sent aloft in Burlington, staying in the sky for close to an hour.
On October 9th, 1856, some 15,000 people gathered in Muscatine for the third Iowa State Fair. Among that day’s attractions was the first manned balloon ascension ever in the state.
The balloon was owned by Silas M. Brooks, and was called Hercules. Newspapers called the event “entertainment with a very heavy expense” and “the greatest novelty that has ever visited this city”.
At around 4:30 p.m., the balloon began to rise and a male known now only as Mr. Leonard climbed into the basket. He drifted for 45 minutes, coming back to earth in Cedar County, three miles north of Wilton and fifteen miles from where he started in Muscatine.
The first manned balloon ascension, a highlight of the third Iowa State Fair in Muscatine, on this date in 1856.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, October 8
"Dedicating a Courthouse"
Fayette County in northeast Iowa has a unique history. It's named for the French general aiding the Colonists in the Revolutionary War, the Marquis de la Fayette.
And it was originally one of the largest counties ever organized. It had an area of 140,000 square miles and included all of the present state of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River. In fact, almost all of the counties in northeastern Iowa were formed out of the original Fayette County, which was reduced to its current boundaries in 1847, shortly after Iowa became a state.
Back in 1851, a vote was held to determine where the county seat would be. Voters had six choices, with the top two advancing to a later ballot when the final choice would be made. Voters chose West Union over Lightville.
The county seat of West Union was originally called Knob Prairie. And although a courthouse was proposed in 1853, one was not built until three years later. County business was transacted in the Methodist Church until the courthouse was ready.
But that original building burned to the ground when a prisoner in the jail started his cell on fire. A second courthouse was then built...but it was destroyed by fire, as well in 1922.
Before a third courthouse could be built, there was another fight over where the county seat should be located. Fayette and Oelwein made their case, but again, West Union prevailed, in part because citizens of West Union and the surrounding areas donated $100,000 toward the total building cost of almost $300,000. But after losing the previous two courthouses due to fire, this one is a gray Bedford stone structure.
This version of the Fayette County Courthouse was formally dedicated and open for business, on this date in 1924.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Dedicating a Courthouse"
Fayette County in northeast Iowa has a unique history. It's named for the French general aiding the Colonists in the Revolutionary War, the Marquis de la Fayette.
And it was originally one of the largest counties ever organized. It had an area of 140,000 square miles and included all of the present state of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River. In fact, almost all of the counties in northeastern Iowa were formed out of the original Fayette County, which was reduced to its current boundaries in 1847, shortly after Iowa became a state.
Back in 1851, a vote was held to determine where the county seat would be. Voters had six choices, with the top two advancing to a later ballot when the final choice would be made. Voters chose West Union over Lightville.
The county seat of West Union was originally called Knob Prairie. And although a courthouse was proposed in 1853, one was not built until three years later. County business was transacted in the Methodist Church until the courthouse was ready.
But that original building burned to the ground when a prisoner in the jail started his cell on fire. A second courthouse was then built...but it was destroyed by fire, as well in 1922.
Before a third courthouse could be built, there was another fight over where the county seat should be located. Fayette and Oelwein made their case, but again, West Union prevailed, in part because citizens of West Union and the surrounding areas donated $100,000 toward the total building cost of almost $300,000. But after losing the previous two courthouses due to fire, this one is a gray Bedford stone structure.
This version of the Fayette County Courthouse was formally dedicated and open for business, on this date in 1924.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, October 7
"Writing a Constitution"
The procedure was fairly straight forward…in order for a territory to become a state, a constitution had to be written.
And that led to a gathering of 72 men in Iowa City on October 7th, 1844. Iowa had been a territory for six years, but the concept of writing a constitution or making laws was still new.
Two thirds of the delegates were Democrats, the rest were Whigs. The Republican party wouldn’t be formed for another ten years.
The convention was in session for 26 days, discussing questions such as “should meetings be opened with prayer?”, “what salaries should be paid to public officials?” and “what should be the boundaries of the new state?”.
The constitution was ultimately sent to Congress in December, which had to determine if Iowa’s population was large enough to justify statehood, if the boundaries for the proposed new state were satisfactory, and if the constitution itself was consistent with the U.S. constitution.
Congress approved the document, including that Iowa would enter the union as a free state. But the people of Iowa had to vote and approve the constitution. As it turned out, citizens did not like the boundaries that had been proposed, and rejected the constitution.
That delayed Iowa statehood, because another convention had to be called and another document prepared for approval by voters. That ultimately happened, of course. But the first constitutional convention for Iowa statehood began on this date in 1844.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Writing a Constitution"
The procedure was fairly straight forward…in order for a territory to become a state, a constitution had to be written.
And that led to a gathering of 72 men in Iowa City on October 7th, 1844. Iowa had been a territory for six years, but the concept of writing a constitution or making laws was still new.
Two thirds of the delegates were Democrats, the rest were Whigs. The Republican party wouldn’t be formed for another ten years.
The convention was in session for 26 days, discussing questions such as “should meetings be opened with prayer?”, “what salaries should be paid to public officials?” and “what should be the boundaries of the new state?”.
The constitution was ultimately sent to Congress in December, which had to determine if Iowa’s population was large enough to justify statehood, if the boundaries for the proposed new state were satisfactory, and if the constitution itself was consistent with the U.S. constitution.
Congress approved the document, including that Iowa would enter the union as a free state. But the people of Iowa had to vote and approve the constitution. As it turned out, citizens did not like the boundaries that had been proposed, and rejected the constitution.
That delayed Iowa statehood, because another convention had to be called and another document prepared for approval by voters. That ultimately happened, of course. But the first constitutional convention for Iowa statehood began on this date in 1844.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, October 6
"Giving His Life for Football"
People knew from the start he was unique.
Jack Trice distinguished himself on a very good team at East Tech high school in Cleveland. The team's coach, Sam Willaman, took a job at Iowa State College and recruited some of his high school players to come with him to Ames. One was Trice, who took advantage of the opportunity to get a college education while playing the game he loved.
It would not be easy, however. When he arrived on campus in 1922, he was the only African-American player on the team, at a time when some schools refused to take the field if their opponent included a player of color.
Freshmen could not play on the varsity back then, so Trice bided his time until the 1923 season. The first game was in Ames against Simpson College. Trice did not start, but his play during Iowa State's 14-6 win earned him a starting role the next week, at Minnesota.
Trice hurts his shoulder and breaks his collarbone in the first series, but stays in the game. In the second half, while playing on the offensive line, Trice throws a block and is trampled by Minnesota players. He does not get up after the play. He was briefly treated at a hospital, but allowed to ride the train back to Ames with his teammates.
He was immediately hospitalized when he returned, but the internal injuries he sustained in the game led to a raging fever and infection. By early Monday afternoon, Jack Trice had died.
Was he targeted for injury during the game due to his race, or his skill? Was he burdened by race, leading to his desire to stay in the game despite injury.
The night before the game, he wrote a letter which was found in his jacket pocket. He wrote, "The honor of my race, family and self are at stake. I will be trying to do more than my part."
The stadium where Iowa State now plays bears his name; that, of course, came after decades of discussion on the topic. It's the only Division I stadium in the country to be named after an African-American athlete.
The only player to die on the field while wearing an Iowa State jersey, Jack Trice, suffered injuries that would be fatal, on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Giving His Life for Football"
People knew from the start he was unique.
Jack Trice distinguished himself on a very good team at East Tech high school in Cleveland. The team's coach, Sam Willaman, took a job at Iowa State College and recruited some of his high school players to come with him to Ames. One was Trice, who took advantage of the opportunity to get a college education while playing the game he loved.
It would not be easy, however. When he arrived on campus in 1922, he was the only African-American player on the team, at a time when some schools refused to take the field if their opponent included a player of color.
Freshmen could not play on the varsity back then, so Trice bided his time until the 1923 season. The first game was in Ames against Simpson College. Trice did not start, but his play during Iowa State's 14-6 win earned him a starting role the next week, at Minnesota.
Trice hurts his shoulder and breaks his collarbone in the first series, but stays in the game. In the second half, while playing on the offensive line, Trice throws a block and is trampled by Minnesota players. He does not get up after the play. He was briefly treated at a hospital, but allowed to ride the train back to Ames with his teammates.
He was immediately hospitalized when he returned, but the internal injuries he sustained in the game led to a raging fever and infection. By early Monday afternoon, Jack Trice had died.
Was he targeted for injury during the game due to his race, or his skill? Was he burdened by race, leading to his desire to stay in the game despite injury.
The night before the game, he wrote a letter which was found in his jacket pocket. He wrote, "The honor of my race, family and self are at stake. I will be trying to do more than my part."
The stadium where Iowa State now plays bears his name; that, of course, came after decades of discussion on the topic. It's the only Division I stadium in the country to be named after an African-American athlete.
The only player to die on the field while wearing an Iowa State jersey, Jack Trice, suffered injuries that would be fatal, on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, October 5
"Herky Comes To Life"
We're used to mascots in costumes prowling the sidelines at college football games. But at the University of Iowa, live animals used to be the mascot.
In 1908, a live bear named Burch arrived from Idaho. Students enjoyed wrestling with him, until he grew too large. Later, Rex the dog served as the ROTC and university mascot, from 1927 to 1932. But neither matched the team's nickname, Hawkeyes.
In 1948, the first hawk mascot appeared. It was in cartoon form, drawn by Iowa journalism instructor Dick Spencer. A name-the-mascot contest was held, and a Belle Plaine alum named John Franklin won for his suggestion of Hercules the Hawk, which quickly became shortened to the now familiar Herky. But it took nearly a decade before Herky came to life.
On Friday, October 5, 1956, the first pep rally of the college football season was held in Iowa City. There, a hawk made his appearance, the third live species to be an Iowa mascot but the first that actually matched the team's nickname.
Three years later, a member of an Iowa fraternity created a costume inspired by Dick Spencer's Herky cartoon, and the now-famous tradition of a person as mascot began.
But the first live Herky was an actual hawk, who made his first appearance when Hawkeyes gathered for the pep rally held in Iowa City on this date in 1956.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Herky Comes To Life"
We're used to mascots in costumes prowling the sidelines at college football games. But at the University of Iowa, live animals used to be the mascot.
In 1908, a live bear named Burch arrived from Idaho. Students enjoyed wrestling with him, until he grew too large. Later, Rex the dog served as the ROTC and university mascot, from 1927 to 1932. But neither matched the team's nickname, Hawkeyes.
In 1948, the first hawk mascot appeared. It was in cartoon form, drawn by Iowa journalism instructor Dick Spencer. A name-the-mascot contest was held, and a Belle Plaine alum named John Franklin won for his suggestion of Hercules the Hawk, which quickly became shortened to the now familiar Herky. But it took nearly a decade before Herky came to life.
On Friday, October 5, 1956, the first pep rally of the college football season was held in Iowa City. There, a hawk made his appearance, the third live species to be an Iowa mascot but the first that actually matched the team's nickname.
Three years later, a member of an Iowa fraternity created a costume inspired by Dick Spencer's Herky cartoon, and the now-famous tradition of a person as mascot began.
But the first live Herky was an actual hawk, who made his first appearance when Hawkeyes gathered for the pep rally held in Iowa City on this date in 1956.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, October 2
"Navy Pilots in Iowa"
America entered the second world war when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. All aspects of American society were mobilized.
Five months later, in April 1942, a U.S. Navy site selection board met in Ottumwa with city officials and the head of the airport commission there. The board determined that Ottumwa was well suited as the site for a primary training location, and on July 9th of that year, Navy Secretary Frank Knox announced approved of Ottumwa as site of a Naval aviation base.
The Navy took possession of a 14-hundred acre tract of land for the air base, which was under the direction of Lt. Comdr. D.D. Gurley. On September 13th, the first two enlisted men reported for duty.
Lt. Comdr. Gurley himself landed the first Navy airplane at the base on January 23rd, 1943. Flight training for cadets began in March. That summer, some 30,000 civilians toured the new base during an open house.
Over time, more than 66-hundred trainees reported for duty in Ottumwa, including Ensign Richard Nixon in October of 1942. They flew nearly 400-thousand training flights before flight training officially ended in September of 1945. The base was used for midshipmen training after the war, and then was closed when operations moved to Florida two years later.
The Naval Air Station at Ottumwa trained thousands of pilots during World War II before the last U.S. Navy airplane left Ottumwa, on this date, in 1947.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Navy Pilots in Iowa"
America entered the second world war when Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941. All aspects of American society were mobilized.
Five months later, in April 1942, a U.S. Navy site selection board met in Ottumwa with city officials and the head of the airport commission there. The board determined that Ottumwa was well suited as the site for a primary training location, and on July 9th of that year, Navy Secretary Frank Knox announced approved of Ottumwa as site of a Naval aviation base.
The Navy took possession of a 14-hundred acre tract of land for the air base, which was under the direction of Lt. Comdr. D.D. Gurley. On September 13th, the first two enlisted men reported for duty.
Lt. Comdr. Gurley himself landed the first Navy airplane at the base on January 23rd, 1943. Flight training for cadets began in March. That summer, some 30,000 civilians toured the new base during an open house.
Over time, more than 66-hundred trainees reported for duty in Ottumwa, including Ensign Richard Nixon in October of 1942. They flew nearly 400-thousand training flights before flight training officially ended in September of 1945. The base was used for midshipmen training after the war, and then was closed when operations moved to Florida two years later.
The Naval Air Station at Ottumwa trained thousands of pilots during World War II before the last U.S. Navy airplane left Ottumwa, on this date, in 1947.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, October 1
"The King Assumes His Throne"
Here's Johnny!
John William Carson was born in Corning, Iowa on October 23, 1925. And it was on this date, October 1st in 1962, that 36-year-old Johnny Carson first took the stage as host of NBC's Tonight Show program.
For the next 30 years, Carson dominated late night TV as no one else has, before or since. His nightly monologue was required viewing and helped reflect, and set, the national mood on politics, pop culture, and life in our times generally.
Carson also lived in Clarinda, Avoca, and Red Oak, Iowa, before his family moved to Norfolk, Nebraska when Johnny was 8 years old. He taught himself magic, and often performed as a teen as the Great Carsoni.
The love of entertaining led him to the still new world of broadcasting, first in Omaha and then Los Angeles, where in 1950 he got his first comedy show, Carson's Cellar.
Soon it was on to New York to host a series of game shows while also filling in as host of other programs, including substituting for Jack Paar on his version of the Tonight Show.
The king of late night, Carson presided over the Tonight Show in parts of four different decades, and gave countless comedians and entertainers their big break on his program.
It's hard to believe it's been more than 20 years since he left television, but in a testament to the popularity of his work, reruns of the original programs from the 1970s and 1980s will soon air again nightly on TV stations across the country.
The first Tonight Show starring Iowa's Johnny Carson took to the air, on this date, in 1962.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The King Assumes His Throne"
Here's Johnny!
John William Carson was born in Corning, Iowa on October 23, 1925. And it was on this date, October 1st in 1962, that 36-year-old Johnny Carson first took the stage as host of NBC's Tonight Show program.
For the next 30 years, Carson dominated late night TV as no one else has, before or since. His nightly monologue was required viewing and helped reflect, and set, the national mood on politics, pop culture, and life in our times generally.
Carson also lived in Clarinda, Avoca, and Red Oak, Iowa, before his family moved to Norfolk, Nebraska when Johnny was 8 years old. He taught himself magic, and often performed as a teen as the Great Carsoni.
The love of entertaining led him to the still new world of broadcasting, first in Omaha and then Los Angeles, where in 1950 he got his first comedy show, Carson's Cellar.
Soon it was on to New York to host a series of game shows while also filling in as host of other programs, including substituting for Jack Paar on his version of the Tonight Show.
The king of late night, Carson presided over the Tonight Show in parts of four different decades, and gave countless comedians and entertainers their big break on his program.
It's hard to believe it's been more than 20 years since he left television, but in a testament to the popularity of his work, reruns of the original programs from the 1970s and 1980s will soon air again nightly on TV stations across the country.
The first Tonight Show starring Iowa's Johnny Carson took to the air, on this date, in 1962.
And that's Iowa Almanac for October 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, September 30
"TV Comes to Eastern Iowa"
After World War II, Americans were impatient. They sacrificed during wartime, and now wanted to enjoy all aspects of life. That included entertainment, such as the new medium of television.
But there were too many applicants for TV station licenses, so the Federal Communications Commission put a freeze in place to help them determine how best to use the limited television spectrum. For those of us in Iowa, it meant very few local stations--one in Davenport, one in Ames, and one in Sioux City--until the freeze was lifted in 1953.
William B. Quarton was a broadcasting visionary, and quickly moved to put Channel 2 on the air in Cedar Rapids, to go along with the radio station he ran. And while his WMT radio was successful, local bankers weren't too sure about the promise of television and refused to loan him the money needed to put a TV station on the air. He had to go to the Twin Cities for financing.
Then on September 30th, 1953, local television came to eastern Iowa when Channel 2 signed on just before noon.
This is a great day for us, and I hope it is for you, too. Now, we've had a wonderful time building this station. Please do remember that we are not experts. We're trying to do the best we can. We're going to make many mistakes. You're going to have a lot of fun with us, laughing at our mistakes. But one of these days we'll end up, I feel confident, with a very good operation.
That was the voice of William B. Quarton from that first broadcast. The first full program on the channel was the first game of the 1953 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Channel 9 in Cedar Rapids went on the air two weeks later, followed by Channel 7 in Waterloo on Thanksgiving day. In a unique burst, eastern Iowans went from no local stations, to three, in the space of less than two months.
This is WMT-TV, Channel 2 in Cedar Rapids.
But it started when Channel 2 went on the air as eastern Iowa's first television station, on this date in 1953.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"TV Comes to Eastern Iowa"
After World War II, Americans were impatient. They sacrificed during wartime, and now wanted to enjoy all aspects of life. That included entertainment, such as the new medium of television.
But there were too many applicants for TV station licenses, so the Federal Communications Commission put a freeze in place to help them determine how best to use the limited television spectrum. For those of us in Iowa, it meant very few local stations--one in Davenport, one in Ames, and one in Sioux City--until the freeze was lifted in 1953.
William B. Quarton was a broadcasting visionary, and quickly moved to put Channel 2 on the air in Cedar Rapids, to go along with the radio station he ran. And while his WMT radio was successful, local bankers weren't too sure about the promise of television and refused to loan him the money needed to put a TV station on the air. He had to go to the Twin Cities for financing.
Then on September 30th, 1953, local television came to eastern Iowa when Channel 2 signed on just before noon.
This is a great day for us, and I hope it is for you, too. Now, we've had a wonderful time building this station. Please do remember that we are not experts. We're trying to do the best we can. We're going to make many mistakes. You're going to have a lot of fun with us, laughing at our mistakes. But one of these days we'll end up, I feel confident, with a very good operation.
That was the voice of William B. Quarton from that first broadcast. The first full program on the channel was the first game of the 1953 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Channel 9 in Cedar Rapids went on the air two weeks later, followed by Channel 7 in Waterloo on Thanksgiving day. In a unique burst, eastern Iowans went from no local stations, to three, in the space of less than two months.
This is WMT-TV, Channel 2 in Cedar Rapids.
But it started when Channel 2 went on the air as eastern Iowa's first television station, on this date in 1953.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, September 29
"The Man from Iowa"
A new television show premiered on NBC in the fall of 1964. It was called the Man from U.N.C.L.E., starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum as two secret agents working for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement–the acronym was U.N.C.L.E. Each week they battled an international crime syndicate.
The program was created by Norman Felton, a University of Iowa graduate with bachelor's and master’s degrees in Fine Arts. From the earliest days of television, Felton wrote scripts for the new medium. He was in charge of the legendary Playhouse 90 program, and his company produced other well-known shows such as Dr. Kildare.
The second episode of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. aired on September 29th, 1964. To honor his educational background, the episode was titled “The Iowa-Scuba Affair”. In the show, character Napoleon Solo traveled to Iowa, which was the site of a secret U.S. Air Force base. The plot focused on a group which wanted to hijack a secret U.S. plane as part of a plan to overthrow a South American nation.
The year after that episode aired, the English-born Felton established a playwriting fellowship at the University of Iowa, the place where he met his wife while a student in 1940. Later, he donated papers associated with his career to the university, as well.
Television playwright and producer Norman Felton wrote his adopted home state of Iowa into the script for a new hit TV series, the Man from U.N.C.L.E., which aired on this date in 1964.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Man from Iowa"
A new television show premiered on NBC in the fall of 1964. It was called the Man from U.N.C.L.E., starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum as two secret agents working for the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement–the acronym was U.N.C.L.E. Each week they battled an international crime syndicate.
The program was created by Norman Felton, a University of Iowa graduate with bachelor's and master’s degrees in Fine Arts. From the earliest days of television, Felton wrote scripts for the new medium. He was in charge of the legendary Playhouse 90 program, and his company produced other well-known shows such as Dr. Kildare.
The second episode of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. aired on September 29th, 1964. To honor his educational background, the episode was titled “The Iowa-Scuba Affair”. In the show, character Napoleon Solo traveled to Iowa, which was the site of a secret U.S. Air Force base. The plot focused on a group which wanted to hijack a secret U.S. plane as part of a plan to overthrow a South American nation.
The year after that episode aired, the English-born Felton established a playwriting fellowship at the University of Iowa, the place where he met his wife while a student in 1940. Later, he donated papers associated with his career to the university, as well.
Television playwright and producer Norman Felton wrote his adopted home state of Iowa into the script for a new hit TV series, the Man from U.N.C.L.E., which aired on this date in 1964.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, September 28
"A Hospital Under Quarantine"
The influenza pandemic made its way to Iowa in the fall of 1918. The base hospital at Camp Dodge was quarantined on September 28th of that year...only two days later, the entire camp located near Des Moines was quarantined, due to 500 influenza cases being reported there.
The first three deaths due to flu were reported at Camp Dodge on October 1st. The number of nurses on duty there doubled to nearly 600 by the middle of the month.
The hospital commander told the Red Cross that agency would have to handle the growing emergency, since the War Department was not ready for such a rapid spread of the deadly disease.
Everyone was required to wear a gauze mask, but yet the disease spread. By early October, Camp Dodge facilities were used to treat more than 3,000 ill personnel.
In an effort to stop the disease, the state health commissioner banned all indoor funerals for influenza victims, and in Des Moines, school officials barred children from attending school if they lived in a house with anyone who had influenza. Soon, the city issued a general quarantine, closing all schools, theaters, pool halls, and other public places.
The disease peaked that fall with more than 21,000 cases reported, but it was still prevalent throughout the state into the next spring.
The first major sign of trouble was at Camp Dodge, which led to a quarantine of the base hospital on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Hospital Under Quarantine"
The influenza pandemic made its way to Iowa in the fall of 1918. The base hospital at Camp Dodge was quarantined on September 28th of that year...only two days later, the entire camp located near Des Moines was quarantined, due to 500 influenza cases being reported there.
The first three deaths due to flu were reported at Camp Dodge on October 1st. The number of nurses on duty there doubled to nearly 600 by the middle of the month.
The hospital commander told the Red Cross that agency would have to handle the growing emergency, since the War Department was not ready for such a rapid spread of the deadly disease.
Everyone was required to wear a gauze mask, but yet the disease spread. By early October, Camp Dodge facilities were used to treat more than 3,000 ill personnel.
In an effort to stop the disease, the state health commissioner banned all indoor funerals for influenza victims, and in Des Moines, school officials barred children from attending school if they lived in a house with anyone who had influenza. Soon, the city issued a general quarantine, closing all schools, theaters, pool halls, and other public places.
The disease peaked that fall with more than 21,000 cases reported, but it was still prevalent throughout the state into the next spring.
The first major sign of trouble was at Camp Dodge, which led to a quarantine of the base hospital on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, September 25
"The Last Spitballer"
When Urban Clarence Faber was a child in Cascade, Iowa, his father managed a tavern and ran the Hotel Faber in their hometown. Young Faber, known to all as Red, was athletic, and by the age of 16, was getting $2 just to pitch in Sunday afternoon baseball games in Dubuque.
Red Faber pitched in the major leagues for 20 seasons, all with the Chicago White Sox. Yes, that included the infamous Black Sox team in 1919, but Red was not involved in game-fixing; he missed the World Series due to injury and the influenza epidemic.
At one point, in 1917, he started and won three games in two days…and later that year, in the World Series, he received pitching decisions in four games, a record which stands to this day. Oh, and he won three of them.
He won 254 games total in the big leagues, despite playing for some poor White Sox teams in the 1920s. At the time of his retirement in 1933, he was the last legal spitball pitcher in the American League. He was 45 years of age when he retired, and still holds the White Sox franchise record for most games pitched.
Faber helped found Baseball Anonymous, a charitable organization that helped former players who had run into financial or physical problems.
Red Faber of Cascade, Iowa, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964, a dozen years before he died, on this date, in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Last Spitballer"
When Urban Clarence Faber was a child in Cascade, Iowa, his father managed a tavern and ran the Hotel Faber in their hometown. Young Faber, known to all as Red, was athletic, and by the age of 16, was getting $2 just to pitch in Sunday afternoon baseball games in Dubuque.
Red Faber pitched in the major leagues for 20 seasons, all with the Chicago White Sox. Yes, that included the infamous Black Sox team in 1919, but Red was not involved in game-fixing; he missed the World Series due to injury and the influenza epidemic.
At one point, in 1917, he started and won three games in two days…and later that year, in the World Series, he received pitching decisions in four games, a record which stands to this day. Oh, and he won three of them.
He won 254 games total in the big leagues, despite playing for some poor White Sox teams in the 1920s. At the time of his retirement in 1933, he was the last legal spitball pitcher in the American League. He was 45 years of age when he retired, and still holds the White Sox franchise record for most games pitched.
Faber helped found Baseball Anonymous, a charitable organization that helped former players who had run into financial or physical problems.
Red Faber of Cascade, Iowa, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964, a dozen years before he died, on this date, in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, September 24
"An Iowan Makes Television History"
People in Dakota City, Iowa said he got his strong vocabulary from his mother, who taught him to read before he started school. Harry Reasoner used those skills throughout his life, beginning his journalism career while a high school student in Minneapolis.
He started in radio after the second world war and soon moved to the new field of television. Reasoner was one of the early faces on the screen, who helped invent television news.
On September 24th, 1968, his was the first voice heard on a new program, one which would revolutionize television.
Good Evening. This is 60 Minutes. It’s a kind of a magazine for television.
Once the program found a home on the Sunday night CBS schedule, 60 Minutes became the top rated program of any kind in the country and invented the television magazine show format. Reasoner was restless, though, and left CBS News in 1970 for the chance to co-anchor the ABC Evening News.
That later made him part of history again, on October 4th, 1976.
Our major story tonight is that agriculture secretary Earl Butz has paid the price for telling an obscene racial joke on a commercial airline flight. Secretary Butz resigned today. Closer to home, I have a new colleague to welcome…Barbara? Thank you, Harry…
Reasoner’s new co-anchor was Barbara Walters, the first female anchor of a TV evening newscast.
Reasoner later returned to CBS and 60 Minutes, where he spent the rest of his career.
That’s the news. I’m Harry Reasoner. Good night.
Iowa native Harry Reasoner co-anchored the first 60 Minutes broadcast on CBS, on this date in 1968.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"An Iowan Makes Television History"
People in Dakota City, Iowa said he got his strong vocabulary from his mother, who taught him to read before he started school. Harry Reasoner used those skills throughout his life, beginning his journalism career while a high school student in Minneapolis.
He started in radio after the second world war and soon moved to the new field of television. Reasoner was one of the early faces on the screen, who helped invent television news.
On September 24th, 1968, his was the first voice heard on a new program, one which would revolutionize television.
Good Evening. This is 60 Minutes. It’s a kind of a magazine for television.
Once the program found a home on the Sunday night CBS schedule, 60 Minutes became the top rated program of any kind in the country and invented the television magazine show format. Reasoner was restless, though, and left CBS News in 1970 for the chance to co-anchor the ABC Evening News.
That later made him part of history again, on October 4th, 1976.
Our major story tonight is that agriculture secretary Earl Butz has paid the price for telling an obscene racial joke on a commercial airline flight. Secretary Butz resigned today. Closer to home, I have a new colleague to welcome…Barbara? Thank you, Harry…
Reasoner’s new co-anchor was Barbara Walters, the first female anchor of a TV evening newscast.
Reasoner later returned to CBS and 60 Minutes, where he spent the rest of his career.
That’s the news. I’m Harry Reasoner. Good night.
Iowa native Harry Reasoner co-anchored the first 60 Minutes broadcast on CBS, on this date in 1968.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, September 23
"Live from the Field"
Earl Peak was glad to have talented employees working for his Marshall Electric Company. Chauncey Hoover and Merle Easter could invent whatever devices and methods that were needed. That included building a broadcasting transmitter.
Soon experimental radio broadcasts were coming from the company's building at the corner of 16th and Main Streets in Marshalltown, which was then on the edge of town.
Then as now, high school sporting events were popular with audiences. But the only way to put them on the radio was for someone at the game to use a telephone and describe the action to an announcer in the studio, who then spoke into a microphone in a form of hearsay play-by-play.
The Marshall Electric staff could hear the crowd cheering at Marshalltown Bobcat football games, since Franklin Field was just three blocks away. And that gave them an idea.
At Peak's encouragement, Hoover and Easter made a microphone cable that was more than three blocks long, running it out the window of the studio down the street to the field. That was unique; so unique that on September 23rd, 1922, what became KFJB radio broadcast the first high school football game, live from the field, in the country. In fact, it was a double header, and central Iowans heard it live...America's first, live from the field, high school football broadcast, from Marshalltown's Franklin Field, on this date in 1922.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Live from the Field"
Earl Peak was glad to have talented employees working for his Marshall Electric Company. Chauncey Hoover and Merle Easter could invent whatever devices and methods that were needed. That included building a broadcasting transmitter.
Soon experimental radio broadcasts were coming from the company's building at the corner of 16th and Main Streets in Marshalltown, which was then on the edge of town.
Then as now, high school sporting events were popular with audiences. But the only way to put them on the radio was for someone at the game to use a telephone and describe the action to an announcer in the studio, who then spoke into a microphone in a form of hearsay play-by-play.
The Marshall Electric staff could hear the crowd cheering at Marshalltown Bobcat football games, since Franklin Field was just three blocks away. And that gave them an idea.
At Peak's encouragement, Hoover and Easter made a microphone cable that was more than three blocks long, running it out the window of the studio down the street to the field. That was unique; so unique that on September 23rd, 1922, what became KFJB radio broadcast the first high school football game, live from the field, in the country. In fact, it was a double header, and central Iowans heard it live...America's first, live from the field, high school football broadcast, from Marshalltown's Franklin Field, on this date in 1922.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, September 22
"The Secretary is Impeached"
William Worth Belknap was born on September 22nd, 1829 in Newburgh, New York. He moved to Iowa and opened a law practice. He then turned to politics, and was elected as a state representative in Iowa in 1857.
When the Civil War broke out, he joined the Union Army, distinguishing himself in battle. He was then appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant to serve as the country’s 30th Secretary of War.
While his tenure was marked by positive things, such as preserving photographer Mathew Brady’s images of the Civil War, and helping victims of the 1871 Chicago fire, there was scandal.
In 1876, it was learned that he had been receiving kickback payments from a ship contractor. That explained the lavish lifestyle he lived in Washington. He resigned his position shortly before the U.S. House was to vote on impeaching him for “basely prostituting his high office to his lust for private gain.” President Grant accepted the resignation, but the House impeached him anyway.
That led to a trial in the Senate, but Belknap was acquitted because a large number of Senators believed they did not have jurisdiction to put a private citizen on trial, and after resigning, Belknap was just that…a private citizen.
The former Iowa legislator and distinguished war hero, who became the first cabinet secretary ever impeached…William Belknap, was born on this date in 1829.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Secretary is Impeached"
William Worth Belknap was born on September 22nd, 1829 in Newburgh, New York. He moved to Iowa and opened a law practice. He then turned to politics, and was elected as a state representative in Iowa in 1857.
When the Civil War broke out, he joined the Union Army, distinguishing himself in battle. He was then appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant to serve as the country’s 30th Secretary of War.
While his tenure was marked by positive things, such as preserving photographer Mathew Brady’s images of the Civil War, and helping victims of the 1871 Chicago fire, there was scandal.
In 1876, it was learned that he had been receiving kickback payments from a ship contractor. That explained the lavish lifestyle he lived in Washington. He resigned his position shortly before the U.S. House was to vote on impeaching him for “basely prostituting his high office to his lust for private gain.” President Grant accepted the resignation, but the House impeached him anyway.
That led to a trial in the Senate, but Belknap was acquitted because a large number of Senators believed they did not have jurisdiction to put a private citizen on trial, and after resigning, Belknap was just that…a private citizen.
The former Iowa legislator and distinguished war hero, who became the first cabinet secretary ever impeached…William Belknap, was born on this date in 1829.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, September 21
"The Goddess of Peace"
In 1907, six statues were installed at the top of the Black Hawk County Courthouse in Waterloo. They were created by artist Robert De Glass to represent important societal elements...justice, education, agriculture, commerce, industry, and peace.
A half century after the statute named Peace was put in place, a rusty stabilizing pipe failed, and Peace tumbled to the ground in 1957. It was put into storage, and when the courthouse was demolished in 1963, four of the statues, of seated figures, were moved to the River Plaza Building in downtown Waterloo. Another had been destroyed.
Peace was the sole remaining statue, and with the help of state legislator and Upper Iowa University alum Don Kimball, Peace was leased to the college for 99 years at a cost of $1 and became a fixture on the campus in Fayette.
She earned the nickname green goddess, and proudly stood atop Alexander-Dickman Hall at Upper Iowa. But 40 years after her move to Fayette, Peace again fell from the roof of a building, this time during a windstorm. Her head and a few limbs were broken.
It took two years of repairs, but on September 21st, 2006, a special reinstallation ceremony was held and Peace returned to the rooftop to look upon the campus.
The date was fitting, since it was also the International Day of Peace. The century old statue, Peace, which fell to the ground from the top of buildings in two different cities, returned to glory in Fayette on this date in 2006.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Goddess of Peace"
In 1907, six statues were installed at the top of the Black Hawk County Courthouse in Waterloo. They were created by artist Robert De Glass to represent important societal elements...justice, education, agriculture, commerce, industry, and peace.
A half century after the statute named Peace was put in place, a rusty stabilizing pipe failed, and Peace tumbled to the ground in 1957. It was put into storage, and when the courthouse was demolished in 1963, four of the statues, of seated figures, were moved to the River Plaza Building in downtown Waterloo. Another had been destroyed.
Peace was the sole remaining statue, and with the help of state legislator and Upper Iowa University alum Don Kimball, Peace was leased to the college for 99 years at a cost of $1 and became a fixture on the campus in Fayette.
She earned the nickname green goddess, and proudly stood atop Alexander-Dickman Hall at Upper Iowa. But 40 years after her move to Fayette, Peace again fell from the roof of a building, this time during a windstorm. Her head and a few limbs were broken.
It took two years of repairs, but on September 21st, 2006, a special reinstallation ceremony was held and Peace returned to the rooftop to look upon the campus.
The date was fitting, since it was also the International Day of Peace. The century old statue, Peace, which fell to the ground from the top of buildings in two different cities, returned to glory in Fayette on this date in 2006.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, September 18
"A President Comes Back to the Heartland"
I'll come back any time you ask me, especially when I'm met by 10 acres of people; now you figure out how many that is.
As it turns out, about 100 thousand people filled the 10-acre area around the stage to hear President Harry S. Truman on September 18th, 1948.
The scene was the annual National Plowing Matches, held that year near Dexter, Iowa.
Truman was in a tough election fight, and many presumed Republican Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York would win. Truman toured the country by train in a whistle stop campaign, taking on the Republican-led 80th Congress, which he dubbed the "do nothing" Congress.
During his appearance in Iowa, the president took a jab at the opposition party. He first noted that times had changed greatly in agriculture from when he worked in the fields as a boy; now machines automatically did what a man and a horse used to do.
I don't want to turn the clock back, I don't want to go back to that horse and buggy age, although some of our Republican friends do.
In one of history's great political comebacks, on November 2nd, Truman won election for a full term as president against three major challengers, including Iowa's Henry A. Wallace.
Truman wound up carrying the state of Iowa in that 1948 election, no doubt in part due to when the president spoke to 100,000 people at the National Plowing Matches in Dexter, on this date, in 1948.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A President Comes Back to the Heartland"
I'll come back any time you ask me, especially when I'm met by 10 acres of people; now you figure out how many that is.
As it turns out, about 100 thousand people filled the 10-acre area around the stage to hear President Harry S. Truman on September 18th, 1948.
The scene was the annual National Plowing Matches, held that year near Dexter, Iowa.
Truman was in a tough election fight, and many presumed Republican Gov. Thomas E. Dewey of New York would win. Truman toured the country by train in a whistle stop campaign, taking on the Republican-led 80th Congress, which he dubbed the "do nothing" Congress.
During his appearance in Iowa, the president took a jab at the opposition party. He first noted that times had changed greatly in agriculture from when he worked in the fields as a boy; now machines automatically did what a man and a horse used to do.
I don't want to turn the clock back, I don't want to go back to that horse and buggy age, although some of our Republican friends do.
In one of history's great political comebacks, on November 2nd, Truman won election for a full term as president against three major challengers, including Iowa's Henry A. Wallace.
Truman wound up carrying the state of Iowa in that 1948 election, no doubt in part due to when the president spoke to 100,000 people at the National Plowing Matches in Dexter, on this date, in 1948.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, September 17
"Iowa's Senior Senator"
He was barely 25 years of age when he was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1958. He had earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Northern Iowa in political science, which no doubt would help in the state legislature.
For the first dozen years he served in Des Moines, he also worked as a sheet metal shearer and assembly line worker, in addition to working the family farm.
Then in 1974, he was elected to Congress from Northeast Iowa, succeeding legendary third district congressman H.R. Gross, who had served for 26 years.
Six years later, he stunned incumbent U.S. Senator John Culver and took the oath of office in Washington on January 3rd, 1981. He's still there, the second-longest serving U.S. senator in Iowa history.
Of course, I'm talking about Senator Charles Grassley, who turns 82 years of age today. Here's what he told "Iowa Almanac" he would be doing on his birthday:
Get up at 4, and instead of running three miles in my neighborhood, for the third time on my birthday, I'm going to do my annual run from the home to the dome, which is six and one tenth miles. Some time between 3 and 5 though, I'm going to enjoy my birthday big bowl of ice cream that I always have; anybody on the staff can have ice cream as well.
Happy Birthday to Iowa's senior United States senator, Charles Grassley, who was born in New Hartford, on this date, in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Senior Senator"
He was barely 25 years of age when he was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1958. He had earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Northern Iowa in political science, which no doubt would help in the state legislature.
For the first dozen years he served in Des Moines, he also worked as a sheet metal shearer and assembly line worker, in addition to working the family farm.
Then in 1974, he was elected to Congress from Northeast Iowa, succeeding legendary third district congressman H.R. Gross, who had served for 26 years.
Six years later, he stunned incumbent U.S. Senator John Culver and took the oath of office in Washington on January 3rd, 1981. He's still there, the second-longest serving U.S. senator in Iowa history.
Of course, I'm talking about Senator Charles Grassley, who turns 82 years of age today. Here's what he told "Iowa Almanac" he would be doing on his birthday:
Get up at 4, and instead of running three miles in my neighborhood, for the third time on my birthday, I'm going to do my annual run from the home to the dome, which is six and one tenth miles. Some time between 3 and 5 though, I'm going to enjoy my birthday big bowl of ice cream that I always have; anybody on the staff can have ice cream as well.
Happy Birthday to Iowa's senior United States senator, Charles Grassley, who was born in New Hartford, on this date, in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, September 16
"A City of Literature"
The University of Iowa Writers' Workshop was founded 79 years ago, and has been home to thousands of talented writers. Its graduates include 17 Pulitzer Prize winners and five recent U.S. Poets Laureate.
That pioneering program in the teaching of creative writing led to dozens of creative programs within the university and the Iowa City community. One of the more recent is tied to UNESCO‒the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
On September 16th, 2008, the city and the university unveiled their joint proposal to designate Iowa City as one of the world's few Cities of Literature. It was shipped to the UNESCO office in Paris for consideration.
Why Iowa City? Many say it's been a haven as well as a proving ground for writers, and the synergy between the writers and the institutions that have grown from them have created an unique identity for the city.
Two months later, word came that UNESCO had designated Iowa City as the world's third City of Literature, joining Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia. Since then, four other cities have earned the designation--Dublin, Ireland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Norwich, England; and Krakow, Poland.
The designation makes Iowa City part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, to promote innovative growth and shared experiences worldwide. A successful application, submitted on hand-made paper with original calligraphy, for Iowa City to become a world City of Literature was submitted on this date, in 2008.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A City of Literature"
The University of Iowa Writers' Workshop was founded 79 years ago, and has been home to thousands of talented writers. Its graduates include 17 Pulitzer Prize winners and five recent U.S. Poets Laureate.
That pioneering program in the teaching of creative writing led to dozens of creative programs within the university and the Iowa City community. One of the more recent is tied to UNESCO‒the United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
On September 16th, 2008, the city and the university unveiled their joint proposal to designate Iowa City as one of the world's few Cities of Literature. It was shipped to the UNESCO office in Paris for consideration.
Why Iowa City? Many say it's been a haven as well as a proving ground for writers, and the synergy between the writers and the institutions that have grown from them have created an unique identity for the city.
Two months later, word came that UNESCO had designated Iowa City as the world's third City of Literature, joining Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia. Since then, four other cities have earned the designation--Dublin, Ireland; Reykjavik, Iceland; Norwich, England; and Krakow, Poland.
The designation makes Iowa City part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, to promote innovative growth and shared experiences worldwide. A successful application, submitted on hand-made paper with original calligraphy, for Iowa City to become a world City of Literature was submitted on this date, in 2008.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, September 15
"Waverly's UFO"
It was shortly before 9 p.m. on September 15th, 1996. A woman looked out her kitchen window in Waverly and noticed a green light approaching from the northeast. About a minute later, the light had descended to an altitude consistent with that of a helicopter, and hovered over the Red Fox Inn, about a mile away from her apartment. She also noticed that the color of the object had changed to red and white.
The woman, her daughter, and the daughter's friend got in a car for a trip to a local convenience store. The object appeared to follow them, becoming parallel to their car after they had traveled only three blocks. When they stopped at a stop light, the object stopped. When they moved forward, the object moved forward, keeping pace less than 50 feet behind and 20 feet above them.
By the time they had gotten to the store, the object was gone. They were too frightened to get out of the car, so they returned to the apartment. Soon after, they looked out the window--and there was the same glowing object again, this time hovering over the apartment.
The woman went inside to call police, while her two daughters and three neighbor children watched as the object turned white in color, with two large lights at the bottom...almost like eyes, they said. It was as big as a house.
For about five minutes, the object hovered 20 to 30 feet over the two-story apartment building. Then it flashed out of sight. Police arrived soon after, but they could not explain it.
Was it something from outer space? We don't know, but the multi-colored disc, about 40 feet across, dominated the clear evening sky in Waverly on this date, in 1996.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Waverly's UFO"
It was shortly before 9 p.m. on September 15th, 1996. A woman looked out her kitchen window in Waverly and noticed a green light approaching from the northeast. About a minute later, the light had descended to an altitude consistent with that of a helicopter, and hovered over the Red Fox Inn, about a mile away from her apartment. She also noticed that the color of the object had changed to red and white.
The woman, her daughter, and the daughter's friend got in a car for a trip to a local convenience store. The object appeared to follow them, becoming parallel to their car after they had traveled only three blocks. When they stopped at a stop light, the object stopped. When they moved forward, the object moved forward, keeping pace less than 50 feet behind and 20 feet above them.
By the time they had gotten to the store, the object was gone. They were too frightened to get out of the car, so they returned to the apartment. Soon after, they looked out the window--and there was the same glowing object again, this time hovering over the apartment.
The woman went inside to call police, while her two daughters and three neighbor children watched as the object turned white in color, with two large lights at the bottom...almost like eyes, they said. It was as big as a house.
For about five minutes, the object hovered 20 to 30 feet over the two-story apartment building. Then it flashed out of sight. Police arrived soon after, but they could not explain it.
Was it something from outer space? We don't know, but the multi-colored disc, about 40 feet across, dominated the clear evening sky in Waverly on this date, in 1996.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, September 14
"Raising the American Flag"
In 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico and became a separate country. It became one of the United States in 1845, just a year before Iowa was admitted into the union.
In early 1846, war broke out over where the border was between Mexico and Texas. American history books call it the Mexican War, but Mexican history books refer to it as the U.S. Invasion. Congress declared war on Mexico in May of that year, and the U.S. doubled the size of its Army fighting force.
We've told you before about some of the soldiers who volunteered from the Iowa Territory to serve. Today, the story of Company K from Fort Madison, which was mustered for duty a year into the war. They joined Major General Winfield Scott's 13,000-man army, and participated in the American victory at the Battle of Cerro Gordo in April of 1847. Scott's army fought its way to Mexico City, losing 40 percent of its men along the way to combat and disease, including the Iowa company commander, Captain Edwin Guthrie.
On September 14th, 1847, General Scott's army captured the capitol of Mexico City. That's when Iowan Benjamin S. Roberts of Fort Madison made history. He was serving with the U.S. Mounted Rifle Regiment at the time. Benjamin Roberts personally removed the Mexican flag that was flying over the National Palace, and replaced it with the American flag.
The sure sign of military conquest...hoisting your country's flag in place of your enemy's. And when the U.S. army captured the Mexican capital, it was Iowa's Benjamin Roberts who flew Old Glory over the Mexican National Palace, on this date, in 1847.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Raising the American Flag"
In 1836, Texas won its independence from Mexico and became a separate country. It became one of the United States in 1845, just a year before Iowa was admitted into the union.
In early 1846, war broke out over where the border was between Mexico and Texas. American history books call it the Mexican War, but Mexican history books refer to it as the U.S. Invasion. Congress declared war on Mexico in May of that year, and the U.S. doubled the size of its Army fighting force.
We've told you before about some of the soldiers who volunteered from the Iowa Territory to serve. Today, the story of Company K from Fort Madison, which was mustered for duty a year into the war. They joined Major General Winfield Scott's 13,000-man army, and participated in the American victory at the Battle of Cerro Gordo in April of 1847. Scott's army fought its way to Mexico City, losing 40 percent of its men along the way to combat and disease, including the Iowa company commander, Captain Edwin Guthrie.
On September 14th, 1847, General Scott's army captured the capitol of Mexico City. That's when Iowan Benjamin S. Roberts of Fort Madison made history. He was serving with the U.S. Mounted Rifle Regiment at the time. Benjamin Roberts personally removed the Mexican flag that was flying over the National Palace, and replaced it with the American flag.
The sure sign of military conquest...hoisting your country's flag in place of your enemy's. And when the U.S. army captured the Mexican capital, it was Iowa's Benjamin Roberts who flew Old Glory over the Mexican National Palace, on this date, in 1847.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, September 11
"Lindbergh Against The War"
September 11th, 2001, ultimately led to the U.S. fighting wars on two fronts. Literally 60 years before the terrorist attacks on America, on September 11th, 1941, one of the world’s most famous citizens was in Des Moines, warning about intervening in the conflict which became the second World War.
Charles Lindbergh was the first man to fly a plane across the Atlantic Ocean, in 1927. He gained immediate fame worldwide, and even 14 years after his accomplishment, his opinions were respected across the country.
Lindbergh became involved with the America First Committee, which advocated staying out of what was then a European conflict. His Des Moines speech on the topic, however, led many to be outraged. He claimed there were three groups pushing the U.S. into war—the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt Administration. He said the greatest danger to our country was Jewish influence in motion pictures, the press, radio, and government.
We are on the verge of a war in which the only victor would be chaos and prostration.
We are on the verge of a war for which we are still unprepared, and for which no one has offered a feasible plan for victory--a war which cannot be won without sending our soldiers across the ocean to force a landing on a hostile coast against armies stronger than our own.
The famed aviator Charles Lindbergh was roundly criticized for that speech, advocating isolationism in the face of World War II…a speech delivered in Des Moines on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Lindbergh Against The War"
September 11th, 2001, ultimately led to the U.S. fighting wars on two fronts. Literally 60 years before the terrorist attacks on America, on September 11th, 1941, one of the world’s most famous citizens was in Des Moines, warning about intervening in the conflict which became the second World War.
Charles Lindbergh was the first man to fly a plane across the Atlantic Ocean, in 1927. He gained immediate fame worldwide, and even 14 years after his accomplishment, his opinions were respected across the country.
Lindbergh became involved with the America First Committee, which advocated staying out of what was then a European conflict. His Des Moines speech on the topic, however, led many to be outraged. He claimed there were three groups pushing the U.S. into war—the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt Administration. He said the greatest danger to our country was Jewish influence in motion pictures, the press, radio, and government.
We are on the verge of a war in which the only victor would be chaos and prostration.
We are on the verge of a war for which we are still unprepared, and for which no one has offered a feasible plan for victory--a war which cannot be won without sending our soldiers across the ocean to force a landing on a hostile coast against armies stronger than our own.
The famed aviator Charles Lindbergh was roundly criticized for that speech, advocating isolationism in the face of World War II…a speech delivered in Des Moines on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, September 10
"Winning Olympic Gold"
Doreen Wilber first became interested in archery in 1957 when one of her husband’s customers paid his auto repair bill with a bow and set of arrows. But it soon became clear she was a natural.
She had amazing concentration, and was physically strong. No professional coach, no commercial sponsor…but Doreen did not lose a single tournament at the state level for 10 years.
She shot on the international level from 1968 to 1974 and established 10 new records, along the way becoming the first woman to shoot over 1200 in international competition.
On September 10th, 1972, she won the gold medal in the women’s section of the first modern Olympic archery competition…and she did so at the age of 42.
She was inducted in nine halls of fame, including the Sports Illustrated Athletes of the Century. She died of Alzheimer’s Disease in her hometown of Jefferson in 2008. She was memorialized with a life-sized bronze statue in the center of town three years later.
The Iowa woman with outstanding sportsmanship, Doreen Wilber, won Olympic gold in archery on this date in 1972.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Winning Olympic Gold"
Doreen Wilber first became interested in archery in 1957 when one of her husband’s customers paid his auto repair bill with a bow and set of arrows. But it soon became clear she was a natural.
She had amazing concentration, and was physically strong. No professional coach, no commercial sponsor…but Doreen did not lose a single tournament at the state level for 10 years.
She shot on the international level from 1968 to 1974 and established 10 new records, along the way becoming the first woman to shoot over 1200 in international competition.
On September 10th, 1972, she won the gold medal in the women’s section of the first modern Olympic archery competition…and she did so at the age of 42.
She was inducted in nine halls of fame, including the Sports Illustrated Athletes of the Century. She died of Alzheimer’s Disease in her hometown of Jefferson in 2008. She was memorialized with a life-sized bronze statue in the center of town three years later.
The Iowa woman with outstanding sportsmanship, Doreen Wilber, won Olympic gold in archery on this date in 1972.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, September 9
"Riding the Rails"
Today, the city of Ames and Iowa State University are integrated to the point it’s hard to tell where one starts and the other stops. Back in 1890, though, the Iowa Agricultural College campus, as it was then known, was separate from the town of Ames, and the only transportation linking the two was a stagecoach line.
In an effort to bridge this distance, there was great interest in connecting the town and campus with a railway. On September 9th, 1890, the Ames Street Railway Company began soliciting subscriptions to pay for the two-mile rail line.
By the next spring, grading for the line was underway, and testing was done on Independence Day 1891, with regular service beginning soon after.
The rail car carrying passengers itself was called the Dinkey. Ultimately the roster of cars used included three passenger cars and a multipurpose flat car. The flat car was used to carry freight and baggage, complete with stakes, set-in pockets, and ropes to keep suitcases from falling off.
The Dinkey operated to connect the campus with the town until 1907, when it was retired. The equipment was stored at the Chicago & Northwestern facility in Boone, until it was scrapped in 1917 to provide material for World War I.
The train is remembered fondly today, with a beer named in its honor at a local brew pub. The fundraising effort for Ames’ in-town train, the Dinkey, began on this date, in 1890.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Riding the Rails"
Today, the city of Ames and Iowa State University are integrated to the point it’s hard to tell where one starts and the other stops. Back in 1890, though, the Iowa Agricultural College campus, as it was then known, was separate from the town of Ames, and the only transportation linking the two was a stagecoach line.
In an effort to bridge this distance, there was great interest in connecting the town and campus with a railway. On September 9th, 1890, the Ames Street Railway Company began soliciting subscriptions to pay for the two-mile rail line.
By the next spring, grading for the line was underway, and testing was done on Independence Day 1891, with regular service beginning soon after.
The rail car carrying passengers itself was called the Dinkey. Ultimately the roster of cars used included three passenger cars and a multipurpose flat car. The flat car was used to carry freight and baggage, complete with stakes, set-in pockets, and ropes to keep suitcases from falling off.
The Dinkey operated to connect the campus with the town until 1907, when it was retired. The equipment was stored at the Chicago & Northwestern facility in Boone, until it was scrapped in 1917 to provide material for World War I.
The train is remembered fondly today, with a beer named in its honor at a local brew pub. The fundraising effort for Ames’ in-town train, the Dinkey, began on this date, in 1890.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, September 8
"Air Mail Delivery"
The magic of airplanes in the early part of the 1900s captivated Americans. To be able to see men and women fly machines long distances was amazing.
Soon, practical uses for this advancement were developed, including for commercial air freight and mail.
The Iowa City airport was the first in the state to be used on the Chicago to Omaha commercial air freight route. The first consignment was reported on January 8th, 1920, when 400 pounds of mail made its way to Omaha, along with the meat for a banquet in honor of General John Pershing. On the return trip, the plane carried a hog for a banquet in Chicago.
The transcontinental air mail service route was completed later that same year, extending westward through Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Reno, on its way to San Francisco.
At that time, travel was only during the daylight, and the mail was delivered by military pilots.
On September 8, 1920, the first sack of air mail, delivered by a military pilot, arrived in Des Moines, part of the new transcontinental route.
Today we send electronic messages in seconds. But the wonders of air mail were still new when the first sack of mail was delivered in Des Moines, on this date, in 1920.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Air Mail Delivery"
The magic of airplanes in the early part of the 1900s captivated Americans. To be able to see men and women fly machines long distances was amazing.
Soon, practical uses for this advancement were developed, including for commercial air freight and mail.
The Iowa City airport was the first in the state to be used on the Chicago to Omaha commercial air freight route. The first consignment was reported on January 8th, 1920, when 400 pounds of mail made its way to Omaha, along with the meat for a banquet in honor of General John Pershing. On the return trip, the plane carried a hog for a banquet in Chicago.
The transcontinental air mail service route was completed later that same year, extending westward through Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Reno, on its way to San Francisco.
At that time, travel was only during the daylight, and the mail was delivered by military pilots.
On September 8, 1920, the first sack of air mail, delivered by a military pilot, arrived in Des Moines, part of the new transcontinental route.
Today we send electronic messages in seconds. But the wonders of air mail were still new when the first sack of mail was delivered in Des Moines, on this date, in 1920.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, September 7
"Shot In The Heart"
Some think it was Myrtle Cook’s words that ultimately got her killed.
On September 7th, 1925, she was sitting near the window of her home in Vinton, rehearsing her speech to an upcoming Women’s Christian Temperance Union meeting. Myrtle was active in the fight against alcohol, making public the names of those she suspected of bootlegging. As a result, she had made enemies. Her house had been egged, and she feared she might be harmed.
Myrtle’s mother in law was upstairs, occasionally hearing the speech over the thunderstorm in progress at the time. She then heard what she thought was thunder, then silence. She went downstairs and found Myrtle had been shot in the heart, the bullet coming through the open window. She was dead within an hour.
In addition to her membership in the WCTU, Myrtle was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In fact, the preacher at her funeral wore white Klan robes, and a cross was set on fire in the cemetery in her honor. Given all that, the murder and funeral made news across the country.
The identity of her killer, though, is still a mystery. Was it Myrtle’s estranged husband, or someone who hated her political views? We still don’t know.
It’s been 90 years since 51-year-old Klan member and temperance activist Myrtle Cook was killed in her home in Vinton, with a single shot to the heart, on this date, in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Shot In The Heart"
Some think it was Myrtle Cook’s words that ultimately got her killed.
On September 7th, 1925, she was sitting near the window of her home in Vinton, rehearsing her speech to an upcoming Women’s Christian Temperance Union meeting. Myrtle was active in the fight against alcohol, making public the names of those she suspected of bootlegging. As a result, she had made enemies. Her house had been egged, and she feared she might be harmed.
Myrtle’s mother in law was upstairs, occasionally hearing the speech over the thunderstorm in progress at the time. She then heard what she thought was thunder, then silence. She went downstairs and found Myrtle had been shot in the heart, the bullet coming through the open window. She was dead within an hour.
In addition to her membership in the WCTU, Myrtle was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In fact, the preacher at her funeral wore white Klan robes, and a cross was set on fire in the cemetery in her honor. Given all that, the murder and funeral made news across the country.
The identity of her killer, though, is still a mystery. Was it Myrtle’s estranged husband, or someone who hated her political views? We still don’t know.
It’s been 90 years since 51-year-old Klan member and temperance activist Myrtle Cook was killed in her home in Vinton, with a single shot to the heart, on this date, in 1925.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, September 4
"Sketching Our Times"
During his five-decade-long career, cartoonist Paul Conrad provided comment on 11 presidential administrations. His work for the Los Angeles Times even landed him on President Nixon’s enemies list during the aftermath of Watergate.
He and his twin brother James were born in Cedar Rapids on June 27th, 1924. He was actually left-handed, but forced by teachers to use his right hand, not uncommon at the time. He first showed a flair for art by drawing on the bathroom wall of his elementary school in Des Moines. His role model was the legendary Des Moines Register editorial cartoonist, Ding Darling.
After service in World War II, Conrad enrolled at the University of Iowa in 1946 and started drawing cartoons for the Daily Iowan. He graduated in 1950 and spent the next 14 years at the Denver Post. He earned his first Pulitzer Prize in 1964, and his work was syndicated across the country.
He moved to the Los Angeles Times in 1964 and offered cartoon commentary on the important political events of the time, picking up another two Pulitzers during his 30 years there.
When Paul Conrad died in California at the age of 84, he was universally regarded as one of the finest political cartoonists of the century. Iowa born Paul Conrad died on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Sketching Our Times"
During his five-decade-long career, cartoonist Paul Conrad provided comment on 11 presidential administrations. His work for the Los Angeles Times even landed him on President Nixon’s enemies list during the aftermath of Watergate.
He and his twin brother James were born in Cedar Rapids on June 27th, 1924. He was actually left-handed, but forced by teachers to use his right hand, not uncommon at the time. He first showed a flair for art by drawing on the bathroom wall of his elementary school in Des Moines. His role model was the legendary Des Moines Register editorial cartoonist, Ding Darling.
After service in World War II, Conrad enrolled at the University of Iowa in 1946 and started drawing cartoons for the Daily Iowan. He graduated in 1950 and spent the next 14 years at the Denver Post. He earned his first Pulitzer Prize in 1964, and his work was syndicated across the country.
He moved to the Los Angeles Times in 1964 and offered cartoon commentary on the important political events of the time, picking up another two Pulitzers during his 30 years there.
When Paul Conrad died in California at the age of 84, he was universally regarded as one of the finest political cartoonists of the century. Iowa born Paul Conrad died on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, September 3
"The Candidates Meet in Des Moines"
Campaigns for president can often be contentious affairs; we in Iowa certainly see that up close every four years.
On September 3rd, 1936, a unique meeting of the two major party nominees occurred in Des Moines.
The summer of 1936 saw continued economic stress in America. In the Midwest, that was coupled by crippling drought.
A conference was held in Des Moines, attended by governors from states most affected by the drought, including Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kanas.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the sessions, held at the state capitol building in Des Moines. That included a meeting with his presidential rival, Kansas Gov. Alf Landon. The two shook hands for the media cameras and exchanged pleasantries before a lunch and the afternoon drought relief conference.
A poll released that very day showed Landon’s lead over Roosevelt in rural areas widening. But as the November election approached, the tables turned nationally, and FDR won in a landslide, only losing Maine and Vermont.
The two rivals for president, Franklin Roosevelt and Alf Landon, met in Des Moines to talk about drought relief, on this date, in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Candidates Meet in Des Moines"
Campaigns for president can often be contentious affairs; we in Iowa certainly see that up close every four years.
On September 3rd, 1936, a unique meeting of the two major party nominees occurred in Des Moines.
The summer of 1936 saw continued economic stress in America. In the Midwest, that was coupled by crippling drought.
A conference was held in Des Moines, attended by governors from states most affected by the drought, including Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kanas.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the sessions, held at the state capitol building in Des Moines. That included a meeting with his presidential rival, Kansas Gov. Alf Landon. The two shook hands for the media cameras and exchanged pleasantries before a lunch and the afternoon drought relief conference.
A poll released that very day showed Landon’s lead over Roosevelt in rural areas widening. But as the November election approached, the tables turned nationally, and FDR won in a landslide, only losing Maine and Vermont.
The two rivals for president, Franklin Roosevelt and Alf Landon, met in Des Moines to talk about drought relief, on this date, in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, September 2
"The Ballpark Gets A New Name"
Garner W. Taylor became sports editor of the Des Moines Register in 1914. He was still on the job 51 years later, when he died of a heart attack at the age of 78 in 1965.
During that time, he shaped Iowans' impressions of sports. Generations recall The Big Peach sports section in the paper, and his regular column, "Sittin' in With the Athletes".
Prior to working at the Register, he was secretary to the baseball team in St. Joseph, Missouri and earned the nickname "Sec"...which he used the rest of his career. And it was that interest in baseball that is behind today's story.
He strongly believed that a city the size of Des Moines should have a strong minor league baseball team, and pushed for the effort in his columns. In 1947, a new ballpark was built to house the Des Moines Bruins of the Western League. It was called Pioneer Memorial Stadium. The Bruins were in town for 12 years, followed by a three-year stint by the Des Moines Demons of the Three-I League.
After the Demons' first season, on September 2nd, 1959, the ballpark got a new name--Sec Taylor Stadium, in honor of the newspaperman who supported Iowa sports so strongly.
The ballpark has a corporate name now, but the field where the Iowa Cubs play is still named for him.
Pioneer Memorial Stadium, the minor league baseball stadium in Des Moines, was renamed Sec Taylor Stadium, on this date, in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Ballpark Gets A New Name"
Garner W. Taylor became sports editor of the Des Moines Register in 1914. He was still on the job 51 years later, when he died of a heart attack at the age of 78 in 1965.
During that time, he shaped Iowans' impressions of sports. Generations recall The Big Peach sports section in the paper, and his regular column, "Sittin' in With the Athletes".
Prior to working at the Register, he was secretary to the baseball team in St. Joseph, Missouri and earned the nickname "Sec"...which he used the rest of his career. And it was that interest in baseball that is behind today's story.
He strongly believed that a city the size of Des Moines should have a strong minor league baseball team, and pushed for the effort in his columns. In 1947, a new ballpark was built to house the Des Moines Bruins of the Western League. It was called Pioneer Memorial Stadium. The Bruins were in town for 12 years, followed by a three-year stint by the Des Moines Demons of the Three-I League.
After the Demons' first season, on September 2nd, 1959, the ballpark got a new name--Sec Taylor Stadium, in honor of the newspaperman who supported Iowa sports so strongly.
The ballpark has a corporate name now, but the field where the Iowa Cubs play is still named for him.
Pioneer Memorial Stadium, the minor league baseball stadium in Des Moines, was renamed Sec Taylor Stadium, on this date, in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, September 1
"Opening A Home"
In 1881, Western College moved from Shueyville to Toledo. The college was established by the United Brethren in Christ, and made the move to the Tama County town because Toledo residents pledged $20,000 in support for the financially troubled college. The campus grew to include 16 acres in the center of town.
In 1902, with finances still an issue, Western College announced it would change its name in honor of anyone who would donate $50,000 to start an endowment fund. Major Leander Clark of Toledo said he would make the donation, provided the college found another $100,000 to go with it. They did, in large part because of a $50,000 donation by Andrew Carnegie. So in 1906, Western College became Leander Clark College.
But despite those endowed funds, the college still went bankrupt barely a decade later, and in 1919, it merged with Coe College.
As for the college campus in Toledo, that was acquired by the State of Iowa, and on September 1st, 1920, what had been Leander Clark College became the State Juvenile Home, operated by the Iowa Department of Social Services. Over the time it was open, students there attended Herbert Hoover High School, named for Iowa’s only native-born president.
You’ll recall the home was in the news often in the past few years, because of the controversial decision by the governor to close the facility. After the college that had been there went bankrupt, the State Juvenile Home in Toledo opened, on this date, in 1920.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Opening A Home"
In 1881, Western College moved from Shueyville to Toledo. The college was established by the United Brethren in Christ, and made the move to the Tama County town because Toledo residents pledged $20,000 in support for the financially troubled college. The campus grew to include 16 acres in the center of town.
In 1902, with finances still an issue, Western College announced it would change its name in honor of anyone who would donate $50,000 to start an endowment fund. Major Leander Clark of Toledo said he would make the donation, provided the college found another $100,000 to go with it. They did, in large part because of a $50,000 donation by Andrew Carnegie. So in 1906, Western College became Leander Clark College.
But despite those endowed funds, the college still went bankrupt barely a decade later, and in 1919, it merged with Coe College.
As for the college campus in Toledo, that was acquired by the State of Iowa, and on September 1st, 1920, what had been Leander Clark College became the State Juvenile Home, operated by the Iowa Department of Social Services. Over the time it was open, students there attended Herbert Hoover High School, named for Iowa’s only native-born president.
You’ll recall the home was in the news often in the past few years, because of the controversial decision by the governor to close the facility. After the college that had been there went bankrupt, the State Juvenile Home in Toledo opened, on this date, in 1920.
And that's Iowa Almanac for September 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, August 31
"A Legend Dies In Iowa"
Rocky Marciano was undefeated in 49 professional fights and was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1952 to 1956, when the sport's popularity was its highest. He remains the only person to hold the heavyweight title without a tie or defeat during his entire career.
He had a relentless style and great stamina, and his knockout percentage of 87.75 is one of the highest in history. He retired from the ring at age 32 and was active in television and business
On August 31, 1969, Rocky Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane travelling from Chicago to Des Moines. He was on his way to give a speech to support a friend's son. But the weather turned bad, and the pilot tried to set the plane down on a small airfield outside of Newton. The plane hit a tree two miles short of the runway, and Rocky Marciano, the pilot, and another passenger were killed. It is still not known if the crash was caused by engine failure, pilot error, or both.
Marciano had planned to spent the night in Des Moines before returning home to celebrate his 46th birthday the next day. But a plane crash ended his life one day before that birthday, near Newton, on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Legend Dies In Iowa"
Rocky Marciano was undefeated in 49 professional fights and was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1952 to 1956, when the sport's popularity was its highest. He remains the only person to hold the heavyweight title without a tie or defeat during his entire career.
He had a relentless style and great stamina, and his knockout percentage of 87.75 is one of the highest in history. He retired from the ring at age 32 and was active in television and business
On August 31, 1969, Rocky Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane travelling from Chicago to Des Moines. He was on his way to give a speech to support a friend's son. But the weather turned bad, and the pilot tried to set the plane down on a small airfield outside of Newton. The plane hit a tree two miles short of the runway, and Rocky Marciano, the pilot, and another passenger were killed. It is still not known if the crash was caused by engine failure, pilot error, or both.
Marciano had planned to spent the night in Des Moines before returning home to celebrate his 46th birthday the next day. But a plane crash ended his life one day before that birthday, near Newton, on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, August 28
"From Wall Lake to the Grandstand"
Our Iowa State Fair grandstand shows are big events, with the top artists performing. They’re now the third largest moneymaker for the fair each year.
But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1960s that the grandstand began being used for concerts at all.
The 1965 Iowa State Fair was actually the first to feature a top-notch performer in concert. Wall Lake native Andy Williams returned to his home state at the height of his international popularity to take the grandstand stage on five consecutive nights. At the time, his national television variety program was quite popular, and he brought with him on the stage a group that regularly performed on his television program—the Osmond Brothers. That was fitting, since Andy Williams first performed with his brothers singing on the radio in the 1930s.
For the next several years, the fair booked a single top-notch act to perform on multiple nights. Several times in the 1960s and 1970s, it was the Lawrence Welk orchestra.
We now eagerly anticipate release of the list of performers who take the stage at our fair each August. But the trend started with Iowa’s own Andy Williams, who wrapped up a five night engagement at the Iowa State Fair grandstand on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Wall Lake to the Grandstand"
Our Iowa State Fair grandstand shows are big events, with the top artists performing. They’re now the third largest moneymaker for the fair each year.
But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1960s that the grandstand began being used for concerts at all.
The 1965 Iowa State Fair was actually the first to feature a top-notch performer in concert. Wall Lake native Andy Williams returned to his home state at the height of his international popularity to take the grandstand stage on five consecutive nights. At the time, his national television variety program was quite popular, and he brought with him on the stage a group that regularly performed on his television program—the Osmond Brothers. That was fitting, since Andy Williams first performed with his brothers singing on the radio in the 1930s.
For the next several years, the fair booked a single top-notch act to perform on multiple nights. Several times in the 1960s and 1970s, it was the Lawrence Welk orchestra.
We now eagerly anticipate release of the list of performers who take the stage at our fair each August. But the trend started with Iowa’s own Andy Williams, who wrapped up a five night engagement at the Iowa State Fair grandstand on this date in 1965.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, August 27
"See You At The Fair"
The annual Delaware County Fair got underway on August 27th, 1912. The four day event ran from Tuesday through Friday.
Among the attractions, Miss Dorothy Devonda, a daring aeronaut who set a record for the highest flight ever made in a gas balloon. Her daily balloon ascension including double parachute drops.
Also performing, The Murdos, with their troup of trained dogs, twice each day before the amphitheater.
Admission at the gate was 35 cents for adults and 15 cents for children. Although if you bought a pass for all four days, you could get a discount.
The Manchester Democrat newspaper noted that the buildings and grounds have been put in excellent condition for the fair, and that good weather will assure one of the best fairs in history.
In that same issue of the paper was an ad for a competing attraction. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show scheduled a performance for the last day of the fair, hoping to capitalize on the crowd already in Manchester. The Buffalo Bill show was combined with Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East show, depicting the splendors of the Orient. Two performances, tickets were 50 cents each.
Even today, a county fair attracts a wide variety of citizens. From parachute drops from a gas balloon, to trained dogs, to Buffalo Bill…it was all in Manchester, as the Delaware County Fair got underway on this date in 1912.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"See You At The Fair"
The annual Delaware County Fair got underway on August 27th, 1912. The four day event ran from Tuesday through Friday.
Among the attractions, Miss Dorothy Devonda, a daring aeronaut who set a record for the highest flight ever made in a gas balloon. Her daily balloon ascension including double parachute drops.
Also performing, The Murdos, with their troup of trained dogs, twice each day before the amphitheater.
Admission at the gate was 35 cents for adults and 15 cents for children. Although if you bought a pass for all four days, you could get a discount.
The Manchester Democrat newspaper noted that the buildings and grounds have been put in excellent condition for the fair, and that good weather will assure one of the best fairs in history.
In that same issue of the paper was an ad for a competing attraction. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show scheduled a performance for the last day of the fair, hoping to capitalize on the crowd already in Manchester. The Buffalo Bill show was combined with Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East show, depicting the splendors of the Orient. Two performances, tickets were 50 cents each.
Even today, a county fair attracts a wide variety of citizens. From parachute drops from a gas balloon, to trained dogs, to Buffalo Bill…it was all in Manchester, as the Delaware County Fair got underway on this date in 1912.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, August 26
"A Ride Across the State"
It began with a challenge. Donald Kaul wrote the “Over the Coffee” column from Washington, D.C. for The Des Moines Register. John Karras wrote features for the paper. Karras suggested that Kaul come back to Iowa and ride his bicycle across the state, writing about what he saw from that perspective. Kaul said he would, but only if Karras rode along.
And RAGBRAI was born. The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa started on August 26th, 1973 in Sioux City. That first year included overnight stays in Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames, Des Moines, and Williamsburg, before ending up in Davenport. It was a six-day ride then, and Kaul and Karras invited anyone who wanted to, to ride along. Three hundred riders showed up in Sioux City, growing to 500 on the stretch between Ames and Des Moines. Some 114 cyclists made it across the state with the two Register writers.
Response was so positive, another ride was held the next year. And as you know, it’s now become one of the best-known summertime traditions in Iowa, attracting people from around the world. Nearly 20,000 miles have been traveled, with more than 325,000 people taking part at one time or another.
There have been 43 rides, now held in late July every year. In fact, it’s only 332 days until the next one. But the first Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa started in Sioux City, on this date in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Ride Across the State"
It began with a challenge. Donald Kaul wrote the “Over the Coffee” column from Washington, D.C. for The Des Moines Register. John Karras wrote features for the paper. Karras suggested that Kaul come back to Iowa and ride his bicycle across the state, writing about what he saw from that perspective. Kaul said he would, but only if Karras rode along.
And RAGBRAI was born. The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa started on August 26th, 1973 in Sioux City. That first year included overnight stays in Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames, Des Moines, and Williamsburg, before ending up in Davenport. It was a six-day ride then, and Kaul and Karras invited anyone who wanted to, to ride along. Three hundred riders showed up in Sioux City, growing to 500 on the stretch between Ames and Des Moines. Some 114 cyclists made it across the state with the two Register writers.
Response was so positive, another ride was held the next year. And as you know, it’s now become one of the best-known summertime traditions in Iowa, attracting people from around the world. Nearly 20,000 miles have been traveled, with more than 325,000 people taking part at one time or another.
There have been 43 rides, now held in late July every year. In fact, it’s only 332 days until the next one. But the first Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa started in Sioux City, on this date in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, August 25
"And the Winner Is..."
Only one woman from Iowa has ever won the Miss Teen USA pageant, and it happened on August 25th, 1992.
Jamie Solinger was from Altoona. She had started modeling in magazines such as Seventeen and Glamour. She was recruited by Iowa pageant directors to enter the Miss Iowa Teen USA 1992 pageant. She won the state crown, and then competed in the national pageant in Biloxi, Mississippi. That event was noteworthy because of Hurricane Andrew, which was bearing down on Biloxi, forcing the pageant to be held early, with the national broadcast that evening actually taped for safety reasons.
Six years later, Jamie Solinger won the title of Miss Iowa USA, and the very next year, crowned her sister Jaclyn as her successor.
After she was married, Jamie Patterson won the Mrs. Iowa pageant title in 2004, and became third runner-up in the Mrs. America 2005 contest.
Iowans have only placed in the Miss Teen USA pageant four times…and the only winner, Jamie Solinger, had the crown placed on her head on this date in 1992.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"And the Winner Is..."
Only one woman from Iowa has ever won the Miss Teen USA pageant, and it happened on August 25th, 1992.
Jamie Solinger was from Altoona. She had started modeling in magazines such as Seventeen and Glamour. She was recruited by Iowa pageant directors to enter the Miss Iowa Teen USA 1992 pageant. She won the state crown, and then competed in the national pageant in Biloxi, Mississippi. That event was noteworthy because of Hurricane Andrew, which was bearing down on Biloxi, forcing the pageant to be held early, with the national broadcast that evening actually taped for safety reasons.
Six years later, Jamie Solinger won the title of Miss Iowa USA, and the very next year, crowned her sister Jaclyn as her successor.
After she was married, Jamie Patterson won the Mrs. Iowa pageant title in 2004, and became third runner-up in the Mrs. America 2005 contest.
Iowans have only placed in the Miss Teen USA pageant four times…and the only winner, Jamie Solinger, had the crown placed on her head on this date in 1992.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, August 24
"Constructing a Race Track"
It became the first not-for-profit greyhound racetrack in America, with all its profits earmarked for local charitable distribution.
It was the Dubuque Greyhound Park. Originally, it was owned by the City of Dubuque and operated by the Dubuque Racing Association, a volunteer board made up of 21 directors.
Profits from the racetrack went to the city and area charitable organizations, and pari-mutuel and gaming taxes provided revenue for the city, county, and state.
It happened because in 1984, the Iowa legislature passed a law allowing greyhound and horse racing in our state. An April 1984 referendum asked Dubuque citizens to approve a $6.5 million general obligation bond to be used as the major source of funding for the racetrack. It passed with 71 percent approval, the largest referendum in city history.
Dubuque's license was granted on July 18, 1984, and construction on the track began a month later. It finally opened on June 1st, 1985.
The debt was paid off 14 years ahead of schedule, making it the first debt-free pari-mutuel facility in Iowa.
The facility is now controlled by the Iowa Greyhound Association. But construction on the Dubuque Greyhound Park began on this date in 1984.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Constructing a Race Track"
It became the first not-for-profit greyhound racetrack in America, with all its profits earmarked for local charitable distribution.
It was the Dubuque Greyhound Park. Originally, it was owned by the City of Dubuque and operated by the Dubuque Racing Association, a volunteer board made up of 21 directors.
Profits from the racetrack went to the city and area charitable organizations, and pari-mutuel and gaming taxes provided revenue for the city, county, and state.
It happened because in 1984, the Iowa legislature passed a law allowing greyhound and horse racing in our state. An April 1984 referendum asked Dubuque citizens to approve a $6.5 million general obligation bond to be used as the major source of funding for the racetrack. It passed with 71 percent approval, the largest referendum in city history.
Dubuque's license was granted on July 18, 1984, and construction on the track began a month later. It finally opened on June 1st, 1985.
The debt was paid off 14 years ahead of schedule, making it the first debt-free pari-mutuel facility in Iowa.
The facility is now controlled by the Iowa Greyhound Association. But construction on the Dubuque Greyhound Park began on this date in 1984.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, August 21
"The Baseball Promoter"
James Leslie Wilkinson was born in Algona on May 14th of 1878. He loved baseball and was headed for a promising career as a pitcher until he hurt his wrist. He then turned to team ownership and management, which turned out to be his real talent. For more than 50 years, J.L. Wilkinson used an eye for promotion to promote the game he loved in unique ways.
In 1909, J.L. created a women's baseball team that drew up to 2,000 fans at a time. He had a covered grandstand moved around the Midwest by train to create his own venue at each stop along the way. Rumor has it a few of the players were actually men in drag.
By 1912, he had founded the All Nations baseball club in Des Moines. The team was made up of whites, blacks, Polynesians, Asians, and Native Americans, which was quite unique for the time.
He was probably best known for being one of the founders of the Negro National League in 1920, creating the now famous Kansas City Monarchs team. J.L. Wilkinson was the only white team owner that was trusted by league organizers, and he even roomed with his black coaches and players when the team was on the road and hotels were short of rooms; again, unique for the time.
Under his leadership, the Kansas City Monarchs won ten league titles and played in four Negro League World Series, winning in both 1924 and 1942. Oh, and he also signed a player named Jackie Robinson to his first professional baseball contract.
Iowa's baseball entrepreneur, James L. Wilkinson, or Wilkie, as he was known, was elected to the baseball hall of fame in 2006; but that was more than forty years after his death, on this date in 1964.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Baseball Promoter"
James Leslie Wilkinson was born in Algona on May 14th of 1878. He loved baseball and was headed for a promising career as a pitcher until he hurt his wrist. He then turned to team ownership and management, which turned out to be his real talent. For more than 50 years, J.L. Wilkinson used an eye for promotion to promote the game he loved in unique ways.
In 1909, J.L. created a women's baseball team that drew up to 2,000 fans at a time. He had a covered grandstand moved around the Midwest by train to create his own venue at each stop along the way. Rumor has it a few of the players were actually men in drag.
By 1912, he had founded the All Nations baseball club in Des Moines. The team was made up of whites, blacks, Polynesians, Asians, and Native Americans, which was quite unique for the time.
He was probably best known for being one of the founders of the Negro National League in 1920, creating the now famous Kansas City Monarchs team. J.L. Wilkinson was the only white team owner that was trusted by league organizers, and he even roomed with his black coaches and players when the team was on the road and hotels were short of rooms; again, unique for the time.
Under his leadership, the Kansas City Monarchs won ten league titles and played in four Negro League World Series, winning in both 1924 and 1942. Oh, and he also signed a player named Jackie Robinson to his first professional baseball contract.
Iowa's baseball entrepreneur, James L. Wilkinson, or Wilkie, as he was known, was elected to the baseball hall of fame in 2006; but that was more than forty years after his death, on this date in 1964.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, August 20
"Exploring Iowa"
The land that is now Iowa was part of the famous Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The next year, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on a two and a half year expedition to explore and map the new territory.
One of the first men to join the expedition was Charles Floyd of Kentucky. The 22-year-old was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and a relative of Clark’s.
As they neared the Missouri River in the end of July, Floyd took ill. He recovered briefly, but then died on August 20th, 1804, likely due to a ruptured appendix.
A funeral was held and Floyd was buried on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. The expedition named the area Floyd’s Bluff, which is located within the current city limits of Sioux City.
The Sergeant Floyd Monument was declared a national historic landmark in 1960, part of a 23-acre park to honor the only person on the Lewis and Clark expedition to die, and the first U.S. soldier to die west of the Mississippi.
The monument itself is 100 feet high, honoring Sergeant Charles Floyd of the Lewis and Clark expedition, who died on this date in 1804.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Exploring Iowa"
The land that is now Iowa was part of the famous Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The next year, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on a two and a half year expedition to explore and map the new territory.
One of the first men to join the expedition was Charles Floyd of Kentucky. The 22-year-old was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and a relative of Clark’s.
As they neared the Missouri River in the end of July, Floyd took ill. He recovered briefly, but then died on August 20th, 1804, likely due to a ruptured appendix.
A funeral was held and Floyd was buried on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. The expedition named the area Floyd’s Bluff, which is located within the current city limits of Sioux City.
The Sergeant Floyd Monument was declared a national historic landmark in 1960, part of a 23-acre park to honor the only person on the Lewis and Clark expedition to die, and the first U.S. soldier to die west of the Mississippi.
The monument itself is 100 feet high, honoring Sergeant Charles Floyd of the Lewis and Clark expedition, who died on this date in 1804.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, August 19
"Boldly Going Where None Had Gone Before"
The 1960s were a time of space exploration, culminating with men landing on the moon in 1969.
On August 12th, 1960, the Echo 1 satellite was launched, to operate in geosynchronous orbit 26,000 miles above the earth. Echo 1 was a communication satellite, and this device in particular established a number of firsts.
It saw the first live, satellite-based voice communication, a radio message delivered by President Dwight Eisenhower, and facilitated the first transcontinental satellite telephone call, made between two researchers.
On August 19th, technicians working for Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids used Echo 1 to transmit an Associated Press photo of President Eisenhower from Iowa to Richardson, Texas, the first image transferred by satellite.
Today, we take such communication for granted, even having small satellite dishes on the roofs of our houses so we can watch television. But thanks to technology developed by Iowa’s Collins Radio Company, the first photo was transmitted by a satellite, on this date in 1960.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Boldly Going Where None Had Gone Before"
The 1960s were a time of space exploration, culminating with men landing on the moon in 1969.
On August 12th, 1960, the Echo 1 satellite was launched, to operate in geosynchronous orbit 26,000 miles above the earth. Echo 1 was a communication satellite, and this device in particular established a number of firsts.
It saw the first live, satellite-based voice communication, a radio message delivered by President Dwight Eisenhower, and facilitated the first transcontinental satellite telephone call, made between two researchers.
On August 19th, technicians working for Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids used Echo 1 to transmit an Associated Press photo of President Eisenhower from Iowa to Richardson, Texas, the first image transferred by satellite.
Today, we take such communication for granted, even having small satellite dishes on the roofs of our houses so we can watch television. But thanks to technology developed by Iowa’s Collins Radio Company, the first photo was transmitted by a satellite, on this date in 1960.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, August 18
"The First in Iowa City"
On August 18th, 1977, the Iowa City Fire Department hired its 104th paid fire fighter. What made this hire different is that it was for the first female in the department.
Linda Eaton was a member of the department for three years. Much of that time was associated with controversy, some of which played out nationally.
In February of 1979, Linda Eaton was suspended twice for insubordination. Her offense was that she refused to stop breastfeeding her son during her work breaks.
She filed a sex discrimination complaint against the city, and on March 20th, 1980, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission ruled unanimously in her favor, saying she did have the right to breast feed at work, and awarding her damages, back pay, and attorney fees.
Claiming she was harassed by male firefighters after winning that action, she left the fire department and sued in Johnson County District Court for nearly a million dollars, saying her civil rights had been violated. In 1984, a jury of five men and three women ruled against her.
Her time on the department was short, but definitely eventful. And it began when Linda Eaton was hired as the first female firefighter in Iowa City, on this date in 1977.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First in Iowa City"
On August 18th, 1977, the Iowa City Fire Department hired its 104th paid fire fighter. What made this hire different is that it was for the first female in the department.
Linda Eaton was a member of the department for three years. Much of that time was associated with controversy, some of which played out nationally.
In February of 1979, Linda Eaton was suspended twice for insubordination. Her offense was that she refused to stop breastfeeding her son during her work breaks.
She filed a sex discrimination complaint against the city, and on March 20th, 1980, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission ruled unanimously in her favor, saying she did have the right to breast feed at work, and awarding her damages, back pay, and attorney fees.
Claiming she was harassed by male firefighters after winning that action, she left the fire department and sued in Johnson County District Court for nearly a million dollars, saying her civil rights had been violated. In 1984, a jury of five men and three women ruled against her.
Her time on the department was short, but definitely eventful. And it began when Linda Eaton was hired as the first female firefighter in Iowa City, on this date in 1977.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, August 17
"A Giant Fake"
The biggest hoax of the 19th century had an Iowa flavor. In 1868, cigar maker George Hull came up with an idea to create giant petrified man while on a business trip to our state. He had gotten into a disagreement with a minister about the literal nature of a biblical passage--"There were giants in the earth in those days." So Hull went to Fort Dodge and ordered a five-ton block of gypsum. It was delivered to Chicago, where stonecutter Edward Burghardt created a three thousand pound statue of an ancient man, some ten feet tall. Hull had it secretly buried in a pit on a farm near Cardiff, New York. The next year, the farm's owner hired two workmen to dig a well on the spot where the giant had been buried. The workmen soon discovered what appeared to be a petrified man.
People came from miles around to see the Cardiff Giant, as religious fervor swept over the area. Despite experts who claimed it could not be real, demand to see the Giant continued, even leading to a tour of the country. By 1875, it was pretty clear the giant was a fraud and George Hull confessed to the scam. The giant was put into storage, where it remained until 1900 when it was discovered in a warehouse and again placed on display.
Not long after, a Fort Dodge man, Joe Mulroney, purchased the giant and on New Year's Day 1914, it returned home to Fort Dodge, and then again traveled the country for a time. Des Moines Register and Tribune publisher Gardner Cowles, Jr. bought the giant in 1935 and displayed it in his home for a time. The giant has been on display at the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown, New York, since 1947.
A replica of the fake has been on display at the Fort Museum in Fort Dodge since 1972. But the original became a part of publisher Gardner Cowles Jr.'s home in Des Moines, on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Giant Fake"
The biggest hoax of the 19th century had an Iowa flavor. In 1868, cigar maker George Hull came up with an idea to create giant petrified man while on a business trip to our state. He had gotten into a disagreement with a minister about the literal nature of a biblical passage--"There were giants in the earth in those days." So Hull went to Fort Dodge and ordered a five-ton block of gypsum. It was delivered to Chicago, where stonecutter Edward Burghardt created a three thousand pound statue of an ancient man, some ten feet tall. Hull had it secretly buried in a pit on a farm near Cardiff, New York. The next year, the farm's owner hired two workmen to dig a well on the spot where the giant had been buried. The workmen soon discovered what appeared to be a petrified man.
People came from miles around to see the Cardiff Giant, as religious fervor swept over the area. Despite experts who claimed it could not be real, demand to see the Giant continued, even leading to a tour of the country. By 1875, it was pretty clear the giant was a fraud and George Hull confessed to the scam. The giant was put into storage, where it remained until 1900 when it was discovered in a warehouse and again placed on display.
Not long after, a Fort Dodge man, Joe Mulroney, purchased the giant and on New Year's Day 1914, it returned home to Fort Dodge, and then again traveled the country for a time. Des Moines Register and Tribune publisher Gardner Cowles, Jr. bought the giant in 1935 and displayed it in his home for a time. The giant has been on display at the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown, New York, since 1947.
A replica of the fake has been on display at the Fort Museum in Fort Dodge since 1972. But the original became a part of publisher Gardner Cowles Jr.'s home in Des Moines, on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, August 14
"A Mammoth Discovery"
In the summer of 2001, construction was underway on a new parking ramp in downtown Des Moines, for Allied Insurance and Farmland Insurance. A structure of that size obviously needed a strong foundation, so crews were forming support pillars by drilling down to bedrock with a giant auger, then pouring reinforced columns of concrete.
On August 14th, 2001, the auger struck bedrock...and more. Workers examined the area and found the auger had uncovered bones. Authorities were contacted, and discovered they were mammoth bones, from animals that roamed the Earth some 16,000 years ago.
They were found to be from a woolly mammoth, one of the great beasts of the Ice Age. As the climate warmed with the end of the Ice Age, rivers, vegetation and the landscape changed. The world that mammoths dominated was no more, and the long woolly coats that had protected them against the cold led to their extinction in a changing environment with warming temperatures.
The bones found in downtown Des Moines were collected and are now part of a major display at the State Historical Building, along with a nearly complete mammoth skeleton found in Wisconsin. Bone fragments have been found in farm fields all over Iowa, but a sizable amount of remains were found while workers were digging for a parking ramp in downtown Des Moines, on this date in 2001.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Mammoth Discovery"
In the summer of 2001, construction was underway on a new parking ramp in downtown Des Moines, for Allied Insurance and Farmland Insurance. A structure of that size obviously needed a strong foundation, so crews were forming support pillars by drilling down to bedrock with a giant auger, then pouring reinforced columns of concrete.
On August 14th, 2001, the auger struck bedrock...and more. Workers examined the area and found the auger had uncovered bones. Authorities were contacted, and discovered they were mammoth bones, from animals that roamed the Earth some 16,000 years ago.
They were found to be from a woolly mammoth, one of the great beasts of the Ice Age. As the climate warmed with the end of the Ice Age, rivers, vegetation and the landscape changed. The world that mammoths dominated was no more, and the long woolly coats that had protected them against the cold led to their extinction in a changing environment with warming temperatures.
The bones found in downtown Des Moines were collected and are now part of a major display at the State Historical Building, along with a nearly complete mammoth skeleton found in Wisconsin. Bone fragments have been found in farm fields all over Iowa, but a sizable amount of remains were found while workers were digging for a parking ramp in downtown Des Moines, on this date in 2001.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, August 13
"Hiring a Professor"
By the time Gustavus Hinrichs joined the University of Iowa faculty on August 13th, 1863, he'd already had quite a life. He was educated in Denmark and had come to the U.S. only two years before at the age of 25, settling in Davenport. Originally a teacher of modern languages, he later taught the physical sciences, which is where he made his mark.
He did pioneering work on the structure of crystals, which had bearing on the later discovery of the structure of the atom. He was one of several scientists credited with discovering the Periodic System of Elements. He focused much research on the study of weather and started the first state weather service, in Iowa. Fluent in five languages, Gustavus Hinrichs helped build a world-class science program at the University of Iowa, and pushed for the state's medical college to be in Iowa City.
But he was seen as sensitive and high-strung, and his fight with a university president got so heated, the state legislature sent a committee to investigate. After 23 years, he was fired for "general obstreperousness". He later called the Iowa medical school a slaughter house and said surgeons were drunk while dealing with patients, but those charges were unfounded.
Earlier this summer, parts of Iowa experienced an early morning storm, a widespread, cold air mass that moved rapidly in a straight line, with winds stronger than in many tornadoes. The weather term for that is derecho. It's a phenomenon that was first identified and named by Professor Gustavus Hinrichs, who joined the University of Iowa faculty on this date in 1863.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Hiring a Professor"
By the time Gustavus Hinrichs joined the University of Iowa faculty on August 13th, 1863, he'd already had quite a life. He was educated in Denmark and had come to the U.S. only two years before at the age of 25, settling in Davenport. Originally a teacher of modern languages, he later taught the physical sciences, which is where he made his mark.
He did pioneering work on the structure of crystals, which had bearing on the later discovery of the structure of the atom. He was one of several scientists credited with discovering the Periodic System of Elements. He focused much research on the study of weather and started the first state weather service, in Iowa. Fluent in five languages, Gustavus Hinrichs helped build a world-class science program at the University of Iowa, and pushed for the state's medical college to be in Iowa City.
But he was seen as sensitive and high-strung, and his fight with a university president got so heated, the state legislature sent a committee to investigate. After 23 years, he was fired for "general obstreperousness". He later called the Iowa medical school a slaughter house and said surgeons were drunk while dealing with patients, but those charges were unfounded.
Earlier this summer, parts of Iowa experienced an early morning storm, a widespread, cold air mass that moved rapidly in a straight line, with winds stronger than in many tornadoes. The weather term for that is derecho. It's a phenomenon that was first identified and named by Professor Gustavus Hinrichs, who joined the University of Iowa faculty on this date in 1863.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, August 12
"Spotlight on the Garst Farm"
On September 23, 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev began an unprecedented tour of the United States, including a speech in Des Moines and a visit to the heart of the world's best corn country here in Iowa.
The Roswell and Elizabeth Garst farm near Coon Rapids in Guthrie County was the site of an amazing visit by Khrushchev. Roswell Garst played an active role in the 1930s and 1940s in the conversion of old-style family farms to then –modern agribusiness, including his key role in marketing hybrid seed corn.
From a newsreel of the time:
Nikita Khrushchev's American tour swings into the world's best corn country. On the Coon Rapids, Iowa farm of Roswell Garst, Mr. K has one of the most jovial and folksy days of his visit. At one of the world's most efficient and profitable farming operations, Khrushchev shows an enthusiasm springing from his Ukrainian peasant background, and the interest of a leader whose nation has long known major food production problems.
The Garst farmstead was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 12th, 2009, and is located on Highway 141 in the northwestern corner of Guthrie County. The Garst farmstead officially became historic, on this date in 2009.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Spotlight on the Garst Farm"
On September 23, 1959, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev began an unprecedented tour of the United States, including a speech in Des Moines and a visit to the heart of the world's best corn country here in Iowa.
The Roswell and Elizabeth Garst farm near Coon Rapids in Guthrie County was the site of an amazing visit by Khrushchev. Roswell Garst played an active role in the 1930s and 1940s in the conversion of old-style family farms to then –modern agribusiness, including his key role in marketing hybrid seed corn.
From a newsreel of the time:
Nikita Khrushchev's American tour swings into the world's best corn country. On the Coon Rapids, Iowa farm of Roswell Garst, Mr. K has one of the most jovial and folksy days of his visit. At one of the world's most efficient and profitable farming operations, Khrushchev shows an enthusiasm springing from his Ukrainian peasant background, and the interest of a leader whose nation has long known major food production problems.
The Garst farmstead was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 12th, 2009, and is located on Highway 141 in the northwestern corner of Guthrie County. The Garst farmstead officially became historic, on this date in 2009.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, August 11
"The Worst Flooding"
Depending on where you live, you might look to flooding in 1993 as the worst ever…or perhaps 2008.
But in Ames, the record was on August 11th, 2010.
Fourteen inches of rain fell in the area in just four days. All that rain led to the Squaw Creek overflowing its banks and joining with the Skunk River, leading to the historic backup of water.
Hundreds were forced from their homes, roadways were closed, and on top of it all, an underground water pipe broke, depleting the city’s water towers and interrupting the flow of the Ames water supply.
Hilton Coliseum again took on water, with officials arriving to find the basketball floor floating on top of eight feet of water inside the building. Damage on the Iowa State University campus alone topped $50 million. About 30 employees of a Walmart were pulled by city officials from rising floodwaters that had trapped them inside the store.
Ames had experienced flooding before, but never to the degree as on this date, in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Worst Flooding"
Depending on where you live, you might look to flooding in 1993 as the worst ever…or perhaps 2008.
But in Ames, the record was on August 11th, 2010.
Fourteen inches of rain fell in the area in just four days. All that rain led to the Squaw Creek overflowing its banks and joining with the Skunk River, leading to the historic backup of water.
Hundreds were forced from their homes, roadways were closed, and on top of it all, an underground water pipe broke, depleting the city’s water towers and interrupting the flow of the Ames water supply.
Hilton Coliseum again took on water, with officials arriving to find the basketball floor floating on top of eight feet of water inside the building. Damage on the Iowa State University campus alone topped $50 million. About 30 employees of a Walmart were pulled by city officials from rising floodwaters that had trapped them inside the store.
Ames had experienced flooding before, but never to the degree as on this date, in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, August 10
"Honoring Veterans and Their Flags"
There's been a lot of talk lately about Civil War battle flags, including one used by the confederacy--should it still be on public display, even as a tribute to the soldiers who fought during that war. But Iowans have long respected battle flags from the war between the states.
In fact, it was on August 10th, 1894, that Iowa celebrated Battle Flag Day. About five thousand Iowa Civil War veterans assembled in Des Moines and marched behind their regimental flags for the last time.
That's because two years before, the Iowa legislature passed a law requiring those battle flags to be restored and displayed in hermetically sealed glass cases, "to display them to the best advantage and to preserve them as far as possible from all injury". The efforts to preserve those Civil War battle flags continue to this day.
The veterans proudly marched behind their colors to the state capitol, where they were put on permanent display on the anniversary of the Battle of Wilson's Creek, on this date, in 1894.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Honoring Veterans and Their Flags"
There's been a lot of talk lately about Civil War battle flags, including one used by the confederacy--should it still be on public display, even as a tribute to the soldiers who fought during that war. But Iowans have long respected battle flags from the war between the states.
In fact, it was on August 10th, 1894, that Iowa celebrated Battle Flag Day. About five thousand Iowa Civil War veterans assembled in Des Moines and marched behind their regimental flags for the last time.
That's because two years before, the Iowa legislature passed a law requiring those battle flags to be restored and displayed in hermetically sealed glass cases, "to display them to the best advantage and to preserve them as far as possible from all injury". The efforts to preserve those Civil War battle flags continue to this day.
The veterans proudly marched behind their colors to the state capitol, where they were put on permanent display on the anniversary of the Battle of Wilson's Creek, on this date, in 1894.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, August 7
"The Train Reaches the Station"
Calhoun County in western Iowa wasn’t always called that. In honor of the Sac and Fox Indians, two Iowa’s counties were named Sac and Fox in 1851. But a friend of former U.S. vice-president John C. Calhoun did not like the name Fox, and got the county named for Calhoun in 1853.
The county seat wasn’t always Rockwell City, either. It was originally Lake City, but was moved when the tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad were laid through the county in 1870, and Manson and Pomeroy sought the designation. Ultimately, though, leaders decided a more central location was best, and Rockwell City became the county seat.
Rockwell City was platted in 1876 and named for its founders, John and Charlotte Rockwell.
The importance of being on a rail line with a regular train schedule was not lost on Rockwell. At that time, the survival of cities depended on it.
So in 1880, when John Rockwell learned that Des Moines businessman Frederick M. Hubbell was bringing his railroad as far as Jefferson, Rockwell went to Des Moines and promised to give Hubbell half of the building lots in the town if Hubbell would bring the railroad to Rockwell City. Hubbell did, and the first train arrived there on August 7th, 1882.
After the arrival of the railroad, the population of Rockwell City doubled, making John Rockwell’s trade a pretty good investment. All that growth came after the first train arrived in Rockwell City, on this date, in 1882.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Train Reaches the Station"
Calhoun County in western Iowa wasn’t always called that. In honor of the Sac and Fox Indians, two Iowa’s counties were named Sac and Fox in 1851. But a friend of former U.S. vice-president John C. Calhoun did not like the name Fox, and got the county named for Calhoun in 1853.
The county seat wasn’t always Rockwell City, either. It was originally Lake City, but was moved when the tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad were laid through the county in 1870, and Manson and Pomeroy sought the designation. Ultimately, though, leaders decided a more central location was best, and Rockwell City became the county seat.
Rockwell City was platted in 1876 and named for its founders, John and Charlotte Rockwell.
The importance of being on a rail line with a regular train schedule was not lost on Rockwell. At that time, the survival of cities depended on it.
So in 1880, when John Rockwell learned that Des Moines businessman Frederick M. Hubbell was bringing his railroad as far as Jefferson, Rockwell went to Des Moines and promised to give Hubbell half of the building lots in the town if Hubbell would bring the railroad to Rockwell City. Hubbell did, and the first train arrived there on August 7th, 1882.
After the arrival of the railroad, the population of Rockwell City doubled, making John Rockwell’s trade a pretty good investment. All that growth came after the first train arrived in Rockwell City, on this date, in 1882.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, August 6
"The First Atomic Bomb"
As a young boy, Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., lived in Cedar Rapids; the family later moved to Des Moines, where Paul attended Roosevelt High School for a time. Then it was off to Florida, but Paul returned each summer to Iowa to stay on his uncle’s farm.
Paul Tibbets enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1937, at the age of 22. His ability as a pilot was apparent, and he was quickly tabbed for special projects. One included flying over Hiroshima, Japan, in the pre-dawn hours of August 6, 1945. The top secret mission included dropping a new bomb, one which weighed four and a half tons, and carried the name Little Boy.
“Coming up on the bomb run, the city was visible to us. Our aiming point, the military headquarters there, stood out very clearly. After the bomb had exploded, and by the time we could turn around and get a look at it, the city was a mass of dust. … To me it appeared that it was exactly the same as antiaircraft fire. As a matter of fact, I was fooled even though I was expecting a reaction to the airplane from the blast. When it did happen, my first reaction was that it was flak.
Those were the thoughts of Paul Tibbets, in speaking with legendary journalist Jack Shelley just two days after the mission. Tibbets flew a plane called the Enola Gay…named after his mother, Enola Gay Haggard Tibbets, who hailed from Glidden, Iowa.
Some 130,000 Japanese were killed, and a ten-square mile area was obliterated, when a former Iowa resident, Paul Tibbets, piloted the plane that dropped the world’s first atomic bomb, on this date in 1945.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above. And to watch a video with more about Shelley's interview with Tibbets, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL9v-a3blOg
"The First Atomic Bomb"
As a young boy, Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., lived in Cedar Rapids; the family later moved to Des Moines, where Paul attended Roosevelt High School for a time. Then it was off to Florida, but Paul returned each summer to Iowa to stay on his uncle’s farm.
Paul Tibbets enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1937, at the age of 22. His ability as a pilot was apparent, and he was quickly tabbed for special projects. One included flying over Hiroshima, Japan, in the pre-dawn hours of August 6, 1945. The top secret mission included dropping a new bomb, one which weighed four and a half tons, and carried the name Little Boy.
“Coming up on the bomb run, the city was visible to us. Our aiming point, the military headquarters there, stood out very clearly. After the bomb had exploded, and by the time we could turn around and get a look at it, the city was a mass of dust. … To me it appeared that it was exactly the same as antiaircraft fire. As a matter of fact, I was fooled even though I was expecting a reaction to the airplane from the blast. When it did happen, my first reaction was that it was flak.
Those were the thoughts of Paul Tibbets, in speaking with legendary journalist Jack Shelley just two days after the mission. Tibbets flew a plane called the Enola Gay…named after his mother, Enola Gay Haggard Tibbets, who hailed from Glidden, Iowa.
Some 130,000 Japanese were killed, and a ten-square mile area was obliterated, when a former Iowa resident, Paul Tibbets, piloted the plane that dropped the world’s first atomic bomb, on this date in 1945.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above. And to watch a video with more about Shelley's interview with Tibbets, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL9v-a3blOg
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, August 5
"The First Alert"
In 1996, 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was kidnapped and murdered in Arlington, Texas. She was dragged from her bicycle while riding near her home. Her murder led Dallas/Fort Worth radio and television stations to work with police to broadcast alerts when children were abducted.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children endorsed the Texas plan, and soon Amber Alert programs spread around the country.
In August of 2002, Governor Tom Vilsack called on Iowa law enforcement officials and broadcasts to come up with their Amber Alert plan. By the end of the year, a plan was recommended, and on March 13th, 2003, Iowa became the 36th state with an Amber Alert plan.
Iowa's first Amber Alert was issued August 5th, 2003 from Des Moines. The mother of six month old Hessona Bolen reported that he was abducted from a Washington Street address there shortly before 2 by Hesson Mock. The mother stated that the child was in danger. The child was safely located at a relative's home.
Not all Amber Alerts have an ending like that one. Earlier this year, despite the alert, a child who had been abducted by his father was the victim of a murder/suicide.
But in many cases, the Amber Alert has been instrumental in safely returning children to their homes. Iowa's first Amber Alert was one of those, on this date in 2003.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Alert"
In 1996, 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was kidnapped and murdered in Arlington, Texas. She was dragged from her bicycle while riding near her home. Her murder led Dallas/Fort Worth radio and television stations to work with police to broadcast alerts when children were abducted.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children endorsed the Texas plan, and soon Amber Alert programs spread around the country.
In August of 2002, Governor Tom Vilsack called on Iowa law enforcement officials and broadcasts to come up with their Amber Alert plan. By the end of the year, a plan was recommended, and on March 13th, 2003, Iowa became the 36th state with an Amber Alert plan.
Iowa's first Amber Alert was issued August 5th, 2003 from Des Moines. The mother of six month old Hessona Bolen reported that he was abducted from a Washington Street address there shortly before 2 by Hesson Mock. The mother stated that the child was in danger. The child was safely located at a relative's home.
Not all Amber Alerts have an ending like that one. Earlier this year, despite the alert, a child who had been abducted by his father was the victim of a murder/suicide.
But in many cases, the Amber Alert has been instrumental in safely returning children to their homes. Iowa's first Amber Alert was one of those, on this date in 2003.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, August 4
"Riding the Rails, for Dinner"
On August 4th, 1984, a classic passenger train named the Star Clipper departed from Osage. One-hundred-twenty-one passengers were on board that Saturday night for the first trip on something new--a dinner train.
The concept of a dinner train in modern times was something new, allowing many people the chance to experience rail travel for the first time, while also providing entertainment reminiscent of days gone by.
That evening, the guests traveled in northeast Iowa and enjoyed a fresh, chef-prepared meal and live, tableside entertainment.
The idea was the brainchild of a legendary short line and regional railroad operator named Jack Haley. He thought restoring old trains and short sections of track would be of interest to people, and the Star Clipper Dinner Train has been called the father of the modern day dinner train.
After first operating from Osage, the Iowa Star Clipper moved to Waverly in 1986, and once business declined after a few years there, the train itself was moved to Michigan, where it operated until 2010. The Iowa rail line from Waverly is now a pedestrian and bicycle trail.
Since its restoration, the Star Clipper Dinner Train has entertained more than two million passengers in three different states. But it all began with 121 passengers who rode the train for an evening from Osage, on this date in 1984.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Riding the Rails, for Dinner"
On August 4th, 1984, a classic passenger train named the Star Clipper departed from Osage. One-hundred-twenty-one passengers were on board that Saturday night for the first trip on something new--a dinner train.
The concept of a dinner train in modern times was something new, allowing many people the chance to experience rail travel for the first time, while also providing entertainment reminiscent of days gone by.
That evening, the guests traveled in northeast Iowa and enjoyed a fresh, chef-prepared meal and live, tableside entertainment.
The idea was the brainchild of a legendary short line and regional railroad operator named Jack Haley. He thought restoring old trains and short sections of track would be of interest to people, and the Star Clipper Dinner Train has been called the father of the modern day dinner train.
After first operating from Osage, the Iowa Star Clipper moved to Waverly in 1986, and once business declined after a few years there, the train itself was moved to Michigan, where it operated until 2010. The Iowa rail line from Waverly is now a pedestrian and bicycle trail.
Since its restoration, the Star Clipper Dinner Train has entertained more than two million passengers in three different states. But it all began with 121 passengers who rode the train for an evening from Osage, on this date in 1984.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, August 3
"A World Hall of Famer"
You know the story of Waterloo’s Dan Gable. He was good at many sports, but opted to focus solely on wrestling before his sophomore year in high school. It paid off, as he ran up a 64-0 record, winning three state championships for Waterloo West high school.
Then it was on to college, where he lost only one match in his entire Iowa State University career, his last, while winning 181 others. His dominance continued in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he won gold without giving up a single point.
Gable turned to coaching at the University of Iowa in 1976 and became the most successful coach in college history, including 9 national titles in a row as well as 21 consecutive Big Ten titles.
On August 3rd, 2012, Dan Gable was inducted into the International Wrestling Hall of Fame, managed by the international Olympic governing body for the sport. The ceremony was held just before the London Olympic Games that year.
"Any time you go into a Hall of Fame it is always good. When you go into one that is at the top of your sport, it is pretty impressive…I also have a category I went in called legends. Most everybody went into the Hall of Fame, but I got to go into a special category. That really is meaningful. I am really honored. Hopefully I can live up to that legend...This is history, but what about let’s make some more history. That is what I’m looking to do," Gable said.
Only two others in history were inducted as legends. But it’s appropriate, since you can’t say the name Dan Gable without also saying legendary. The Waterloo native was inducted into the international wresting hall of fame on this date in 2012.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A World Hall of Famer"
You know the story of Waterloo’s Dan Gable. He was good at many sports, but opted to focus solely on wrestling before his sophomore year in high school. It paid off, as he ran up a 64-0 record, winning three state championships for Waterloo West high school.
Then it was on to college, where he lost only one match in his entire Iowa State University career, his last, while winning 181 others. His dominance continued in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where he won gold without giving up a single point.
Gable turned to coaching at the University of Iowa in 1976 and became the most successful coach in college history, including 9 national titles in a row as well as 21 consecutive Big Ten titles.
On August 3rd, 2012, Dan Gable was inducted into the International Wrestling Hall of Fame, managed by the international Olympic governing body for the sport. The ceremony was held just before the London Olympic Games that year.
"Any time you go into a Hall of Fame it is always good. When you go into one that is at the top of your sport, it is pretty impressive…I also have a category I went in called legends. Most everybody went into the Hall of Fame, but I got to go into a special category. That really is meaningful. I am really honored. Hopefully I can live up to that legend...This is history, but what about let’s make some more history. That is what I’m looking to do," Gable said.
Only two others in history were inducted as legends. But it’s appropriate, since you can’t say the name Dan Gable without also saying legendary. The Waterloo native was inducted into the international wresting hall of fame on this date in 2012.
And that's Iowa Almanac for August 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, July 31
"Iowa's Woodstock"
New York had Woodstock. Iowa had Wadena.
But if city leaders of Galena, Illinois had not gotten in the way, the 1970 rock music festival might have been held there. That was what organizers had in mind, but when they were blocked in Illinois, they came across the river and found a site on a farm near Wadena.
Some 30,000 people attended the three day music festival. Coming as it did just a year after Woodstock, some Iowans were not too happy about the event, which did feature open use of drugs and drug sales, and a fair amount of young people skinny dipping in a pond.
Johnny Winter, REO Speedwagon, Little Richard, Iowa's Everly Brothers, and Mason Proffit were among those who performed.
Complaints went all the way to Iowa Governor Robert Ray, who showed up at the site on the first day, July 31st, and after being satisfied that adequate preparations had been made regarding health and safety, told the participants to have a good time. This came after Iowa Attorney General Richard Turner had gotten an injunction signed by an Iowa Supreme Court justice to block the event a few days before.
The party goers did not cause much trouble for the locals, but they did leave a lot of garbage behind that took a lot of cleaning up.
The event was voted the top news story in Iowa that year by the Associated Press, when the three-day Wadena Rock Festival began on this date in 1970.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Woodstock"
New York had Woodstock. Iowa had Wadena.
But if city leaders of Galena, Illinois had not gotten in the way, the 1970 rock music festival might have been held there. That was what organizers had in mind, but when they were blocked in Illinois, they came across the river and found a site on a farm near Wadena.
Some 30,000 people attended the three day music festival. Coming as it did just a year after Woodstock, some Iowans were not too happy about the event, which did feature open use of drugs and drug sales, and a fair amount of young people skinny dipping in a pond.
Johnny Winter, REO Speedwagon, Little Richard, Iowa's Everly Brothers, and Mason Proffit were among those who performed.
Complaints went all the way to Iowa Governor Robert Ray, who showed up at the site on the first day, July 31st, and after being satisfied that adequate preparations had been made regarding health and safety, told the participants to have a good time. This came after Iowa Attorney General Richard Turner had gotten an injunction signed by an Iowa Supreme Court justice to block the event a few days before.
The party goers did not cause much trouble for the locals, but they did leave a lot of garbage behind that took a lot of cleaning up.
The event was voted the top news story in Iowa that year by the Associated Press, when the three-day Wadena Rock Festival began on this date in 1970.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 31st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, July 30
"Winning Olympic Gold"
Lately, you've heard a lot about the 1976 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon. But while training and attending Graceland College in Lamoni, he was known as Bruce Jenner.
Jenner actually attended Graceland on a football scholarship, but had to stop playing due to a knee injury. Graceland track coach L.D. Weldon saw athletic potential, though, and Jenner began training for the decathlon, making his debut in the event in the 1970 Drake Relays. He finished fifth, and later qualified for the 1972 U.S. Olympic team in the event. He finished 10th in the Munich Games, and after graduating from Graceland the next year, continued his training, selling insurance at night to make ends meet, all the while aiming his sights at Montreal in 1976.
Jenner racked up 8,616 points in the 1976 games, smashing the world record he had just set at the U.S. Olympic trials by nearly 100 points. The iconic image of Jenner carrying a small American flag during that victory lap is etched in many of our memories. In fact, it started a tradition that is now common among winning athletes.
Bruce Jenner became just the second person to be pictured on the front of a Wheaties cereal box. Today's generation knows Jenner for reality television shows and publicly discussing gender identification. But it was Graceland alum Bruce Jenner who won Olympic gold and the title of world's greatest athlete, on this date, in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Winning Olympic Gold"
Lately, you've heard a lot about the 1976 Olympic gold medalist in the decathlon. But while training and attending Graceland College in Lamoni, he was known as Bruce Jenner.
Jenner actually attended Graceland on a football scholarship, but had to stop playing due to a knee injury. Graceland track coach L.D. Weldon saw athletic potential, though, and Jenner began training for the decathlon, making his debut in the event in the 1970 Drake Relays. He finished fifth, and later qualified for the 1972 U.S. Olympic team in the event. He finished 10th in the Munich Games, and after graduating from Graceland the next year, continued his training, selling insurance at night to make ends meet, all the while aiming his sights at Montreal in 1976.
Jenner racked up 8,616 points in the 1976 games, smashing the world record he had just set at the U.S. Olympic trials by nearly 100 points. The iconic image of Jenner carrying a small American flag during that victory lap is etched in many of our memories. In fact, it started a tradition that is now common among winning athletes.
Bruce Jenner became just the second person to be pictured on the front of a Wheaties cereal box. Today's generation knows Jenner for reality television shows and publicly discussing gender identification. But it was Graceland alum Bruce Jenner who won Olympic gold and the title of world's greatest athlete, on this date, in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, July 29
"The Butter Cow Lady"
Norma Duffield Stong was born on July 29th, 1929. She got her nickname, Duffy, from her middle name. Her uncle was Phil Stong, who wrote a book called "State Fair" which was later made into a movie. Given that background, her later claim to fame was probably preordained.
In 1950, Duffy married Toledo dairy farmer Joe Lyon; they had nine children, all of whom participated in the Lyon Jerseys business at one time or another.
She took over creating the annual Iowa State Fair butter cow in 1960, and became so closely identified with it, many thought she was the first butter cow sculptor. The tradition actually dates back to 1911, but Duffy Lyon sculpted the butter cow every year for 47 years until she retired at the age of 77. Hundreds of thousands of fair visitors watched her work inside the refrigerated display case.
After a while, she created companion butter sculptures, including a butter Elvis, Grant Wood's American Gothic, and her 1999 masterpiece of The Last Supper.
Near the intersection of U.S. Highways 63 and 30 in Toledo, on the top of a hill, stands a cow and calf sculpture. It's not in butter, but it does stand in tribute to Iowa's Butter Cow Lady, Duffy Lyon, who was born on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Butter Cow Lady"
Norma Duffield Stong was born on July 29th, 1929. She got her nickname, Duffy, from her middle name. Her uncle was Phil Stong, who wrote a book called "State Fair" which was later made into a movie. Given that background, her later claim to fame was probably preordained.
In 1950, Duffy married Toledo dairy farmer Joe Lyon; they had nine children, all of whom participated in the Lyon Jerseys business at one time or another.
She took over creating the annual Iowa State Fair butter cow in 1960, and became so closely identified with it, many thought she was the first butter cow sculptor. The tradition actually dates back to 1911, but Duffy Lyon sculpted the butter cow every year for 47 years until she retired at the age of 77. Hundreds of thousands of fair visitors watched her work inside the refrigerated display case.
After a while, she created companion butter sculptures, including a butter Elvis, Grant Wood's American Gothic, and her 1999 masterpiece of The Last Supper.
Near the intersection of U.S. Highways 63 and 30 in Toledo, on the top of a hill, stands a cow and calf sculpture. It's not in butter, but it does stand in tribute to Iowa's Butter Cow Lady, Duffy Lyon, who was born on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, July 28
"On Patrol, On The Road"
As automobiles became more popular, there was a need for more roads. More roads led to more traffic. And more traffic led to the need for regulation of those roads.
In the spring of 1935, the Iowa Legislature passed a law approving the hiring of 53 men as members of the new Iowa Highway Safety Patrol. Governor Clyde Herring signed the act on May 7th of that year, and soon, 3,000 men applied to attend the safety school. One hundred of them were chosen for training at Camp Dodge.
Officers had to be at least 5 feet 10 inches tall, with 20-20 uncorrected vision. Only 60 percent of the patrol at any given time could be from the same political party, to avoid political cronyism.
The graduates patrolled the state’s roads for the first time on July 28th, 1935. The summer uniform was khaki breeches and blouses, knee-high black boots, black ties, and khaki visored caps. In the winter, the men wore wool, olive drab uniforms and heavy overcoats. The pay was $100 per month, and officers work from 6 in the morning until 6 at night.
The state patrol patch looked much the same today as it did back then. Some say it represented a kernel of corn, while others say patrol leaders were inspired by a medallion they saw commemorating the Louisiana Purchase.
Regardless, that patch adorned the uniforms of the first members of the Iowa Highway Safety Patrol, who began patrolling our state’s roads on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"On Patrol, On The Road"
As automobiles became more popular, there was a need for more roads. More roads led to more traffic. And more traffic led to the need for regulation of those roads.
In the spring of 1935, the Iowa Legislature passed a law approving the hiring of 53 men as members of the new Iowa Highway Safety Patrol. Governor Clyde Herring signed the act on May 7th of that year, and soon, 3,000 men applied to attend the safety school. One hundred of them were chosen for training at Camp Dodge.
Officers had to be at least 5 feet 10 inches tall, with 20-20 uncorrected vision. Only 60 percent of the patrol at any given time could be from the same political party, to avoid political cronyism.
The graduates patrolled the state’s roads for the first time on July 28th, 1935. The summer uniform was khaki breeches and blouses, knee-high black boots, black ties, and khaki visored caps. In the winter, the men wore wool, olive drab uniforms and heavy overcoats. The pay was $100 per month, and officers work from 6 in the morning until 6 at night.
The state patrol patch looked much the same today as it did back then. Some say it represented a kernel of corn, while others say patrol leaders were inspired by a medallion they saw commemorating the Louisiana Purchase.
Regardless, that patch adorned the uniforms of the first members of the Iowa Highway Safety Patrol, who began patrolling our state’s roads on this date in 1935.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, July 27
"The Giant of the World"
He stood 8 feet 8 inches tall, and weighed more than 300 pounds.
Bernard Coyne was born on July 27th, 1897, on his family’s farm in Oto, a small town in Woodbury County. He was the second of six children, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already seven feet tall.
Bernard suffered from a condition commonly called Daddy Long-Legs Syndrome, and was one of only 17 people in modern medical history to have stood at least 8 feet tall. He wore size 25 shoes.
Special rigs were required so he could ride in the family’s Model T. Often, the family drove with a door open so his five-feet-long legs could stretch out.
But despite all those issues, Bernard was a shy, gentle, and good-natured man.
He was refused induction into the U.S. Army during World War I because of his size.
His condition led to liver disease, but he kept growing until his death in May of 1921 at the age of only 23. At the time, he was the tallest man in the world. And to this day, no Iowan ever stood taller than Bernard Coyne, who was born on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Giant of the World"
He stood 8 feet 8 inches tall, and weighed more than 300 pounds.
Bernard Coyne was born on July 27th, 1897, on his family’s farm in Oto, a small town in Woodbury County. He was the second of six children, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already seven feet tall.
Bernard suffered from a condition commonly called Daddy Long-Legs Syndrome, and was one of only 17 people in modern medical history to have stood at least 8 feet tall. He wore size 25 shoes.
Special rigs were required so he could ride in the family’s Model T. Often, the family drove with a door open so his five-feet-long legs could stretch out.
But despite all those issues, Bernard was a shy, gentle, and good-natured man.
He was refused induction into the U.S. Army during World War I because of his size.
His condition led to liver disease, but he kept growing until his death in May of 1921 at the age of only 23. At the time, he was the tallest man in the world. And to this day, no Iowan ever stood taller than Bernard Coyne, who was born on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, July 24
"Making His Mark...Literally"
On July 24th, 1862, Jerome Palmer of Hinkletown, Iowa, enlisted in Company B, 28th Iowa Infantry. He served in the Civil War for three years before mustering out at Savannah, Georgia on July 31st, 1865. He returned to the Foote and Keota areas, opening the first hardware store in Keota.
The flag that Company B took into battle had been hand sewn by Marengo women, and to this day, you can see evidence of artillery shots as well as blood stains of one of the flag's carriers. It's preserved at the Iowa Masonic Library and Museum in Cedar Rapids.
But this story is about Jerome Palmer, and something he did in Virginia which was not known for nearly 150 years after the end of the Civil War.
From July to October 1864, in the heat of the Shenandoah Valley campaign, the Iowa regiments under General Phillip Sheridan became known for their bravery on the valley's battlefields. They took control of a town named Newtown. Staying over at a store there, Palmer took out a drawer from a wooden cabinet, and sketched on the bottom of it. He drew the American flag and wrote the word "Union" above it, among other war-related things, and then wrote his name and company identification on the bottom of the drawer. He put the drawer back and continued his service in the war.
But no one knew it was there, until someone tried to restore the cabinet, and in the summer of 2009, they turned over the drawer and found what Palmer had sketched 145 years before. It's now on display in a museum there, forever memorializing the service of Iowan Jerome Palmer, who enlisted for service in the Civil War on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Making His Mark...Literally"
On July 24th, 1862, Jerome Palmer of Hinkletown, Iowa, enlisted in Company B, 28th Iowa Infantry. He served in the Civil War for three years before mustering out at Savannah, Georgia on July 31st, 1865. He returned to the Foote and Keota areas, opening the first hardware store in Keota.
The flag that Company B took into battle had been hand sewn by Marengo women, and to this day, you can see evidence of artillery shots as well as blood stains of one of the flag's carriers. It's preserved at the Iowa Masonic Library and Museum in Cedar Rapids.
But this story is about Jerome Palmer, and something he did in Virginia which was not known for nearly 150 years after the end of the Civil War.
From July to October 1864, in the heat of the Shenandoah Valley campaign, the Iowa regiments under General Phillip Sheridan became known for their bravery on the valley's battlefields. They took control of a town named Newtown. Staying over at a store there, Palmer took out a drawer from a wooden cabinet, and sketched on the bottom of it. He drew the American flag and wrote the word "Union" above it, among other war-related things, and then wrote his name and company identification on the bottom of the drawer. He put the drawer back and continued his service in the war.
But no one knew it was there, until someone tried to restore the cabinet, and in the summer of 2009, they turned over the drawer and found what Palmer had sketched 145 years before. It's now on display in a museum there, forever memorializing the service of Iowan Jerome Palmer, who enlisted for service in the Civil War on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, July 23
"A New Way of Shaving"
Jacob Schick was born in Ottumwa on September 16th of 1877. He served in the Army in the Philippines in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and returned to service during World War I, eventually becoming a lieutenant colonel.
In between those Army stints, Schick staked mining claims in Alaska and Canada. During one particularly cold winter there, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees below zero, he noticed he had a difficult time trying to shave with a conventional razor and shaving cream.
Due to an ankle injury, he had to remain in camp alone for several months, and it was during that time he first thought of the idea of a shaver that could be used without water or lather...a dry shaver. But when he returned to the continental U.S. after the war, no one was interested in his idea of a dry shaver. So in 1921, he invented a new type of safety razor, inspired by the army repeating rifle. The Magazine Repeating Razor had replacement blades stored in the handle, ready to be fed into shaving position without fear of a cut from a sharp blade.
But Jacob Schick did not give up on his original idea, and on July 23rd, 1923, he received a patent for the first electric razor, one which would shave without water or lather. He was so confident that the product would be a success, he sold his interest in the Magazine Repeating Razor company, and founded a new one to produce and sell Schick electric razors.
He also invented a boat for use in shallow water, and an improved pencil sharpener. But Ottumwa's Jacob Schick is probably best known for inventing the first electric razor, which received its patent on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A New Way of Shaving"
Jacob Schick was born in Ottumwa on September 16th of 1877. He served in the Army in the Philippines in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and returned to service during World War I, eventually becoming a lieutenant colonel.
In between those Army stints, Schick staked mining claims in Alaska and Canada. During one particularly cold winter there, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees below zero, he noticed he had a difficult time trying to shave with a conventional razor and shaving cream.
Due to an ankle injury, he had to remain in camp alone for several months, and it was during that time he first thought of the idea of a shaver that could be used without water or lather...a dry shaver. But when he returned to the continental U.S. after the war, no one was interested in his idea of a dry shaver. So in 1921, he invented a new type of safety razor, inspired by the army repeating rifle. The Magazine Repeating Razor had replacement blades stored in the handle, ready to be fed into shaving position without fear of a cut from a sharp blade.
But Jacob Schick did not give up on his original idea, and on July 23rd, 1923, he received a patent for the first electric razor, one which would shave without water or lather. He was so confident that the product would be a success, he sold his interest in the Magazine Repeating Razor company, and founded a new one to produce and sell Schick electric razors.
He also invented a boat for use in shallow water, and an improved pencil sharpener. But Ottumwa's Jacob Schick is probably best known for inventing the first electric razor, which received its patent on this date in 1923.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, July 22
"The End of Prohibition"
Balltown in Dubuque County was settled by John Ball and his family, who first came to the area in the 1830s. Balltown is home to Breitbach's County Dining, the oldest continuous restaurant/bar in Iowa. It opened for business as a stagecoach stop in 1852, and was turned into a saloon and restaurant by the Breitbach family less than a decade later.
But for 13 years, no alcohol was served there. That's because of the national prohibition laws which went into effect on January 20, 1920. The end of America's experiment with sobriety began when Congress repealed the 18th Amendment on February 20, 1933, and citizens knew that soon, liquor could again be sold.
Preparations had to be made. And in Dubuque County, the word had spread that when the sale of alcohol would again be legal, according to Iowa law, licenses to dispense beer could only be granted to establishments that were inside incorporated places.
To that point, Balltown had been unincorporated, as was its neighbors Sherrill and Sageville. Being an incorporated village meant registering with the state, and completing on-going paperwork. But it seemed worth it to be able to again open the saloons in those areas.
So on July 22, 1933, Upper Balltown became one of ten so-called "Beer Towns" incorporated in Dubuque County in 1933, so the town's taverns could serve beer. As it turned out, the interpretation was mistaken, and a tavern could get a license regardless of whether it was in an incorporated town or not.
But the citizens of Balltown were ready for when prohibition finally ended in December of that year, because their community became incorporated with the state of Iowa on this date in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The End of Prohibition"
Balltown in Dubuque County was settled by John Ball and his family, who first came to the area in the 1830s. Balltown is home to Breitbach's County Dining, the oldest continuous restaurant/bar in Iowa. It opened for business as a stagecoach stop in 1852, and was turned into a saloon and restaurant by the Breitbach family less than a decade later.
But for 13 years, no alcohol was served there. That's because of the national prohibition laws which went into effect on January 20, 1920. The end of America's experiment with sobriety began when Congress repealed the 18th Amendment on February 20, 1933, and citizens knew that soon, liquor could again be sold.
Preparations had to be made. And in Dubuque County, the word had spread that when the sale of alcohol would again be legal, according to Iowa law, licenses to dispense beer could only be granted to establishments that were inside incorporated places.
To that point, Balltown had been unincorporated, as was its neighbors Sherrill and Sageville. Being an incorporated village meant registering with the state, and completing on-going paperwork. But it seemed worth it to be able to again open the saloons in those areas.
So on July 22, 1933, Upper Balltown became one of ten so-called "Beer Towns" incorporated in Dubuque County in 1933, so the town's taverns could serve beer. As it turned out, the interpretation was mistaken, and a tavern could get a license regardless of whether it was in an incorporated town or not.
But the citizens of Balltown were ready for when prohibition finally ended in December of that year, because their community became incorporated with the state of Iowa on this date in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, July 21
"The First Great Train Robbery"
By July 21st, 1873, Jesse James was already well known as a bank robber. In fact, his gang robbed a bank in Corydon just two years before. Now the James Gang expanded their business, so to speak, by robbing trains.
Around 8:30 p.m., Rock Island Lines passenger train No. 2 was climbing a steep grade and approaching a sharp curve about four miles west of Adair. The James Gang had tied a rope to a rail, and just as the train rounded the curve, they pulled the rope and the train toppled onto its side, killing the engineer.
The outlaws came out of the bushes, firing their guns into the air. Jesse and his brother Frank cocked their .44s and forced an employee to open the train's safe. Others of the Gang were masked in Ku Klux Klan outfits; they collected cash, watches and jewelry from the passengers into bags. They rode off, disappearing as quickly as they had come, making off with more than $2,300 in cash and valuables.
Why did the James Gang pick that train? Not long before, they had learned that this particular train was to carry $100,000 in gold, in transit to eastern banks. At the last minute, the shipment was instead placed on another train. So the score that Jesse and Frank James, and Jim and Cole Younger, had hoped for wasn't on the train they robbed near Adair.
But it was one of the very first train robberies west of the Mississippi, and the first one ever attempted by the James Gang, on this date, in 1873.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Great Train Robbery"
By July 21st, 1873, Jesse James was already well known as a bank robber. In fact, his gang robbed a bank in Corydon just two years before. Now the James Gang expanded their business, so to speak, by robbing trains.
Around 8:30 p.m., Rock Island Lines passenger train No. 2 was climbing a steep grade and approaching a sharp curve about four miles west of Adair. The James Gang had tied a rope to a rail, and just as the train rounded the curve, they pulled the rope and the train toppled onto its side, killing the engineer.
The outlaws came out of the bushes, firing their guns into the air. Jesse and his brother Frank cocked their .44s and forced an employee to open the train's safe. Others of the Gang were masked in Ku Klux Klan outfits; they collected cash, watches and jewelry from the passengers into bags. They rode off, disappearing as quickly as they had come, making off with more than $2,300 in cash and valuables.
Why did the James Gang pick that train? Not long before, they had learned that this particular train was to carry $100,000 in gold, in transit to eastern banks. At the last minute, the shipment was instead placed on another train. So the score that Jesse and Frank James, and Jim and Cole Younger, had hoped for wasn't on the train they robbed near Adair.
But it was one of the very first train robberies west of the Mississippi, and the first one ever attempted by the James Gang, on this date, in 1873.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, July 20
"Training at Fort Des Moines"
In May 1941, a Massachusetts congresswoman named Edith Rogers introduced a bill establishing the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Spurred on by the attack on Pearl Harbor later that year, Congress passed the bill a year later, and on July 20th, 1942, the first WAAC trainees arrived at Fort Des Moines.
The WAAC was established "for the purpose of making available to the national defense the knowledge, skill and special training of women of the nation". It would provide trained women to fill support role and free up more men for combat duty.
That first group included 125 enlisted women and 440 others for Officer Candidate School.
The WAAC accepted women between the ages of 21 to 45, and since no one expected women to go into combat, basic training for recruits was different, consisting primarily of marching drills, military customs and courtesies, map reading, and supply and mess management.
After training, a WAAC would either remaining at the Fort Des Moines training center to replace a male staff member, or transfer to a special company to serve as clerks, typists, drivers, or cooks.
Stateside, the basic rate of pay for enlisted women and men was the same--$21 per month.
From the start, the WAACs exceeded their recruiting goals, and in only three months, the Fort Des Moines center was at capacity. The Army had to create four additional training centers to handle the demand.
But the original Women's Army Auxiliary Corps training center opened at Fort Des Moines, on this date, in 1942.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Training at Fort Des Moines"
In May 1941, a Massachusetts congresswoman named Edith Rogers introduced a bill establishing the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. Spurred on by the attack on Pearl Harbor later that year, Congress passed the bill a year later, and on July 20th, 1942, the first WAAC trainees arrived at Fort Des Moines.
The WAAC was established "for the purpose of making available to the national defense the knowledge, skill and special training of women of the nation". It would provide trained women to fill support role and free up more men for combat duty.
That first group included 125 enlisted women and 440 others for Officer Candidate School.
The WAAC accepted women between the ages of 21 to 45, and since no one expected women to go into combat, basic training for recruits was different, consisting primarily of marching drills, military customs and courtesies, map reading, and supply and mess management.
After training, a WAAC would either remaining at the Fort Des Moines training center to replace a male staff member, or transfer to a special company to serve as clerks, typists, drivers, or cooks.
Stateside, the basic rate of pay for enlisted women and men was the same--$21 per month.
From the start, the WAACs exceeded their recruiting goals, and in only three months, the Fort Des Moines center was at capacity. The Army had to create four additional training centers to handle the demand.
But the original Women's Army Auxiliary Corps training center opened at Fort Des Moines, on this date, in 1942.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, July 17
"The Boy Murderer"
John Elkins and his wife were killed on their Clayton County farm in the early morning hours of July 17th, 1889. Mr. Elkins was shot with a rifle, while Mrs. Elkins was beaten with a stick. 11-year-old John Wesley Elkins discovered the bodies and with his infant sister in his arms, reported the gruesome scene to neighbors a few miles away.
The governor offered a $500 reward for the arrest and capture of the person responsible.
From the start, suspicion focused on John Wesley's older brother, who had been at odds with his father. John Wesley showed no emotion about the deaths, which many thought curious. He told authorities he was sleeping in the barn that night and didn't hear a shot, or any other noise while his father and stepmother were brutally killed.
Ten days after the murders, John Wesley confessed. He said he had some difficulty with his father the night before, and shortly after 2 a.m., he took a rifle that had been hanging in the family's home and shot his father in the head. To cover up the crime, he then clubbed his stepmother to death and made the whole thing look like unknown robbers were involved.
He was sentenced to life in prison and sent to the Iowa State Penitentiary before he had reached the age of 12. He spent a dozen years in prison, but by 1902, there was a feeling that his incarceration at such a young age was itself illegal. The parole board voting against his release, but the Iowa legislature intervened, passing a bill approving a pardon...and the now 23-year-old John Wesley was released.
He wound up moving to Minnesota, graduating from college with honors. He later married, and died in 1961 in California, having lived into his mid eighties. That was something denied to his father and stepmother, when 11-year-old John Wesley Elkins murdered them in their sleep, on this date, in 1889.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Boy Murderer"
John Elkins and his wife were killed on their Clayton County farm in the early morning hours of July 17th, 1889. Mr. Elkins was shot with a rifle, while Mrs. Elkins was beaten with a stick. 11-year-old John Wesley Elkins discovered the bodies and with his infant sister in his arms, reported the gruesome scene to neighbors a few miles away.
The governor offered a $500 reward for the arrest and capture of the person responsible.
From the start, suspicion focused on John Wesley's older brother, who had been at odds with his father. John Wesley showed no emotion about the deaths, which many thought curious. He told authorities he was sleeping in the barn that night and didn't hear a shot, or any other noise while his father and stepmother were brutally killed.
Ten days after the murders, John Wesley confessed. He said he had some difficulty with his father the night before, and shortly after 2 a.m., he took a rifle that had been hanging in the family's home and shot his father in the head. To cover up the crime, he then clubbed his stepmother to death and made the whole thing look like unknown robbers were involved.
He was sentenced to life in prison and sent to the Iowa State Penitentiary before he had reached the age of 12. He spent a dozen years in prison, but by 1902, there was a feeling that his incarceration at such a young age was itself illegal. The parole board voting against his release, but the Iowa legislature intervened, passing a bill approving a pardon...and the now 23-year-old John Wesley was released.
He wound up moving to Minnesota, graduating from college with honors. He later married, and died in 1961 in California, having lived into his mid eighties. That was something denied to his father and stepmother, when 11-year-old John Wesley Elkins murdered them in their sleep, on this date, in 1889.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, July 16
"A Not Guilty Verdict"
The American Indian Movement, or AIM, was founded in 1968 to address concerns regarding Native American sovereignty, treaty issues, and leadership, while also addressing incidents of racism and police harassment. While much violence occurred during the 1970s in South Dakota, it was a federal courtroom in Cedar Rapids that served as the stage for one of the more remarkable events of the time.
Leonard Peltier, Darrelle Butler, and Robert Roubideau were charged with the murders of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in 1975. How the interaction with the agents started, and who shot first, was in dispute; what was not in dispute was that more than 100 shots were fired, and that the agents were killed execution style, each shot in the head while they lay on the ground.
Peltier fled to Canada, leaving Butler and Roubideau to stand trial in federal court. Given the racial strife at the time, the trial was moved from South Dakota to Cedar Rapids, in the courtroom of Judge Edward McManus.
The two men admitted they were present at the shoot-out and had exchanged fire with the agents, but said they were defending their women and children from a pattern of federal abuse that explained their behavior. They denied firing the fatal shots, however.
The flamboyant defense attorney William Kuntsler represented the pair, demonstrating a pattern of FBI misconduct in other prosecutions of AIM members and tension between AIM and the FBI, with Indians fearing an all-out attack on them by the federal government.
The jury deliberated for five days and said they were hopelessly deadlocked. Judge McManus ordered the jury to continue its work, and on July 16, 1976, they delivered a not guilty verdict, saying the atmosphere of fear and violence on the reservation led to the defendants feeling they were acting in self-defense. Peltier was later returned to the U.S. and convicted, with many still working to overturn his convictions to this day.
But it was a jury in Cedar Rapids that found two American Indian Movement members not guilty of murder, on this date in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Not Guilty Verdict"
The American Indian Movement, or AIM, was founded in 1968 to address concerns regarding Native American sovereignty, treaty issues, and leadership, while also addressing incidents of racism and police harassment. While much violence occurred during the 1970s in South Dakota, it was a federal courtroom in Cedar Rapids that served as the stage for one of the more remarkable events of the time.
Leonard Peltier, Darrelle Butler, and Robert Roubideau were charged with the murders of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota in 1975. How the interaction with the agents started, and who shot first, was in dispute; what was not in dispute was that more than 100 shots were fired, and that the agents were killed execution style, each shot in the head while they lay on the ground.
Peltier fled to Canada, leaving Butler and Roubideau to stand trial in federal court. Given the racial strife at the time, the trial was moved from South Dakota to Cedar Rapids, in the courtroom of Judge Edward McManus.
The two men admitted they were present at the shoot-out and had exchanged fire with the agents, but said they were defending their women and children from a pattern of federal abuse that explained their behavior. They denied firing the fatal shots, however.
The flamboyant defense attorney William Kuntsler represented the pair, demonstrating a pattern of FBI misconduct in other prosecutions of AIM members and tension between AIM and the FBI, with Indians fearing an all-out attack on them by the federal government.
The jury deliberated for five days and said they were hopelessly deadlocked. Judge McManus ordered the jury to continue its work, and on July 16, 1976, they delivered a not guilty verdict, saying the atmosphere of fear and violence on the reservation led to the defendants feeling they were acting in self-defense. Peltier was later returned to the U.S. and convicted, with many still working to overturn his convictions to this day.
But it was a jury in Cedar Rapids that found two American Indian Movement members not guilty of murder, on this date in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, July 15
"Reporting for Duty"
Iowa did not become a state until December 1846. But Iowans answered the call to duty to serve the nation before seeing a star added to the American flag.
The land we now call Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory, and in 1838, part of that land was re-designated as the Iowa Territory.
On July 15, 1846, less than six months before Iowa became a state, a group of Iowans reported for duty, to represent the U.S. in the Mexican War.
The war started over boundary disputes between the U.S. and Mexican governments in the current state of Texas. In addition to increasing the Regular Army, Congress authorized the recruitment of 50,000 volunteer soldiers from the states and territories in May 1846. Iowa Territory by organizing 12 companies of men, but only three were called into federal service.
One of them, Captain James Morgan’s Company of Iowa Infantry Volunteers served from July 15, 1846 to July 15, 1847. The group was reconstituted exactly one year later, serving as Captain James Morgan’s Company of Iowa Mounted Volunteers from July 15, 1847 to September 11, 1848.
Morgan was from Burlington, and his company of volunteers was unique. Records are incomplete, but it appears that of 135 who served, only 3 died, and none during battle; 2 more deserted and the fate of 3 is not certain. But that means 127 were either discharged or mustered out.
Captain James Morgan died in Burlington in 1862. But his Company of Iowa Infantry Volunteers reported for duty on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Reporting for Duty"
Iowa did not become a state until December 1846. But Iowans answered the call to duty to serve the nation before seeing a star added to the American flag.
The land we now call Iowa was originally part of the Wisconsin Territory, and in 1838, part of that land was re-designated as the Iowa Territory.
On July 15, 1846, less than six months before Iowa became a state, a group of Iowans reported for duty, to represent the U.S. in the Mexican War.
The war started over boundary disputes between the U.S. and Mexican governments in the current state of Texas. In addition to increasing the Regular Army, Congress authorized the recruitment of 50,000 volunteer soldiers from the states and territories in May 1846. Iowa Territory by organizing 12 companies of men, but only three were called into federal service.
One of them, Captain James Morgan’s Company of Iowa Infantry Volunteers served from July 15, 1846 to July 15, 1847. The group was reconstituted exactly one year later, serving as Captain James Morgan’s Company of Iowa Mounted Volunteers from July 15, 1847 to September 11, 1848.
Morgan was from Burlington, and his company of volunteers was unique. Records are incomplete, but it appears that of 135 who served, only 3 died, and none during battle; 2 more deserted and the fate of 3 is not certain. But that means 127 were either discharged or mustered out.
Captain James Morgan died in Burlington in 1862. But his Company of Iowa Infantry Volunteers reported for duty on this date in 1846.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, July 14
"From Farm Implements to Washing Machines"
Frederick Louis Maytag the first was born in Newton on July 14th, 1857, the eldest of 10 children born to German/Jewish immigrants.
In 1893, F.L. Maytag, his two brothers-in-law, and George Parsons each contributed $600 to start a new farm implement company, making threshing machines, band-cutters, and self-feeder attachments that Parsons invented. After a while, F.L. took sole control of the company and renamed it the Maytag Company.
He also dabbled in other businesses, and by 1910 concentrated on developing a washing machine with a gas powered motor, and another with an agitator that forced the water through the clothes, which he called the Gyrafoam. Those inventions proved popular, and by 1927, Maytag was producing more than twice the number of washers of its nearest competitor. The company’s growth doubled for five consecutive years.
To help support Newton, Maytag donated a 40-acre park and swimming pool. He built and donated the Maytag Hotel, and also built hundreds of homes for his workers, selling them on easy terms.
F.L. Maytag died of a heart ailment in 1937. At the time, his estate was worth $10 million; that would be $168 million today. An estimated 10,000 factory workers and salesmen formed a line five blocks long to observe the casket processional. Those who could not fit into the First Methodist Church were taken to four other churches and two halls to pay their final respects.
He once said, “In all business, there is a factor which cannot be compensated for in dollars and cents…and is represented only by the spirit of love which the true craftsman holds for his job and the things he is trying to accomplish.”
Developing a better washing machine and building a global business there put his hometown on the map; Newton, where F.L. Maytag was born on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"From Farm Implements to Washing Machines"
Frederick Louis Maytag the first was born in Newton on July 14th, 1857, the eldest of 10 children born to German/Jewish immigrants.
In 1893, F.L. Maytag, his two brothers-in-law, and George Parsons each contributed $600 to start a new farm implement company, making threshing machines, band-cutters, and self-feeder attachments that Parsons invented. After a while, F.L. took sole control of the company and renamed it the Maytag Company.
He also dabbled in other businesses, and by 1910 concentrated on developing a washing machine with a gas powered motor, and another with an agitator that forced the water through the clothes, which he called the Gyrafoam. Those inventions proved popular, and by 1927, Maytag was producing more than twice the number of washers of its nearest competitor. The company’s growth doubled for five consecutive years.
To help support Newton, Maytag donated a 40-acre park and swimming pool. He built and donated the Maytag Hotel, and also built hundreds of homes for his workers, selling them on easy terms.
F.L. Maytag died of a heart ailment in 1937. At the time, his estate was worth $10 million; that would be $168 million today. An estimated 10,000 factory workers and salesmen formed a line five blocks long to observe the casket processional. Those who could not fit into the First Methodist Church were taken to four other churches and two halls to pay their final respects.
He once said, “In all business, there is a factor which cannot be compensated for in dollars and cents…and is represented only by the spirit of love which the true craftsman holds for his job and the things he is trying to accomplish.”
Developing a better washing machine and building a global business there put his hometown on the map; Newton, where F.L. Maytag was born on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, July 13
"Sacrifice in the Line of Duty"
Waterloo Police Officers Wayne Rice and Michael Hoing were working the overnight shift when they responded to a call of loud music coming from a house. Those involved turned down the music, and the officers returned to their squad car.
Then four of the individuals started yelling and cursing at the officers. Rice and Hoing returned to the house and placed one person under arrest for disturbing the peace; he then started fighting with Officer Hoing. Another tackled Officer Rice, and the two struggled on the ground, the officer even getting hit in the head with a chair.
James Taylor, who had recently been released from a federal prison in Missouri, then joined the fight, punching Rice with his fist, and then removing the officer’s gun from its holster. Taylor fired two shots into Officer Rice’s chest. Not satisfied, he moved to where Officer Hoing was involved in the first fight and shot and killed him.
Taylor then fled the scene, leading to a manhunt featuring helicopters searching from the air, and officers from a number of law enforcement agencies searching from the ground.
Four days later, two women ran into Taylor on a farm near LaPorte City. Officers armed with shotguns swarmed the farm fields. Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Marvin Messerschmidt saw crops moving and chased Taylor through a soybean field. Taylor tripped, fell, and was captured.
He was convicted of double murder and sentenced to life in prison, a life that ended when Taylor died in 2014 at the age of 60; ironically, just a few weeks after the state trooper who captured him also died.
It was the largest manhunt in Iowa history, when James “T-Bone” Taylor was caught after killing two Waterloo police officers, on this date, in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Sacrifice in the Line of Duty"
Waterloo Police Officers Wayne Rice and Michael Hoing were working the overnight shift when they responded to a call of loud music coming from a house. Those involved turned down the music, and the officers returned to their squad car.
Then four of the individuals started yelling and cursing at the officers. Rice and Hoing returned to the house and placed one person under arrest for disturbing the peace; he then started fighting with Officer Hoing. Another tackled Officer Rice, and the two struggled on the ground, the officer even getting hit in the head with a chair.
James Taylor, who had recently been released from a federal prison in Missouri, then joined the fight, punching Rice with his fist, and then removing the officer’s gun from its holster. Taylor fired two shots into Officer Rice’s chest. Not satisfied, he moved to where Officer Hoing was involved in the first fight and shot and killed him.
Taylor then fled the scene, leading to a manhunt featuring helicopters searching from the air, and officers from a number of law enforcement agencies searching from the ground.
Four days later, two women ran into Taylor on a farm near LaPorte City. Officers armed with shotguns swarmed the farm fields. Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Marvin Messerschmidt saw crops moving and chased Taylor through a soybean field. Taylor tripped, fell, and was captured.
He was convicted of double murder and sentenced to life in prison, a life that ended when Taylor died in 2014 at the age of 60; ironically, just a few weeks after the state trooper who captured him also died.
It was the largest manhunt in Iowa history, when James “T-Bone” Taylor was caught after killing two Waterloo police officers, on this date, in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, July 10
"A City Without Water"
The rains fell and the rivers rose. On the night of July 10th, 1993, came the word that was unthinkable--the Des Moines Water Works Plant would soon be shut down. The water supply to Iowa's largest city would be turned off.
L.D. McMullen was director of the water works at the time. He said shutting the plant down just before the Raccoon River water came over the levee protecting it meant they could get water back to citizens in a matter of weeks, instead of months.
The Raccoon created at a record 26.75 feet, nearly two feet higher than the levee. Des Moines became the largest city in the U.S. to be without water in modern times. It brought national media and even the president to Des Moines.
After the waters receded a bit, crews spent a week pumping six feet of water out of the plant. Twelve days after the plant shut down, people could flush their toilets again. After another week, it was again safe to drink water from a faucet.
Some still have souvenirs from that time, including metal cans of drinking water produced by Anheuser-Busch. And even now, more than 20 years later, the memories are still strong of the then-record flooding that left Des Moines without its water supply, on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A City Without Water"
The rains fell and the rivers rose. On the night of July 10th, 1993, came the word that was unthinkable--the Des Moines Water Works Plant would soon be shut down. The water supply to Iowa's largest city would be turned off.
L.D. McMullen was director of the water works at the time. He said shutting the plant down just before the Raccoon River water came over the levee protecting it meant they could get water back to citizens in a matter of weeks, instead of months.
The Raccoon created at a record 26.75 feet, nearly two feet higher than the levee. Des Moines became the largest city in the U.S. to be without water in modern times. It brought national media and even the president to Des Moines.
After the waters receded a bit, crews spent a week pumping six feet of water out of the plant. Twelve days after the plant shut down, people could flush their toilets again. After another week, it was again safe to drink water from a faucet.
Some still have souvenirs from that time, including metal cans of drinking water produced by Anheuser-Busch. And even now, more than 20 years later, the memories are still strong of the then-record flooding that left Des Moines without its water supply, on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, July 9
"Iowa's Heisman Winner"
On July 9th, 1918, one of Iowa's most famous athletes and citizens was born in Adel: Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr.
You probably know that Kinnick was a consensus All-American football player at the University of Iowa, who won the 1939 Heisman Trophy, the only Hawkeye to ever be so honored. He is one of only two Iowa players to have his jersey number retired, and the Hawkeyes' home has been called Kinnick Stadium since 1972.
You probably also know that he enlisted in the Naval Air Reserve, and reported for induction three days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was trained to be a fighter pilot. And on June 2nd, 1943, while on a routine training flight from an aircraft carrier, his plane became disabled and he died after executing an emergency landing in the water, barely a month before his 25th birthday. His body was never found.
But did you know that Nile Kinnick was a devout Christian Scientist? Or that he also played baseball and basketball, as well as football, for the Hawkeyes? Or that he was student body president during his senior year at Iowa, and gave the commencement speech for his graduating class in 1940?
They say his acceptance speech at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York was one of the best ever.
Every football player in these United States dreams about winning that trophy, and of this fine trip to New York. Every player considers that trophy the acme in recognition of this kind. And the fact that I am actually receiving this trophy tonight almost overwhelms me, and I know that all those boys who have gone before me must have felt somewhat the same way.
And given later events, these words from that 1939 speech are especially eerie:
Finally, if you will permit me, I'd like to make a comment which in my mind, is indicative, perhaps, of the greater significance of football and sports emphasis in general in this country, and that is, I thank God I was warring on the gridirons of the Midwest and not on the battlefields of Europe.
Had Nile Kinnick lived, would he have gone on to be Iowa governor, as his grandfather had? Or maybe a professional football player, since he was offered a contract for that? We'll never know, but the bright light that was Nile Kinnick began shining when he was born on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Heisman Winner"
On July 9th, 1918, one of Iowa's most famous athletes and citizens was born in Adel: Nile Clarke Kinnick, Jr.
You probably know that Kinnick was a consensus All-American football player at the University of Iowa, who won the 1939 Heisman Trophy, the only Hawkeye to ever be so honored. He is one of only two Iowa players to have his jersey number retired, and the Hawkeyes' home has been called Kinnick Stadium since 1972.
You probably also know that he enlisted in the Naval Air Reserve, and reported for induction three days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He was trained to be a fighter pilot. And on June 2nd, 1943, while on a routine training flight from an aircraft carrier, his plane became disabled and he died after executing an emergency landing in the water, barely a month before his 25th birthday. His body was never found.
But did you know that Nile Kinnick was a devout Christian Scientist? Or that he also played baseball and basketball, as well as football, for the Hawkeyes? Or that he was student body president during his senior year at Iowa, and gave the commencement speech for his graduating class in 1940?
They say his acceptance speech at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York was one of the best ever.
Every football player in these United States dreams about winning that trophy, and of this fine trip to New York. Every player considers that trophy the acme in recognition of this kind. And the fact that I am actually receiving this trophy tonight almost overwhelms me, and I know that all those boys who have gone before me must have felt somewhat the same way.
And given later events, these words from that 1939 speech are especially eerie:
Finally, if you will permit me, I'd like to make a comment which in my mind, is indicative, perhaps, of the greater significance of football and sports emphasis in general in this country, and that is, I thank God I was warring on the gridirons of the Midwest and not on the battlefields of Europe.
Had Nile Kinnick lived, would he have gone on to be Iowa governor, as his grandfather had? Or maybe a professional football player, since he was offered a contract for that? We'll never know, but the bright light that was Nile Kinnick began shining when he was born on this date in 1918.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, July 8
"Giving Back to His Community"
Carl Bluedorn of Walcott, Iowa, graduated from Iowa State College in 1931 with a degree in civil engineering. The next year, he joined Waterloo concrete manufacturer Zeidler's Inc. He would spend his career there, ultimately owning the business before retiring in 1977.
While Bluedorn was an active supporter of Iowa State University throughout his lifetime, he was also very active of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls community, where he made his home.
Carl and his wife Peggy helped raise money for construction of the UNI Dome at the University of Northern Iowa. In 1993, the Carl and Peggy Bluedorn Science Imaginarium opened at the Grout Museum District in Waterloo. The interactive science center provides fun, hands-on exhibits that demonstrate how science affects everyday life,, with exhibits focusing on light and electricity, momentum, liquids, gases and solids.
Seeing a need for a state-of-the-art performing arts venue in the Cedar Valley, Carl and Peggy Bluedorn committed more than a million dollars to construction of what became the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls. Construction on the site officially began on June 25th, 1997.
But Carl Bluedorn did not live to see the facility open. He died following a stroke just 13 days after ground was broken for the performing arts center, on July 8, 1997. He was 88 years of age.
Today, the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center hosts both national performers and university students on its stage. One of its namesakes, Carl Bluedorn, died on this date in 1997.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Giving Back to His Community"
Carl Bluedorn of Walcott, Iowa, graduated from Iowa State College in 1931 with a degree in civil engineering. The next year, he joined Waterloo concrete manufacturer Zeidler's Inc. He would spend his career there, ultimately owning the business before retiring in 1977.
While Bluedorn was an active supporter of Iowa State University throughout his lifetime, he was also very active of the Waterloo/Cedar Falls community, where he made his home.
Carl and his wife Peggy helped raise money for construction of the UNI Dome at the University of Northern Iowa. In 1993, the Carl and Peggy Bluedorn Science Imaginarium opened at the Grout Museum District in Waterloo. The interactive science center provides fun, hands-on exhibits that demonstrate how science affects everyday life,, with exhibits focusing on light and electricity, momentum, liquids, gases and solids.
Seeing a need for a state-of-the-art performing arts venue in the Cedar Valley, Carl and Peggy Bluedorn committed more than a million dollars to construction of what became the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls. Construction on the site officially began on June 25th, 1997.
But Carl Bluedorn did not live to see the facility open. He died following a stroke just 13 days after ground was broken for the performing arts center, on July 8, 1997. He was 88 years of age.
Today, the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center hosts both national performers and university students on its stage. One of its namesakes, Carl Bluedorn, died on this date in 1997.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, July 7
"Iowa's Rosa Parks"
Edna and Stanley Griffin moved to Des Moines in 1947. Stanley attended what is now Des Moines University, and Edna raised their three children at their Beaverdale home, one of the few African-American families in the neighborhood at the time.
On July 7, 1948, Edna Griffin and her 1-year-old daughter Phyllis, along with John Bibbs and Leonard Hudson, stopped at the Katz Drug Store in downtown Des Moines. It was one of the hottest days of the summer so far, and Edna ordered an ice cream soda. But the group was refused service, since the store was, in the phrasing of the time, "not equipped to serve colored people".
That did not sit well with Edna Griffin, who organized a boycott, conducted sit-ins, and picketed in front of the drug store on the southeast corner of Seventh and Locust streets every Saturday for two months.
In addition, Bibbs, Hudson and Griffin sought criminal charges against store owner Maurice Katz for violating the 1884 Iowa Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination in a public place. Katz was found guilty, a conviction upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court the next year.
Edna Griffin then sued Katz in civil court, and won. Her case meant that lunch counters, soda fountains and restaurants in Des Moines, by law, had to serve African-Americans. And the building where the drug store was located? It's now named for her.
So long before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, long before Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his "I Have A Dream" speech, there was Edna Griffin, who fought back when she was refused service at a Des Moines drug store soda fountain, on this date in 1948.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Rosa Parks"
Edna and Stanley Griffin moved to Des Moines in 1947. Stanley attended what is now Des Moines University, and Edna raised their three children at their Beaverdale home, one of the few African-American families in the neighborhood at the time.
On July 7, 1948, Edna Griffin and her 1-year-old daughter Phyllis, along with John Bibbs and Leonard Hudson, stopped at the Katz Drug Store in downtown Des Moines. It was one of the hottest days of the summer so far, and Edna ordered an ice cream soda. But the group was refused service, since the store was, in the phrasing of the time, "not equipped to serve colored people".
That did not sit well with Edna Griffin, who organized a boycott, conducted sit-ins, and picketed in front of the drug store on the southeast corner of Seventh and Locust streets every Saturday for two months.
In addition, Bibbs, Hudson and Griffin sought criminal charges against store owner Maurice Katz for violating the 1884 Iowa Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination in a public place. Katz was found guilty, a conviction upheld by the Iowa Supreme Court the next year.
Edna Griffin then sued Katz in civil court, and won. Her case meant that lunch counters, soda fountains and restaurants in Des Moines, by law, had to serve African-Americans. And the building where the drug store was located? It's now named for her.
So long before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, long before Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his "I Have A Dream" speech, there was Edna Griffin, who fought back when she was refused service at a Des Moines drug store soda fountain, on this date in 1948.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, July 6
"A Teenage Heroine"
Today if a storm is in the distance, we can turn to a radio, television or computer to see how bad the weather will be. But on July 6th, 1881, no such devices existed, and a 15-year-old girl living near Moingona, Iowa risked her own life to save others, gaining national fame and lasting gratitude from a railroad company.
Kate Shelley lived with her mother and three younger siblings on a farm. Their homestead was on the side of a hill with a view of two railroad bridges that spanned Honey Creek, just to the east of the Des Moines River.
Normally, Honey Creek was calm. But that night, a storm dropped heavy rains into streams and rivers that were already bank-full. Around midnight, the family was startled to hear two taps of an engine bell, followed by what Kate later recalled to be a "horrible crash". It was the sound of a locomotive, whose crew was checking for washouts, dropping into Honey Creek.
She put on an old jacket and straw hat, and with only a partially damaged lantern to light her path, Kate set out in the storm, traveling through dense woods to reach the bridge.
Two members of the four-man crew had drowned, but two others were still alive, clinging to nearby trees. Kate said she would go to the Moingona depot for help.
That meant crossing a 637-foot-long bridge over the Des Moines River, crawling on her hands and knees in the dark, onto spiked railroad ties spaced a full foot apart, while the storm continued to rage.
She made her way across the bridge and ran to the depot. She told of the bridge failure, and urged that a forthcoming passenger train be stopped. The two men were saved and all trains approaching the bridge were stopped.
The next time you cross the Kate Shelley Bridge in Boone County, now you'll remember the heroics of a 15-year-old girl, whose bravery saved lives on this date in 1881.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Teenage Heroine"
Today if a storm is in the distance, we can turn to a radio, television or computer to see how bad the weather will be. But on July 6th, 1881, no such devices existed, and a 15-year-old girl living near Moingona, Iowa risked her own life to save others, gaining national fame and lasting gratitude from a railroad company.
Kate Shelley lived with her mother and three younger siblings on a farm. Their homestead was on the side of a hill with a view of two railroad bridges that spanned Honey Creek, just to the east of the Des Moines River.
Normally, Honey Creek was calm. But that night, a storm dropped heavy rains into streams and rivers that were already bank-full. Around midnight, the family was startled to hear two taps of an engine bell, followed by what Kate later recalled to be a "horrible crash". It was the sound of a locomotive, whose crew was checking for washouts, dropping into Honey Creek.
She put on an old jacket and straw hat, and with only a partially damaged lantern to light her path, Kate set out in the storm, traveling through dense woods to reach the bridge.
Two members of the four-man crew had drowned, but two others were still alive, clinging to nearby trees. Kate said she would go to the Moingona depot for help.
That meant crossing a 637-foot-long bridge over the Des Moines River, crawling on her hands and knees in the dark, onto spiked railroad ties spaced a full foot apart, while the storm continued to rage.
She made her way across the bridge and ran to the depot. She told of the bridge failure, and urged that a forthcoming passenger train be stopped. The two men were saved and all trains approaching the bridge were stopped.
The next time you cross the Kate Shelley Bridge in Boone County, now you'll remember the heroics of a 15-year-old girl, whose bravery saved lives on this date in 1881.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, July 3
"The Earth Shook"
When you think of earthquakes, Iowa normally does not come to mind. However, the land that is now the state of Iowa has had a few over time.
The area around Sioux City is actually more prone to earth tremors than many other parts of the state, due to the Missouri River and hilly terrain. The likelihood is still quite low, however.
On July 3rd, 1858, the Sioux City area was shaken by an earthquake. It was the first earthquake in Iowa documented by reliable historical records. The New Madrid, Missouri earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 may have been stronger, but the lack of good data makes it hard to accurately assess that incident.
The 1858 earthquake was followed relatively soon after by another moderately strong one, on October 9, 1872. That quake was felt by a 3,000 square mile area, including adjoining portions of the Dakotas.
Just five years later, on November 15, 1877, another earthquake was felt throughout Iowa and eastern Nebraska, and in parts of Missouri, Kansas, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. While the strongest effects were noted in Nebraska, large cracks in the walls of several buildings in Sioux City resulted from this shock. A second earthquake was reported 45 minutes later.
But newspaper reports described the tremors as of sufficient force to shake pictures and crockery from their places, when an earthquake struck Sioux City, on this date in 1858.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Earth Shook"
When you think of earthquakes, Iowa normally does not come to mind. However, the land that is now the state of Iowa has had a few over time.
The area around Sioux City is actually more prone to earth tremors than many other parts of the state, due to the Missouri River and hilly terrain. The likelihood is still quite low, however.
On July 3rd, 1858, the Sioux City area was shaken by an earthquake. It was the first earthquake in Iowa documented by reliable historical records. The New Madrid, Missouri earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 may have been stronger, but the lack of good data makes it hard to accurately assess that incident.
The 1858 earthquake was followed relatively soon after by another moderately strong one, on October 9, 1872. That quake was felt by a 3,000 square mile area, including adjoining portions of the Dakotas.
Just five years later, on November 15, 1877, another earthquake was felt throughout Iowa and eastern Nebraska, and in parts of Missouri, Kansas, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. While the strongest effects were noted in Nebraska, large cracks in the walls of several buildings in Sioux City resulted from this shock. A second earthquake was reported 45 minutes later.
But newspaper reports described the tremors as of sufficient force to shake pictures and crockery from their places, when an earthquake struck Sioux City, on this date in 1858.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, July 2
"The Historic Courthouse"
The first time court was held in Monroe County, shortly after Iowa became a state, it was convened in a log house at Clark's Point. Judge Charles Mason traveled to the site to handle a series of cases, as was the custom, over a period of days. The house had no floor, and the judge, lawyers, and court officials slept on the ground. There was no barn, so the horses were simply tied under the trees. One night during a severe storm, the horses were brought into the courtroom and stabled until morning. Locals like to say that the first court was therefore held in a barn.
Times changed, though, and ultimately Monroe County's third courthouse was dedicated on October 26th, 1903. It was a three-story sandstone building constructed at a cost of $100,000.
This courthouse in particular shaped the development of Albia. It was the first building to use stone and neo-classical style architecture, which influenced the buildings that were later added to the business district.
The building made great use of marble, from floors to counters. The Clerk of Court's office had a metal spiral stairway connecting to the courtroom on the third floor.
The building originally had a 1,000-pound metal bell made of copper and black tin. It was removed from the clock tower in 1970, and is now displayed on the east side of the courthouse park.
The unique design and materials used in the Monroe County Courthouse led to its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, on this date in 1981.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Historic Courthouse"
The first time court was held in Monroe County, shortly after Iowa became a state, it was convened in a log house at Clark's Point. Judge Charles Mason traveled to the site to handle a series of cases, as was the custom, over a period of days. The house had no floor, and the judge, lawyers, and court officials slept on the ground. There was no barn, so the horses were simply tied under the trees. One night during a severe storm, the horses were brought into the courtroom and stabled until morning. Locals like to say that the first court was therefore held in a barn.
Times changed, though, and ultimately Monroe County's third courthouse was dedicated on October 26th, 1903. It was a three-story sandstone building constructed at a cost of $100,000.
This courthouse in particular shaped the development of Albia. It was the first building to use stone and neo-classical style architecture, which influenced the buildings that were later added to the business district.
The building made great use of marble, from floors to counters. The Clerk of Court's office had a metal spiral stairway connecting to the courtroom on the third floor.
The building originally had a 1,000-pound metal bell made of copper and black tin. It was removed from the clock tower in 1970, and is now displayed on the east side of the courthouse park.
The unique design and materials used in the Monroe County Courthouse led to its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, on this date in 1981.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, July 1
"The Lincoln Highway"
Americans have seemingly always wanted to connect our nation from coast to coast. The first explorers traveled westward to find the end of the continent. Then came the railroad and the race to connect east to west. Finally, in the 20th century, with the advent of the automobile, the push was for a highway that spanned across the United States.
Carl Fisher was an early auto enthusiast. He was one of the investors in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and built the gas headlights used in early automobiles. He dreamed of a transcontinental highway, and by 1912, began to build on that dream. His theory was that the popularity of automobiles was dependent on having quality roads, so if there were good roads, he thought more people would drive cars. In a short time, he had raised a million dollars in funding for the highway, from major contributors including Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and then-president Woodrow Wilson.
On July 1st, 1913, the Lincoln Highway Association was created, "to procure the establishment of a continuous improved highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, open to lawful traffic of all description without toll charges." Their mission was to get the highway built and then promote it.
Ultimately, the highway would run from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, a span of 3,389 miles. In Iowa, the highway ran through Clinton, Belle Plaine, Marshalltown, Boone, and Missouri Valley.
Soon highways were numbered, instead of named, and the route of the Lincoln Highway essentially became U.S. Highway 30. Thanks to highway changes over time, today's Highway 30 lines up with only a quarter of the original Lincoln Highway.
Today, you'll find markers along much of the original route, featuring a large L, as well as some unique vestiges, such as the stone bridge east of Tama that spells out the words Lincoln Highway on each side.
But the grassroots movement, to get Americans excited about a transcontinental highway started with the creation of the Lincoln Highway Association, on this date in 1913.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Lincoln Highway"
Americans have seemingly always wanted to connect our nation from coast to coast. The first explorers traveled westward to find the end of the continent. Then came the railroad and the race to connect east to west. Finally, in the 20th century, with the advent of the automobile, the push was for a highway that spanned across the United States.
Carl Fisher was an early auto enthusiast. He was one of the investors in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and built the gas headlights used in early automobiles. He dreamed of a transcontinental highway, and by 1912, began to build on that dream. His theory was that the popularity of automobiles was dependent on having quality roads, so if there were good roads, he thought more people would drive cars. In a short time, he had raised a million dollars in funding for the highway, from major contributors including Teddy Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, and then-president Woodrow Wilson.
On July 1st, 1913, the Lincoln Highway Association was created, "to procure the establishment of a continuous improved highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, open to lawful traffic of all description without toll charges." Their mission was to get the highway built and then promote it.
Ultimately, the highway would run from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, a span of 3,389 miles. In Iowa, the highway ran through Clinton, Belle Plaine, Marshalltown, Boone, and Missouri Valley.
Soon highways were numbered, instead of named, and the route of the Lincoln Highway essentially became U.S. Highway 30. Thanks to highway changes over time, today's Highway 30 lines up with only a quarter of the original Lincoln Highway.
Today, you'll find markers along much of the original route, featuring a large L, as well as some unique vestiges, such as the stone bridge east of Tama that spells out the words Lincoln Highway on each side.
But the grassroots movement, to get Americans excited about a transcontinental highway started with the creation of the Lincoln Highway Association, on this date in 1913.
And that's Iowa Almanac for July 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, June 30
"The Father of the Grotto"
Father Paul Doberstein was born in Germany in 1872 and emigrated to the United States at age 20. He was ordained in Milwaukee on June 30th, 1897. After a year as chaplain for a Dubuque hospital, he was appointed as pastor of the West Bend Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. He remained there for the rest of his life, and during that 57 years, he created something truly remarkable.
Shortly before he completed his seminar studies, Father Doberstein became critically ill with pneumonia. He prayed to the Virgin Mary, promising to build a shrine in her honor if he lived.
He made good on that promise, creating the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend. It started as a fishing pond and park outside the church, an effort to get parishioners to stay after services. In 1912, after years of collecting rocks and precious stones, he began to create the Grotto, which is designed to tell the story of man's fall and his redemption by Christ as savior of the world. And as Father Doberstein recalled in a 1946 radio interview, he did it without any training.
I never draw any plans on paper. I visualize these things that I do. I visualize the whole grotto as it will appear complete, in two minutes, as a mental picture.
Along with Matt Szerensce, who signed on to the project right out of high school and worked on it himself for 52 years, Father Doberstein envisioned a work of art that brings some 100,000 visitors each year to West Bend in northwest Iowa to see the largest grotto in the world.
The geological value of the stones that make up the Grotto is around $4 million. But to its creator, it was a priceless tribute and fulfillment of a promise Father Paul Doberstein made in a prayer shortly become he became ordained as a priest, on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Father of the Grotto"
Father Paul Doberstein was born in Germany in 1872 and emigrated to the United States at age 20. He was ordained in Milwaukee on June 30th, 1897. After a year as chaplain for a Dubuque hospital, he was appointed as pastor of the West Bend Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church. He remained there for the rest of his life, and during that 57 years, he created something truly remarkable.
Shortly before he completed his seminar studies, Father Doberstein became critically ill with pneumonia. He prayed to the Virgin Mary, promising to build a shrine in her honor if he lived.
He made good on that promise, creating the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend. It started as a fishing pond and park outside the church, an effort to get parishioners to stay after services. In 1912, after years of collecting rocks and precious stones, he began to create the Grotto, which is designed to tell the story of man's fall and his redemption by Christ as savior of the world. And as Father Doberstein recalled in a 1946 radio interview, he did it without any training.
I never draw any plans on paper. I visualize these things that I do. I visualize the whole grotto as it will appear complete, in two minutes, as a mental picture.
Along with Matt Szerensce, who signed on to the project right out of high school and worked on it himself for 52 years, Father Doberstein envisioned a work of art that brings some 100,000 visitors each year to West Bend in northwest Iowa to see the largest grotto in the world.
The geological value of the stones that make up the Grotto is around $4 million. But to its creator, it was a priceless tribute and fulfillment of a promise Father Paul Doberstein made in a prayer shortly become he became ordained as a priest, on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, June 29
"The Human Fly"
Henry Roland had an odd job. He climbed buildings in the 1920s and 1930s, travelling the country and entertaining audiences through his antics.
In August of 1924, Roland, his wife Anna, and their small daughter, Helen, were travelling across Iowa. Henry would perform and collect donations to cover their living expenses. They found themselves in Bloomfield, and Henry found the Davis County Courthouse there irresistible.
Back then, courthouse squares and main streets were hubs of small town activity, so it was no surprise that several hundred people gathered to watch Roland climb the outside of the building. All went well until he neared the cornice. He lost his footing and fell 35 feet to the sidewalk below, breaking his left hip, among other injuries. Doctors said he would never climb again, and in fact, he spent five weeks in an Ottumwa hospital.
But the Human Fly would return to the entertainment circuit. And while he was gaining fame, there was still something missing.
In June 1932, Henry Roland was in northern Missouri and decided to cross the state line to tackle the courthouse in Bloomfield once again. Despite one leg now shorter than the other, and a left arm that never recovered from the earlier fall, on June 29th, Roland flawlessly climbed the courthouse in less than 12 minutes, placing his cap on the head of the Blind Justice statue that stands atop the clock tower.
Five years later, he died in a fall from a trapeze more than 60 feet above the ground in Tennessee, at the age of 43.
The Davis County Courthouse beat him once, but Henry Roland got his revenge eight years later, climbing the building in Bloomfield on this date in 1932.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Human Fly"
Henry Roland had an odd job. He climbed buildings in the 1920s and 1930s, travelling the country and entertaining audiences through his antics.
In August of 1924, Roland, his wife Anna, and their small daughter, Helen, were travelling across Iowa. Henry would perform and collect donations to cover their living expenses. They found themselves in Bloomfield, and Henry found the Davis County Courthouse there irresistible.
Back then, courthouse squares and main streets were hubs of small town activity, so it was no surprise that several hundred people gathered to watch Roland climb the outside of the building. All went well until he neared the cornice. He lost his footing and fell 35 feet to the sidewalk below, breaking his left hip, among other injuries. Doctors said he would never climb again, and in fact, he spent five weeks in an Ottumwa hospital.
But the Human Fly would return to the entertainment circuit. And while he was gaining fame, there was still something missing.
In June 1932, Henry Roland was in northern Missouri and decided to cross the state line to tackle the courthouse in Bloomfield once again. Despite one leg now shorter than the other, and a left arm that never recovered from the earlier fall, on June 29th, Roland flawlessly climbed the courthouse in less than 12 minutes, placing his cap on the head of the Blind Justice statue that stands atop the clock tower.
Five years later, he died in a fall from a trapeze more than 60 feet above the ground in Tennessee, at the age of 43.
The Davis County Courthouse beat him once, but Henry Roland got his revenge eight years later, climbing the building in Bloomfield on this date in 1932.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, June 26
"Trapped by Corn"
The odds were not in Arick Baker's favor. In the last half of the 20th century, 74 percent of those trapped in grain bins died.
On June 26th, 2013, the 23-year-old Baker went into an 80,000-bushel grain bin in rural Hardin County to remove some rotten corn, unplugging a hole so corn could pass through.
Suddenly, an air pocket sucked him down. Soon he was covered by 22,000 bushels of corn. He knew there was about two feet of corn above him, because he was able to move his left arm above his head, and he could feel the top of the corn only with his fingertips.
He was alone. His father and a truck driver had already left the area, and Baker had no idea when they would be back. After being trapped for an hour, the truck driver returned and called for help.
How did Arick Baker survive against such long odds? He was wearing a ventilation mask to filter air that can become dirty from dust and mold. His parents bought him the $350 mask because he had suffered from asthma as a child. While it did not provide oxygen, it provided enough of a buffer to allow him to breathe just enough to stay alive.
Firefighters from all around came to help, and four hours later, Arick Baker was free, thanks to responders who dug for hours to remove corn from the bin. He spent two days in a hospital for an injured foot, a few scratches, and rope burn.
You may have seen his story on national television recently; it was profiled on ABC's "In an Instant" program. And it truly was against all odds, when Arick Baker of New Providence survived five hours trapped in a grain bin in Hardin County, on this date in 2013.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Trapped by Corn"
The odds were not in Arick Baker's favor. In the last half of the 20th century, 74 percent of those trapped in grain bins died.
On June 26th, 2013, the 23-year-old Baker went into an 80,000-bushel grain bin in rural Hardin County to remove some rotten corn, unplugging a hole so corn could pass through.
Suddenly, an air pocket sucked him down. Soon he was covered by 22,000 bushels of corn. He knew there was about two feet of corn above him, because he was able to move his left arm above his head, and he could feel the top of the corn only with his fingertips.
He was alone. His father and a truck driver had already left the area, and Baker had no idea when they would be back. After being trapped for an hour, the truck driver returned and called for help.
How did Arick Baker survive against such long odds? He was wearing a ventilation mask to filter air that can become dirty from dust and mold. His parents bought him the $350 mask because he had suffered from asthma as a child. While it did not provide oxygen, it provided enough of a buffer to allow him to breathe just enough to stay alive.
Firefighters from all around came to help, and four hours later, Arick Baker was free, thanks to responders who dug for hours to remove corn from the bin. He spent two days in a hospital for an injured foot, a few scratches, and rope burn.
You may have seen his story on national television recently; it was profiled on ABC's "In an Instant" program. And it truly was against all odds, when Arick Baker of New Providence survived five hours trapped in a grain bin in Hardin County, on this date in 2013.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, June 25
"Denison's Favorite Daughter"
Donnabelle Mullenger was born in Denison, Iowa on January 27th, 1921. When she was 17, she took the train westward to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.
As Donna Reed, America came to appreciate her work in classic films such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “From Here to Eternity”, for which she won an Academy Award.
But she may best be known for her nine years as star of her own television show.
“The Donna Reed Show” aired from 1958 through 1966.
She never forgot her hometown, visiting often. And even now, nearly 30 years after her death, her hometown has not forgotten her.
The Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts was created by friends and family in her memory. In addition to scholarships and an annual festival, the foundation supports the Donna Reed Heritage Museum, which opened on June 25th, 2004.
The museum includes exhibits displaying her many awards and honors, as well as a series of personal letters exchanged with her pen pal of 48 years, Violet Lindsay.
Original scripts with Donna’s notations, vintage costumes, movie posters, personal scrapbooks and more are also intended to be on display at the corner of Broadway and Main in downtown Denison, where the Foundation headquarters is located.
Work continues to build upon the various projects, including frequent festivals and workshops. But one of them, the Donna Reed Heritage Museum, opened on this date in 2004.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Denison's Favorite Daughter"
Donnabelle Mullenger was born in Denison, Iowa on January 27th, 1921. When she was 17, she took the train westward to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming an actress.
As Donna Reed, America came to appreciate her work in classic films such as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “From Here to Eternity”, for which she won an Academy Award.
But she may best be known for her nine years as star of her own television show.
“The Donna Reed Show” aired from 1958 through 1966.
She never forgot her hometown, visiting often. And even now, nearly 30 years after her death, her hometown has not forgotten her.
The Donna Reed Foundation for the Performing Arts was created by friends and family in her memory. In addition to scholarships and an annual festival, the foundation supports the Donna Reed Heritage Museum, which opened on June 25th, 2004.
The museum includes exhibits displaying her many awards and honors, as well as a series of personal letters exchanged with her pen pal of 48 years, Violet Lindsay.
Original scripts with Donna’s notations, vintage costumes, movie posters, personal scrapbooks and more are also intended to be on display at the corner of Broadway and Main in downtown Denison, where the Foundation headquarters is located.
Work continues to build upon the various projects, including frequent festivals and workshops. But one of them, the Donna Reed Heritage Museum, opened on this date in 2004.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, June 24
"Indy Cars in Newton"
The first championship car race in Iowa took place on July 9th, 1915 in Burlington. It featured the cars we know today as Indy Cars. Today, when those Indy Cars come to Iowa, they visit the Iowa Speedway in Newton.
The inaugural Indy Car race at the Speedway was the Iowa Corn 250, held on June 24th, 2007. It was the eighth race in the series of 17 races that year.
Practice on Friday was cut short due to thunderstorms, but drivers were impressed with the speed at the new track. Pole sitter Scott Dixon clocked in at 182.360 miles per hour during Saturday’s qualifying. But drivers found during that first race that passing would be difficult, as seven cars crashed in the first 100 laps alone.
Temperatures were cool for this time of year, only 75 degrees at race time; that was 20 degrees cooler than during qualifying the day before, making the cars handle differently than expected.
When it was over, Dario Franchitti won the race. His win at Iowa was one of four during the 2007 season, including the Indianapolis 500. Franchitti won the series championship as well that year, thanks in part to his win in the first Iowa Corn 250 Indy Car race at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, on this date in 2007.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Indy Cars in Newton"
The first championship car race in Iowa took place on July 9th, 1915 in Burlington. It featured the cars we know today as Indy Cars. Today, when those Indy Cars come to Iowa, they visit the Iowa Speedway in Newton.
The inaugural Indy Car race at the Speedway was the Iowa Corn 250, held on June 24th, 2007. It was the eighth race in the series of 17 races that year.
Practice on Friday was cut short due to thunderstorms, but drivers were impressed with the speed at the new track. Pole sitter Scott Dixon clocked in at 182.360 miles per hour during Saturday’s qualifying. But drivers found during that first race that passing would be difficult, as seven cars crashed in the first 100 laps alone.
Temperatures were cool for this time of year, only 75 degrees at race time; that was 20 degrees cooler than during qualifying the day before, making the cars handle differently than expected.
When it was over, Dario Franchitti won the race. His win at Iowa was one of four during the 2007 season, including the Indianapolis 500. Franchitti won the series championship as well that year, thanks in part to his win in the first Iowa Corn 250 Indy Car race at the Iowa Speedway in Newton, on this date in 2007.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, June 23
"Fighting the Fires"
The city of Cedar Rapids began organizing its first volunteer fire department on February 4th, 1869. Less than a month later, the city's first steamer engine and 500 feet of hose arrived; costing $6,000.00.
The city's volunteer effort continued for 24 years, before the first paid fire chief was hired. L. M. Ayers served in that position for four years. At the time, the city's loosely organized fire equipment consisted of nine two-wheeled carts, one four-wheeled cart, two large hook-and-ladder trucks, and one supply wagon.
On June 23rd, 1894, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department became a paid department, with professional firefighters. The city would now be covered by a unified fire department, rather than a collection of individual volunteer companies. Prior to the unification, individual volunteer companies would actually compete with one another to get to a fire first and put it out.
The first Central Fire Station in the city was on Second Street East near the Granby Building. A new station was built five years later, and the first motorized fire apparatus came in 1912. The department joined the International Association of Firefighters Union in early 1918.
Starting in 1975, new fire trucks were painted yellow instead of red; many departments tried this idea, as it was thought they would be more visible. Cedar Rapids ultimately switched back to red in the early 1990s. Today, the department prides itself on responding anywhere in our state's second largest city in less than four minutes.
A total of 248 men, 11 companies, and 14 pieces of apparatus was taken out of service, ending a quarter-century of volunteer firefighting, when the Cedar Rapids Fire Department became a unified, paid city department, on this date in 1894.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Fighting the Fires"
The city of Cedar Rapids began organizing its first volunteer fire department on February 4th, 1869. Less than a month later, the city's first steamer engine and 500 feet of hose arrived; costing $6,000.00.
The city's volunteer effort continued for 24 years, before the first paid fire chief was hired. L. M. Ayers served in that position for four years. At the time, the city's loosely organized fire equipment consisted of nine two-wheeled carts, one four-wheeled cart, two large hook-and-ladder trucks, and one supply wagon.
On June 23rd, 1894, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department became a paid department, with professional firefighters. The city would now be covered by a unified fire department, rather than a collection of individual volunteer companies. Prior to the unification, individual volunteer companies would actually compete with one another to get to a fire first and put it out.
The first Central Fire Station in the city was on Second Street East near the Granby Building. A new station was built five years later, and the first motorized fire apparatus came in 1912. The department joined the International Association of Firefighters Union in early 1918.
Starting in 1975, new fire trucks were painted yellow instead of red; many departments tried this idea, as it was thought they would be more visible. Cedar Rapids ultimately switched back to red in the early 1990s. Today, the department prides itself on responding anywhere in our state's second largest city in less than four minutes.
A total of 248 men, 11 companies, and 14 pieces of apparatus was taken out of service, ending a quarter-century of volunteer firefighting, when the Cedar Rapids Fire Department became a unified, paid city department, on this date in 1894.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, June 22
"Mrs. Olson's Hometown"
Virginia Christine Ricketts was born in the southwest Iowa town of Stanton on March 5th, 1920. Using the name Virginia Christine, she had a long career as an actress, including playing a nosy bigot in the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". But most likely, you'll remember her from this role.
"Try Folger's...it's Mountain grown coffee...the richest kind."
For 21 years in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Virginia Christine played the character Mrs. Olson in the long-running Folgers coffee commercials.
Her hometown wanted to honor her, so in 1971, Stanton repainted its water tower to resemble a coffee pot, complete with handle and spout. It became known as the World's Largest Coffee Pot, and would hold three quarters of a million cups of coffee.
But even the world's largest coffee pot was not large enough to handle the water needs of Stanton, so on June 22nd, 2001, five years after Virginia Christine's death, the city added a second water tower...this one in the shape of a coffee cup. The coffee cup water tower would hold 2.4 million cups of coffee. Both were decorated with a Swedish-style tollware design, with decorative hearts and flowers.
The coffee pot water tower became too expensive to maintain, and earlier this year, it was taken down, with the giant coffee pot itself mounted at street level on the local historical society's grounds as a tribute to Stanton native Virginia Christine, Mrs. Olson. But the coffee cup water tower still stands, as it has ever since this date in 2001.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Mrs. Olson's Hometown"
Virginia Christine Ricketts was born in the southwest Iowa town of Stanton on March 5th, 1920. Using the name Virginia Christine, she had a long career as an actress, including playing a nosy bigot in the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner". But most likely, you'll remember her from this role.
"Try Folger's...it's Mountain grown coffee...the richest kind."
For 21 years in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Virginia Christine played the character Mrs. Olson in the long-running Folgers coffee commercials.
Her hometown wanted to honor her, so in 1971, Stanton repainted its water tower to resemble a coffee pot, complete with handle and spout. It became known as the World's Largest Coffee Pot, and would hold three quarters of a million cups of coffee.
But even the world's largest coffee pot was not large enough to handle the water needs of Stanton, so on June 22nd, 2001, five years after Virginia Christine's death, the city added a second water tower...this one in the shape of a coffee cup. The coffee cup water tower would hold 2.4 million cups of coffee. Both were decorated with a Swedish-style tollware design, with decorative hearts and flowers.
The coffee pot water tower became too expensive to maintain, and earlier this year, it was taken down, with the giant coffee pot itself mounted at street level on the local historical society's grounds as a tribute to Stanton native Virginia Christine, Mrs. Olson. But the coffee cup water tower still stands, as it has ever since this date in 2001.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, June 19
"Defeating A Legend"
The 1955 U.S. Open golf championship ended in a playoff. One of the competitors was the legendary Ben Hogan. The other was a virtual unknown from Iowa, Jack Fleck.
By 1955, Hogan had already won four U.S. Open titles and was the dominant player in the game. Jack Fleck was a journeyman, scratching out a living from a home base in Florida. With the encouragement of his wife Lynn, he committed himself to the pro tour for two years. One of Fleck’s idols was Ben Hogan; he wore a cap like the one Hogan wore, and was one of the first to use Hogan- brand golf clubs. In fact, Ben Hogan hand-delivered two clubs to Fleck just before the start of the U.S. Open, because they were not ready when Fleck got the rest of the set.
The Olympic Club course in San Francisco was suited to Fleck’s game, with long rough, tree-lined fairways, and small greens. Back then, the tournament included 18 holes on Thursday, 18 on Friday, and two full rounds—36 holes—on Saturday.
Ben Hogan was in the lead on that final Saturday when NBC was scheduled to sign off their telecast. The only person left on the course with a chance was Jack Fleck, and he needed two birdies in the last four holes just to tie the legend. So NBC told their audience Hogan would no doubt win and ended their coverage.
But then Fleck rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 15, and another on the final hole, to tie Hogan at the top of the leaderboard.
The two men squared off in an 18-hole playoff on Sunday. Fleck took a strong lead, with three straight birdies. But then the pressure started to get to him, and he bogeyed two late holes. It came down to the last hole, with Jack Fleck leading Ben Hogan by a single shot. Now it was the veteran’s turn to feel the pressure, and he hooked his drive into the rough, giving Jack Fleck the national title.
The people of his hometown of Davenport gave Jack Fleck a parade and a new car. Fleck would only win twice more on the pro tour, but the then-new Seniors Tour revitalized his career, including a win in the PGA Seniors Championship in 1979.
He had a secret that he said helped him all those years. To avoid running out of energy, he sucked on two or three sugar cubes on each hole. He said he never came close to getting tired. No doubt it helped when Jack Fleck won the U.S. Open in a playoff over Ben Hogan, on this date in 1955.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Defeating A Legend"
The 1955 U.S. Open golf championship ended in a playoff. One of the competitors was the legendary Ben Hogan. The other was a virtual unknown from Iowa, Jack Fleck.
By 1955, Hogan had already won four U.S. Open titles and was the dominant player in the game. Jack Fleck was a journeyman, scratching out a living from a home base in Florida. With the encouragement of his wife Lynn, he committed himself to the pro tour for two years. One of Fleck’s idols was Ben Hogan; he wore a cap like the one Hogan wore, and was one of the first to use Hogan- brand golf clubs. In fact, Ben Hogan hand-delivered two clubs to Fleck just before the start of the U.S. Open, because they were not ready when Fleck got the rest of the set.
The Olympic Club course in San Francisco was suited to Fleck’s game, with long rough, tree-lined fairways, and small greens. Back then, the tournament included 18 holes on Thursday, 18 on Friday, and two full rounds—36 holes—on Saturday.
Ben Hogan was in the lead on that final Saturday when NBC was scheduled to sign off their telecast. The only person left on the course with a chance was Jack Fleck, and he needed two birdies in the last four holes just to tie the legend. So NBC told their audience Hogan would no doubt win and ended their coverage.
But then Fleck rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt on No. 15, and another on the final hole, to tie Hogan at the top of the leaderboard.
The two men squared off in an 18-hole playoff on Sunday. Fleck took a strong lead, with three straight birdies. But then the pressure started to get to him, and he bogeyed two late holes. It came down to the last hole, with Jack Fleck leading Ben Hogan by a single shot. Now it was the veteran’s turn to feel the pressure, and he hooked his drive into the rough, giving Jack Fleck the national title.
The people of his hometown of Davenport gave Jack Fleck a parade and a new car. Fleck would only win twice more on the pro tour, but the then-new Seniors Tour revitalized his career, including a win in the PGA Seniors Championship in 1979.
He had a secret that he said helped him all those years. To avoid running out of energy, he sucked on two or three sugar cubes on each hole. He said he never came close to getting tired. No doubt it helped when Jack Fleck won the U.S. Open in a playoff over Ben Hogan, on this date in 1955.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, June 18
"Spying for our Country"
On June 18th, 1917, a training camp was established north of Des Moines for our national army. It was called Camp Dodge in honor of Major General Grenville Dodge, who led Iowa volunteers during the Civil War.
The new camp itself was built in only 60 days at a cost of $3.5 million, and originally housed 45,000 soldiers.
Naming it for Grenville Dodge was appropriate. After all, he organized Iowa’s first National Guard unit in 1856, and commanded a number of units in the Civil War.
Dodge distinguished himself through intelligence gathering. The network he created proved vital to General U.S. Grant, and was a precursor to the modern U.S. Army’s intelligence corps. Dodge’s efforts were funded in part by the proceeds from captured Confederate cotton. He supervised more than 100 agents, and his men were so effective that even now, many of their identities remain a mystery. It was the most accurate and comprehensive intelligence gathering network in history to that time.
Dodge used human intelligence from female spies, runaway slaves, and unionists living in Confederate territory. He also used taps on telegraph wires.
In 1863, Grant wrote to Dodge, saying “you have a much more important command than that of a division in the field”.
After his Civil War service, he served as a Congressman from Iowa and was instrumental in determining the path of the Transcontinental Railroad.
He retired to Council Bluffs, where he died in 1916. The very next year, the new army training facility north of Des Moines was named Camp Dodge, in honor of Gen. Grenville Dodge, on this date in 1917.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Spying for our Country"
On June 18th, 1917, a training camp was established north of Des Moines for our national army. It was called Camp Dodge in honor of Major General Grenville Dodge, who led Iowa volunteers during the Civil War.
The new camp itself was built in only 60 days at a cost of $3.5 million, and originally housed 45,000 soldiers.
Naming it for Grenville Dodge was appropriate. After all, he organized Iowa’s first National Guard unit in 1856, and commanded a number of units in the Civil War.
Dodge distinguished himself through intelligence gathering. The network he created proved vital to General U.S. Grant, and was a precursor to the modern U.S. Army’s intelligence corps. Dodge’s efforts were funded in part by the proceeds from captured Confederate cotton. He supervised more than 100 agents, and his men were so effective that even now, many of their identities remain a mystery. It was the most accurate and comprehensive intelligence gathering network in history to that time.
Dodge used human intelligence from female spies, runaway slaves, and unionists living in Confederate territory. He also used taps on telegraph wires.
In 1863, Grant wrote to Dodge, saying “you have a much more important command than that of a division in the field”.
After his Civil War service, he served as a Congressman from Iowa and was instrumental in determining the path of the Transcontinental Railroad.
He retired to Council Bluffs, where he died in 1916. The very next year, the new army training facility north of Des Moines was named Camp Dodge, in honor of Gen. Grenville Dodge, on this date in 1917.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, June 17
"Elkader's Athletic Star"
John Dittmer was born on January 10th, 1928 in Elkader, and from the start, people knew that the boy they called Jack was special. He earned 12 varsity letters in high school sports, was named to all-state teams in both football and basketball, and won honors as the best high school baseball player in Iowa.
He moved to the University of Iowa in the fall of 1946, and won nine letters…one of only six Hawkeyes to ever do that.
Jack Dittmer wanted to play in the NFL, but he figured that at 160 pounds, he was too small…so he signed a pro baseball contract with the Boston Braves of the National League.
He tore up the minor leagues and on June 17th, 1952, at the age of 24, Jack Dittmer was called up to the majors and was part of the final Braves team to play in Boston. The next year, the franchise moved to Milwaukee and Dittmer had his best season. He batted .265, hit 9 home runs, and drove in 63 runs. He shared time as the Braves’ second baseman, and was one of the young veterans to welcome a rookie to the team in 1954—Henry Aaron.
In 1957, Dittmer was traded from Milwaukee to Detroit. His final game in the majors came on June 23rd, 1957, almost five years to the day from his big league debut. He retired from baseball in 1959, after two seasons in the minor leagues.
After baseball, he operated the family auto dealership in Elkader and was one of the most popular citizens of the town. He died on May 31st of last year at the age of 86, after living with Alzheimer’s.
They held Jack Dittmer Day in Milwaukee in 1953 and a large number of hometown folks made the trek to County Stadium to salute the local star who became a big leaguer. Elkader’s Jack Dittmer made his major league baseball debut on this date in 1952.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Elkader's Athletic Star"
John Dittmer was born on January 10th, 1928 in Elkader, and from the start, people knew that the boy they called Jack was special. He earned 12 varsity letters in high school sports, was named to all-state teams in both football and basketball, and won honors as the best high school baseball player in Iowa.
He moved to the University of Iowa in the fall of 1946, and won nine letters…one of only six Hawkeyes to ever do that.
Jack Dittmer wanted to play in the NFL, but he figured that at 160 pounds, he was too small…so he signed a pro baseball contract with the Boston Braves of the National League.
He tore up the minor leagues and on June 17th, 1952, at the age of 24, Jack Dittmer was called up to the majors and was part of the final Braves team to play in Boston. The next year, the franchise moved to Milwaukee and Dittmer had his best season. He batted .265, hit 9 home runs, and drove in 63 runs. He shared time as the Braves’ second baseman, and was one of the young veterans to welcome a rookie to the team in 1954—Henry Aaron.
In 1957, Dittmer was traded from Milwaukee to Detroit. His final game in the majors came on June 23rd, 1957, almost five years to the day from his big league debut. He retired from baseball in 1959, after two seasons in the minor leagues.
After baseball, he operated the family auto dealership in Elkader and was one of the most popular citizens of the town. He died on May 31st of last year at the age of 86, after living with Alzheimer’s.
They held Jack Dittmer Day in Milwaukee in 1953 and a large number of hometown folks made the trek to County Stadium to salute the local star who became a big leaguer. Elkader’s Jack Dittmer made his major league baseball debut on this date in 1952.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, June 16
"The Man of Steel"
For a generation of moviegoers in the 1980s, Christopher Reeve was the embodiment of the comic book character Superman. More recently, it may have been Iowa native Brandon Routh. But for an earlier generation, those who grew up with the birth of television, there was only one man of steel...George Reeves.
By the time he donned the red cape for the first time, Reeves had already appeared in more than two dozen films, including Gone with the Wind and Knute Rockne, All American.
Born in Woolstock, Iowa on January 5th, 1914, Reeves became beloved by youngsters as a result of the 104 episodes of the Adventures of Superman that aired on television between 1952 and 1958...most of them were filmed in color, which led to a resurgence in the show's popularity a decade later when stations finally started broadcasting in color.
Sadly, Reeves was not able to enjoy that later success. He died of a gunshot wound to the head on June 16th, 1959, and whether it was suicide, as officially determined--or something more sinister, as some still suspect--the gentle nature of George Reeves came through the television screen, and in personal appearances--whether as Clark Kent, or his alter ego Superman.
TV's Superman, Iowa-born George Reeves, died on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Man of Steel"
For a generation of moviegoers in the 1980s, Christopher Reeve was the embodiment of the comic book character Superman. More recently, it may have been Iowa native Brandon Routh. But for an earlier generation, those who grew up with the birth of television, there was only one man of steel...George Reeves.
By the time he donned the red cape for the first time, Reeves had already appeared in more than two dozen films, including Gone with the Wind and Knute Rockne, All American.
Born in Woolstock, Iowa on January 5th, 1914, Reeves became beloved by youngsters as a result of the 104 episodes of the Adventures of Superman that aired on television between 1952 and 1958...most of them were filmed in color, which led to a resurgence in the show's popularity a decade later when stations finally started broadcasting in color.
Sadly, Reeves was not able to enjoy that later success. He died of a gunshot wound to the head on June 16th, 1959, and whether it was suicide, as officially determined--or something more sinister, as some still suspect--the gentle nature of George Reeves came through the television screen, and in personal appearances--whether as Clark Kent, or his alter ego Superman.
TV's Superman, Iowa-born George Reeves, died on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, June 15
"The First Woman Speaker"
College commencement ceremonies often have featured speakers, whose remarks are often forgotten. For that matter, many of the graduates can't remember who spoke at their graduation after a few years time.
Chances are, however, that the graduates of Iowa State University remembered the commencement exercises on June 15th, 1921, because one of the school's most famous graduates delivered remarks.
Carrie Lane Chapman Catt was born in 1859 in Wisconsin, but grew up on a farm near Charles City from the time she was 7. She graduated from what was then Iowa Agricultural College in 1880 with a degree in general science. She was the only woman in her graduating class. She became a teacher and principal in Mason City, and at the age of 24, became school superintendent, one of the first women to hold such a position.
After her first husband died of typhoid fever, Carrie devoted herself to the women's suffrage cause. In 1890, she married engineer George Catt, whom she had first met while in college. He supported his wife's suffrage work, saying his role in the marriage was to earn their living, and hers was to reform society.
She came up with the idea for what became the national League of Women Voters and was honorary president for more than a quarter century, until her death in 1947.
She was the first woman to deliver a commencement address at Iowa State, and in fact, did so not only in 1921, but in 1930 as well. In that first graduation speech, she closed by saying, "To the wrongs that need resistance...to the right that needs assistance...to the future in the distance...give yourselves."
The words of suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt, when she delivered the commencement address at her alma mater, Iowa State University, on this date in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Woman Speaker"
College commencement ceremonies often have featured speakers, whose remarks are often forgotten. For that matter, many of the graduates can't remember who spoke at their graduation after a few years time.
Chances are, however, that the graduates of Iowa State University remembered the commencement exercises on June 15th, 1921, because one of the school's most famous graduates delivered remarks.
Carrie Lane Chapman Catt was born in 1859 in Wisconsin, but grew up on a farm near Charles City from the time she was 7. She graduated from what was then Iowa Agricultural College in 1880 with a degree in general science. She was the only woman in her graduating class. She became a teacher and principal in Mason City, and at the age of 24, became school superintendent, one of the first women to hold such a position.
After her first husband died of typhoid fever, Carrie devoted herself to the women's suffrage cause. In 1890, she married engineer George Catt, whom she had first met while in college. He supported his wife's suffrage work, saying his role in the marriage was to earn their living, and hers was to reform society.
She came up with the idea for what became the national League of Women Voters and was honorary president for more than a quarter century, until her death in 1947.
She was the first woman to deliver a commencement address at Iowa State, and in fact, did so not only in 1921, but in 1930 as well. In that first graduation speech, she closed by saying, "To the wrongs that need resistance...to the right that needs assistance...to the future in the distance...give yourselves."
The words of suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt, when she delivered the commencement address at her alma mater, Iowa State University, on this date in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 15th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, June 12
"Mary Ingalls Comes To Iowa"
Thanks to the stories told by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her books and the "Little House on the Prairie" TV series, we know the story of the Ingalls family, who actually lived in Burr Oak, Iowa, for one year when Charles Ingalls--Pa--helped to run the Masters Hotel there in 1876. While some of the stories in the books and on television were fictionalized, many were based on actual experiences, including how Mary Ingalls coped with losing her sight.
At age 14, Mary became totally blind from what doctors called "brain fever". Two years later, at age 16, Ma and Pa Ingalls accompanied Mary to Vinton, Iowa, home to what was then called the Iowa College for the Blind. The family was living in South Dakota at the time, but there was no school for the blind there; the Iowa facility was recommended to them by traveling missionary.
During Mary's first year in school, there were 94 students--42 males and 52 females. Courses ranged from academic--spelling, arithmetic, and grammar--to industrial--making brooms, knitting, and carpet weaving.
Mary Ingalls' academic achievements were exceptionally high, and her performance in music was considered above average. Students were graded in part on conduct, and Mary received 100 percent, the highest of anyone in her class.
On June 12, 1889, 24-year-old Mary Ingalls graduated from the Iowa College for the Blind, one of eight in her graduating class. She recited an essay at the commencement exercises.
She returned to South Dakota, where she lived the rest of her life, first with her mother, then with sister Grace and sister Carrie. She died at the age of 63 in 1928. She never married, and never had children. She also did not live long enough to know that her sister Laura would immortalize the family through the Little House books. But we know about them, and know that Mary Ingalls graduated from the school for the blind in Vinton, on this date in 1889.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Mary Ingalls Comes To Iowa"
Thanks to the stories told by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her books and the "Little House on the Prairie" TV series, we know the story of the Ingalls family, who actually lived in Burr Oak, Iowa, for one year when Charles Ingalls--Pa--helped to run the Masters Hotel there in 1876. While some of the stories in the books and on television were fictionalized, many were based on actual experiences, including how Mary Ingalls coped with losing her sight.
At age 14, Mary became totally blind from what doctors called "brain fever". Two years later, at age 16, Ma and Pa Ingalls accompanied Mary to Vinton, Iowa, home to what was then called the Iowa College for the Blind. The family was living in South Dakota at the time, but there was no school for the blind there; the Iowa facility was recommended to them by traveling missionary.
During Mary's first year in school, there were 94 students--42 males and 52 females. Courses ranged from academic--spelling, arithmetic, and grammar--to industrial--making brooms, knitting, and carpet weaving.
Mary Ingalls' academic achievements were exceptionally high, and her performance in music was considered above average. Students were graded in part on conduct, and Mary received 100 percent, the highest of anyone in her class.
On June 12, 1889, 24-year-old Mary Ingalls graduated from the Iowa College for the Blind, one of eight in her graduating class. She recited an essay at the commencement exercises.
She returned to South Dakota, where she lived the rest of her life, first with her mother, then with sister Grace and sister Carrie. She died at the age of 63 in 1928. She never married, and never had children. She also did not live long enough to know that her sister Laura would immortalize the family through the Little House books. But we know about them, and know that Mary Ingalls graduated from the school for the blind in Vinton, on this date in 1889.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, June 11
"Leading the Miners"
It was no surprise that John L. Lewis would be associated with coal mining. Born near the company town of Cleveland in Lucas County on February 12, 1880, Lewis started working in the mines at age 17. Before he was 30, he was elected as a delegate to the United Mine Workers convention, in 1906. His knowledge of mining and his devotion to the workers led American Federation of Labor head Samuel Gompers to hire Lewis as a full-time union organizer in 1911. John L. Lewis toured the Midwest as an organizer and trouble-shooter, especially in coal and steel districts.
He became acting president of the United Mine Workers of America in 1919, and on November 1st of that year, he called the first major coal union strike. 400,000 miners walked off their jobs. That spirit led the membership to elect him to a term as president of the union in 1920; it was a job he would hold for 40 years.
During that time, Iowa-born John L. Lewis lobbied for legislation to help organized labor, and when the Congress of Industrial Organizations separated from the AFL in 1938, Lewis became the CIO's first president.
Even during World War II, Lewis would call for work stoppages if he thought his workers were not being treated fairly. His efforts led to the first Federal Mine Safety Act, in 1952.
In 1964, four years after his retirement, Lewis was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our country's highest civilian honor.
It was a long journey from a teenager working in the Iowa coal mines, to leading hundreds of thousands of workers. But it was the path taken by John L. Lewis, who died on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Leading the Miners"
It was no surprise that John L. Lewis would be associated with coal mining. Born near the company town of Cleveland in Lucas County on February 12, 1880, Lewis started working in the mines at age 17. Before he was 30, he was elected as a delegate to the United Mine Workers convention, in 1906. His knowledge of mining and his devotion to the workers led American Federation of Labor head Samuel Gompers to hire Lewis as a full-time union organizer in 1911. John L. Lewis toured the Midwest as an organizer and trouble-shooter, especially in coal and steel districts.
He became acting president of the United Mine Workers of America in 1919, and on November 1st of that year, he called the first major coal union strike. 400,000 miners walked off their jobs. That spirit led the membership to elect him to a term as president of the union in 1920; it was a job he would hold for 40 years.
During that time, Iowa-born John L. Lewis lobbied for legislation to help organized labor, and when the Congress of Industrial Organizations separated from the AFL in 1938, Lewis became the CIO's first president.
Even during World War II, Lewis would call for work stoppages if he thought his workers were not being treated fairly. His efforts led to the first Federal Mine Safety Act, in 1952.
In 1964, four years after his retirement, Lewis was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, our country's highest civilian honor.
It was a long journey from a teenager working in the Iowa coal mines, to leading hundreds of thousands of workers. But it was the path taken by John L. Lewis, who died on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, June 10
"Slay, Slay Utterly"
The Villisca Presbyterian Church held its Children’s Day Program on the evening of June 9th, 1912. Local businessman Josiah Moore was there with his wife Sara and their four children. After the event, the family returned to their home, and two of the Moore children’s friends stayed overnight.
It was the last time anyone saw any of the eight alive.
When Joe Moore was not there to open his implement business on Monday morning, his brother Ross, the town druggist, went to investigate. He found all eight had been killed with an axe.
The town was in a panic. Who was involved, and why? But there were no answers.
Four years later, a Kansas City private detective accused a local man, Senator Frank Jones, of hiring someone to commit the crime. A grand jury refused to indict Jones due to lack of evidence, but his political career was over.
A year later, a Nebraska minister named George Kelly was indicted for the crimes. He had preached at that Children’s Day Program. He talked about the crimes to others, and his checkered past included several Peeping Tom arrests. At first he confessed, saying he received a command from God to go and “slay, slay utterly”. But then he recanted. His trial ended in a hung jury more than five years after the murders.
Now more than a century later, the Villisca murders remain unsolved. We may never know who killed eight people in Josiah Moore’s home, with his own axe, on this date in 1912.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Slay, Slay Utterly"
The Villisca Presbyterian Church held its Children’s Day Program on the evening of June 9th, 1912. Local businessman Josiah Moore was there with his wife Sara and their four children. After the event, the family returned to their home, and two of the Moore children’s friends stayed overnight.
It was the last time anyone saw any of the eight alive.
When Joe Moore was not there to open his implement business on Monday morning, his brother Ross, the town druggist, went to investigate. He found all eight had been killed with an axe.
The town was in a panic. Who was involved, and why? But there were no answers.
Four years later, a Kansas City private detective accused a local man, Senator Frank Jones, of hiring someone to commit the crime. A grand jury refused to indict Jones due to lack of evidence, but his political career was over.
A year later, a Nebraska minister named George Kelly was indicted for the crimes. He had preached at that Children’s Day Program. He talked about the crimes to others, and his checkered past included several Peeping Tom arrests. At first he confessed, saying he received a command from God to go and “slay, slay utterly”. But then he recanted. His trial ended in a hung jury more than five years after the murders.
Now more than a century later, the Villisca murders remain unsolved. We may never know who killed eight people in Josiah Moore’s home, with his own axe, on this date in 1912.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, June 9
"Heading to Salt Lake City"
Of all the thousands of pioneer journeys to the West in the 19th century, few were more arduous than those undertaken by the so-called Handcart Companies from 1856 to 1860.
The leader of the Mormons, Brigham Young, had established Salt Lake City as the center of the Latter-day Saints in 1847, just one year after Iowa became a state. Young worked to help Mormons who wanted to make the move to Utah. In 1856, he suggested that rather than buy wagons and oxen, followers should come on foot with handcarts or wheelbarrows. And many took that advice.
On June 9th, 1856, a group of 497 Mormons left Iowa City to begin the more than 1,000-mile trek to Salt Lake City. They carried all their goods in a hundred two-wheeled handcarts, most with the maximum load of more than 400 pounds. Each family typically had their own cart, with the father and mother taking turns pulling, while children who were old enough would help by pushing.
But there were problems. The wooden axles that were used instead of iron quickly wore down. Plus the sheer physical effort needed to pull a 500-pound cart across the more rugged country of the Plains led some to give up the journey. But the majority eventually reached the Salt Lake Valley.
Over a four year period, some 3,000 Mormon converts made the overland journey to Utah...nearly 500 alone left on foot from Iowa City, on this date in 1856.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Heading to Salt Lake City"
Of all the thousands of pioneer journeys to the West in the 19th century, few were more arduous than those undertaken by the so-called Handcart Companies from 1856 to 1860.
The leader of the Mormons, Brigham Young, had established Salt Lake City as the center of the Latter-day Saints in 1847, just one year after Iowa became a state. Young worked to help Mormons who wanted to make the move to Utah. In 1856, he suggested that rather than buy wagons and oxen, followers should come on foot with handcarts or wheelbarrows. And many took that advice.
On June 9th, 1856, a group of 497 Mormons left Iowa City to begin the more than 1,000-mile trek to Salt Lake City. They carried all their goods in a hundred two-wheeled handcarts, most with the maximum load of more than 400 pounds. Each family typically had their own cart, with the father and mother taking turns pulling, while children who were old enough would help by pushing.
But there were problems. The wooden axles that were used instead of iron quickly wore down. Plus the sheer physical effort needed to pull a 500-pound cart across the more rugged country of the Plains led some to give up the journey. But the majority eventually reached the Salt Lake Valley.
Over a four year period, some 3,000 Mormon converts made the overland journey to Utah...nearly 500 alone left on foot from Iowa City, on this date in 1856.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, June 8
"The Murderous Barber Brothers"
Isaac Barber may only have been 25, and his younger brother William 23, but they had committed a long list of crimes at those young ages. The Barber Brothers were known to have committed six murders, wounded several others, and pulled off many robberies and horse thefts in the early 1880s in Iowa and Illinois. There was even a reward of $6,000 offered for their capture.
The Barber Brothers had kept a low profile in the winter of 1883, following the murder of Fayette County deputy sheriff Marion Sheppard the previous September. But the brothers desire to return to their home area wound up being their undoing in June of 1883.
They showed up at their old family home in West Union, unaware that their mother had recently sold the homestead, and after the new owners recognized them, they fled into nearby timber. At one point, during this final period on the run, the boys were washing up in the Wapsipinicon River when a law posse spotted them. They left their hats, coats and boots behind in their haste to get away. Then they were spotted in a school house near Sumner, but fled following a shoot out with authorities. They made their way to Tripoli and hid in a barn on the Tegtmeir farm. When son Henry Tegtmeir was milking, they showed themselves and asked for a meal. Henry obliged them, but slipped out to tell his father and brothers the notorious Barber Brothers were on their property. The others went to get help, while Henry kept the outlaws company. Five neighbors then stormed the house, and in the shootout, one of them died. But the Barber Brothers were captured.
There was so much interest in hanging the boys then and there that a crowd gathered near a jail in Waverly. The sheriff snuck the prisoners to Waterloo, where they were escorted by train to Independence, to stay a step ahead of the mobs that were intent on dispensing justice. Soon the Barber Brothers were returned to Waverly, and indeed, a mob overcame the resistance of authorities, and on June 8th, they took Issac and William Barber to the nearby Murphy's Grove, where they were hanged shortly before midnight.
The leaders of the mob were put on trial, and found guilty. But somehow, the court failed to order any punishment; the public consensus was that the brothers deserved a hanging.
The murderous crime spree of the Barber Brothers came to an end, through a mob dispensing their own kind of justice by hanging, on this date in 1883.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Murderous Barber Brothers"
Isaac Barber may only have been 25, and his younger brother William 23, but they had committed a long list of crimes at those young ages. The Barber Brothers were known to have committed six murders, wounded several others, and pulled off many robberies and horse thefts in the early 1880s in Iowa and Illinois. There was even a reward of $6,000 offered for their capture.
The Barber Brothers had kept a low profile in the winter of 1883, following the murder of Fayette County deputy sheriff Marion Sheppard the previous September. But the brothers desire to return to their home area wound up being their undoing in June of 1883.
They showed up at their old family home in West Union, unaware that their mother had recently sold the homestead, and after the new owners recognized them, they fled into nearby timber. At one point, during this final period on the run, the boys were washing up in the Wapsipinicon River when a law posse spotted them. They left their hats, coats and boots behind in their haste to get away. Then they were spotted in a school house near Sumner, but fled following a shoot out with authorities. They made their way to Tripoli and hid in a barn on the Tegtmeir farm. When son Henry Tegtmeir was milking, they showed themselves and asked for a meal. Henry obliged them, but slipped out to tell his father and brothers the notorious Barber Brothers were on their property. The others went to get help, while Henry kept the outlaws company. Five neighbors then stormed the house, and in the shootout, one of them died. But the Barber Brothers were captured.
There was so much interest in hanging the boys then and there that a crowd gathered near a jail in Waverly. The sheriff snuck the prisoners to Waterloo, where they were escorted by train to Independence, to stay a step ahead of the mobs that were intent on dispensing justice. Soon the Barber Brothers were returned to Waverly, and indeed, a mob overcame the resistance of authorities, and on June 8th, they took Issac and William Barber to the nearby Murphy's Grove, where they were hanged shortly before midnight.
The leaders of the mob were put on trial, and found guilty. But somehow, the court failed to order any punishment; the public consensus was that the brothers deserved a hanging.
The murderous crime spree of the Barber Brothers came to an end, through a mob dispensing their own kind of justice by hanging, on this date in 1883.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, June 5
"Shutting Down A Station"
Norman Baker of Muscatine was always a performer. He made a name early on as a vaudeville performer, then by marketing a portable calliope for use at carnivals and outdoor events. He soon expanded that into a mail order business selling everything from overalls to coffee. And when he saw that people like Earl May in Shenandoah were having success selling their items via radio, Norman Baker built his own station in 1925, and KTNT radio was born.
He said it stood for Know the Naked Truth, and he loved welcoming visitors to Muscatine to see the studios and patronize the café, service station, and store he built to go with KTNT. Typically clad in a white suit with lavender tie, Baker soon moved into a different realm…health care.
He promoted an unconventional cancer treatment and opened his own cancer hospital in Muscatine. It turned out his treatment was nothing more than a shot with a mixture of clover, corn silk, watermelon seed, and water. But thanks to aggressive advertising and the power of his radio station, by 1931 Baker’s hospital had monthly revenue of $75,000.
But that on air medical demagoguery inspired his critics, and on June 5th, 1931, the Federal Radio Commission shut down KTNT for irresponsible actions. Undaunted, Baker moved to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, where he built a 100,000-watt radio station blasting northward throughout the U.S. He then moved his hospital from Muscatine to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. But the truth about his cancer treatments caught up with him, and he wound up serving four years in Leavenworth Penitentiary for federal mail fraud. But he kept all the money he had gotten from people hoping for a cure, and wound up living the last 15 years of his life on a three-story yacht in Florida. He died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1958 and is buried in his hometown of Muscatine.
Norman Baker’s venomous obscene broadcasts against the public interest came to an end when the government shut down KTNT radio, on this date in 1931.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Shutting Down A Station"
Norman Baker of Muscatine was always a performer. He made a name early on as a vaudeville performer, then by marketing a portable calliope for use at carnivals and outdoor events. He soon expanded that into a mail order business selling everything from overalls to coffee. And when he saw that people like Earl May in Shenandoah were having success selling their items via radio, Norman Baker built his own station in 1925, and KTNT radio was born.
He said it stood for Know the Naked Truth, and he loved welcoming visitors to Muscatine to see the studios and patronize the café, service station, and store he built to go with KTNT. Typically clad in a white suit with lavender tie, Baker soon moved into a different realm…health care.
He promoted an unconventional cancer treatment and opened his own cancer hospital in Muscatine. It turned out his treatment was nothing more than a shot with a mixture of clover, corn silk, watermelon seed, and water. But thanks to aggressive advertising and the power of his radio station, by 1931 Baker’s hospital had monthly revenue of $75,000.
But that on air medical demagoguery inspired his critics, and on June 5th, 1931, the Federal Radio Commission shut down KTNT for irresponsible actions. Undaunted, Baker moved to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, where he built a 100,000-watt radio station blasting northward throughout the U.S. He then moved his hospital from Muscatine to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. But the truth about his cancer treatments caught up with him, and he wound up serving four years in Leavenworth Penitentiary for federal mail fraud. But he kept all the money he had gotten from people hoping for a cure, and wound up living the last 15 years of his life on a three-story yacht in Florida. He died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1958 and is buried in his hometown of Muscatine.
Norman Baker’s venomous obscene broadcasts against the public interest came to an end when the government shut down KTNT radio, on this date in 1931.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, June 4
"Building A Prison"
The Iowa Territory was opened in June of 1838, and early the next year, the new Territorial Legislature approved a penitentiary to be built in the town of Fort Madison, near the original state capitol of Burlington.
For more than 30 years, that facility took care of the problem of what to do with criminals in the region. But by the spring of 1872, the legislature needed to take action, so lawmakers appointed William Ure, Foster Downing, and Martin Heisey as a Board of Commissioners to find a site for a new, second prison.
On June 4th, 1872, the board met in Anamosa in Jones County and selected a site within the corporate limits of the city. The citizens of Anamosa donated 15 acres to the state for the new prison, and another 61 acres “of good pastureland” close to the area was also donated. Also working in Anamosa’s favor was the fact that there were three nearby quarries, sufficient to provide enough high quality limestone for the project.
Work started that September, and on May 13th, 1873, 20 convicts were transferred to the new Anamosa Branch of the Fort Madison Penitentiary. At the time, about 12 acres had been enclosed with a 16-foot-high board fence. The facility could hold 60 prisoners.
Not long after, convict labor was let out to contractors, but that led to complaints about work being taken from “honest citizens”. That ultimately led to the creation of Iowa State Industries, which provided jobs for inmates but with limited markets, such as tax-supported institutions and agencies.
But it took the vision of a three-member committee seeing a 15 acre parcel of land and envisioning the Anamosa State Penitentiary, on this date in 1872.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Building A Prison"
The Iowa Territory was opened in June of 1838, and early the next year, the new Territorial Legislature approved a penitentiary to be built in the town of Fort Madison, near the original state capitol of Burlington.
For more than 30 years, that facility took care of the problem of what to do with criminals in the region. But by the spring of 1872, the legislature needed to take action, so lawmakers appointed William Ure, Foster Downing, and Martin Heisey as a Board of Commissioners to find a site for a new, second prison.
On June 4th, 1872, the board met in Anamosa in Jones County and selected a site within the corporate limits of the city. The citizens of Anamosa donated 15 acres to the state for the new prison, and another 61 acres “of good pastureland” close to the area was also donated. Also working in Anamosa’s favor was the fact that there were three nearby quarries, sufficient to provide enough high quality limestone for the project.
Work started that September, and on May 13th, 1873, 20 convicts were transferred to the new Anamosa Branch of the Fort Madison Penitentiary. At the time, about 12 acres had been enclosed with a 16-foot-high board fence. The facility could hold 60 prisoners.
Not long after, convict labor was let out to contractors, but that led to complaints about work being taken from “honest citizens”. That ultimately led to the creation of Iowa State Industries, which provided jobs for inmates but with limited markets, such as tax-supported institutions and agencies.
But it took the vision of a three-member committee seeing a 15 acre parcel of land and envisioning the Anamosa State Penitentiary, on this date in 1872.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, June 3
"The Greenfield Hotel Company"
It was a sign of the times in the early 1900s…every town of any size wanted a grand hotel along its downtown main street. And the county seat of Adair County, Greenfield, was no different.
Despite the shadow cast over the country by World War I, local boosters were able to come up with the $65,000 needed to build Greenfield’s fourth hotel, a 32-room state-of-the-art lodge located at 110 East Iowa Street. The Hotel Greenfield had been preceded in that location by the Wilson Hotel and then the Commercial Hotel.
Local business owners and town boosters founded the Greenfield Hotel Company on April 8, 1919. The idea was to create a community improvement project, rather than running a hotel as a profit-making venture.
It was the largest commercial building in the central business district, and as the roaring twenties began, work on the new hotel began. Regional architect William Gordon designed the classical revival style building.
On June 3rd, 1920, a gala grand opening was held with local attorneys William Don Carlos and George Musmaker serving as toastmasters for the evening.
The Greenfield Hotel Company owned the hotel until 1951, after which various individuals and families operated the business. Then, coming full circle, in 2010 a group of area investors with the support of the Community Development Corporation of Greenfield bought the facility and have restored it to the past glory it had on that grand opening night, on this date in 1920.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Greenfield Hotel Company"
It was a sign of the times in the early 1900s…every town of any size wanted a grand hotel along its downtown main street. And the county seat of Adair County, Greenfield, was no different.
Despite the shadow cast over the country by World War I, local boosters were able to come up with the $65,000 needed to build Greenfield’s fourth hotel, a 32-room state-of-the-art lodge located at 110 East Iowa Street. The Hotel Greenfield had been preceded in that location by the Wilson Hotel and then the Commercial Hotel.
Local business owners and town boosters founded the Greenfield Hotel Company on April 8, 1919. The idea was to create a community improvement project, rather than running a hotel as a profit-making venture.
It was the largest commercial building in the central business district, and as the roaring twenties began, work on the new hotel began. Regional architect William Gordon designed the classical revival style building.
On June 3rd, 1920, a gala grand opening was held with local attorneys William Don Carlos and George Musmaker serving as toastmasters for the evening.
The Greenfield Hotel Company owned the hotel until 1951, after which various individuals and families operated the business. Then, coming full circle, in 2010 a group of area investors with the support of the Community Development Corporation of Greenfield bought the facility and have restored it to the past glory it had on that grand opening night, on this date in 1920.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, June 2
"Bridges on the Big Screen"
In 1992, Robert James Waller was a University of Northern Iowa business professor. His novel “The Bridges of Madison County” changed all that, becoming one of the bestselling books of the century with some 50 million copies sold, thanks in great part to an endorsement by Oprah Winfrey, who did an episode of her show from the site of the bridges. The book was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than three years.
The book tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, Francesca Johnson, living in Madison County in the 1960s. She engages in an affair with a National Geographic photographer named Robert Kincaid, who is doing a photo essay on the area’s covered bridges.
On June 2nd, 1995, a movie based on the book premiered. It starred Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, who also directed the film.
You know, I get the distinct feeling that I’m lost.
Are you supposed to be in Iowa?
Yeah.
Well then, you’re not that lost.
I’m looking for a bridge, one of those covered bridges out here in this neighborhood.
Roseman Bridge?
That’s it.
The film was shot on location in Iowa during the summer of 1994 over a period of 42 days, ten days ahead of schedule. Shooting took place in Winterset and Adel.
The film “The Bridges of Madison County” grossed more than $70 million in the U.S. after its release on this date in 1995.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Bridges on the Big Screen"
In 1992, Robert James Waller was a University of Northern Iowa business professor. His novel “The Bridges of Madison County” changed all that, becoming one of the bestselling books of the century with some 50 million copies sold, thanks in great part to an endorsement by Oprah Winfrey, who did an episode of her show from the site of the bridges. The book was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than three years.
The book tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, Francesca Johnson, living in Madison County in the 1960s. She engages in an affair with a National Geographic photographer named Robert Kincaid, who is doing a photo essay on the area’s covered bridges.
On June 2nd, 1995, a movie based on the book premiered. It starred Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, who also directed the film.
You know, I get the distinct feeling that I’m lost.
Are you supposed to be in Iowa?
Yeah.
Well then, you’re not that lost.
I’m looking for a bridge, one of those covered bridges out here in this neighborhood.
Roseman Bridge?
That’s it.
The film was shot on location in Iowa during the summer of 1994 over a period of 42 days, ten days ahead of schedule. Shooting took place in Winterset and Adel.
The film “The Bridges of Madison County” grossed more than $70 million in the U.S. after its release on this date in 1995.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, June 1
"The First Lady of Flight"
When she was 9 years old, Amelia Earhart's family moved to Des Moines. Her father was a claims officer for the Rock Island Railroad, and was transferred from Kansas to Iowa. The next year, she saw her first aircraft at the Iowa State Fair. But it was hardly love at first sight. Her father tried to get her and her sister to take a flight, but one look at the rickety flivver was enough for Amelia, who asked if they could instead go back to the merry-go-round. She later described the biplane as "a thing of rusty wire and wood and not at all interesting."
The Earhart family moved from Iowa in 1914, and it was still a few years before an adult Amelia took flying lessons in California from Ames native Neta Snook Southern.
And of all the marvels of modern invention, that with which I am most concerned is, of course, air transportation. Flying is perhaps the most dramatic of recent scientific attainment. In the brief span of 30-odd years, the world has seen an inventor's dream, first materialized by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, become an everyday actuality.
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in June of 1928, and made the first solo flight from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast of America three months later.
On June 1st, 1937, Amelia Earhart began her attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world. The next day, her last radio transmission was heard, where she indicated that the level of gas in the plane was running low. She and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were never heard from again.
The teenager who saw her first airplane at the Iowa State Fair and wasn't impressed, Amelia Earhart, left on her last flight, designed to go around the world, on this date in 1937.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Lady of Flight"
When she was 9 years old, Amelia Earhart's family moved to Des Moines. Her father was a claims officer for the Rock Island Railroad, and was transferred from Kansas to Iowa. The next year, she saw her first aircraft at the Iowa State Fair. But it was hardly love at first sight. Her father tried to get her and her sister to take a flight, but one look at the rickety flivver was enough for Amelia, who asked if they could instead go back to the merry-go-round. She later described the biplane as "a thing of rusty wire and wood and not at all interesting."
The Earhart family moved from Iowa in 1914, and it was still a few years before an adult Amelia took flying lessons in California from Ames native Neta Snook Southern.
And of all the marvels of modern invention, that with which I am most concerned is, of course, air transportation. Flying is perhaps the most dramatic of recent scientific attainment. In the brief span of 30-odd years, the world has seen an inventor's dream, first materialized by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, become an everyday actuality.
Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic in June of 1928, and made the first solo flight from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast of America three months later.
On June 1st, 1937, Amelia Earhart began her attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world. The next day, her last radio transmission was heard, where she indicated that the level of gas in the plane was running low. She and her navigator, Fred Noonan, were never heard from again.
The teenager who saw her first airplane at the Iowa State Fair and wasn't impressed, Amelia Earhart, left on her last flight, designed to go around the world, on this date in 1937.
And that's Iowa Almanac for June 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, May 29
"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 Thursday, May 28
"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, they 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 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, they 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 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 Wednesday, May 27
"Iowa Mining"
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were coal mines all over our state. Speculators first came to survey the town of Waukee in Dallas County in 1883.
Two major mines opened there as the 1920s began. The Harris Mine opened on September 20th, 1920, located two and a half miles northeast of Hickman Road in Waukee.
Another mine, owned and operated by the Shuler Coal Company, opened the following year, in 1921. The Shuler Mine was located one mile east of the Harris mine, and became the largest producer of coal in Iowa. It also had the deepest mine shaft, at a depth of 387 feet.
At its peak, the Shuler Mine employed up to 500 men and used 32 mules. By the end of its 30 year run, the mine had reached one and a quarter miles wide and three and three quarter miles long, stretching from northeast of Hickman all the way past the boundaries of Waterford Road.
A substantial mining camp community developed, including churches, a school, a dance hall, tavern, two restaurants, a hardware store, and a grocery store. Some of the workers, mostly immigrants from Italy, Croatia and Sweden, lived in small homes built by Shuler, called South Camp and North Camp. They had no electricity or running water.
A coal mine museum preserving this piece of Waukee’s history opened in the town library in November 2013, featuring tools and artifacts from the time. Shuler Elementary, named for the coal company, opened in 2010 only 1,500 feet from where the company was once located.
The largest production mine in Iowa, the Shuler Mine in Waukee, closed for good on this date in 1949.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa Mining"
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were coal mines all over our state. Speculators first came to survey the town of Waukee in Dallas County in 1883.
Two major mines opened there as the 1920s began. The Harris Mine opened on September 20th, 1920, located two and a half miles northeast of Hickman Road in Waukee.
Another mine, owned and operated by the Shuler Coal Company, opened the following year, in 1921. The Shuler Mine was located one mile east of the Harris mine, and became the largest producer of coal in Iowa. It also had the deepest mine shaft, at a depth of 387 feet.
At its peak, the Shuler Mine employed up to 500 men and used 32 mules. By the end of its 30 year run, the mine had reached one and a quarter miles wide and three and three quarter miles long, stretching from northeast of Hickman all the way past the boundaries of Waterford Road.
A substantial mining camp community developed, including churches, a school, a dance hall, tavern, two restaurants, a hardware store, and a grocery store. Some of the workers, mostly immigrants from Italy, Croatia and Sweden, lived in small homes built by Shuler, called South Camp and North Camp. They had no electricity or running water.
A coal mine museum preserving this piece of Waukee’s history opened in the town library in November 2013, featuring tools and artifacts from the time. Shuler Elementary, named for the coal company, opened in 2010 only 1,500 feet from where the company was once located.
The largest production mine in Iowa, the Shuler Mine in Waukee, closed for good on this date in 1949.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 26
"The Duke of the Screen"
Marion Robert Morrison was born on May 26th, 1907 in Winterset. The son of Clyde and Molly Morrison, Marion weighed 13 pounds at birth. At the age of 9, the family moved to California, where Clyde Morrison worked as a pharmacist. At the time, Marion had a dog named Duke, and soon he adopted that as his nickname, as well.
Duke Morrison got a football scholarship to the University of Southern California, but a surfing accident cut his athletic career short. The coach knew the movie director John Ford, and as a favor to the coach, Ford hired Duke as a prop boy and extra so he could afford his tuition. Soon Duke was regularly seen on the big screen, and for his first starring role, in 1930, director Raoul Walsh suggested that Duke change his name. And that’s how the world came to know John Wayne.
His breakthrough film came in 1939 in the movie Stagecoach, and he soon became well known for westerns and war movies.
John Wayne won the best actor Oscar in 1969 for the movie True Grit.
Young fellow, if you’re lookin’ for trouble, I’ll accommodate ya.
He played the lead in 142 film appearances over his nearly 50 year screen career. He died of cancer in 1979.
This past weekend, the legacy of John Wayne was celebrated through the grand opening of the new John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset. The $2.5 million, 5,000-square foot facility is proof of the devotion the town still has for its native son, who was born as Marion Morrison on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Duke of the Screen"
Marion Robert Morrison was born on May 26th, 1907 in Winterset. The son of Clyde and Molly Morrison, Marion weighed 13 pounds at birth. At the age of 9, the family moved to California, where Clyde Morrison worked as a pharmacist. At the time, Marion had a dog named Duke, and soon he adopted that as his nickname, as well.
Duke Morrison got a football scholarship to the University of Southern California, but a surfing accident cut his athletic career short. The coach knew the movie director John Ford, and as a favor to the coach, Ford hired Duke as a prop boy and extra so he could afford his tuition. Soon Duke was regularly seen on the big screen, and for his first starring role, in 1930, director Raoul Walsh suggested that Duke change his name. And that’s how the world came to know John Wayne.
His breakthrough film came in 1939 in the movie Stagecoach, and he soon became well known for westerns and war movies.
John Wayne won the best actor Oscar in 1969 for the movie True Grit.
Young fellow, if you’re lookin’ for trouble, I’ll accommodate ya.
He played the lead in 142 film appearances over his nearly 50 year screen career. He died of cancer in 1979.
This past weekend, the legacy of John Wayne was celebrated through the grand opening of the new John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset. The $2.5 million, 5,000-square foot facility is proof of the devotion the town still has for its native son, who was born as Marion Morrison on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 25
"Saluting A War Hero"
The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. In Glidden, Iowa, the local newspaper printed an editorial urging local men to volunteer for service so that "our enemy across the seas may be brought to terms as speedily as possible".
Those words were heard by a 20-year-old Glidden man, Merle David Hay. He enlisted in May 1917. By summer, he was in France.
On November 1st, Hay's company moved by truck closer to the front, just 500 years from the German lines. In the early morning hours of November 3rd, the Germans began an artillery braggage. The outnumbered Aermicans were caught by surprise. Private Merle Hay was seen by a fellow soldier, battling not one but two German soldiers in hand-to-hand comabt with a bayonet in the dark, only broken by the dim twinlinkg light of flares. The barrage only lasted 15 minutes before the Germans withdrew, but that was long enough for a dozen American soldiers to be captured, five more wounded, and three killed. One of the dead was Merle Hay, found face down in mud, with a .45 caliber pistol in his hand. He died of a bullet wound to the head. The watch he was wearing...a gift from his mother...had stopped at 2:40 a.m.
He became the first Iowan...and perhaps the first American...to die in the Great War.
After originally being buried in France, Hay's body was transported back to the U.S. in 1921, arriving back in Glidden by train. It was the largest funeral in Iowa to that time.
On May 25th, 1930, between six and ten thousand people filled the West Lawn Cemetery, where an eight-foot tall granite monument commissioned by the state legislature was dedicated in Hay's honor. You can see the monument today, if you are travelling along U.S. Highway 30 in Glidden.
You may have traveled along Merle Hay Road in Des Moines; that stretch of road, running from Camp Dodge into the city, was named for Private Hay shortly after his death.
A hometown memorial honoring the first Iowan killed in World War I...Private Merle Hay of Glidden...was dedicated on this date in 1930.
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.
"Saluting A War Hero"
The United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917. In Glidden, Iowa, the local newspaper printed an editorial urging local men to volunteer for service so that "our enemy across the seas may be brought to terms as speedily as possible".
Those words were heard by a 20-year-old Glidden man, Merle David Hay. He enlisted in May 1917. By summer, he was in France.
On November 1st, Hay's company moved by truck closer to the front, just 500 years from the German lines. In the early morning hours of November 3rd, the Germans began an artillery braggage. The outnumbered Aermicans were caught by surprise. Private Merle Hay was seen by a fellow soldier, battling not one but two German soldiers in hand-to-hand comabt with a bayonet in the dark, only broken by the dim twinlinkg light of flares. The barrage only lasted 15 minutes before the Germans withdrew, but that was long enough for a dozen American soldiers to be captured, five more wounded, and three killed. One of the dead was Merle Hay, found face down in mud, with a .45 caliber pistol in his hand. He died of a bullet wound to the head. The watch he was wearing...a gift from his mother...had stopped at 2:40 a.m.
He became the first Iowan...and perhaps the first American...to die in the Great War.
After originally being buried in France, Hay's body was transported back to the U.S. in 1921, arriving back in Glidden by train. It was the largest funeral in Iowa to that time.
On May 25th, 1930, between six and ten thousand people filled the West Lawn Cemetery, where an eight-foot tall granite monument commissioned by the state legislature was dedicated in Hay's honor. You can see the monument today, if you are travelling along U.S. Highway 30 in Glidden.
You may have traveled along Merle Hay Road in Des Moines; that stretch of road, running from Camp Dodge into the city, was named for Private Hay shortly after his death.
A hometown memorial honoring the first Iowan killed in World War I...Private Merle Hay of Glidden...was dedicated on this date in 1930.
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 Friday, May 22
"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 Thursday, May 21
"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 Wednesday, May 20
"Helping Veterans"
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States—the VFW—works to support veterans and their families, making sure they have the benefits and support of a grateful nation.
The Department of Iowa VFW is based in Des Moines, and was chartered on May 20th, 1921.
Today’s VFW and auxiliaries include more than 2 million members in approximately 8,000 posts worldwide. The group honors the dead by helping the living, through veterans’ service, community service, national security, and a strong national defense.
The VFW traces its roots back to 1899, when veterans from the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. To that point, veterans were left to care for themselves when they returned from war, often in injured or sick condition.
The group also helped fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II, and Women in Military Service memorials.
There are posts in a dozen countries, including four posts in Mexico that are actually under the jurisdiction of the Department of Iowa VFW, which was first chartered to serve Iowa’s veterans on this date, in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Helping Veterans"
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States—the VFW—works to support veterans and their families, making sure they have the benefits and support of a grateful nation.
The Department of Iowa VFW is based in Des Moines, and was chartered on May 20th, 1921.
Today’s VFW and auxiliaries include more than 2 million members in approximately 8,000 posts worldwide. The group honors the dead by helping the living, through veterans’ service, community service, national security, and a strong national defense.
The VFW traces its roots back to 1899, when veterans from the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. To that point, veterans were left to care for themselves when they returned from war, often in injured or sick condition.
The group also helped fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II, and Women in Military Service memorials.
There are posts in a dozen countries, including four posts in Mexico that are actually under the jurisdiction of the Department of Iowa VFW, which was first chartered to serve Iowa’s veterans on this date, in 1921.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 19
"Iowa's First Murder"
Patrick O'Connor had a checkered past. He had been run out of Galena, Illinois for setting fire to some buildings and attempting to kill a merchant there. Narrowly escaping hanging, he migrated to Dubuque.
On May 19, 1834, O'Connor forced open the door of a cabin belonging to George O'Keaf, an industrious miner who made his living at Dubuque's nearby lead mines. O'Connor shot George O'Keaf five times in the chest.
When he was arrested, O'Connor said, "I'll tend to my own business. You have no laws in this country." That's because Iowa not only was not a state, but was not officially a territory at the time.
O'Connor's murder trial was held the very next day, outside, under the branches of a large elm tree in Dubuque. He chose his jurors from 24 of the bystanders. Witnesses were questioned, and the jury soon returned with a guilty verdict, and a sentence that O'Connor be hanged one month later.
A gallows was erected near the present Dubuque courthouse, and Patrick O'Connor became the first person hanged after trial by jury in the land that is now Iowa. And apparently that sent a signal; some at the time said after seeing what happened to O'Connor, "many of the reckless and abandoned outlaws who had congregated at the mines began to leave, and people began to feel more secure in the enjoyment of life and property."
Patrick O'Connor thought since Iowa was not a state, there were no laws. He found out differently, after he committed the first murder leading to trial and execution, on this date, in 1834.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's First Murder"
Patrick O'Connor had a checkered past. He had been run out of Galena, Illinois for setting fire to some buildings and attempting to kill a merchant there. Narrowly escaping hanging, he migrated to Dubuque.
On May 19, 1834, O'Connor forced open the door of a cabin belonging to George O'Keaf, an industrious miner who made his living at Dubuque's nearby lead mines. O'Connor shot George O'Keaf five times in the chest.
When he was arrested, O'Connor said, "I'll tend to my own business. You have no laws in this country." That's because Iowa not only was not a state, but was not officially a territory at the time.
O'Connor's murder trial was held the very next day, outside, under the branches of a large elm tree in Dubuque. He chose his jurors from 24 of the bystanders. Witnesses were questioned, and the jury soon returned with a guilty verdict, and a sentence that O'Connor be hanged one month later.
A gallows was erected near the present Dubuque courthouse, and Patrick O'Connor became the first person hanged after trial by jury in the land that is now Iowa. And apparently that sent a signal; some at the time said after seeing what happened to O'Connor, "many of the reckless and abandoned outlaws who had congregated at the mines began to leave, and people began to feel more secure in the enjoyment of life and property."
Patrick O'Connor thought since Iowa was not a state, there were no laws. He found out differently, after he committed the first murder leading to trial and execution, on this date, in 1834.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 18
"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 Friday, May 15
"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's now the 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.
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's now the 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.
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 Thursday, May 14
"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 Lion's 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 Lion's 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 Wednesday, May 13
"Iowa's Governor, for 16 Days"
Robert Fulton was born in Waterloo on May 13, 1929. He entered politics the same year he graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law, in 1958. He was elected that year to the Iowa House of Representatives, and in 1962, to the Iowa Senate.
A Democrat, Fulton was elected Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 1964. At that time, the governor and lieutenant governor ran separately, and not as part of a joint ticket. At times, that meant the governor was a member of one political party, and the lieutenant governor was a member of the other.
But 1964 saw Democrat Harold Hughes be re-elected to another two year term, and Fulton became lieutenant governor. Each was re-elected in 1966.
In 1968, Hughes decided to run for higher office, and was elected to the U.S. Senate. But he was to be sworn in for that post before his term as governor was over. So he resigned as governor, and Lieutenant Governor Robert Fulton became Iowa's 37th governor on January 1st, 1969.
He served as governor for 16 days until the scheduled inauguration of Robert D. Ray, who had been elected governor the previous November.
Fulton returned to private life, but ran for a full term as governor in 1970. He lost to Robert Ray, who would go on to serve 14 years in the post.
Fulton served as a member of the Democratic National Committee and was a delegate to his party's 1972 national convention. And until Tom Vilsack was inaugurated in 1999, Robert Fulton for 30 years had the unique designation of being the last Democrat to serve as governor of Iowa. To this day, he holds the distinction of serving as Iowa's governor for the shortest tenure of anyone. Robert Fulton, born on this date, in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's Governor, for 16 Days"
Robert Fulton was born in Waterloo on May 13, 1929. He entered politics the same year he graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law, in 1958. He was elected that year to the Iowa House of Representatives, and in 1962, to the Iowa Senate.
A Democrat, Fulton was elected Lieutenant Governor of Iowa in 1964. At that time, the governor and lieutenant governor ran separately, and not as part of a joint ticket. At times, that meant the governor was a member of one political party, and the lieutenant governor was a member of the other.
But 1964 saw Democrat Harold Hughes be re-elected to another two year term, and Fulton became lieutenant governor. Each was re-elected in 1966.
In 1968, Hughes decided to run for higher office, and was elected to the U.S. Senate. But he was to be sworn in for that post before his term as governor was over. So he resigned as governor, and Lieutenant Governor Robert Fulton became Iowa's 37th governor on January 1st, 1969.
He served as governor for 16 days until the scheduled inauguration of Robert D. Ray, who had been elected governor the previous November.
Fulton returned to private life, but ran for a full term as governor in 1970. He lost to Robert Ray, who would go on to serve 14 years in the post.
Fulton served as a member of the Democratic National Committee and was a delegate to his party's 1972 national convention. And until Tom Vilsack was inaugurated in 1999, Robert Fulton for 30 years had the unique designation of being the last Democrat to serve as governor of Iowa. To this day, he holds the distinction of serving as Iowa's governor for the shortest tenure of anyone. Robert Fulton, born on this date, in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 12
"The Postville Raid"
It was the largest raid of a single workplace in American history to that point. On May 12, 2008, federal officials raided the Agriprocessors kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in Postville, in northeast Iowa.
390 illegal immigrants...314 men and 76 women...were arrested and charged with identity theft, document theft, use of stolen social security numbers, and related offenses. Some 300 of them were convicted on document fraud charges alone within four days, with most serving five month prison sentences before being deported.
The nearly 400 arrested in that single day was half the amount arrested nationwide in the entire year before that.
Helicopters, buses and vans were used, and hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers worked with officers from other federal, state and local agencies that morning, rounding up those in our country illegally and sizing company records.
The arrested workers were taken to the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo and processed.
The raid cost $5.2 million, not including costs associated with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Department of Labor, or local authorities.
The raid had an impact on Postville itself, as the town of 2,300 lost a large percentage of its population due to the arrested. Agriprocessors stopped slaughtering cattle within a few months, and by November of that year had filed for bankruptcy. Financial irregularities brought to light by the raid led to a $35 million bank fraud charge against the plant's top manager, Sholom Rubashkin, who was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in prison.
390 individuals went to work at a Postville packing plant one morning, and wound up being arrested as part of the largest immigration raid in U.S. history, on this date in 2008.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Postville Raid"
It was the largest raid of a single workplace in American history to that point. On May 12, 2008, federal officials raided the Agriprocessors kosher slaughterhouse and meat packing plant in Postville, in northeast Iowa.
390 illegal immigrants...314 men and 76 women...were arrested and charged with identity theft, document theft, use of stolen social security numbers, and related offenses. Some 300 of them were convicted on document fraud charges alone within four days, with most serving five month prison sentences before being deported.
The nearly 400 arrested in that single day was half the amount arrested nationwide in the entire year before that.
Helicopters, buses and vans were used, and hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers worked with officers from other federal, state and local agencies that morning, rounding up those in our country illegally and sizing company records.
The arrested workers were taken to the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo and processed.
The raid cost $5.2 million, not including costs associated with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Department of Labor, or local authorities.
The raid had an impact on Postville itself, as the town of 2,300 lost a large percentage of its population due to the arrested. Agriprocessors stopped slaughtering cattle within a few months, and by November of that year had filed for bankruptcy. Financial irregularities brought to light by the raid led to a $35 million bank fraud charge against the plant's top manager, Sholom Rubashkin, who was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in prison.
390 individuals went to work at a Postville packing plant one morning, and wound up being arrested as part of the largest immigration raid in U.S. history, on this date in 2008.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 11
"Our Grand Old Flag"
The United States entered the first World War in 1917, and Iowa's sons were part of the fighting force. But while Iowa had been a state for 71 years at that point, there was no state flag for Iowa's fighting men to carry into battle.
It was expected that the Iowa men would fight in state regiments as they had in former wars, and a flag was needed to help designate the Iowa units.
To that point, Iowa's government had not seen much need for a state flag, in great part because after the Civil War, many people felt the U.S. flag truly represented all of the states.
This problem became of special concern to the Iowa Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. On May 11th, 1917, Mrs. Lue Prentiss, chairman of the Society's flag committee, and Mrs. Dixie Gephardt, appeared with others before the State Council on National Defense. They presented a flag design submitted by Mrs. Gephardt and asked that it be adopted as the state flag for use by Iowa soldiers. The council and Governor William Harding agreed, and soon the D.A.R. had a number of flags made, and presented one to each of the state's National Guard regiments. By that time, one was already in France. Soon after, the U.S. war department assigned men to units without regard to where they were from, so an Iowa state flag was not needed for that purpose.
It took another four years before Dixie Gephardt's design was officially approved by the Iowa legislature as our state flag, on March 29th, 1921. Her original flag design, in crayon, is on display today at the Marion County Courthouse in Knoxville, where she lived her entire life, nearly 89 years. A monument honoring the flag and Dixie Gephardt was erected in Knoxville in 1996, the 75th anniversary of the legislature's action.
But Iowa's simple, yet powerful flag, as sketched by crayon by 50 year old Dixie Cornell Gephardt, was first presented to and approved by state officials, on this date in 1917.
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.
"Our Grand Old Flag"
The United States entered the first World War in 1917, and Iowa's sons were part of the fighting force. But while Iowa had been a state for 71 years at that point, there was no state flag for Iowa's fighting men to carry into battle.
It was expected that the Iowa men would fight in state regiments as they had in former wars, and a flag was needed to help designate the Iowa units.
To that point, Iowa's government had not seen much need for a state flag, in great part because after the Civil War, many people felt the U.S. flag truly represented all of the states.
This problem became of special concern to the Iowa Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. On May 11th, 1917, Mrs. Lue Prentiss, chairman of the Society's flag committee, and Mrs. Dixie Gephardt, appeared with others before the State Council on National Defense. They presented a flag design submitted by Mrs. Gephardt and asked that it be adopted as the state flag for use by Iowa soldiers. The council and Governor William Harding agreed, and soon the D.A.R. had a number of flags made, and presented one to each of the state's National Guard regiments. By that time, one was already in France. Soon after, the U.S. war department assigned men to units without regard to where they were from, so an Iowa state flag was not needed for that purpose.
It took another four years before Dixie Gephardt's design was officially approved by the Iowa legislature as our state flag, on March 29th, 1921. Her original flag design, in crayon, is on display today at the Marion County Courthouse in Knoxville, where she lived her entire life, nearly 89 years. A monument honoring the flag and Dixie Gephardt was erected in Knoxville in 1996, the 75th anniversary of the legislature's action.
But Iowa's simple, yet powerful flag, as sketched by crayon by 50 year old Dixie Cornell Gephardt, was first presented to and approved by state officials, on this date in 1917.
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 Friday, May 8
"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 Thursday, May 7
"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 Wednesday, May 6
"Two Volumes Bound in Black"
Imagine receiving this letter..."Dear Sir. By tomorrow evening's mail, you will receive two volumes of the 'Irrepressible Conflict' bound in black. After perusal, please forward, and oblige."
That letter, which was sent by G.W. Weston from Low Moor to C.B. Campbell in Clinton on May 6th, 1859, had nothing to do with books or literature. Instead, it was code, used to tell Campbell to expect the arrival of fugitive slaves travelling through what was known as the Underground Railroad.
Typically, the actual railroad was not used by those who were making their way across Iowa to freedom. The roadbed was the normal traffic path, and buggies, oxcarts, wagons, and other vehicles of the era were used to move the passengers from station to station. The phrase "underground" refers to the secrecy of the whole operation.
The main line of the Underground Railroad in Iowa entered near Tabor in southwest Iowa, and ran through Lewis, Des Moines, Grinnell, Iowa City, West Liberty, Tipton, DeWitt, and Low Moor, crossing the Mississippi River at Clinton into Illinois.
The whole endeavor relied on the support of sympathetic citizens along the way, since the slaves were escapees, and anyone helping a salve to escape was violating the law.
And word quickly spread, making the route through Iowa very popular among those who literally took their lives in their hands, escaping from their masters and making their way to a place called Iowa, where they might get help.
That was clever code, referring to a book called "irrepressible conflict" and saying the book was bound in black...that language, used in a letter sent by Mr. Weston alerting Mr. Campbell of the arrival of fugitive slaves in Clinton using the Underground Railroad, on this date in 1859.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Two Volumes Bound in Black"
Imagine receiving this letter..."Dear Sir. By tomorrow evening's mail, you will receive two volumes of the 'Irrepressible Conflict' bound in black. After perusal, please forward, and oblige."
That letter, which was sent by G.W. Weston from Low Moor to C.B. Campbell in Clinton on May 6th, 1859, had nothing to do with books or literature. Instead, it was code, used to tell Campbell to expect the arrival of fugitive slaves travelling through what was known as the Underground Railroad.
Typically, the actual railroad was not used by those who were making their way across Iowa to freedom. The roadbed was the normal traffic path, and buggies, oxcarts, wagons, and other vehicles of the era were used to move the passengers from station to station. The phrase "underground" refers to the secrecy of the whole operation.
The main line of the Underground Railroad in Iowa entered near Tabor in southwest Iowa, and ran through Lewis, Des Moines, Grinnell, Iowa City, West Liberty, Tipton, DeWitt, and Low Moor, crossing the Mississippi River at Clinton into Illinois.
The whole endeavor relied on the support of sympathetic citizens along the way, since the slaves were escapees, and anyone helping a salve to escape was violating the law.
And word quickly spread, making the route through Iowa very popular among those who literally took their lives in their hands, escaping from their masters and making their way to a place called Iowa, where they might get help.
That was clever code, referring to a book called "irrepressible conflict" and saying the book was bound in black...that language, used in a letter sent by Mr. Weston alerting Mr. Campbell of the arrival of fugitive slaves in Clinton using the Underground Railroad, on this date in 1859.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, May 5
"The First Chief Executive"
Iowa became a state in 1846, and every state needs a chief executive. So in October of that year, voters elected the new state's first governor.
The Democrats were represented on the ballot by Ansel Briggs, who won the nomination with 62 votes, nearly double the support his two opponents received combined. His opponent was not a Republican...that party had not yet been founded. Thomas McKnight of the Whig party faced Briggs in the October general election.
Ansel Briggs won, by only 245 votes of 15,000 votes cast, and became Iowa's first governor. He was 40 years of age.
During the campaign, Briggs had pledged that no outside businesses would hold any influence in his administration. True to his word, one writer noted his time in office was marked by an independence of principle, characteristic of his nature.
Prior to holding elective office, Ansel Briggs was a mail carrier and a stagecoach driver. He even served a term as Jackson County Sheriff, and in 1842, was elected to the Iowa Territorial House of Representatives.
During that first term in office, Governor Briggs oversaw the establishment of Iowa's system of government, its school system, and helped resolve Iowa's famous boundary dispute with Missouri.
After that single term, Briggs retired from public life and returned to private sector business, including activities in western Iowa. He died on May 5th, 1881, at the home of his son John in Omaha. He was originally buried there, but his body was later moved and reburied in his longtime Iowa hometown of Andrew.
Iowa's first governor, Ansel Briggs, died at the age of 75, on this date, in 1881.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Chief Executive"
Iowa became a state in 1846, and every state needs a chief executive. So in October of that year, voters elected the new state's first governor.
The Democrats were represented on the ballot by Ansel Briggs, who won the nomination with 62 votes, nearly double the support his two opponents received combined. His opponent was not a Republican...that party had not yet been founded. Thomas McKnight of the Whig party faced Briggs in the October general election.
Ansel Briggs won, by only 245 votes of 15,000 votes cast, and became Iowa's first governor. He was 40 years of age.
During the campaign, Briggs had pledged that no outside businesses would hold any influence in his administration. True to his word, one writer noted his time in office was marked by an independence of principle, characteristic of his nature.
Prior to holding elective office, Ansel Briggs was a mail carrier and a stagecoach driver. He even served a term as Jackson County Sheriff, and in 1842, was elected to the Iowa Territorial House of Representatives.
During that first term in office, Governor Briggs oversaw the establishment of Iowa's system of government, its school system, and helped resolve Iowa's famous boundary dispute with Missouri.
After that single term, Briggs retired from public life and returned to private sector business, including activities in western Iowa. He died on May 5th, 1881, at the home of his son John in Omaha. He was originally buried there, but his body was later moved and reburied in his longtime Iowa hometown of Andrew.
Iowa's first governor, Ansel Briggs, died at the age of 75, on this date, in 1881.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 4
"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. 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. 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 Friday, May 1
"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.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, April 30
"The Army Arrives"
The post Civil War era was a tough time in America, and by the early 1890s, an economic depression had set in. In 1894, a group of about 2,000 unemployed laborers formed in San Francisco under the direction of Charles T. Kelly, determined to reach the nation's capitol and ask the government to fund public works programs. They made their way east through Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska, riding the rails for free until they crossed the Missouri River into Iowa.
It was there they learned the free train rides would stop. Some turned back, but others made their way east on foot. They travelled through Underwood, Avoca, Walnut, Atlantic, Anita, Adair, Casey, Stuart, Dexter, Earlham, DeSoto, Van Meter, Booneville, Commerce, and Valley Junction. Iowans in each city along the way welcomed them as heroes, feeding them hot lunches and carrying their bags.
The group was by now well known as Kelly's Army, and the group arrived in Des Moines on April 29, 1894. They made camp at the old stove works on the outskirts of town, declaring they were done walking and demanding that the railroads again provide free passage. The railroads refused, so Kelly's Army stayed in Des Moines. Call it Iowa hospitality, but citizens there adopted the group, somehow managing to provide the 2,000 men with three meals a day and whatever else they needed.
Finally, someone figured out that if the army could not travel by rail, it might make it down the Des Moines River to the Mississippi, and then further east. So local residents contributed the material for boats, and Kelly's Army built the 150 vessels that would take them from Des Moines.
Each man was also given an American flag, and the last sight citizens had was of 150 boats, with 2,000 men, each waving an American flag, as the river current took them away, about two weeks after Kelly's Army first arrived in Des Moines, on this date in 1894.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Army Arrives"
The post Civil War era was a tough time in America, and by the early 1890s, an economic depression had set in. In 1894, a group of about 2,000 unemployed laborers formed in San Francisco under the direction of Charles T. Kelly, determined to reach the nation's capitol and ask the government to fund public works programs. They made their way east through Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska, riding the rails for free until they crossed the Missouri River into Iowa.
It was there they learned the free train rides would stop. Some turned back, but others made their way east on foot. They travelled through Underwood, Avoca, Walnut, Atlantic, Anita, Adair, Casey, Stuart, Dexter, Earlham, DeSoto, Van Meter, Booneville, Commerce, and Valley Junction. Iowans in each city along the way welcomed them as heroes, feeding them hot lunches and carrying their bags.
The group was by now well known as Kelly's Army, and the group arrived in Des Moines on April 29, 1894. They made camp at the old stove works on the outskirts of town, declaring they were done walking and demanding that the railroads again provide free passage. The railroads refused, so Kelly's Army stayed in Des Moines. Call it Iowa hospitality, but citizens there adopted the group, somehow managing to provide the 2,000 men with three meals a day and whatever else they needed.
Finally, someone figured out that if the army could not travel by rail, it might make it down the Des Moines River to the Mississippi, and then further east. So local residents contributed the material for boats, and Kelly's Army built the 150 vessels that would take them from Des Moines.
Each man was also given an American flag, and the last sight citizens had was of 150 boats, with 2,000 men, each waving an American flag, as the river current took them away, about two weeks after Kelly's Army first arrived in Des Moines, on this date in 1894.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, April 29
"Making the Ultimate Sacrifice"
Members of the Marshalltown High School class of 1974 met for their 40th high school reunion last year. Class members are nearing 60 years of age. Some are contemplating upcoming retirement; others spend time with grandchildren.
But one member of the class will be forever 19 years of age, for making the ultimate sacrifice
Lance Corporal Darwin Lee Judge was the last American soldier killed in Vietnam on this date 40 years ago. He was a Marine security guard assigned to the American Embassy. As the U.S. withdrew from Saigon, Judge was at the nearby airport. It was there that he died in a North Vietnamese rocket attack on the morning of April 29, 1975. He had been in Vietnam less than two months. He died along with Corporal Charles McMahon, who had been on site less than two weeks.
In the chaos surrounding America's final days in Vietnam, his body was not recovered and returned to the U.S. for nearly a year. It took another 25 years before a full military burial took place, and only after a story of one of Judge's last acts was made public.
As thousands tried to flee Saigon, Marine Doug Potratz was unable to evacuate his three-year-old daughter Becky. Judge intervened, picking her up, putting her on his back, and running to a waiting plane. That little girl made it to America, where she went on to graduate with honors from the University of Southern California.
The former Eagle Scout is memorialized in his hometown with a park that bears his name, and a plaque near the main entrance to Marshalltown High School.
A total of 58,200 American soldiers gave their lives in the conflict. Iowa's Darwin Judge was the last, on this date in 1975.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Making the Ultimate Sacrifice"
Members of the Marshalltown High School class of 1974 met for their 40th high school reunion last year. Class members are nearing 60 years of age. Some are contemplating upcoming retirement; others spend time with grandchildren.
But one member of the class will be forever 19 years of age, for making the ultimate sacrifice
Lance Corporal Darwin Lee Judge was the last American soldier killed in Vietnam on this date 40 years ago. He was a Marine security guard assigned to the American Embassy. As the U.S. withdrew from Saigon, Judge was at the nearby airport. It was there that he died in a North Vietnamese rocket attack on the morning of April 29, 1975. He had been in Vietnam less than two months. He died along with Corporal Charles McMahon, who had been on site less than two weeks.
In the chaos surrounding America's final days in Vietnam, his body was not recovered and returned to the U.S. for nearly a year. It took another 25 years before a full military burial took place, and only after a story of one of Judge's last acts was made public.
As thousands tried to flee Saigon, Marine Doug Potratz was unable to evacuate his three-year-old daughter Becky. Judge intervened, picking her up, putting her on his back, and running to a waiting plane. That little girl made it to America, where she went on to graduate with honors from the University of Southern California.
The former Eagle Scout is memorialized in his hometown with a park that bears his name, and a plaque near the main entrance to Marshalltown High School.
A total of 58,200 American soldiers gave their lives in the conflict. Iowa's Darwin Judge was the last, on this date in 1975.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, April 28
"A Presidential Speech...Or Nine"
We in Iowa have been used to presidents and candidates spending a lot of time in our state the past 40 years, thanks to the Iowa Caucuses. But back in 1903, a presidential visit was unique. The only fast method of transportation was by train, and that's how President Theodore Roosevelt made his way across our state on this date in that year.
The president was bound for the western United States, and spent nine weeks away from Washington that year to make the trip, which included a now famous visit to the Yosemite Valley. While in Iowa, he made no fewer than 9 speeches in a single day, and it was not exactly a straight route.
He started in Osceola at 7 in the morning, then traveled to Des Moines where he spoke from the steps of the State Capitol. Then it was on to Shenandoah, Clarinda, and Sharpsburg. Then Van Wert, Ottumwa, and back to Des Moines for a speech at an auditorium. Finally, he ended the long day in Oskaloosa, where he dedicated the new YMCA building as a favor to his friend, Iowa congressman John F. Lacey, who was from that city.
That's 9 speeches, in eight cities, in one day. That was the pace he kept during the whole trip, even starting the next day off in Keokuk. On the way back, he also made an early June stop in Denison.
He praised Iowans for their work ethic, and their support of the Civil War which was not that long before. He said, "As I have passed through Iowa today, I have been struck with the soil, the climate, the rich farms, the prosperity and happiness of the towns and cities, and by the high average of citizenship which is noticeable everywhere."
He also noted that he owed a debt a gratitude to Iowa, because a quarter of his Cabinet members were from Iowa, which he said was appropriate because of the level of citizenship and character found in Iowans.
Most of the speeches were brief whistle stop appearances, speaking to large crowds from the back of the train. There's no recording of TR's voice, but the text of these speeches, all nine, is on line at theodore-roosevelt.com.
The sitting president, Theodore Roosevelt, used his bully pulpit in nine speeches in southern and central Iowa, on this date in 1903.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Presidential Speech...Or Nine"
We in Iowa have been used to presidents and candidates spending a lot of time in our state the past 40 years, thanks to the Iowa Caucuses. But back in 1903, a presidential visit was unique. The only fast method of transportation was by train, and that's how President Theodore Roosevelt made his way across our state on this date in that year.
The president was bound for the western United States, and spent nine weeks away from Washington that year to make the trip, which included a now famous visit to the Yosemite Valley. While in Iowa, he made no fewer than 9 speeches in a single day, and it was not exactly a straight route.
He started in Osceola at 7 in the morning, then traveled to Des Moines where he spoke from the steps of the State Capitol. Then it was on to Shenandoah, Clarinda, and Sharpsburg. Then Van Wert, Ottumwa, and back to Des Moines for a speech at an auditorium. Finally, he ended the long day in Oskaloosa, where he dedicated the new YMCA building as a favor to his friend, Iowa congressman John F. Lacey, who was from that city.
That's 9 speeches, in eight cities, in one day. That was the pace he kept during the whole trip, even starting the next day off in Keokuk. On the way back, he also made an early June stop in Denison.
He praised Iowans for their work ethic, and their support of the Civil War which was not that long before. He said, "As I have passed through Iowa today, I have been struck with the soil, the climate, the rich farms, the prosperity and happiness of the towns and cities, and by the high average of citizenship which is noticeable everywhere."
He also noted that he owed a debt a gratitude to Iowa, because a quarter of his Cabinet members were from Iowa, which he said was appropriate because of the level of citizenship and character found in Iowans.
Most of the speeches were brief whistle stop appearances, speaking to large crowds from the back of the train. There's no recording of TR's voice, but the text of these speeches, all nine, is on line at theodore-roosevelt.com.
The sitting president, Theodore Roosevelt, used his bully pulpit in nine speeches in southern and central Iowa, on this date in 1903.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, April 27
"Disorder in the Court"
Iowa farmers had it rough in the early 1930s. The Great Depression was bad enough, but by 1932, Western Iowa farmers had put up with three years of drought, hail, and insect pests. And three years of almost no crops.
A week's sale of eggs, about 30 dozen, would hardly buy a pair of shoes. Farmers began exchanging products with each other, bartering, since money was so scarce.
And when farmers couldn't pay the high interest rates on mortgages written when times were good, foreclosures came. Some farmers banded together to try to prevent foreclosures, sometimes controlling the bidding at auctions to artificially lower the sale price to help a neighbor out.
On April 27, 1933, a group of 100 farmers entered the courtroom of Judge C.C. Bradley in LeMars and demanded that he refuse to sign any more foreclosure orders. He refused, so the group dragged the 60-year-old judge from the bench, blindfolded him, and drove him by car into the country. He was then pulled from the car, smeared with axle grease, and a rope was placed around his neck suitable for hanging. The judge fainted, and soon was allowed to go free.
The violent act shocked many, including farmers who were against taking such drastic measures. Soon both the Iowa legislature and U.S. Congress passed laws providing aid and loan refinancing help. Iowa still had the largest amount of farm foreclosures during that time than any other state, but the situation did improve.
Not soon enough to prevent the day in LeMars, where 100 farmers dragged a judge off the bench to prevent foreclosure orders from being signed, on this date in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Disorder in the Court"
Iowa farmers had it rough in the early 1930s. The Great Depression was bad enough, but by 1932, Western Iowa farmers had put up with three years of drought, hail, and insect pests. And three years of almost no crops.
A week's sale of eggs, about 30 dozen, would hardly buy a pair of shoes. Farmers began exchanging products with each other, bartering, since money was so scarce.
And when farmers couldn't pay the high interest rates on mortgages written when times were good, foreclosures came. Some farmers banded together to try to prevent foreclosures, sometimes controlling the bidding at auctions to artificially lower the sale price to help a neighbor out.
On April 27, 1933, a group of 100 farmers entered the courtroom of Judge C.C. Bradley in LeMars and demanded that he refuse to sign any more foreclosure orders. He refused, so the group dragged the 60-year-old judge from the bench, blindfolded him, and drove him by car into the country. He was then pulled from the car, smeared with axle grease, and a rope was placed around his neck suitable for hanging. The judge fainted, and soon was allowed to go free.
The violent act shocked many, including farmers who were against taking such drastic measures. Soon both the Iowa legislature and U.S. Congress passed laws providing aid and loan refinancing help. Iowa still had the largest amount of farm foreclosures during that time than any other state, but the situation did improve.
Not soon enough to prevent the day in LeMars, where 100 farmers dragged a judge off the bench to prevent foreclosure orders from being signed, on this date in 1933.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, April 24
"Farm Aid in Iowa"
Back in 1985, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to keep farm families on their land.
The sixth Farm Aid concert was held on April 24, 1993, in Cyclone Stadium in Ames.
Iowa native Tom Arnold and his then-wife Roseanne wore Cyclone and Hawkeye jerseys, and introduced some of the acts.
Among the featured performers that Saturday were Bruce Hornsby, Bryan Adams, Ringo Starr, Marty Stuart, Martina McBride, the Highwaymen, Dwight Yoakam, and Arlo Guthrie. And of course, Willie Nelson.
In 30 years, Farm Aid has raised more than $45 million to promote the family farm system of agriculture. Farm Aid was of particular help in Iowa just a few months after the concert, when the record floods of 1993 left thousands of Midwest families homeless. Farm Aid created the Family Farm Disaster Fund that summer to help.
Later this fall, the 30th anniversary Farm Aid concert will take place on September 19th. But we in Iowa remember when Farm Aid came to Ames, on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Farm Aid in Iowa"
Back in 1985, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to keep farm families on their land.
The sixth Farm Aid concert was held on April 24, 1993, in Cyclone Stadium in Ames.
Iowa native Tom Arnold and his then-wife Roseanne wore Cyclone and Hawkeye jerseys, and introduced some of the acts.
Among the featured performers that Saturday were Bruce Hornsby, Bryan Adams, Ringo Starr, Marty Stuart, Martina McBride, the Highwaymen, Dwight Yoakam, and Arlo Guthrie. And of course, Willie Nelson.
In 30 years, Farm Aid has raised more than $45 million to promote the family farm system of agriculture. Farm Aid was of particular help in Iowa just a few months after the concert, when the record floods of 1993 left thousands of Midwest families homeless. Farm Aid created the Family Farm Disaster Fund that summer to help.
Later this fall, the 30th anniversary Farm Aid concert will take place on September 19th. But we in Iowa remember when Farm Aid came to Ames, on this date in 1993.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, April 23
"Iowa's National Museum"
The skies around Indianola are full of color each summer when the National Balloon Classic is held. It all started there in 1970, when the National Hot Air Balloon Championships came to central Iowa. The event was such a success, the national championships were held annually in Indianola for 18 years before moving to various sites around the country.
Soon after the national championships came to Iowa, there was interest in displaying items about the history of ballooning. Temporary locations were set up during the annual event, but the items were put in storage the rest of the time. By 1977, a group was formed to create a National Balloon Museum. It started slowly, with the first year-round museum in a Simpson College house starting in 1979. It moved to another college house five years later.
Finally, on April 23rd, 1988, the national balloon museum building was opened to the public. The building cost three-quarters of a million dollars and is located at 1601 North Jefferson. A volunteer auxiliary was organized to provide the leadership needed to keep the museum operating.
A new addition was completed in 2003, costing $350,000. It doubled the floor space of the museum.
The national championships may move around the country, but there's still a national balloon classic each summer in Indianola, where the first permanent national balloon museum opened to the public on this date in 1988.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Iowa's National Museum"
The skies around Indianola are full of color each summer when the National Balloon Classic is held. It all started there in 1970, when the National Hot Air Balloon Championships came to central Iowa. The event was such a success, the national championships were held annually in Indianola for 18 years before moving to various sites around the country.
Soon after the national championships came to Iowa, there was interest in displaying items about the history of ballooning. Temporary locations were set up during the annual event, but the items were put in storage the rest of the time. By 1977, a group was formed to create a National Balloon Museum. It started slowly, with the first year-round museum in a Simpson College house starting in 1979. It moved to another college house five years later.
Finally, on April 23rd, 1988, the national balloon museum building was opened to the public. The building cost three-quarters of a million dollars and is located at 1601 North Jefferson. A volunteer auxiliary was organized to provide the leadership needed to keep the museum operating.
A new addition was completed in 2003, costing $350,000. It doubled the floor space of the museum.
The national championships may move around the country, but there's still a national balloon classic each summer in Indianola, where the first permanent national balloon museum opened to the public on this date in 1988.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, April 22
"Crossing the River"
Our methods of transportation have changed greatly over the past 150 years, as Iowans connected with fellow citizens on each coast in ever more efficient ways.
On April 22nd, 1856, the citizens of Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois cheered as they watch three steam locomotives pull eight passenger cars safely across the new Chicago and Rock Island railroad bridge over the Mississippi River, the first railroad bridge across the mighty Mississippi. Now, it would only take eastern Iowans 42 hours to reach New York City by rail.
The Rock Island Bridge was built to unite the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad from the east, with the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad, which was running to the west.
But the bridge did not come without a struggle. It took three years to build, and that was only after the national fight was settled between those who wanted the first national rail route to be in the north, and those who wanted it to be in the south.
Two notable men involved in the Rock Island Bridge controversy would soon square off in another national debate. Jefferson Davis was the U.S. Secretary of War at the time, and he strongly favored a southern rail route to benefit his home state of Mississippi. As a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln represented the bridge company in legal action against steamboats, who were concerned that bridges would interfere with their ability to move commerce along the river.
The bridge was completed, the trains rolled across it, speeches were made, and bands played. But the joy was short lived. Only 15 days after it opened, part of the bridge was wrecked and burned when a steamboat crashed into it while crossing through the open draw. It was out of commission for four months, until early September.
There have been various Rock Island Bridges over the years, with the last one seeing its final rail traffic in 1980. It's still used today, but only as a highway bridge. But the first railroad bridge spanning the Mississippi opened for traffic on this date in 1856.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Crossing the River"
Our methods of transportation have changed greatly over the past 150 years, as Iowans connected with fellow citizens on each coast in ever more efficient ways.
On April 22nd, 1856, the citizens of Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois cheered as they watch three steam locomotives pull eight passenger cars safely across the new Chicago and Rock Island railroad bridge over the Mississippi River, the first railroad bridge across the mighty Mississippi. Now, it would only take eastern Iowans 42 hours to reach New York City by rail.
The Rock Island Bridge was built to unite the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad from the east, with the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad, which was running to the west.
But the bridge did not come without a struggle. It took three years to build, and that was only after the national fight was settled between those who wanted the first national rail route to be in the north, and those who wanted it to be in the south.
Two notable men involved in the Rock Island Bridge controversy would soon square off in another national debate. Jefferson Davis was the U.S. Secretary of War at the time, and he strongly favored a southern rail route to benefit his home state of Mississippi. As a lawyer, Abraham Lincoln represented the bridge company in legal action against steamboats, who were concerned that bridges would interfere with their ability to move commerce along the river.
The bridge was completed, the trains rolled across it, speeches were made, and bands played. But the joy was short lived. Only 15 days after it opened, part of the bridge was wrecked and burned when a steamboat crashed into it while crossing through the open draw. It was out of commission for four months, until early September.
There have been various Rock Island Bridges over the years, with the last one seeing its final rail traffic in 1980. It's still used today, but only as a highway bridge. But the first railroad bridge spanning the Mississippi opened for traffic on this date in 1856.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, April 21
"Preventing Juvenile Delinquency"
At the turn of the 20th century, some Dubuque leaders were concerned. How could they keep city children involved in positive activities over the summer, when school was not in session? Rural children had no problem keeping busy on the farm, but there wasn't enough for city children to do.
Audubon Elementary School principal B.J. Horchem had an idea. In 1907, he established an outdoor camp where boys planted gardens and studied nature. He hoped that the public schools would eventually become year-round, and these new summer outdoor classes would be part of the curriculum.
His motto was "Form, Not Reform", as in "reform school".
On April 21, 1911, the program was officially incorporated under the name Park Life, with a board of trustees that included two dozen of Dubuque's most prominent business and professional leaders. Principal Horchem began with a small number of boys who set up tents, tended a garden and cooked their own food.
Park Life received national attention in the May 1912 issue of American Magazine, and attracted great interest when discussed at that year's meeting of the National Education Association in San Francisco.
One writer noted it promoted the physical health and vigor of the boys, stimulated their minds, quickened their perception, and kept them in a clear, pure atmosphere of thought.
Money was always a problem, however. Horchem paid for things himself in the early years, and the financial aid to the project declined, as did attendance as other youth organizations developed. In many respects, the high point of the unique Park Life project occurred when community leaders rallied behind it financially and legally incorporated the effort on this date in 1911.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Preventing Juvenile Delinquency"
At the turn of the 20th century, some Dubuque leaders were concerned. How could they keep city children involved in positive activities over the summer, when school was not in session? Rural children had no problem keeping busy on the farm, but there wasn't enough for city children to do.
Audubon Elementary School principal B.J. Horchem had an idea. In 1907, he established an outdoor camp where boys planted gardens and studied nature. He hoped that the public schools would eventually become year-round, and these new summer outdoor classes would be part of the curriculum.
His motto was "Form, Not Reform", as in "reform school".
On April 21, 1911, the program was officially incorporated under the name Park Life, with a board of trustees that included two dozen of Dubuque's most prominent business and professional leaders. Principal Horchem began with a small number of boys who set up tents, tended a garden and cooked their own food.
Park Life received national attention in the May 1912 issue of American Magazine, and attracted great interest when discussed at that year's meeting of the National Education Association in San Francisco.
One writer noted it promoted the physical health and vigor of the boys, stimulated their minds, quickened their perception, and kept them in a clear, pure atmosphere of thought.
Money was always a problem, however. Horchem paid for things himself in the early years, and the financial aid to the project declined, as did attendance as other youth organizations developed. In many respects, the high point of the unique Park Life project occurred when community leaders rallied behind it financially and legally incorporated the effort on this date in 1911.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, April 20
"A World Record Treat"
Mildred Day was a natural to major in home economics at Iowa State. One of her dress-making projects earned a 99.5 score out of a hundred. By the time she graduated in 1928, she had already impressed the folks at the Kellogg's cereal company with her home life and table manners, so they offered her a job before graduation.
She tested recipes in the Kellogg's kitchens in Battle Creek, Michigan and later conducted cooking schools for customers in 38 states.
Kellog's developed Rice Krispies as a breakfast cereal in 1927, and it became a favorite with children due to the snap, crackle and pop sounds the cereal made when milk was added.
By 1939, Millie Day and a co-worker, Malitta Jensen, perfected a new recipe using the cereal, butter, and marshmallows. It was first called Marshmallow Squares, but quickly became known simply as the Rice Krispies Treat, and recipes featuring the snack were put on cereal boxes in 1941.
On April 20th, 2001, students at Iowa State University set a world record by creating the biggest Rice Krispie Treat ever made. It weighed 2,480 pounds, and was made from 818 pounds of Rice Krispies, 1,466 pounds of marshmallows, and 217 pounds of butter. It was displayed as a float in the VEISHEA parade before being taken to central campus where it was cut and served.
Iowa State alums have created many things over time, but perhaps none as tasty as Mildred Day's creation, which was remembered by students who set a world record for the largest Rice Krispie Treat ever, during VEISHEA on this date in 2001.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A World Record Treat"
Mildred Day was a natural to major in home economics at Iowa State. One of her dress-making projects earned a 99.5 score out of a hundred. By the time she graduated in 1928, she had already impressed the folks at the Kellogg's cereal company with her home life and table manners, so they offered her a job before graduation.
She tested recipes in the Kellogg's kitchens in Battle Creek, Michigan and later conducted cooking schools for customers in 38 states.
Kellog's developed Rice Krispies as a breakfast cereal in 1927, and it became a favorite with children due to the snap, crackle and pop sounds the cereal made when milk was added.
By 1939, Millie Day and a co-worker, Malitta Jensen, perfected a new recipe using the cereal, butter, and marshmallows. It was first called Marshmallow Squares, but quickly became known simply as the Rice Krispies Treat, and recipes featuring the snack were put on cereal boxes in 1941.
On April 20th, 2001, students at Iowa State University set a world record by creating the biggest Rice Krispie Treat ever made. It weighed 2,480 pounds, and was made from 818 pounds of Rice Krispies, 1,466 pounds of marshmallows, and 217 pounds of butter. It was displayed as a float in the VEISHEA parade before being taken to central campus where it was cut and served.
Iowa State alums have created many things over time, but perhaps none as tasty as Mildred Day's creation, which was remembered by students who set a world record for the largest Rice Krispie Treat ever, during VEISHEA on this date in 2001.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, April 17
"The Celebration That Got Out Of Hand"
It was the 81st year of Iowa State University's annual celebration called VEISHEA, an acronym developed by the initials of the colleges in place when the week-long event was founded. It had become the largest campus celebration in America with a parade, open-house demonstrations of university facilities, and fundraisers for charity.
There were problems, though. There were riots in both 1992 and 1994. But April 17, 2004, took those disturbances to a new level.
On Saturday, April 17, police responded to a complaint about a party that was spilling out into the street in Ames' campus district. Some 400 persons were there and when the party was broken up, they joined another large group of people who were already in the streets for VEISHEA festivities.
The crowd clashed with police, shouting obscene phrases and mooning officers. Then it became violent, with lamp posts, street signs, parking meters and storefront windows damaged or destroyed. 16 officers and 22 civilians were injured. 37 arrests were made. Police and some two thousand rioters fought until almost dawn. By sunrise, there had been a quarter million dollars of damage to public and private property.
Some claimed there was police brutality, saying they were sprayed with pepper spray or tear gas for no reason. Some blamed built up aggression following the previous six years of alcohol-free VEISHEA as the cause of the riots. Regardless, the university cancelled the celebration the following year, 2005.
It resumed in 2006, and remained incident free until another riot just last year. That was the final straw, and the university decided VEISHEA would no longer be held, and the name would be retired. But the largest disturbance, termed one of the larger campus riots ever in the U.S., occurred on this date in 2004.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Celebration That Got Out Of Hand"
It was the 81st year of Iowa State University's annual celebration called VEISHEA, an acronym developed by the initials of the colleges in place when the week-long event was founded. It had become the largest campus celebration in America with a parade, open-house demonstrations of university facilities, and fundraisers for charity.
There were problems, though. There were riots in both 1992 and 1994. But April 17, 2004, took those disturbances to a new level.
On Saturday, April 17, police responded to a complaint about a party that was spilling out into the street in Ames' campus district. Some 400 persons were there and when the party was broken up, they joined another large group of people who were already in the streets for VEISHEA festivities.
The crowd clashed with police, shouting obscene phrases and mooning officers. Then it became violent, with lamp posts, street signs, parking meters and storefront windows damaged or destroyed. 16 officers and 22 civilians were injured. 37 arrests were made. Police and some two thousand rioters fought until almost dawn. By sunrise, there had been a quarter million dollars of damage to public and private property.
Some claimed there was police brutality, saying they were sprayed with pepper spray or tear gas for no reason. Some blamed built up aggression following the previous six years of alcohol-free VEISHEA as the cause of the riots. Regardless, the university cancelled the celebration the following year, 2005.
It resumed in 2006, and remained incident free until another riot just last year. That was the final straw, and the university decided VEISHEA would no longer be held, and the name would be retired. But the largest disturbance, termed one of the larger campus riots ever in the U.S., occurred on this date in 2004.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, April 16
"The Heater from Van Meter"
It was opening day of the 1940 baseball season at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The afternoon of April 16 was full of anticipation for the visiting Cleveland Indians, because their 21-year-old ace pitcher would be on the mound. After all, he had won a league-best 24 games the previous season. He had made his big league debut at the age of 17, and returned to Van Meter, Iowa for his senior year of high school after already setting records for strikeouts.
That rookie season made Bob Feller the best-known young person in America, with the possible exception of Shirley Temple, according to one baseball writer. When he returned to Iowa to graduate from high school, the ceremony was aired nationally on NBC radio.
By 1940, he had already appeared on the cover of Time magazine, and overcome an arm injury that could have permanently affected his career. So when Feller took the mound against the Chicago White Sox, great things were expected. And he didn't disappoint.
Inning after inning, Feller retired White Sox batters, one after another. Finally, it was the bottom of the ninth. The Indians led 1 to nothing. There were two men out, when Taft Wright stepped to the plate. He slapped a grounder to the right side of the infield. Cleveland second baseman Ray Mack dove for the ball and tossed the ball to first base, beating Wright by a single step. Bob Feller started the 1940 season with a no-hitter, the first ever thrown by a pitcher on opening day to that point. Now, 75 years later, it's still the only opening day no-hitter in major league history.
Bob Feller would throw two more no-hitters, one of only five pitchers ever to throw more than two of them. The last two would come years later, after Feller served four years in World War II, the first professional athlete to volunteer for duty after Pearl Harbor. He spent his entire 18-season career with the Indians, and his number 19 was retired by the team in 1957. Five years later, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame along with Jackie Robinson, the first to be elected on their first ballot appearance since the original induction class.
But with the beginning of every new baseball season, we remember the only no hitter ever pitched on opening day, by Iowa's Bob Feller, on this date in 1940.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Heater from Van Meter"
It was opening day of the 1940 baseball season at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The afternoon of April 16 was full of anticipation for the visiting Cleveland Indians, because their 21-year-old ace pitcher would be on the mound. After all, he had won a league-best 24 games the previous season. He had made his big league debut at the age of 17, and returned to Van Meter, Iowa for his senior year of high school after already setting records for strikeouts.
That rookie season made Bob Feller the best-known young person in America, with the possible exception of Shirley Temple, according to one baseball writer. When he returned to Iowa to graduate from high school, the ceremony was aired nationally on NBC radio.
By 1940, he had already appeared on the cover of Time magazine, and overcome an arm injury that could have permanently affected his career. So when Feller took the mound against the Chicago White Sox, great things were expected. And he didn't disappoint.
Inning after inning, Feller retired White Sox batters, one after another. Finally, it was the bottom of the ninth. The Indians led 1 to nothing. There were two men out, when Taft Wright stepped to the plate. He slapped a grounder to the right side of the infield. Cleveland second baseman Ray Mack dove for the ball and tossed the ball to first base, beating Wright by a single step. Bob Feller started the 1940 season with a no-hitter, the first ever thrown by a pitcher on opening day to that point. Now, 75 years later, it's still the only opening day no-hitter in major league history.
Bob Feller would throw two more no-hitters, one of only five pitchers ever to throw more than two of them. The last two would come years later, after Feller served four years in World War II, the first professional athlete to volunteer for duty after Pearl Harbor. He spent his entire 18-season career with the Indians, and his number 19 was retired by the team in 1957. Five years later, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame along with Jackie Robinson, the first to be elected on their first ballot appearance since the original induction class.
But with the beginning of every new baseball season, we remember the only no hitter ever pitched on opening day, by Iowa's Bob Feller, on this date in 1940.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, April 15
"The First Mall of Its Kind"
It wasn't that long ago that every city's downtown had a vibrant business district, with large clothing and department stores anchoring large areas of city blocks. The desire to modernize and reach suburban populations with extended business hours led many to leave downtown for new sites on previously undeveloped areas on the edges of the city.
That was the case in Dubuque. In 1964, Montgomery Ward was the first to leave, moving to the west end of the city. A Youngstown, Ohio developer spearheaded the move of others, including Younkers and the local Roshek's Department Store, to be anchor stores of a new concept--a shopping mall.
In fact, what became known as Kennedy Mall formally opened on April 15, 1970, as the first climate-controlled mall in Iowa. In addition to Ward's, Younkers and Roshek's, Woolworths operated an anchor store there. The four were the corner stores that connected a total of 60 stores on that 1970 opening day, making it the largest enclosed mall in the state.
Not long after the mall opened, a tornado struck the area, damaging the mall. Another tornado caused damage in 1989, leading to a renovation that included a new food court.
Now, 45 years later, Younkers is the only remaining original anchor store still in operation there. And there are about 15 tenants who have been at Kennedy Mall since it opened, as Iowa's first climate-controlled mall, on this date in 1970.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The First Mall of Its Kind"
It wasn't that long ago that every city's downtown had a vibrant business district, with large clothing and department stores anchoring large areas of city blocks. The desire to modernize and reach suburban populations with extended business hours led many to leave downtown for new sites on previously undeveloped areas on the edges of the city.
That was the case in Dubuque. In 1964, Montgomery Ward was the first to leave, moving to the west end of the city. A Youngstown, Ohio developer spearheaded the move of others, including Younkers and the local Roshek's Department Store, to be anchor stores of a new concept--a shopping mall.
In fact, what became known as Kennedy Mall formally opened on April 15, 1970, as the first climate-controlled mall in Iowa. In addition to Ward's, Younkers and Roshek's, Woolworths operated an anchor store there. The four were the corner stores that connected a total of 60 stores on that 1970 opening day, making it the largest enclosed mall in the state.
Not long after the mall opened, a tornado struck the area, damaging the mall. Another tornado caused damage in 1989, leading to a renovation that included a new food court.
Now, 45 years later, Younkers is the only remaining original anchor store still in operation there. And there are about 15 tenants who have been at Kennedy Mall since it opened, as Iowa's first climate-controlled mall, on this date in 1970.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, April 14
"The End of Segregation"
Alexander Clark was not a man who took no for an answer. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1826 and after training as a teenager to be a barber, he arrived in Muscatine in 1842 at the age of 16. He saved his earnings, investing in timberlands and using the proceeds from the timber to further invest in real estate. He was a founder of the African Methodist Church, one of the earliest west of the Mississippi River. He tried to enlist during the Civil War but was refused due to a physical disability, so he spent the war recruiting volunteers for the Union Army.
In September of 1867, 12-year-old Susan Clark was denied admission to the neighborhood Grammar School in Muscatine due to her race. The school board said it had a special, separate school for colored children. Alexander Clark believed his child deserved to go to school with the rest of Muscatine's children, so he started a series of lawsuits.
On April 14, 1868, the Iowa Supreme Court issued its ruling in Clark versus Muscatine Board of Education, marking the first time a court in this country struck down a law requiring segregated education. The court's opinion noted that we are "one harmonious people", and as such should be treated alike. So Susan Clark got to go to school, and ultimately became the first black graduate from Muscatine High School in 1871, perhaps even the first black to graduate from a public high school in the state.
The experience spurred Alexander Clark, Jr., Susan's brother to become the first graduate from the University of Iowa College of Law...and for Alexander Clark, Sr., to become the second, at the age of 58. He later became the American minister to the nation of Liberia. But for generations of people of color, perhaps his greatest accomplishment was fighting for the right for his daughter to go to school, a right affirmed by the Iowa Supreme Court a full 86 years before the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown versus Board of Education, on this date in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The End of Segregation"
Alexander Clark was not a man who took no for an answer. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1826 and after training as a teenager to be a barber, he arrived in Muscatine in 1842 at the age of 16. He saved his earnings, investing in timberlands and using the proceeds from the timber to further invest in real estate. He was a founder of the African Methodist Church, one of the earliest west of the Mississippi River. He tried to enlist during the Civil War but was refused due to a physical disability, so he spent the war recruiting volunteers for the Union Army.
In September of 1867, 12-year-old Susan Clark was denied admission to the neighborhood Grammar School in Muscatine due to her race. The school board said it had a special, separate school for colored children. Alexander Clark believed his child deserved to go to school with the rest of Muscatine's children, so he started a series of lawsuits.
On April 14, 1868, the Iowa Supreme Court issued its ruling in Clark versus Muscatine Board of Education, marking the first time a court in this country struck down a law requiring segregated education. The court's opinion noted that we are "one harmonious people", and as such should be treated alike. So Susan Clark got to go to school, and ultimately became the first black graduate from Muscatine High School in 1871, perhaps even the first black to graduate from a public high school in the state.
The experience spurred Alexander Clark, Jr., Susan's brother to become the first graduate from the University of Iowa College of Law...and for Alexander Clark, Sr., to become the second, at the age of 58. He later became the American minister to the nation of Liberia. But for generations of people of color, perhaps his greatest accomplishment was fighting for the right for his daughter to go to school, a right affirmed by the Iowa Supreme Court a full 86 years before the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Brown versus Board of Education, on this date in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, April 13
"America's Athletic Classic"
April 13th, 1910, was unseasonably cold. Not the best weather for outdoor activities, like a new track and field meet hosted by Drake University in Des Moines.
The inaugural Drake Relays were held on this date in 1910. Actually, it was called the first Drake Relay Carnival.
Drake athletic director and coach John L. Griffith hoped there'd be 250 athletes from 15 colleges at the event. But a blizzard struck the morning of the meet, so only men from Drake, Simpson College, Highland Park College, Des Moines College, three high schools, and several Drake organizations competed. In fact, the 100 spectators shivering in the stands outnumbered the 82 runners who participated, who themselves huddled in tents in the infield in between races to keep warm.
Griffith was undeterred, however. The next year, he hit his target of 250 runners, and the crowd was so big, the local interurban company had to put on an extra trolley.
In all this time, the Drake Relays have always been held on the same piece of ground, originally called Haskins Field.
By 1922, the Relays expanded into a two-day meet, with 10,000 fans and more than 700 athletes. That year's meet was also unique, as a somewhat rasping voice crackled over a "radio-telephone" network, marking the first time in the history of American track and field an event was broadcast.
Since then, the Relays have hosted all of the world's top track and field athletes, with record-setting performances on the famous blue track. But it all started, in a blizzard, when the first Drake Relay Carnival was held on this date in 1910.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"America's Athletic Classic"
April 13th, 1910, was unseasonably cold. Not the best weather for outdoor activities, like a new track and field meet hosted by Drake University in Des Moines.
The inaugural Drake Relays were held on this date in 1910. Actually, it was called the first Drake Relay Carnival.
Drake athletic director and coach John L. Griffith hoped there'd be 250 athletes from 15 colleges at the event. But a blizzard struck the morning of the meet, so only men from Drake, Simpson College, Highland Park College, Des Moines College, three high schools, and several Drake organizations competed. In fact, the 100 spectators shivering in the stands outnumbered the 82 runners who participated, who themselves huddled in tents in the infield in between races to keep warm.
Griffith was undeterred, however. The next year, he hit his target of 250 runners, and the crowd was so big, the local interurban company had to put on an extra trolley.
In all this time, the Drake Relays have always been held on the same piece of ground, originally called Haskins Field.
By 1922, the Relays expanded into a two-day meet, with 10,000 fans and more than 700 athletes. That year's meet was also unique, as a somewhat rasping voice crackled over a "radio-telephone" network, marking the first time in the history of American track and field an event was broadcast.
Since then, the Relays have hosted all of the world's top track and field athletes, with record-setting performances on the famous blue track. But it all started, in a blizzard, when the first Drake Relay Carnival was held on this date in 1910.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, April 10
"Honoring the Fallen"
Our state has 20,000 firefighters, organized into 871 different fire departments. Each and every year, they respond to more than 40,000 emergency calls.
Responding to those calls can often be dangerous, and at times, fatal.
Back in 1988, Traer firefighter Mike Reuman was vacationing in another state when he saw a sign directing visitors to a firefighter's memorial in a state park. He was intrigued and wondered what Iowa could do to honor those who died while serving in this way.
The Iowa Firefighters Association first commissioned a bronze memorial sculpture in 1990...but then came the question of where to place the sculpture. After an extensive evaluation process, the group chose Coralville as the site of the Iowa Firefighters Memorial due to its easy access, ability to build a visitors center, and civic leaders' commitment to create and care for the site.
The memorial park was dedicated on April 10, 1994 in a ceremony before 2,500 people. Iowa became the first state to have a firefighter memorial and visitors center. The site includes the memorial sculpture and a wall listing those who died while fighting fires in Iowa, as well as an eternal flame remembering those whose names are inscribed on the wall. Those with extensive service and dedication to firefighting are also remembered there.
The memorial is located north of Interstate 80 in Coralville, a forever standing tribute to those who served Iowa's communities large and small. This year's memorial service, the 21st annual, will be held on Sunday, June 14th--Flag Day.
But the dedication of the country's first firefighter memorial and visitors center was in Coralville on this date in 1994.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Honoring the Fallen"
Our state has 20,000 firefighters, organized into 871 different fire departments. Each and every year, they respond to more than 40,000 emergency calls.
Responding to those calls can often be dangerous, and at times, fatal.
Back in 1988, Traer firefighter Mike Reuman was vacationing in another state when he saw a sign directing visitors to a firefighter's memorial in a state park. He was intrigued and wondered what Iowa could do to honor those who died while serving in this way.
The Iowa Firefighters Association first commissioned a bronze memorial sculpture in 1990...but then came the question of where to place the sculpture. After an extensive evaluation process, the group chose Coralville as the site of the Iowa Firefighters Memorial due to its easy access, ability to build a visitors center, and civic leaders' commitment to create and care for the site.
The memorial park was dedicated on April 10, 1994 in a ceremony before 2,500 people. Iowa became the first state to have a firefighter memorial and visitors center. The site includes the memorial sculpture and a wall listing those who died while fighting fires in Iowa, as well as an eternal flame remembering those whose names are inscribed on the wall. Those with extensive service and dedication to firefighting are also remembered there.
The memorial is located north of Interstate 80 in Coralville, a forever standing tribute to those who served Iowa's communities large and small. This year's memorial service, the 21st annual, will be held on Sunday, June 14th--Flag Day.
But the dedication of the country's first firefighter memorial and visitors center was in Coralville on this date in 1994.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, April 9
"The Highways and Biways"
As automobiles were becoming more common, the Iowa Highway Commission was formed on April 13, 1904. It began as part of the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and was designed to advice local communities about constructing roads.
The first director of the commission was in fact the dean of engineering at Iowa State, Anson Marston. It's role was to test road materials, develop standards for highway repair and construction, and report back to Iowa's governor each year...all with a budget of $3,500 a year.
After nine years, the Iowa Highway Commission separated from Iowa State on April 9, 1913 and became a state-run organization. Marston was one of the three members of a commission that managed the new state agency.
Transportation changed greatly over the next decades, and by the 1960s, the interstate highway system was connecting segments of our country together. The demand for more and better roads placed greater demands on the state transportation network
After a task force studied the issue for some years, in 1974, the Iowa Highway Commission was transformed into a new entity--the Iowa Department of Transportation. At that time, the legislature also created an oversight board, the Iowa Transportation Commission, a bipartisan seven-member body appointed by the governor that is in charge of major investment and policy decisions
Some may wonder why other state agencies are all based in Des Moines, but the state DOT is in Ames. In large part, it's because it's always been that way, since the original Iowa Highway Commission was spun off from Iowa State College and became an independent state agency, on this date in 1913.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Highways and Biways"
As automobiles were becoming more common, the Iowa Highway Commission was formed on April 13, 1904. It began as part of the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts and was designed to advice local communities about constructing roads.
The first director of the commission was in fact the dean of engineering at Iowa State, Anson Marston. It's role was to test road materials, develop standards for highway repair and construction, and report back to Iowa's governor each year...all with a budget of $3,500 a year.
After nine years, the Iowa Highway Commission separated from Iowa State on April 9, 1913 and became a state-run organization. Marston was one of the three members of a commission that managed the new state agency.
Transportation changed greatly over the next decades, and by the 1960s, the interstate highway system was connecting segments of our country together. The demand for more and better roads placed greater demands on the state transportation network
After a task force studied the issue for some years, in 1974, the Iowa Highway Commission was transformed into a new entity--the Iowa Department of Transportation. At that time, the legislature also created an oversight board, the Iowa Transportation Commission, a bipartisan seven-member body appointed by the governor that is in charge of major investment and policy decisions
Some may wonder why other state agencies are all based in Des Moines, but the state DOT is in Ames. In large part, it's because it's always been that way, since the original Iowa Highway Commission was spun off from Iowa State College and became an independent state agency, on this date in 1913.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, April 8
"The April Blizzard"
Normally when the calendar turns to April, we Iowans expect to see the grass turning green, trees budding, farmers getting into their fields to prepare for planting. But that was not the case in 1973.
It began snowing on April 8 of that year, and it did not stop for more than two days. The intensity of the storm was not forecast, and the wind and snow combined to create the record April blizzard of 1973.
Belle Plaine took the worst of the snowfall, with 20.2 inches total. Dubuque and Grundy Center each had about 19 inches. There was 15 inches of snow in Decorah, and 10 inches in Waterloo.
Des Moines got a foot of snow, but the wind topped 50 miles per hour at times, leading to drifts of up to 20 feet being common in that metro area. Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa cancelled classes for two days, and the Iowa Legislature also was closed. Roads were closed and motorists were stranded across the state.
14 people were reported killed as a result of the surprise storm, many due to heart attacks related to shoveling or plowing the heavy, wet snow.
The previous Friday, it was 70 degrees and the golf courses were open. The following Monday, the high was only 29 at the worst of the storm. And just as quickly, temperatures rebounded, with much of the snow melting just a few days after it fell, but that led to a soggy mess on county roads.
Mother Nature again showed Iowans that she doesn't care what the calendar says, when the record-setting April spring blizzard began on this date in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The April Blizzard"
Normally when the calendar turns to April, we Iowans expect to see the grass turning green, trees budding, farmers getting into their fields to prepare for planting. But that was not the case in 1973.
It began snowing on April 8 of that year, and it did not stop for more than two days. The intensity of the storm was not forecast, and the wind and snow combined to create the record April blizzard of 1973.
Belle Plaine took the worst of the snowfall, with 20.2 inches total. Dubuque and Grundy Center each had about 19 inches. There was 15 inches of snow in Decorah, and 10 inches in Waterloo.
Des Moines got a foot of snow, but the wind topped 50 miles per hour at times, leading to drifts of up to 20 feet being common in that metro area. Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa cancelled classes for two days, and the Iowa Legislature also was closed. Roads were closed and motorists were stranded across the state.
14 people were reported killed as a result of the surprise storm, many due to heart attacks related to shoveling or plowing the heavy, wet snow.
The previous Friday, it was 70 degrees and the golf courses were open. The following Monday, the high was only 29 at the worst of the storm. And just as quickly, temperatures rebounded, with much of the snow melting just a few days after it fell, but that led to a soggy mess on county roads.
Mother Nature again showed Iowans that she doesn't care what the calendar says, when the record-setting April spring blizzard began on this date in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 8th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, April 7
"Typing with Bat Wings"
The Reverend Thomas Oliver was a Methodist minister in Monticello, Iowa. Canadian by birth, by the time he was 36, Oliver was looking for a way to produce more legible sermons to deliver to his congregation. So in 1888, he began to develop his first typewriter, using strips of tin cans to create the first models.
He received his first patent for his invention, U.S. Patent Number 450,107, on April 7th of 1891. Soon, a working model made up of 500 parts had been produced. Oliver left the ministry and moved to Epworth, Iowa, where he found investors willing to provide $15,000 of capital so the typewriter could be produced. That would be the same as $425,000 today.
By 1896, the company's manufacturing moved to Woodstock, Illinois after that city donated a vacant factory building. It later moved to Chicago in 1907.
What made the Oliver typewriter unique is that it was the first visible print typewriter, meaning a typist could see the text as it was typed. They were 'down strike' typewriters, meaning the typebars strike the roller from above, rather than from below as was the case on other models of the time. The Oliver's typebars formed a U shape and rested in towers on each side of the typewriter, which is why it got the nickname the 'bat wing' typewriter.
At first, the company relied on sales networks promoted by local customers who then went door-to-door to convince their neighbors of the merits of the Oliver typewriter. By 1920, the company relied solely on mail order sales, dropping the cost of the machine to $50--the same as $1,400 today. At its peak, the company's labor force of 875 was producing 375 typewriters a day.
Oliver did not live to see that success, though. He died suddenly of heart disease on February 9, 1909, at the age of 56, just as his invention was becoming popular. But the Iowa minister who invented a unique form of typewriter secured his first patent for that device on this date in 1891.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Typing with Bat Wings"
The Reverend Thomas Oliver was a Methodist minister in Monticello, Iowa. Canadian by birth, by the time he was 36, Oliver was looking for a way to produce more legible sermons to deliver to his congregation. So in 1888, he began to develop his first typewriter, using strips of tin cans to create the first models.
He received his first patent for his invention, U.S. Patent Number 450,107, on April 7th of 1891. Soon, a working model made up of 500 parts had been produced. Oliver left the ministry and moved to Epworth, Iowa, where he found investors willing to provide $15,000 of capital so the typewriter could be produced. That would be the same as $425,000 today.
By 1896, the company's manufacturing moved to Woodstock, Illinois after that city donated a vacant factory building. It later moved to Chicago in 1907.
What made the Oliver typewriter unique is that it was the first visible print typewriter, meaning a typist could see the text as it was typed. They were 'down strike' typewriters, meaning the typebars strike the roller from above, rather than from below as was the case on other models of the time. The Oliver's typebars formed a U shape and rested in towers on each side of the typewriter, which is why it got the nickname the 'bat wing' typewriter.
At first, the company relied on sales networks promoted by local customers who then went door-to-door to convince their neighbors of the merits of the Oliver typewriter. By 1920, the company relied solely on mail order sales, dropping the cost of the machine to $50--the same as $1,400 today. At its peak, the company's labor force of 875 was producing 375 typewriters a day.
Oliver did not live to see that success, though. He died suddenly of heart disease on February 9, 1909, at the age of 56, just as his invention was becoming popular. But the Iowa minister who invented a unique form of typewriter secured his first patent for that device on this date in 1891.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 7th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, April 6
"A Record for Longevity"
Neva Freed Morris was born on August 3rd, 1895 in Ames, Iowa. She lived her entire life there, getting married in 1914 and raising four children with her husband Edward. They lived with Edward's parents on a 224 acre farm, and she helped all four children attend Iowa State University by raising chickens, hogs and dairy cattle.
We all hope to live a long and happy life. But Neva was a record setter. She lived to the age of 114 years 246 days, before passing away on April 6, 2010. By then she was the oldest Iowan who ever lived. And at the time of her death, she was the oldest verified living person in the United States, and one of the 40 oldest Americans ever.
She was a 60-year member of Collegiate United Methodist Church, and was active in Eastern Star for 75 years. Her son noted that she had an 80-year, accident-free, driving record, even buying a new car at the age of 90. She finally stopped driving when she was 95, and lived in her farm house until age 99, when she moved to North Grand Care Center and later to Northcrest Community, where she spent her last dozen years.
When she died, her 90-year-old son-in-law was by her side. Neva Freed Morris was the second oldest living person in the world and the last American born in 1895 at the time of her death on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Record for Longevity"
Neva Freed Morris was born on August 3rd, 1895 in Ames, Iowa. She lived her entire life there, getting married in 1914 and raising four children with her husband Edward. They lived with Edward's parents on a 224 acre farm, and she helped all four children attend Iowa State University by raising chickens, hogs and dairy cattle.
We all hope to live a long and happy life. But Neva was a record setter. She lived to the age of 114 years 246 days, before passing away on April 6, 2010. By then she was the oldest Iowan who ever lived. And at the time of her death, she was the oldest verified living person in the United States, and one of the 40 oldest Americans ever.
She was a 60-year member of Collegiate United Methodist Church, and was active in Eastern Star for 75 years. Her son noted that she had an 80-year, accident-free, driving record, even buying a new car at the age of 90. She finally stopped driving when she was 95, and lived in her farm house until age 99, when she moved to North Grand Care Center and later to Northcrest Community, where she spent her last dozen years.
When she died, her 90-year-old son-in-law was by her side. Neva Freed Morris was the second oldest living person in the world and the last American born in 1895 at the time of her death on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, April 3
"The Orphan Train"
It was America's first national experiment in foster care...between 1854 and 1929, nearly a quarter million poor and homeless children were rescued from the streets of New York by the Children's Aid society and placed with families in the Midwest and West.
About 7,000 of these children ended up in Iowa, spread out among 105 Iowa towns. Historians call it the greatest mass migration of children in the history of the world.
They made their way westward via trains, which were quickly dubbed "Orphan Trains". The vision was that the children would be healthier and happier away from big city poverty and neglect. But siblings were often separated, because most foster families only wanted one child. And some were treated more like servants than members of the family. On the whole, though, those who ended up in Iowa thrived.
A musical was written not long ago to bring to life the stories of these children who persevered despite humble beginnings.
The fact that this musical made its Midwestern debut in Fairfield, Iowa in 2012 was appropriate...because "the orphan train" made its first stop in Fairfield on this date in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Orphan Train"
It was America's first national experiment in foster care...between 1854 and 1929, nearly a quarter million poor and homeless children were rescued from the streets of New York by the Children's Aid society and placed with families in the Midwest and West.
About 7,000 of these children ended up in Iowa, spread out among 105 Iowa towns. Historians call it the greatest mass migration of children in the history of the world.
They made their way westward via trains, which were quickly dubbed "Orphan Trains". The vision was that the children would be healthier and happier away from big city poverty and neglect. But siblings were often separated, because most foster families only wanted one child. And some were treated more like servants than members of the family. On the whole, though, those who ended up in Iowa thrived.
A musical was written not long ago to bring to life the stories of these children who persevered despite humble beginnings.
The fact that this musical made its Midwestern debut in Fairfield, Iowa in 2012 was appropriate...because "the orphan train" made its first stop in Fairfield on this date in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, April 2
"Football, Indoors"
In February of 1992, Iowa native Jim Foster, founder of the Arena Football League, met with investors about bringing an expansion franchise to Des Moines. The team, the Iowa Barnstormers, began play in 1995, and played in the indoor league's title games in both 1996 and 1997.
They got their name in part because they played in Veterans Memorial Auditorium, affectionately called The Barn, and in tribute to airplane barnstorming pilots of the past.
Early Barnstormers star Kurt Warner moved to the NFL, and wound up playing in three Super Bowls with two different teams.
After the 2000 season, the Barnstormers franchise was sold and the team moved to New York. But a replacement franchise played in the smaller Arena Football 2 league, the AF2. But that only lasted a season, and the Barn was dark.
But local investors stayed interested, and the Iowa Barnstormers returned to the AF2 in 2008 with a strong team and strong attendance...and a new home, the Wells Fargo Arena.
The Barnstormers returned to the Arena Football League in 2010, and marked that return to the top level of indoor football on April 2nd, 2010, with an all-time record crowd of 12,184 fans.
The team now plays fellow Midwestern teams in the IFL, the Indoor Football League, including an in-state rivalry with the Cedar Rapids Titans.
But the 20-year history of indoor professional football in Iowa hit its high point of attendance, when more than 12 thousand fans watched the Iowa Barnstormers in Des Moines on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Football, Indoors"
In February of 1992, Iowa native Jim Foster, founder of the Arena Football League, met with investors about bringing an expansion franchise to Des Moines. The team, the Iowa Barnstormers, began play in 1995, and played in the indoor league's title games in both 1996 and 1997.
They got their name in part because they played in Veterans Memorial Auditorium, affectionately called The Barn, and in tribute to airplane barnstorming pilots of the past.
Early Barnstormers star Kurt Warner moved to the NFL, and wound up playing in three Super Bowls with two different teams.
After the 2000 season, the Barnstormers franchise was sold and the team moved to New York. But a replacement franchise played in the smaller Arena Football 2 league, the AF2. But that only lasted a season, and the Barn was dark.
But local investors stayed interested, and the Iowa Barnstormers returned to the AF2 in 2008 with a strong team and strong attendance...and a new home, the Wells Fargo Arena.
The Barnstormers returned to the Arena Football League in 2010, and marked that return to the top level of indoor football on April 2nd, 2010, with an all-time record crowd of 12,184 fans.
The team now plays fellow Midwestern teams in the IFL, the Indoor Football League, including an in-state rivalry with the Cedar Rapids Titans.
But the 20-year history of indoor professional football in Iowa hit its high point of attendance, when more than 12 thousand fans watched the Iowa Barnstormers in Des Moines on this date in 2010.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, April 1
"Place Your Bets"
In the 1800s, paddlewheel steamers were common on the Mississippi River. Sometimes, those boats included gambling and thanks to movies like "Show Boat", gave us the image of a "riverboat gambler".
On April 1st, 1991, the image of a riverboat gambler was different, thanks to an Iowa law that allowed casino style gambling on riverboats in Iowa. Three separate boats took to the Mississippi on that date...the Diamond Lady in Bettendorf at 7 o'clock that April morning...the President in Davenport a short time later...and that afternoon, the Casino Belle in Dubuque.
The Excursion Gambling Boat Act was passed in March of 1989, and allowed Iowa to be the first state in the country to introduce sanctioned riverboat gambling. But there were limits. The maximum wager was $5, and no person could lose more than $200 on each boat excursion. Only a third of the boat's square footage could be devoted to a casino, and sailing was mandated, unless rough weather made it unsafe. The President's maiden voyage was two and a half hours, but it only traveled a mile upriver due to high water.
In the Quad Cities, it was predicted that riverboat casinos would bring more than a thousand new jobs, and an annual payroll of $18 million. That year alone, 2.1 million people visited the casinos, and the riverboats themselves earned $64 million. But competition soon followed from Illinois, and the increased competition quickly affected Iowa's riverboats. In fact, only a year after they opened, the Bettendorf and Dubuque riverboat casinos closed, as did one which opened later in 1991 in Burlington.
But nearly four thousand people turned out in Davenport, Bettendorf and Dubuque for the opening of the country's first riverboat casinos, on this date in 1991.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Place Your Bets"
In the 1800s, paddlewheel steamers were common on the Mississippi River. Sometimes, those boats included gambling and thanks to movies like "Show Boat", gave us the image of a "riverboat gambler".
On April 1st, 1991, the image of a riverboat gambler was different, thanks to an Iowa law that allowed casino style gambling on riverboats in Iowa. Three separate boats took to the Mississippi on that date...the Diamond Lady in Bettendorf at 7 o'clock that April morning...the President in Davenport a short time later...and that afternoon, the Casino Belle in Dubuque.
The Excursion Gambling Boat Act was passed in March of 1989, and allowed Iowa to be the first state in the country to introduce sanctioned riverboat gambling. But there were limits. The maximum wager was $5, and no person could lose more than $200 on each boat excursion. Only a third of the boat's square footage could be devoted to a casino, and sailing was mandated, unless rough weather made it unsafe. The President's maiden voyage was two and a half hours, but it only traveled a mile upriver due to high water.
In the Quad Cities, it was predicted that riverboat casinos would bring more than a thousand new jobs, and an annual payroll of $18 million. That year alone, 2.1 million people visited the casinos, and the riverboats themselves earned $64 million. But competition soon followed from Illinois, and the increased competition quickly affected Iowa's riverboats. In fact, only a year after they opened, the Bettendorf and Dubuque riverboat casinos closed, as did one which opened later in 1991 in Burlington.
But nearly four thousand people turned out in Davenport, Bettendorf and Dubuque for the opening of the country's first riverboat casinos, on this date in 1991.
And that's Iowa Almanac for April 1st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, March 31
"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 30th...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 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, March 30
"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 th 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 th 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 Friday, March 27
"Literacy on the Homefront"
According to the 1940 census, the O'Brien county town of Hartley in northwest Iowa was definitely booming. The population jumped by 18 percent from the past decade, up to more than 15-hundred people.
That included families with young children. So when the U.S. entered World War II in December of 1941, it was an anxious time.
To help preserve some sense of things being normal, the citizens of Hartley, just like others across the country, supported their troops and tried to carry on with everyday life.
There had been talk for some time about starting a library in town. So despite the war, they did just that...and the Hartley Public Library was opened on Friday, March 27, 1942. Given the wartime climate, it was appropriate to house the new library in the upstairs room of the local Legion Hall.
The population of Hartley then was 15-hundred...it's been fairly stable ever since, now just under 17-hundred. As for the library, it wasn't long before it outgrew that upstairs room in the Legion Hall. In November 1943, it moved to a first floor room in that same Legion Hall, and four years later, the library rented the old post office building for more space. That worked for 20 years until in 1963, the city purchased the former Cove Building, and with the help of local school children, the collection of books was moved there. A new addition to the facility opened in 2001.
But Hartley's first public library opened in the middle of war in the local Legion Hall, on this date in 1942.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Literacy on the Homefront"
According to the 1940 census, the O'Brien county town of Hartley in northwest Iowa was definitely booming. The population jumped by 18 percent from the past decade, up to more than 15-hundred people.
That included families with young children. So when the U.S. entered World War II in December of 1941, it was an anxious time.
To help preserve some sense of things being normal, the citizens of Hartley, just like others across the country, supported their troops and tried to carry on with everyday life.
There had been talk for some time about starting a library in town. So despite the war, they did just that...and the Hartley Public Library was opened on Friday, March 27, 1942. Given the wartime climate, it was appropriate to house the new library in the upstairs room of the local Legion Hall.
The population of Hartley then was 15-hundred...it's been fairly stable ever since, now just under 17-hundred. As for the library, it wasn't long before it outgrew that upstairs room in the Legion Hall. In November 1943, it moved to a first floor room in that same Legion Hall, and four years later, the library rented the old post office building for more space. That worked for 20 years until in 1963, the city purchased the former Cove Building, and with the help of local school children, the collection of books was moved there. A new addition to the facility opened in 2001.
But Hartley's first public library opened in the middle of war in the local Legion Hall, on this date in 1942.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 26
"A Family's Wartime Sacrifice"
More than 76 thousand Iowa men served in the Union army during the U.S. Civil War. No other state had a higher percentage of its male population between the ages of 15 and 40 serve in the military during the war.
And no family gave more than the Littleton family of Louisa County.
James and Martha Littleton arrived there in 1840, six years before Iowa became a state. At the time, they had five children. Five more were born after that. As the Civil War began, there were 10 Littleton children, six boys and four girls, under the age of 30.
One by one, the Littleton men enlisted. Their parents had both died, and while the brothers were fighting in the war, their four sisters were left on the 200 acre family farm near Toolesboro. The oldest, George, enlisted on March 26, 1862. Two of his brothers had already done so. The other three signed up together a few months later, so by summer's end, all six were in the Union Army. And before long, all six would die.
Kendall died in the battle at Prairie Grove, Arkansas before 1862 ended. John was wounded in that fight, and died in a hospital of his injuries. Noah survived that battle, but drowned a few months later while returning in a boat with supplies. William experienced several battles, but died of disease in a military hospital. Thomas was in 10 major battle campaigns, including the Battle of Vicksburg, and was captured by Confederate forces. He died while in prison a year before the war's end.
As for George, he was the only Littleton brother to make it back home. He too was captured, but later released. George was discharged after only 7 months of service because of disease. He returned home but died soon after. Three of every five Union soldiers died from disease.
That included the oldest of Iowa's six Littleton brothers...all of whom died due to the Civil War...George Littleton enlisted on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Family's Wartime Sacrifice"
More than 76 thousand Iowa men served in the Union army during the U.S. Civil War. No other state had a higher percentage of its male population between the ages of 15 and 40 serve in the military during the war.
And no family gave more than the Littleton family of Louisa County.
James and Martha Littleton arrived there in 1840, six years before Iowa became a state. At the time, they had five children. Five more were born after that. As the Civil War began, there were 10 Littleton children, six boys and four girls, under the age of 30.
One by one, the Littleton men enlisted. Their parents had both died, and while the brothers were fighting in the war, their four sisters were left on the 200 acre family farm near Toolesboro. The oldest, George, enlisted on March 26, 1862. Two of his brothers had already done so. The other three signed up together a few months later, so by summer's end, all six were in the Union Army. And before long, all six would die.
Kendall died in the battle at Prairie Grove, Arkansas before 1862 ended. John was wounded in that fight, and died in a hospital of his injuries. Noah survived that battle, but drowned a few months later while returning in a boat with supplies. William experienced several battles, but died of disease in a military hospital. Thomas was in 10 major battle campaigns, including the Battle of Vicksburg, and was captured by Confederate forces. He died while in prison a year before the war's end.
As for George, he was the only Littleton brother to make it back home. He too was captured, but later released. George was discharged after only 7 months of service because of disease. He returned home but died soon after. Three of every five Union soldiers died from disease.
That included the oldest of Iowa's six Littleton brothers...all of whom died due to the Civil War...George Littleton enlisted on this date in 1862.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 25
"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 dollars 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 dollars 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 Tuesday, March 24
"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 democratic senator 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 Democratic Senator 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 democratic senator 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 Democratic Senator 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 Monday, March 23
"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.
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.
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 Friday, March 20
"The Bulldogs in the Final Four"
The scene was the men's college basketball semifinal, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, on March 20, 1969. UCLA was the class of the college basketball world, with a legendary coach, the Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden, and a 7-foot-tall senior center named Lew Alcindor.
Standing in the way of UCLA reaching the championship game was an upstart team from the Missouri Valley Conference...the Drake Bulldogs, led by Coach Maury John.
The names of those Bulldogs are still familiar to fans...Willie McCarter, Dolph Pulliam, Rick Wanamaker, Willie Wise.
UCLA only led by two at halftime, thanks to a unique strategy Coach John employed. Most teams thought keeping the score low was the secret to upending the Bruins, but Maury John told his team to keep shooting. In fact, Drake put up 83 shots in the game, 33 more than UCLA.
With less than a minute to play, the Bulldogs only trained by one. But two late free throws gave UCLA the 85-82 win over Drake.
Two days later, Drake crushed North Carolina and coach Dean Smith in the consolation game, 104-84. UCLA went on to down Purdue in the championship by 20 points as well, giving Alcindor his third college championship.
In an odd show of sportsmanship, late in the championship, the UCLA fans started pointing and chanting at the Drake section..."you're number two"...as a show of respect for the closeness of that Final Four semifinal game.
Drake's 1969 Final Four team has remained close over the years, even though now the players are of retirement age. Dolph Pulliam credits Maury John for bringing him, McCarter, and other African-Americans to central Iowa in the racially charged 1960s, and creating a family-like bond that has lasted a lifetime.
And as today's players dream of their Road to the Final Four, we remember the Drake Bulldogs, who narrowly lost in the NCAA national semifinal to the greatest college basketball power of all time, UCLA...on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Bulldogs in the Final Four"
The scene was the men's college basketball semifinal, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, on March 20, 1969. UCLA was the class of the college basketball world, with a legendary coach, the Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden, and a 7-foot-tall senior center named Lew Alcindor.
Standing in the way of UCLA reaching the championship game was an upstart team from the Missouri Valley Conference...the Drake Bulldogs, led by Coach Maury John.
The names of those Bulldogs are still familiar to fans...Willie McCarter, Dolph Pulliam, Rick Wanamaker, Willie Wise.
UCLA only led by two at halftime, thanks to a unique strategy Coach John employed. Most teams thought keeping the score low was the secret to upending the Bruins, but Maury John told his team to keep shooting. In fact, Drake put up 83 shots in the game, 33 more than UCLA.
With less than a minute to play, the Bulldogs only trained by one. But two late free throws gave UCLA the 85-82 win over Drake.
Two days later, Drake crushed North Carolina and coach Dean Smith in the consolation game, 104-84. UCLA went on to down Purdue in the championship by 20 points as well, giving Alcindor his third college championship.
In an odd show of sportsmanship, late in the championship, the UCLA fans started pointing and chanting at the Drake section..."you're number two"...as a show of respect for the closeness of that Final Four semifinal game.
Drake's 1969 Final Four team has remained close over the years, even though now the players are of retirement age. Dolph Pulliam credits Maury John for bringing him, McCarter, and other African-Americans to central Iowa in the racially charged 1960s, and creating a family-like bond that has lasted a lifetime.
And as today's players dream of their Road to the Final Four, we remember the Drake Bulldogs, who narrowly lost in the NCAA national semifinal to the greatest college basketball power of all time, UCLA...on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 19
"A Reporter Versus A President"
A group of broadcast journalists gathered in Houston, Texas for the 1974 convention of the National Association of Broadcasters. One of the events at the convention was an appearance by President Richard Nixon, and a select group of journalists was picked to ask the president a question at a news conference.
The 17th question was asked by legendary Iowa broadcaster Grant Price, then working as head of the news operation for the Black Hawk Broadcasting Company. The question--and the answer--made headlines.
"In view of some of the USDA miscalculations of the past...what assurance do the farmers have that their super output will not lead to a disastrous break in farm prices as in fact has already occurred in the beef feeding industry?
"Well first, let me say that despite what is called a disastrous break in farm prices, the farmers have never had it so good. And second, we want them to have it good, because the farmer isn't going to produce unless he gets a good price. And I know Iowa well because, as you know, I was stationed there during the war."
That response didn't sit very well in Iowa's heartland. The "farmers never had it so good" quote was front page news back in Iowa and other midwestern states. It did not get as much national attention as it might have, because of the question and answer just before that, as Nixon and CBS reporter Dan Rather got into a verbal exchange tied to the Watergate scandal.
And who was next to ask a question, after Price? NBC's Tom Brokaw, who got his start in TV news in Iowa.
But it was the question asked by Waterloo, Iowa's Grant Price that led President Nixon to claim "farmers never had it so good", on this date in 1974.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Reporter Versus A President"
A group of broadcast journalists gathered in Houston, Texas for the 1974 convention of the National Association of Broadcasters. One of the events at the convention was an appearance by President Richard Nixon, and a select group of journalists was picked to ask the president a question at a news conference.
The 17th question was asked by legendary Iowa broadcaster Grant Price, then working as head of the news operation for the Black Hawk Broadcasting Company. The question--and the answer--made headlines.
"In view of some of the USDA miscalculations of the past...what assurance do the farmers have that their super output will not lead to a disastrous break in farm prices as in fact has already occurred in the beef feeding industry?
"Well first, let me say that despite what is called a disastrous break in farm prices, the farmers have never had it so good. And second, we want them to have it good, because the farmer isn't going to produce unless he gets a good price. And I know Iowa well because, as you know, I was stationed there during the war."
That response didn't sit very well in Iowa's heartland. The "farmers never had it so good" quote was front page news back in Iowa and other midwestern states. It did not get as much national attention as it might have, because of the question and answer just before that, as Nixon and CBS reporter Dan Rather got into a verbal exchange tied to the Watergate scandal.
And who was next to ask a question, after Price? NBC's Tom Brokaw, who got his start in TV news in Iowa.
But it was the question asked by Waterloo, Iowa's Grant Price that led President Nixon to claim "farmers never had it so good", on this date in 1974.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 18
"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 plan 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 plan 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 Tuesday, March 17
"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 designed 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 designed 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 Monday, March 16
"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 Friday, March 13
"The Dillinger Robbery"
On March 13, 1934, a dark blue Buick sedan pulled up outside the First National Bank in Mason City. There were seven people in the sedan, including John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and five others. Two remained in the car, while the others either entered the bank or stood watch outside.
The gang entered the bank and started shooting their guns into the ceiling and walls. Bank guard Tom Walters watch from an elevated bulletproof observation booth, and fired a tear gas cartridge, hitting one of the robbers in the back. Bullets then shattered the glass of the observation booth, but Walters was not hit.
By sheer coincidence, earlier in the day, a newsreel camera operator started shooting film of the bank, which led to a crowd gathering to watch. They were still there as the robbery unfolded, and some people in the crowd and in the neighboring Nichols and Green shoe store were used by the robbers to shield them from police.
Waving their guns, the robbers then ordered people on the street to cling to the getaway car, either by holding on to the sides or standing on the rear bumper. Numbers vary, but it's generally thought two dozen people were taken hostage in that way.
The robbers left the bank with $52,000 and made their escape in the Buick, with Mason City residents hanging on as human shields. The hostages were let off the car over the course of the next hour, individually and in small groups. The car was found that night in a quarry four miles south of Mason City. It was the second success for the gang in a week, as they robbed a bank in Sioux Falls seven days earlier.
Dillinger himself would not celebrate many more escapes. Only four months later, he was killed by Chicago police as he left a movie theater there. But it was a clean getaway for John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and the rest when they robbed a bank in Mason City in broad daylight on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Dillinger Robbery"
On March 13, 1934, a dark blue Buick sedan pulled up outside the First National Bank in Mason City. There were seven people in the sedan, including John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and five others. Two remained in the car, while the others either entered the bank or stood watch outside.
The gang entered the bank and started shooting their guns into the ceiling and walls. Bank guard Tom Walters watch from an elevated bulletproof observation booth, and fired a tear gas cartridge, hitting one of the robbers in the back. Bullets then shattered the glass of the observation booth, but Walters was not hit.
By sheer coincidence, earlier in the day, a newsreel camera operator started shooting film of the bank, which led to a crowd gathering to watch. They were still there as the robbery unfolded, and some people in the crowd and in the neighboring Nichols and Green shoe store were used by the robbers to shield them from police.
Waving their guns, the robbers then ordered people on the street to cling to the getaway car, either by holding on to the sides or standing on the rear bumper. Numbers vary, but it's generally thought two dozen people were taken hostage in that way.
The robbers left the bank with $52,000 and made their escape in the Buick, with Mason City residents hanging on as human shields. The hostages were let off the car over the course of the next hour, individually and in small groups. The car was found that night in a quarry four miles south of Mason City. It was the second success for the gang in a week, as they robbed a bank in Sioux Falls seven days earlier.
Dillinger himself would not celebrate many more escapes. Only four months later, he was killed by Chicago police as he left a movie theater there. But it was a clean getaway for John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and the rest when they robbed a bank in Mason City in broad daylight on this date in 1934.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 12
"Setting New Standards"
Prior to 1907, Iowa's hospitals set their own educational standards as a condition of employment. There was nothing to prohibit a person from claiming to be a nurse...no uniform requirements regarding training, no licenses, no competency examinations.
On March 12, 1907, the Iowa Legislature took the first step toward making sure those who provided nursing care to Iowans were qualified. That came with passage of the Nurse Practice Act, which required education and licensure by examination.
That law required applicants to be at least 23 years of age, and of "good moral character". That last requirement remained part of Iowa law until 1964, and was often proven by references from clergy and teachers.
Licenses could be revoked for fraud, immoral or unprofessional conduct, or violation of Board of Health rules. And those who practiced nursing without a license were guilty of a misdemeanor.
But there was no definition of what nursing was. That did not come until 1938, when language referencing licensing and actual duties of the profession was included in Iowa law.
The first licensing exam had 50 essay questions. There were 10 questions on "diseases of men", but those were taken by men only. A total of 695 nurses were licensed right away without a test, based on their past experience or education. Seven people took that first exam in 1908...all passed.
Nearly a century later, in 2000, legislation was passed making Iowa the 9th state to join the multi-state licensure compact agreement, to allow nurses licensed in one state to practice in any other state that was part of the compact.
But the regulation of nursing as a profession began when the first Nurse Practice Act was passed, on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Setting New Standards"
Prior to 1907, Iowa's hospitals set their own educational standards as a condition of employment. There was nothing to prohibit a person from claiming to be a nurse...no uniform requirements regarding training, no licenses, no competency examinations.
On March 12, 1907, the Iowa Legislature took the first step toward making sure those who provided nursing care to Iowans were qualified. That came with passage of the Nurse Practice Act, which required education and licensure by examination.
That law required applicants to be at least 23 years of age, and of "good moral character". That last requirement remained part of Iowa law until 1964, and was often proven by references from clergy and teachers.
Licenses could be revoked for fraud, immoral or unprofessional conduct, or violation of Board of Health rules. And those who practiced nursing without a license were guilty of a misdemeanor.
But there was no definition of what nursing was. That did not come until 1938, when language referencing licensing and actual duties of the profession was included in Iowa law.
The first licensing exam had 50 essay questions. There were 10 questions on "diseases of men", but those were taken by men only. A total of 695 nurses were licensed right away without a test, based on their past experience or education. Seven people took that first exam in 1908...all passed.
Nearly a century later, in 2000, legislation was passed making Iowa the 9th state to join the multi-state licensure compact agreement, to allow nurses licensed in one state to practice in any other state that was part of the compact.
But the regulation of nursing as a profession began when the first Nurse Practice Act was passed, on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 11
"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, marking 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 reach 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 their 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, marking 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 reach 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 their 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 Tuesday, March 10
"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 his to adopt a non-standard fingering some critics have associated with his original sound.
In 1927, he recorded “In a Mist”, one of a few of his 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 his to adopt a non-standard fingering some critics have associated with his original sound.
In 1927, he recorded “In a Mist”, one of a few of his 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 Monday, March 9
"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, bloodhound 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, bloodhound 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 Friday, March 6
"Seeking the Vote"
The headline in the Evening Times-Republican in Marshalltown on March 6, 1911, likely gave readers an idea of how the paper viewed the topic.
It read "Suffragists Invade Iowa State House".
The story says that women suffragists from all parts of the state appeared before the Senate committee and constitutional amendments that day. Leaders of the national suffrage movement also attended, urging support for the Allen resolution, which would have put the suffrage question to a direct vote of the people. And it was not just a women's issue, as one of those speaking that day was the head of a group called the Men's League for Women's Suffrage.
The struggle had been going on for some time. The first women's suffrage association in the state was formed in Dubuque in 1869, and the first state convention on the topic was held the next year, in Mt. Pleasant.
To give women the vote, the Iowa Constitution would have to be changed. It takes a positive vote of two sessions of the legislature, and back then, they only met every two years. The effort passed in 1870, but failed the next time the legislature met, in 1872. It went on like that for a while.
In 1894, the legislature granted partial suffrage to women, allowing them to vote on public issues, but not elections for public officials.
Momentum was gathering, and 1910 was a year when the movement was gaining a lot of support, which is why the group was testifying before a Senate committee on this date in 1911.
It took until 1916 before the Iowa legislature approved a constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, but it had to be approved by voters. It failed.
Finally, the U.S. Constitution was amended so women could vote throughout the U.S. in 1920, more than 60 years after the issue had come up in Iowa. But only due to the perseverance of dedicated Iowans, like those who invaded the state capitol in Des Moines, on this date in 1911.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Seeking the Vote"
The headline in the Evening Times-Republican in Marshalltown on March 6, 1911, likely gave readers an idea of how the paper viewed the topic.
It read "Suffragists Invade Iowa State House".
The story says that women suffragists from all parts of the state appeared before the Senate committee and constitutional amendments that day. Leaders of the national suffrage movement also attended, urging support for the Allen resolution, which would have put the suffrage question to a direct vote of the people. And it was not just a women's issue, as one of those speaking that day was the head of a group called the Men's League for Women's Suffrage.
The struggle had been going on for some time. The first women's suffrage association in the state was formed in Dubuque in 1869, and the first state convention on the topic was held the next year, in Mt. Pleasant.
To give women the vote, the Iowa Constitution would have to be changed. It takes a positive vote of two sessions of the legislature, and back then, they only met every two years. The effort passed in 1870, but failed the next time the legislature met, in 1872. It went on like that for a while.
In 1894, the legislature granted partial suffrage to women, allowing them to vote on public issues, but not elections for public officials.
Momentum was gathering, and 1910 was a year when the movement was gaining a lot of support, which is why the group was testifying before a Senate committee on this date in 1911.
It took until 1916 before the Iowa legislature approved a constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, but it had to be approved by voters. It failed.
Finally, the U.S. Constitution was amended so women could vote throughout the U.S. in 1920, more than 60 years after the issue had come up in Iowa. But only due to the perseverance of dedicated Iowans, like those who invaded the state capitol in Des Moines, on this date in 1911.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, March 5
"The World's Largest Store"
It was the depth of the Great Depression...not exactly a time to open a new retail business. But Sears, Roebuck and Company was different, and on March 5, 1936, Mason City residents saw a Sears store open in their city.
The famous Sears catalog was well known, but at that time, Sears stores had only been around for a decade.
The two-story store was located at 23-25 E. State Street in downtown Mason City, welcoming residents with a wide range of affordable merchandise. That year, the company's net sales totaled nearly a half billion dollars. The Mason City store was one of 440 in the U.S.
Before long, the downtown store was too small, and as part of the emerging trend toward a new concept, the shopping center, Sears moved to the new South Federal Avenue shopping center in 1959. The store was a major tenant at the shopping center, which was located on ground formerly occupied by the North Iowa Fair. The new single story, medium size store was one of 16 Sears stores that relocated to larger quarters that year alone. The new 80,000-foot store featured a large furniture and appliance showroom, of course, but also a candy counter, employee cafeteria, and an 8-car service station. The Mason City store began the 1960s as the second largest Sears store in Iowa, employing 120 people. And as the 1990s began, Sears expanded its store in the Southport Shopping Center by taking space formerly used by two neighboring stores.
Like many famed 20th century retailers, Sears has had to reposition itself due to increased competition, including from online stores. But north Iowans were on the forefront of something new when the original Sears, Roebuck and Company store in Mason City opened on this date in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The World's Largest Store"
It was the depth of the Great Depression...not exactly a time to open a new retail business. But Sears, Roebuck and Company was different, and on March 5, 1936, Mason City residents saw a Sears store open in their city.
The famous Sears catalog was well known, but at that time, Sears stores had only been around for a decade.
The two-story store was located at 23-25 E. State Street in downtown Mason City, welcoming residents with a wide range of affordable merchandise. That year, the company's net sales totaled nearly a half billion dollars. The Mason City store was one of 440 in the U.S.
Before long, the downtown store was too small, and as part of the emerging trend toward a new concept, the shopping center, Sears moved to the new South Federal Avenue shopping center in 1959. The store was a major tenant at the shopping center, which was located on ground formerly occupied by the North Iowa Fair. The new single story, medium size store was one of 16 Sears stores that relocated to larger quarters that year alone. The new 80,000-foot store featured a large furniture and appliance showroom, of course, but also a candy counter, employee cafeteria, and an 8-car service station. The Mason City store began the 1960s as the second largest Sears store in Iowa, employing 120 people. And as the 1990s began, Sears expanded its store in the Southport Shopping Center by taking space formerly used by two neighboring stores.
Like many famed 20th century retailers, Sears has had to reposition itself due to increased competition, including from online stores. But north Iowans were on the forefront of something new when the original Sears, Roebuck and Company store in Mason City opened on this date in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for March 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, March 4
"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 became 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 as 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 became 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 as 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 Tuesday, March 3
"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 could the ceiling already burned through, and fire falling down from the second story. He quickly ran up stairs 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 could the ceiling already burned through, and fire falling down from the second story. He quickly ran up stairs 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 Monday, March 2
"The Gilbralter 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 a 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 Gilbralter 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 a 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 Friday, February 27
"Starting the Presses"
Newspapers have evolved over time. Now we read them in print and on line. One of the best ways for students to learn the craft of journalism is to have a practicum publication. And on February 27, 1897, the students at Morningside College in Sioux City published the first edition of their student newspaper. It was called L’Echo, presumably to reflect the voices of the students. But the name changed the next year to the Collegian Reporter.
A number of famous Morningside graduates took a turn writing for the Morningside Collegian Reporter during its nearly 120 year history.
Former Iowa governor William L. Harding wrote for the paper, as did novelist Josephine Herbst, the editor of Ebony magazine, Era Bell Thompson, and Des Moines Register editor William Waymack.
But among the Collegian Reporter’s most famous writers were twin sisters Esther and Pauline Friedman, who were born in Sioux City on July 4, 1918. The Friedman twins wrote a gossip column for the paper in the 1930s called The Campus Rat. That wound up being pretty good training for Esther and Pauline…who went on to become the nationally renowned advice columnists Ann Landers and Dear Abby, respectively.
In a sign of the times, the Collegian Reporter stopped publishing a print edition in 2009. But it’s still there as an on-line publication, maintaining the tradition that started with that first edition of L’Echo, published on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Starting the Presses"
Newspapers have evolved over time. Now we read them in print and on line. One of the best ways for students to learn the craft of journalism is to have a practicum publication. And on February 27, 1897, the students at Morningside College in Sioux City published the first edition of their student newspaper. It was called L’Echo, presumably to reflect the voices of the students. But the name changed the next year to the Collegian Reporter.
A number of famous Morningside graduates took a turn writing for the Morningside Collegian Reporter during its nearly 120 year history.
Former Iowa governor William L. Harding wrote for the paper, as did novelist Josephine Herbst, the editor of Ebony magazine, Era Bell Thompson, and Des Moines Register editor William Waymack.
But among the Collegian Reporter’s most famous writers were twin sisters Esther and Pauline Friedman, who were born in Sioux City on July 4, 1918. The Friedman twins wrote a gossip column for the paper in the 1930s called The Campus Rat. That wound up being pretty good training for Esther and Pauline…who went on to become the nationally renowned advice columnists Ann Landers and Dear Abby, respectively.
In a sign of the times, the Collegian Reporter stopped publishing a print edition in 2009. But it’s still there as an on-line publication, maintaining the tradition that started with that first edition of L’Echo, published on this date in 1897.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 26
"Bringing Home the Bacon"
Iowa is the nation’s biggest producer of pork. In fact, nearly five percent of Iowa’s income comes from the production of bacon alone.
So it’s probably not surprising that various “bacon festivals” have sprung up in the last few years, in Des Moines and Waterloo among other places.
But the Iowa House gave the current bacon craze additional credibility in 2011, when it declared February 26th to be Iowa Bacon Day. It was in conjunction with the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, which was in its fourth year at the time.
The proclamation notes that Maine has lobster, Idaho has potatoes…but Iowa has bacon, what they termed “nature’s perfect food”. The proclamation continues:
“Whereas, whether plain or apple-wood smoked, whether store-bought or artisan-made, bacon is a meat for any meal; and whereas, as America’s top pork producer, Iowa stands tall as the nation’s source of high-quality bacon…be it resolved by the House of Representatives that the House recognizes February 26, 2011, be Iowa Bacon Day and invites all Iowans to take part in the festival and to celebrate bacon.”
80 percent of Americans eat bacon…nature’s perfect food…as recognized by the Iowa House on this date in 2011.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Bringing Home the Bacon"
Iowa is the nation’s biggest producer of pork. In fact, nearly five percent of Iowa’s income comes from the production of bacon alone.
So it’s probably not surprising that various “bacon festivals” have sprung up in the last few years, in Des Moines and Waterloo among other places.
But the Iowa House gave the current bacon craze additional credibility in 2011, when it declared February 26th to be Iowa Bacon Day. It was in conjunction with the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, which was in its fourth year at the time.
The proclamation notes that Maine has lobster, Idaho has potatoes…but Iowa has bacon, what they termed “nature’s perfect food”. The proclamation continues:
“Whereas, whether plain or apple-wood smoked, whether store-bought or artisan-made, bacon is a meat for any meal; and whereas, as America’s top pork producer, Iowa stands tall as the nation’s source of high-quality bacon…be it resolved by the House of Representatives that the House recognizes February 26, 2011, be Iowa Bacon Day and invites all Iowans to take part in the festival and to celebrate bacon.”
80 percent of Americans eat bacon…nature’s perfect food…as recognized by the Iowa House on this date in 2011.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 25
"Creating a University"
Iowa had officially been a state for less than two months, when on February 25, 1847, the Iowa legislature voted to establish a state university. And it only made sense to place that university where the state's capitol was located, Iowa City.
The State University of Iowa took a while to welcome students and actually hold classes. The first faculty offered instruction to students in March of 1855 in the Old Mechanics Building, which is where Seashore Hall is located today. By September of that year, there were 124 students, including 41 women.
That same year, 1855, saw the university start collecting books for a library. The university received 50 books that year...a good start for a facility that would open in 1857 and become one of the nation's largest research libraries.
In 1857, the state's capitol moved to Des Moines, and the Old Capitol Building became the first permanent home of the university, and it's still its signature building today.
Early on, there were nine departments offering programs in Ancient and Modern Languages, Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, History, Natural History, Mathematics and Chemistry.
The first degree from SUI was awarded in 1858 to Dexter Smith, a bachelor of science degree.
But only 59 days after becoming a state, the University of Iowa was founded on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Creating a University"
Iowa had officially been a state for less than two months, when on February 25, 1847, the Iowa legislature voted to establish a state university. And it only made sense to place that university where the state's capitol was located, Iowa City.
The State University of Iowa took a while to welcome students and actually hold classes. The first faculty offered instruction to students in March of 1855 in the Old Mechanics Building, which is where Seashore Hall is located today. By September of that year, there were 124 students, including 41 women.
That same year, 1855, saw the university start collecting books for a library. The university received 50 books that year...a good start for a facility that would open in 1857 and become one of the nation's largest research libraries.
In 1857, the state's capitol moved to Des Moines, and the Old Capitol Building became the first permanent home of the university, and it's still its signature building today.
Early on, there were nine departments offering programs in Ancient and Modern Languages, Intellectual and Moral Philosophy, Natural Philosophy, History, Natural History, Mathematics and Chemistry.
The first degree from SUI was awarded in 1858 to Dexter Smith, a bachelor of science degree.
But only 59 days after becoming a state, the University of Iowa was founded on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 25th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 24
"Standing Up for Student Rights"
In December of 1965, a group of Des Moines students...four members of the Tinker family, along with their friend Christopher Eckhardt...decided to wear black armbands to school one day in protest of the Vietnam War.
School officials learned of the plan, and implemented a new policy saying anyone wearing an armband would have to remove it or face suspension from school.
Siblings John and Mary Beth Tinker and Christopher Eckhardt wore the armbands anyway, and were suspended.
The Iowa Civil Liberties Union believed this to be a violation of the students' right to free speech, so they helped the families file a lawsuit against the school. It made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and became a landmark decision supporting free speech and students' rights.
By a 7 to 2 vote, the justices ruled that the First Amendment does apply to public schools, and administrators would have to show valid reasons for stifling that speech, such as a true fear of physical violence or classroom disruption that might result.
In legendary language, the court wrote, "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."
A group of Des Moines students, wearing simple armbands to protest a war, made history in advancing the cause of free speech in this country, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided the "Tinker v. Des Moines Schools" case on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Standing Up for Student Rights"
In December of 1965, a group of Des Moines students...four members of the Tinker family, along with their friend Christopher Eckhardt...decided to wear black armbands to school one day in protest of the Vietnam War.
School officials learned of the plan, and implemented a new policy saying anyone wearing an armband would have to remove it or face suspension from school.
Siblings John and Mary Beth Tinker and Christopher Eckhardt wore the armbands anyway, and were suspended.
The Iowa Civil Liberties Union believed this to be a violation of the students' right to free speech, so they helped the families file a lawsuit against the school. It made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and became a landmark decision supporting free speech and students' rights.
By a 7 to 2 vote, the justices ruled that the First Amendment does apply to public schools, and administrators would have to show valid reasons for stifling that speech, such as a true fear of physical violence or classroom disruption that might result.
In legendary language, the court wrote, "It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate."
A group of Des Moines students, wearing simple armbands to protest a war, made history in advancing the cause of free speech in this country, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided the "Tinker v. Des Moines Schools" case on this date in 1969.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 24th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 23
"The Birth of a Party"
A group of abolitionists met in the Washington County town of Crawfordsville on this date in 1854. The meeting was held in the Seceder Church.
At the time, Crawfordsville was an intensely political and intellectual town, with more than the normal discussion about current events. Many who settled there were highly educated. It was a point on the Underground Railroad, and had the first consolidated school west of the Mississippi.
At the February 23rd meeting, area men--many of whom had been members of the Whig party--debated political topics, created a platform of positions, and nominated candidates for a new movement, a new political party. Initially, the party was a strong anti-slavery voice.
The movement spread across the country, with similar meetings held in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
The first public meeting of similarly minded people was held in Ripon, Wisconsin a month after the Crawfordsville gathering, leading some to say that meeting was the start of the movement.
And it's not surprising that many claim to be the birthplace of this new party, which in six short years would elect one of their own as president--Abraham Lincoln. But Crawfordsville, Iowa, stakes its claim to be the birthplace of the Republican Party because of the meeting held there on this date in 1854.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Birth of a Party"
A group of abolitionists met in the Washington County town of Crawfordsville on this date in 1854. The meeting was held in the Seceder Church.
At the time, Crawfordsville was an intensely political and intellectual town, with more than the normal discussion about current events. Many who settled there were highly educated. It was a point on the Underground Railroad, and had the first consolidated school west of the Mississippi.
At the February 23rd meeting, area men--many of whom had been members of the Whig party--debated political topics, created a platform of positions, and nominated candidates for a new movement, a new political party. Initially, the party was a strong anti-slavery voice.
The movement spread across the country, with similar meetings held in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
The first public meeting of similarly minded people was held in Ripon, Wisconsin a month after the Crawfordsville gathering, leading some to say that meeting was the start of the movement.
And it's not surprising that many claim to be the birthplace of this new party, which in six short years would elect one of their own as president--Abraham Lincoln. But Crawfordsville, Iowa, stakes its claim to be the birthplace of the Republican Party because of the meeting held there on this date in 1854.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, February 20
"Tribal Bingo"
In the mid-1980s, the Meskwaki settlement consisted of about 4,000 acres of land, and 650 people lived there. The unemployment rate was around 70 percent.
At the time, other tribes were finding financial success through bingo and casino projects, taking advantage of federal laws that granted special privileges to tribes and Native American settlement lands.
But it was not an easy sell within the Meskwaki nation. On December 7, 1984, a vote of tribal members to pursue a bingo hall failed. Two years later, a similar measure passed, and on February 20, 1987, a new bingo hall was opened on the settlement grounds near Tama.
It quickly became a big success, and soon came a movement to expand beyond bingo to include casino gaming. As was the case when the bingo discussion came up, consensus was hard to find. Some tribal members argued in favor of the jobs and income a casino would provide; others were fearful of new problems. In December 1991, the tribe voted to expand beyond bingo, and soon a major addition to the bingo hall housed casino gaming.
The impact on the Meskwaki nation was immediate. The unemployment rate of 70 percent when the bingo hall opened dropped to 40 percent in only 8 years, and to less than 12 percent after the start of casino gaming.
Today, the facility includes a full gaming hall, entertainment complex, hotel, and convenience store, and proceeds have gone to build houses and a school. There's still bingo, too...which is how it began, when Meskwaki Bingo opened near Tama on this date in 1987.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Tribal Bingo"
In the mid-1980s, the Meskwaki settlement consisted of about 4,000 acres of land, and 650 people lived there. The unemployment rate was around 70 percent.
At the time, other tribes were finding financial success through bingo and casino projects, taking advantage of federal laws that granted special privileges to tribes and Native American settlement lands.
But it was not an easy sell within the Meskwaki nation. On December 7, 1984, a vote of tribal members to pursue a bingo hall failed. Two years later, a similar measure passed, and on February 20, 1987, a new bingo hall was opened on the settlement grounds near Tama.
It quickly became a big success, and soon came a movement to expand beyond bingo to include casino gaming. As was the case when the bingo discussion came up, consensus was hard to find. Some tribal members argued in favor of the jobs and income a casino would provide; others were fearful of new problems. In December 1991, the tribe voted to expand beyond bingo, and soon a major addition to the bingo hall housed casino gaming.
The impact on the Meskwaki nation was immediate. The unemployment rate of 70 percent when the bingo hall opened dropped to 40 percent in only 8 years, and to less than 12 percent after the start of casino gaming.
Today, the facility includes a full gaming hall, entertainment complex, hotel, and convenience store, and proceeds have gone to build houses and a school. There's still bingo, too...which is how it began, when Meskwaki Bingo opened near Tama on this date in 1987.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 19
"The Antenna Inventor"
After serving in World War II, John Winegard returned to Burlington, Iowa and found work as a radio repairman. That made sense, since as a boy during the Great Depression, he built his own telegraph set out of a tobacco can, a car horn, and a used battery.
By the late 1940s, the earliest television stations started broadcasting, but only in major cities hundreds of miles away. John wanted to see what the new Chicago station, now WBBM, was putting on the air, so in 1948 he designed and built an outdoor antenna that would allow him to watch TV from Chicago in Burlington. Working out of a friend’s basement, and then his parent’s garage, John Winegard’s designs became more sophisticated, and soon he created the Electro-Lens director system, the first patented improvement on TV antenna design in 25 years.
In 1948, there was less than 1 million TV sets in the U.S. Five years later, that number grew to 25 million, all needing antennas to receive the VHF signals of channels 2 through 13. So John founded the Wingeard Company on December 29, 1953.
When the government opened up the UHF band, channels 14 through 83, in 1955, Winegard was there, with the first 82-channel antenna. A few years later, he invented the first electronic booster, to improve signal quality.
For a time, the legendary Paul Harvey advertised Winegard products on the air as a spokesman…so did Arthur Godfrey and Milton Berle.
Today, the company is still based in Burlington, with a worldwide reputation for producing antenna for a variety of uses. It’s operated by his children, who carry on their father’s dream of making his home area a great place to live and work. It’s the legacy John Winegard left when he died on this date in 2002.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Antenna Inventor"
After serving in World War II, John Winegard returned to Burlington, Iowa and found work as a radio repairman. That made sense, since as a boy during the Great Depression, he built his own telegraph set out of a tobacco can, a car horn, and a used battery.
By the late 1940s, the earliest television stations started broadcasting, but only in major cities hundreds of miles away. John wanted to see what the new Chicago station, now WBBM, was putting on the air, so in 1948 he designed and built an outdoor antenna that would allow him to watch TV from Chicago in Burlington. Working out of a friend’s basement, and then his parent’s garage, John Winegard’s designs became more sophisticated, and soon he created the Electro-Lens director system, the first patented improvement on TV antenna design in 25 years.
In 1948, there was less than 1 million TV sets in the U.S. Five years later, that number grew to 25 million, all needing antennas to receive the VHF signals of channels 2 through 13. So John founded the Wingeard Company on December 29, 1953.
When the government opened up the UHF band, channels 14 through 83, in 1955, Winegard was there, with the first 82-channel antenna. A few years later, he invented the first electronic booster, to improve signal quality.
For a time, the legendary Paul Harvey advertised Winegard products on the air as a spokesman…so did Arthur Godfrey and Milton Berle.
Today, the company is still based in Burlington, with a worldwide reputation for producing antenna for a variety of uses. It’s operated by his children, who carry on their father’s dream of making his home area a great place to live and work. It’s the legacy John Winegard left when he died on this date in 2002.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 18
"Sounds Flying Through The Air"
Robert Karlowa was fascinated with the idea that sounds could travel wirelessly from one point to another. So in 1907, he was one of a growing number of people who set up experimental stations, first in Rock Island, Illinois and then in Davenport, Iowa, sending signals to other hobbyists. The word “radio” had not been invented then.
Karlowa’s interest grew, as did his station. On February 18, 1922, he got a license from the federal government to operate a radio station in Davenport, called WOC. It was the first commercial station in Iowa, and one of the first west of the Mississippi.
But operating a commercial station was more than a hobby, both in time and cost. Soon after, he sold the station to Col. B.J. Palmer, who operated the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Palmer wanted the station to promote the Palmer School and he even gave radio lectures about chiropractic treatment.
Broadcasting became big business for Palmer, who later wrote a book, “Radio Salesmanship”, which became must-reading for those in the industry.
WOC became a charter member of the NBC radio network in 1927, and in 1932, gave a young man a job as a sportscaster…Ronald Reagan. The original WOC left the air for a time in the 1930s, but a new WOC was started soon after.
B.J. Palmer always said WOC stood for Wonders of Chiropractic. It actually didn’t, because those call letters were randomly assigned to the station’s founder, Robert Karlowa, on this date in 1922.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Sounds Flying Through The Air"
Robert Karlowa was fascinated with the idea that sounds could travel wirelessly from one point to another. So in 1907, he was one of a growing number of people who set up experimental stations, first in Rock Island, Illinois and then in Davenport, Iowa, sending signals to other hobbyists. The word “radio” had not been invented then.
Karlowa’s interest grew, as did his station. On February 18, 1922, he got a license from the federal government to operate a radio station in Davenport, called WOC. It was the first commercial station in Iowa, and one of the first west of the Mississippi.
But operating a commercial station was more than a hobby, both in time and cost. Soon after, he sold the station to Col. B.J. Palmer, who operated the Palmer School of Chiropractic. Palmer wanted the station to promote the Palmer School and he even gave radio lectures about chiropractic treatment.
Broadcasting became big business for Palmer, who later wrote a book, “Radio Salesmanship”, which became must-reading for those in the industry.
WOC became a charter member of the NBC radio network in 1927, and in 1932, gave a young man a job as a sportscaster…Ronald Reagan. The original WOC left the air for a time in the 1930s, but a new WOC was started soon after.
B.J. Palmer always said WOC stood for Wonders of Chiropractic. It actually didn’t, because those call letters were randomly assigned to the station’s founder, Robert Karlowa, on this date in 1922.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 18th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 17
"Those Kids and Their Darn Music"
It's become something of a stereotype...parents complain about their children's taste in music...then those children grow up and become parents who complain about their children's music.
Rarely, though, does a sitting governor weigh in on the topic. But then again, Harold Hughes always did speak his mind.
In a speech to the Iowa Bank Auditors and Controllers conference at the Hyperion Club in Des Moines on this date in 1966, Hughes said, "Our young people may wear their hair in weird fashions, and listen to godawful music...But then, young people have always done things of equally ridiculous nature. And we have survived."
Hughes went on to compare the anti-war sentiment of the time with past protests, and noted that America survived then, too.
In a far-reaching address that in some ways telegraphed his later interest in national politics, Hughes discussed local, state, and international issues.
He said if any place on the troubled earth has a bright future, "it is this patch of good earth and God-given abundance that we call Iowa."
But the headline writers in The Des Moines Register focused on his comments about the "godawful music" listened to by young people, when they reported on Gov. Hughes' speech, delivered on this date in 1966.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Those Kids and Their Darn Music"
It's become something of a stereotype...parents complain about their children's taste in music...then those children grow up and become parents who complain about their children's music.
Rarely, though, does a sitting governor weigh in on the topic. But then again, Harold Hughes always did speak his mind.
In a speech to the Iowa Bank Auditors and Controllers conference at the Hyperion Club in Des Moines on this date in 1966, Hughes said, "Our young people may wear their hair in weird fashions, and listen to godawful music...But then, young people have always done things of equally ridiculous nature. And we have survived."
Hughes went on to compare the anti-war sentiment of the time with past protests, and noted that America survived then, too.
In a far-reaching address that in some ways telegraphed his later interest in national politics, Hughes discussed local, state, and international issues.
He said if any place on the troubled earth has a bright future, "it is this patch of good earth and God-given abundance that we call Iowa."
But the headline writers in The Des Moines Register focused on his comments about the "godawful music" listened to by young people, when they reported on Gov. Hughes' speech, delivered on this date in 1966.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 16
"Hilton Magic"
It was on February 16, 1999, that the Iowa State University men's basketball team defeated Baylor 64 to 42 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. It was not a noteworthy event; sure, it snapped a four game losing streak, and the Cyclones would only win one more game that season, also at home, finishing 15 and 15.
But that win was the start of something big...the longest home winning streak in Iowa State history.
The streak would run to 39 games and span parts of four seasons. Along the way, Coach Larry Eustachy's team would win two consecutive Big 12 regular season titles, plus the conference tournament in 2000. They made it to the Sweet Sixteen that year before losing to the eventual national champion, Michigan State. The next year, ISU finished the season 25 and 6, with a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. We have to report that was the year they were upset by No. 15 seed Hampton in the first round, though.
But the home winning streak continued, all through the next season, and into a fourth season. The 39 consecutive home victories was the second-best active streak in the country at the time. It came to an end when San Jose State shocked the Cyclones on December 1, 2001, 64-62.
But the record run for most consecutive wins at Hilton started with a win over Baylor, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Hilton Magic"
It was on February 16, 1999, that the Iowa State University men's basketball team defeated Baylor 64 to 42 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. It was not a noteworthy event; sure, it snapped a four game losing streak, and the Cyclones would only win one more game that season, also at home, finishing 15 and 15.
But that win was the start of something big...the longest home winning streak in Iowa State history.
The streak would run to 39 games and span parts of four seasons. Along the way, Coach Larry Eustachy's team would win two consecutive Big 12 regular season titles, plus the conference tournament in 2000. They made it to the Sweet Sixteen that year before losing to the eventual national champion, Michigan State. The next year, ISU finished the season 25 and 6, with a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. We have to report that was the year they were upset by No. 15 seed Hampton in the first round, though.
But the home winning streak continued, all through the next season, and into a fourth season. The 39 consecutive home victories was the second-best active streak in the country at the time. It came to an end when San Jose State shocked the Cyclones on December 1, 2001, 64-62.
But the record run for most consecutive wins at Hilton started with a win over Baylor, on this date in 1999.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, February 13
"Fire at the Englert"
Not too many years ago, the Englert Theater in downtown Iowa City looked to have met its end. In 1999, the theater was closed and the building sold, destined to become a nightclub. But a group of concerned citizens persuaded the City to buy the theater and hold it in trust until they could raise the money necessary to restore it to its past glory.
It took five years, but the Save the Englert campaign was a success, and for the past 10 years, the theater has hosted live performances and events.
But that wasn't the first time the Englert came back.
The Englert Theater opened on September 26, 1912. William and Etta Englert built the theater to rival the finest stage and movie houses in the Midwest. William died in 1920, and Etta enlisted two managers.
On February 13, 1926, a massive fire nearly destroyed the Englert. Etta Englert and co-manager Dora Chapman watched in horror as fire tore through the roof. The fire caused $125,000 in damage...more than twice the $60,000 it had cost to build the theater only 14 years before. But Etta and her new husband, along with the two managers, brought the theater back, incorporating the styles and tastes of the 1920s to turn the rebuilt Englert into a large and ornate movie palace.
Current Iowa City residents are justifiably proud of how a group of them banded together to save the Englert. But had it not been for the dedication of one of the original owners, the Englert would have passed from the scene long before, after the massive fire that burned on this date in 1926.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Fire at the Englert"
Not too many years ago, the Englert Theater in downtown Iowa City looked to have met its end. In 1999, the theater was closed and the building sold, destined to become a nightclub. But a group of concerned citizens persuaded the City to buy the theater and hold it in trust until they could raise the money necessary to restore it to its past glory.
It took five years, but the Save the Englert campaign was a success, and for the past 10 years, the theater has hosted live performances and events.
But that wasn't the first time the Englert came back.
The Englert Theater opened on September 26, 1912. William and Etta Englert built the theater to rival the finest stage and movie houses in the Midwest. William died in 1920, and Etta enlisted two managers.
On February 13, 1926, a massive fire nearly destroyed the Englert. Etta Englert and co-manager Dora Chapman watched in horror as fire tore through the roof. The fire caused $125,000 in damage...more than twice the $60,000 it had cost to build the theater only 14 years before. But Etta and her new husband, along with the two managers, brought the theater back, incorporating the styles and tastes of the 1920s to turn the rebuilt Englert into a large and ornate movie palace.
Current Iowa City residents are justifiably proud of how a group of them banded together to save the Englert. But had it not been for the dedication of one of the original owners, the Englert would have passed from the scene long before, after the massive fire that burned on this date in 1926.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 13th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 12
"A Fireball Falling from the Sky"
It was a clear night in Iowa on this date in 1875, the coldest winter many could recall for years. Suddenly, what came to be called the Amana Meteorite came into view. Its bright fireball was seen from Omaha to Chicago...and from St. Paul to St. Louis.
Iowans saw a bright light and a great ball of fire in the southern sky. One observer said it looked like the face of the moon had fallen off and was approaching the earth. The sound was described as being like a train passing over a bridge, with occasional explosions as the fireball passed.
Witnesses said the moon and stars were blotted from the sky, and the surrounding landscape illuminated as if at noonday.
The meteorite entered the atmosphere over northern Missouri and traveled north/northeast, passing just east of Centerville and directly over Eddyville before exploding and breaking into two main pieces over northwest Keokuk County.
The larger piece continued north, exploding near the Iowa/Benton County line southwest of Norway and no fragments were ever found.
The smaller piece went to the east, exploding over Amana and producing a meteorite field three miles wide and five miles long.
More than 800 pounds of fragments, some as heavy as 74 pounds, have been discovered in the past 140 years...but experts say as much as 3 and a half tons of fragments are still out there, buried into the Iowa soil, waiting to be discovered.
Witnesses said the moon and stars were blotted from the sky, and the surrounding landscape illuminated as if at noonday...when the Amana meteorite fell from the sky, on this date in 1875.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Fireball Falling from the Sky"
It was a clear night in Iowa on this date in 1875, the coldest winter many could recall for years. Suddenly, what came to be called the Amana Meteorite came into view. Its bright fireball was seen from Omaha to Chicago...and from St. Paul to St. Louis.
Iowans saw a bright light and a great ball of fire in the southern sky. One observer said it looked like the face of the moon had fallen off and was approaching the earth. The sound was described as being like a train passing over a bridge, with occasional explosions as the fireball passed.
Witnesses said the moon and stars were blotted from the sky, and the surrounding landscape illuminated as if at noonday.
The meteorite entered the atmosphere over northern Missouri and traveled north/northeast, passing just east of Centerville and directly over Eddyville before exploding and breaking into two main pieces over northwest Keokuk County.
The larger piece continued north, exploding near the Iowa/Benton County line southwest of Norway and no fragments were ever found.
The smaller piece went to the east, exploding over Amana and producing a meteorite field three miles wide and five miles long.
More than 800 pounds of fragments, some as heavy as 74 pounds, have been discovered in the past 140 years...but experts say as much as 3 and a half tons of fragments are still out there, buried into the Iowa soil, waiting to be discovered.
Witnesses said the moon and stars were blotted from the sky, and the surrounding landscape illuminated as if at noonday...when the Amana meteorite fell from the sky, on this date in 1875.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 12th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 11
"A City Named for a Congressman"
Pomeroy is located in Calhoun County in northwest Iowa. The town of 662 residents was almost wiped off the map in 1893 when a devastating tornado struck the town. But the spirit of the people prevailed and the town was rebuilt. That resilient spirit is fitting, and reminds one of the man for whom the town was named.
Charles W. Pomeroy was born in Connecticut and studied and practiced law. At the age of 30, he moved to Iowa, settling in what was then Boonesboro in Boone County. He pursued agriculture as well as law...and then got interested in politics.
He was one of the earliest members of the Republican Party, and was one of Iowa's electors in 1860, casting a vote in the electoral college for President Abraham Lincoln.
He changed careers in 1861, becoming receiver of the U.S. Land Office at Fort Dodge. He held that position for nearly 8 years. Then, Mr. Pomeroy went to Washington, as a member of Congress from Iowa's 6th District. The district at the time covered the northwestern third of the state, extending from the Missouri River as far east as Waterloo, and from the Minnesota border as far south as Marshalltown. He lost his bid for renomination two years later and took on yet another career, this one as a claim agent in Washington, D.C., a position he held for the last 20 years of his life.
A new Calhoun County town was platted in 1870, and named Pomeroy after the town's first congressman, who died on this date in 1891.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A City Named for a Congressman"
Pomeroy is located in Calhoun County in northwest Iowa. The town of 662 residents was almost wiped off the map in 1893 when a devastating tornado struck the town. But the spirit of the people prevailed and the town was rebuilt. That resilient spirit is fitting, and reminds one of the man for whom the town was named.
Charles W. Pomeroy was born in Connecticut and studied and practiced law. At the age of 30, he moved to Iowa, settling in what was then Boonesboro in Boone County. He pursued agriculture as well as law...and then got interested in politics.
He was one of the earliest members of the Republican Party, and was one of Iowa's electors in 1860, casting a vote in the electoral college for President Abraham Lincoln.
He changed careers in 1861, becoming receiver of the U.S. Land Office at Fort Dodge. He held that position for nearly 8 years. Then, Mr. Pomeroy went to Washington, as a member of Congress from Iowa's 6th District. The district at the time covered the northwestern third of the state, extending from the Missouri River as far east as Waterloo, and from the Minnesota border as far south as Marshalltown. He lost his bid for renomination two years later and took on yet another career, this one as a claim agent in Washington, D.C., a position he held for the last 20 years of his life.
A new Calhoun County town was platted in 1870, and named Pomeroy after the town's first congressman, who died on this date in 1891.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 11th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 10
"Reporting for Duty"
Back in August of 1917, units from Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota formed the 34th infantry division of the National Guard. We know them as the "Red Bull" division.
The name comes from the shoulder sleeve insignia designed for a training camp contest by artist Marvin Cone, a soldier enlisted in the unit. His design evoked their desert training grounds in New Mexico, by superimposing a red steer skull over a black Mexican water jug, called an "olla". In World War I, the unit was known as the Sandstorm Division, but German troops in World War II called them "Red Devils" and "Red Bulls" because of the logo. The name stuck, and the division later officially adopted the Red Bull nickname.
As the war expanded in Europe and a reluctant United States was about to be drawn into the conflict. Initial steps were taken to prepare troops through precautionary training. The 34th was deemed one of the most service-ready units. The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 became law in September of that year, and the first draft in peacetime in U.S. history began.
Soon after came the activation of the 34th on February 10, 1941. Troops from Iowa, both Dakotas, and Minnesota mustered out for duty, travelling by rail and truck convoys to the new Camp Claiborn in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, near Alexandria. Pearl Harbor Day was still 10 months away. But Iowa boys reported for duty with the Red Bull 34th Infantry Division, on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Reporting for Duty"
Back in August of 1917, units from Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota formed the 34th infantry division of the National Guard. We know them as the "Red Bull" division.
The name comes from the shoulder sleeve insignia designed for a training camp contest by artist Marvin Cone, a soldier enlisted in the unit. His design evoked their desert training grounds in New Mexico, by superimposing a red steer skull over a black Mexican water jug, called an "olla". In World War I, the unit was known as the Sandstorm Division, but German troops in World War II called them "Red Devils" and "Red Bulls" because of the logo. The name stuck, and the division later officially adopted the Red Bull nickname.
As the war expanded in Europe and a reluctant United States was about to be drawn into the conflict. Initial steps were taken to prepare troops through precautionary training. The 34th was deemed one of the most service-ready units. The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 became law in September of that year, and the first draft in peacetime in U.S. history began.
Soon after came the activation of the 34th on February 10, 1941. Troops from Iowa, both Dakotas, and Minnesota mustered out for duty, travelling by rail and truck convoys to the new Camp Claiborn in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, near Alexandria. Pearl Harbor Day was still 10 months away. But Iowa boys reported for duty with the Red Bull 34th Infantry Division, on this date in 1941.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 9
"An Iowa Astronaut"
She was 9 years old when she saw black and white images of men walking on the moon on the television in her family's home on a farm outside Beaconsfield, Iowa. Peggy Whitson says she thought that would be a cool job to have. But it started becoming possible at the perfect time for her. Just as she was graduating from high school, NASA picked the first set of female astronauts.
Peggy Whitson's first space mission was in 2002, with an extended six month stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 5. By the time she and her crew returned to Earth in December of that year, she had logged nearly 185 days in space.
Five years later, her second mission, Expedition 16, launched. Among those who participated was astronaut Clayton Anderson, an Iowa State University alum. She spent another 192 days in space on that mission, which was memorable because of a malfunction of their Soyuz craft, which subjected the crew to forces about eight times that of gravity during reentry.
During those two trips, Whitson participated in six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes, making her the female with the most extra vehicular activity time. Her 377 days in space between the two missions...more than one year total...is the most for any woman.
Peggy Whitson served as chief of the NASA astronaut corps from 2009 until 2012. Reaching unknown heights in space, astronaut Peggy Whitson's life on earth began when she was born on this date in 1960 in Mount Ayr.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"An Iowa Astronaut"
She was 9 years old when she saw black and white images of men walking on the moon on the television in her family's home on a farm outside Beaconsfield, Iowa. Peggy Whitson says she thought that would be a cool job to have. But it started becoming possible at the perfect time for her. Just as she was graduating from high school, NASA picked the first set of female astronauts.
Peggy Whitson's first space mission was in 2002, with an extended six month stay aboard the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 5. By the time she and her crew returned to Earth in December of that year, she had logged nearly 185 days in space.
Five years later, her second mission, Expedition 16, launched. Among those who participated was astronaut Clayton Anderson, an Iowa State University alum. She spent another 192 days in space on that mission, which was memorable because of a malfunction of their Soyuz craft, which subjected the crew to forces about eight times that of gravity during reentry.
During those two trips, Whitson participated in six spacewalks, totaling 39 hours and 46 minutes, making her the female with the most extra vehicular activity time. Her 377 days in space between the two missions...more than one year total...is the most for any woman.
Peggy Whitson served as chief of the NASA astronaut corps from 2009 until 2012. Reaching unknown heights in space, astronaut Peggy Whitson's life on earth began when she was born on this date in 1960 in Mount Ayr.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, February 6
"Dubuque's Donut Maker"
Back in 1907, John P. Trausch opened a baking company in Dubuque, operated by Trausch, his wife, and one employee. The main product was bread, and Trausch made deliveries within the city of Dubuque.
But distribution was limited because the unwrapped loaves of bread quickly grew stale if transported over a broader area. By 1926, a new company manager named William Clemens, Sr., began exploring how to wrap the bread to prolong its freshness. Wrapped bread could be sold over a wider geographic area, meaning more profit for the bakery.
Over time, those bread wrappers contained Sunbeam, Hillbilly and Peter Pan bread, well known for their identifiable packaging...and in addition to Dubuque, Trausch Baking added sales and distribution centers in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Burlington, and Ottumwa, as well as two locations in Wisconsin and two more in Illinois.
Trausch was known for more than just bread...in fact, it was one of the city's first bakeries to make a complete line of goods, including Trausch's donuts. But making donuts was time consuming, and it was hard to keep up with demand.
So on this date in 1929, Trausch unveiled Iowa's first donut-making machine, one of only a few in existence in America at the time. Occasionally today, we still see mini donut stands at county fairs, showing how the donuts are formed and dropped in oil...imagine full sized donuts, coming out in rapid succession by the hundreds. The ability to mass produce changed the industry. And in Iowa, it all started with Dubuque's Trausch Baking, on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Dubuque's Donut Maker"
Back in 1907, John P. Trausch opened a baking company in Dubuque, operated by Trausch, his wife, and one employee. The main product was bread, and Trausch made deliveries within the city of Dubuque.
But distribution was limited because the unwrapped loaves of bread quickly grew stale if transported over a broader area. By 1926, a new company manager named William Clemens, Sr., began exploring how to wrap the bread to prolong its freshness. Wrapped bread could be sold over a wider geographic area, meaning more profit for the bakery.
Over time, those bread wrappers contained Sunbeam, Hillbilly and Peter Pan bread, well known for their identifiable packaging...and in addition to Dubuque, Trausch Baking added sales and distribution centers in Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Burlington, and Ottumwa, as well as two locations in Wisconsin and two more in Illinois.
Trausch was known for more than just bread...in fact, it was one of the city's first bakeries to make a complete line of goods, including Trausch's donuts. But making donuts was time consuming, and it was hard to keep up with demand.
So on this date in 1929, Trausch unveiled Iowa's first donut-making machine, one of only a few in existence in America at the time. Occasionally today, we still see mini donut stands at county fairs, showing how the donuts are formed and dropped in oil...imagine full sized donuts, coming out in rapid succession by the hundreds. The ability to mass produce changed the industry. And in Iowa, it all started with Dubuque's Trausch Baking, on this date in 1929.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 6th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, February 5
"Immigrants in Iowa"
Prior to World War I, there was an influx of people who came to America from Europe in search of a better life. They came to become Americans…but in order to preserve some of their heritage and culture, and have a peer group to share this new American experience with, they often got together.
Around that time, a large number of Italians migrated to Iowa to work in the mining camps of Polk, Dallas, Boone, Marion and Lucas counties. In 1913, a group of them spun off from the Order of Foresters of America and formed a lodge, the Societa Vittoria Italiana di Mutuo Soccorso. Pellegrino Castelli was one of the founders, and served as the lodge’s original president.
The group became one of the largest American-Italian organizations in Iowa. The lodge’s purpose was “to unite fraternally men of Italian extraction, of good and moral character”. Besides originally serving as a health benefit organization, it also became a vital instrument in the social life of these new immigrants and their families as they adjusted to life in Iowa.
On June 20, 1954, a new Vittoria Lodge Building and Park Grounds was dedicated. It still stands in Ankeny today, and is not only used by members, but you can rent the facility for your own event.
That lodge building was a long held dream of the leaders and members of the lodge. But the founding president was not there to see it…Pellegrino Castelli died a few months before the dedication, on this date in 1954.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Immigrants in Iowa"
Prior to World War I, there was an influx of people who came to America from Europe in search of a better life. They came to become Americans…but in order to preserve some of their heritage and culture, and have a peer group to share this new American experience with, they often got together.
Around that time, a large number of Italians migrated to Iowa to work in the mining camps of Polk, Dallas, Boone, Marion and Lucas counties. In 1913, a group of them spun off from the Order of Foresters of America and formed a lodge, the Societa Vittoria Italiana di Mutuo Soccorso. Pellegrino Castelli was one of the founders, and served as the lodge’s original president.
The group became one of the largest American-Italian organizations in Iowa. The lodge’s purpose was “to unite fraternally men of Italian extraction, of good and moral character”. Besides originally serving as a health benefit organization, it also became a vital instrument in the social life of these new immigrants and their families as they adjusted to life in Iowa.
On June 20, 1954, a new Vittoria Lodge Building and Park Grounds was dedicated. It still stands in Ankeny today, and is not only used by members, but you can rent the facility for your own event.
That lodge building was a long held dream of the leaders and members of the lodge. But the founding president was not there to see it…Pellegrino Castelli died a few months before the dedication, on this date in 1954.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 5th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, February 4
"Bringing a Windmill to Iowa"
For nearly 40 years, one of the landmarks in the Shelby county town of Elk Horn has been an historic windmill. How it got here is a story worth telling.
The windmill we're talking about was built in 1848 in Norre Snede, Denmark and is called a smock mill. They were commonly used to grind grain into flour. But technology has advanced, and now there are more efficient ways to grind grain. So windmills like this one have been deteriorating for some time.
Elk Horn farmer Harvey Sornson took a trip to his homeland back in 1976 and was so impressed with these structures that he wanted to bring one back with him, sort of an oversized souvenir. After getting back to Iowa, Sornson shared his idea with people in the community, and in only a few days $30,000 had been raised locally with the goal of bringing a real windmill from Denmark to Iowa.
While the Iowans were business raising more money to support the effort, a carpenter in Denmark was building a scale model of the windmill so it could be dismantled and reassembled in Elk Horn.
On this date in 1976, the pieces of the 60-foot tall mill arrived in Iowa. Beams that had rotted were replaced. A crane was necessary to complete the restoration. Soon the total cost was more than 100-thousand dollars...no small matter for a town of 750 people.
Reassembling the mill took the 300 volunteers who worked on the project more than a year. But now, in addition to having the largest rural Danish settlement in the U.S., Elk Horn has the only authentic, working Danish windmill in America. And there likely won't be another, since shortly after this one was moved, a law was passed in Denmark, prohibiting any more mills from leaving the country. The last one to leave arrived in Elk Horn, Iowa, on this date in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Bringing a Windmill to Iowa"
For nearly 40 years, one of the landmarks in the Shelby county town of Elk Horn has been an historic windmill. How it got here is a story worth telling.
The windmill we're talking about was built in 1848 in Norre Snede, Denmark and is called a smock mill. They were commonly used to grind grain into flour. But technology has advanced, and now there are more efficient ways to grind grain. So windmills like this one have been deteriorating for some time.
Elk Horn farmer Harvey Sornson took a trip to his homeland back in 1976 and was so impressed with these structures that he wanted to bring one back with him, sort of an oversized souvenir. After getting back to Iowa, Sornson shared his idea with people in the community, and in only a few days $30,000 had been raised locally with the goal of bringing a real windmill from Denmark to Iowa.
While the Iowans were business raising more money to support the effort, a carpenter in Denmark was building a scale model of the windmill so it could be dismantled and reassembled in Elk Horn.
On this date in 1976, the pieces of the 60-foot tall mill arrived in Iowa. Beams that had rotted were replaced. A crane was necessary to complete the restoration. Soon the total cost was more than 100-thousand dollars...no small matter for a town of 750 people.
Reassembling the mill took the 300 volunteers who worked on the project more than a year. But now, in addition to having the largest rural Danish settlement in the U.S., Elk Horn has the only authentic, working Danish windmill in America. And there likely won't be another, since shortly after this one was moved, a law was passed in Denmark, prohibiting any more mills from leaving the country. The last one to leave arrived in Elk Horn, Iowa, on this date in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 4th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, February 3
"The Day The Music Died"
We probably all know the story. Early in the morning of February 3rd, 1959, a small plane piloted by Roger Peterson crashed near the Mason City Airport, killing Peterson and three rock and roll stars…Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. The three had performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake the night before, part of the Winter Dance Party tour.
But this story is about Waylon Jennings.
Waylon and Buddy hung out in Lubbock, Texas…Waylon worked at a radio station there. Both had bands, and wound up running into each other at venues and radio shows. They became friends, and Buddy Holly started helping Waylon Jennings produce his songs, even playing backup on recordings. Holly hired Jennings to play electric bass for him during the Winter Dance Party tour.
That’s how they wound up together on a cold night in Iowa. Buddy Holly chartered a plane for himself, Waylon Jennings, and guitarist Tommy Allsup to take them to the next stop, to avoid another long ride in a bus with a broken heater. The Big Bopper had the flu, so Waylon give him his seat on the plane. When Buddy Holly learned of the switch, he said to Waylon Jennings, “I hope your old bus freezes up.” Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your old plane crashes.” It was very likely the last words the two friends exchanged. Words which haunted Waylon Jennings for the rest of his life.
The Winter Dance Party tour continued despite the plane crash…including five stops in Iowa that next week…in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Dubuque.
Waylon Jennings said Buddy Holly was the first person to have faith in his music, and became his best friend. Which made their joking parting words that much sadder…on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for February 3
"The Day The Music Died"
We probably all know the story. Early in the morning of February 3rd, 1959, a small plane piloted by Roger Peterson crashed near the Mason City Airport, killing Peterson and three rock and roll stars…Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper, J.P. Richardson. The three had performed at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake the night before, part of the Winter Dance Party tour.
But this story is about Waylon Jennings.
Waylon and Buddy hung out in Lubbock, Texas…Waylon worked at a radio station there. Both had bands, and wound up running into each other at venues and radio shows. They became friends, and Buddy Holly started helping Waylon Jennings produce his songs, even playing backup on recordings. Holly hired Jennings to play electric bass for him during the Winter Dance Party tour.
That’s how they wound up together on a cold night in Iowa. Buddy Holly chartered a plane for himself, Waylon Jennings, and guitarist Tommy Allsup to take them to the next stop, to avoid another long ride in a bus with a broken heater. The Big Bopper had the flu, so Waylon give him his seat on the plane. When Buddy Holly learned of the switch, he said to Waylon Jennings, “I hope your old bus freezes up.” Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your old plane crashes.” It was very likely the last words the two friends exchanged. Words which haunted Waylon Jennings for the rest of his life.
The Winter Dance Party tour continued despite the plane crash…including five stops in Iowa that next week…in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Dubuque.
Waylon Jennings said Buddy Holly was the first person to have faith in his music, and became his best friend. Which made their joking parting words that much sadder…on this date in 1959.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for February 3
Iowa Almanac for Monday, February 2
"Inventing an Industry"
If necessity is the mother of invention, then Pella's Gary Vermeer could be called the father of invention.
In 1943, at the height of World War II, it was hard to find enough men to keep Iowa's farms operating. 25-year-old Gary Vermeer invented a wagon hoist, which made it easier and less time-consuming to unload wagons. Neighbors heard about the invention, and they all wanted one of Gary's labor-saving devices. Five years later, he partnered with his cousin, local banker Ralph Vermeer, to create the Vermeer Manufacturing Company.
The wagon hoist was just the start...then came the Pow-R-Sprinkler to distribute water across crops, and the Pow-R-Ditcher ditching machine, as well as a portable power take-off drive for hammermills and shellers, called the Pow-R-Drives.
Eventually, the company expanded beyond agricultural equipment, producing construction, environmental and industrial equipment as well.
But perhaps the best known of all Gary Vermeer's inventions was the round hay-baler. It was another was to make farm work a less labor-intensive, one-person job. The first model was built within a month back in 1971; the machine was patented four years later.
Gary Vermeer was named Iowa Inventor of the Year in 1984, and retired five years later. When he died in his hometown of Pella on this date in 2009 at the age of 90, he left behind a legacy of inventions and philanthropy.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for February 2
"Inventing an Industry"
If necessity is the mother of invention, then Pella's Gary Vermeer could be called the father of invention.
In 1943, at the height of World War II, it was hard to find enough men to keep Iowa's farms operating. 25-year-old Gary Vermeer invented a wagon hoist, which made it easier and less time-consuming to unload wagons. Neighbors heard about the invention, and they all wanted one of Gary's labor-saving devices. Five years later, he partnered with his cousin, local banker Ralph Vermeer, to create the Vermeer Manufacturing Company.
The wagon hoist was just the start...then came the Pow-R-Sprinkler to distribute water across crops, and the Pow-R-Ditcher ditching machine, as well as a portable power take-off drive for hammermills and shellers, called the Pow-R-Drives.
Eventually, the company expanded beyond agricultural equipment, producing construction, environmental and industrial equipment as well.
But perhaps the best known of all Gary Vermeer's inventions was the round hay-baler. It was another was to make farm work a less labor-intensive, one-person job. The first model was built within a month back in 1971; the machine was patented four years later.
Gary Vermeer was named Iowa Inventor of the Year in 1984, and retired five years later. When he died in his hometown of Pella on this date in 2009 at the age of 90, he left behind a legacy of inventions and philanthropy.
And that's Iowa Almanac for February 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for February 2
Iowa Almanac for Friday, January 30
"Going Cold Turkey"
The movie's plot was simple: as part of a public relations campaign, an advertising executive comes up with the idea of a tobacco company paying $25 million to any town in America that can stop smoking for 30 days.
The movie was called Cold Turkey, and it was filmed in Iowa during the summer of 1969. Stars including Bob Newhart, Dick Van Dyke, Jean Stapleton, Tom Poston, and Barnard Hughes appeared in the film, which was directed by Norman Lear...who would soon go on to create groundbreaking TV sitcoms, including "All in the Family".
The film was set in the fictional small town of Eagle Rock, Iowa, but the filming was actually done in and around Greenfield. The cold turkey campaign turns Eagle Rock into a bickering community...and the story becomes less about smoking and more about the transformation of character brought about by greed.
While the movie was being made, the movie studio's publicity department actually engaged in a real stop smoking campaign in Greenfield. Those who completed the task were awarded "IQ" buttons...standing for "I Quit". The United Artists studio gave the mayor a check for $6,000, which was ultimately used to buy a set of chimes which would ring hourly in the town square.
Dozens of Iowans can be seen in the movie as extras in various scenes. Many of them turned out again last month, when the now 92-year-old Norman Lear returned to Iowa to remember that summer 45 years ago when he directed a movie here. It was the only movie he ever directed, and it earned four stars from acclaimed critic Roger Ebert.
It took a while for the distributor to release the film, almost two years after it was made. They weren't sure it would be successful. But audiences loved it...especially the ones who turned out in Des Moines for the movie's world premiere...on this date in 1971.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 30
"Going Cold Turkey"
The movie's plot was simple: as part of a public relations campaign, an advertising executive comes up with the idea of a tobacco company paying $25 million to any town in America that can stop smoking for 30 days.
The movie was called Cold Turkey, and it was filmed in Iowa during the summer of 1969. Stars including Bob Newhart, Dick Van Dyke, Jean Stapleton, Tom Poston, and Barnard Hughes appeared in the film, which was directed by Norman Lear...who would soon go on to create groundbreaking TV sitcoms, including "All in the Family".
The film was set in the fictional small town of Eagle Rock, Iowa, but the filming was actually done in and around Greenfield. The cold turkey campaign turns Eagle Rock into a bickering community...and the story becomes less about smoking and more about the transformation of character brought about by greed.
While the movie was being made, the movie studio's publicity department actually engaged in a real stop smoking campaign in Greenfield. Those who completed the task were awarded "IQ" buttons...standing for "I Quit". The United Artists studio gave the mayor a check for $6,000, which was ultimately used to buy a set of chimes which would ring hourly in the town square.
Dozens of Iowans can be seen in the movie as extras in various scenes. Many of them turned out again last month, when the now 92-year-old Norman Lear returned to Iowa to remember that summer 45 years ago when he directed a movie here. It was the only movie he ever directed, and it earned four stars from acclaimed critic Roger Ebert.
It took a while for the distributor to release the film, almost two years after it was made. They weren't sure it would be successful. But audiences loved it...especially the ones who turned out in Des Moines for the movie's world premiere...on this date in 1971.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 30th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 30
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, January 29
"The State Historian"
A certain boy, born on this date in 1871 in Elvira, Iowa, had a lot to live up to. He was given the grand name Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh. But he himself became an historic figure in Iowa.
Ben Shambaugh was a professor at the State University of Iowa in Iowa City for 44 years, from 1896 until his death in 1940. From 1900-on, he was head of the university's political science department.
His love of politics and history led to another role...as superintendent and editor at the State Historical Society of Iowa in Iowa City from 1907 to 1940.
During his leadership, the Iowa political science program came of age, producing scholarly research and articles, many focusing on local government in Iowa. And Shambaugh was a leading force in research focusing on trends and tendencies...a scientific approach toward the study of politics and government.
Benjamin Shambaugh and his wife Bertha were well known on campus for their generosity and hospitality. They bequeathed their spacious home on Clinton Street to the University, and it has since been home to the Honors Center, the International Center, and currently, the International Writing Program.
There has been a Shambaugh Auditorium on campus...a university Shambaugh lecture series...and the author of the most significant book published each year on Iowa history receives the coveted Benjamin F. Shambaugh Award. That's consistent with his vision, that historians should apply their knowledge outside the academic community, in pursuit of the greater public good.
The noted historian and professor Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh...born in Elvira, Iowa, on this date in 1871.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 29
"The State Historian"
A certain boy, born on this date in 1871 in Elvira, Iowa, had a lot to live up to. He was given the grand name Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh. But he himself became an historic figure in Iowa.
Ben Shambaugh was a professor at the State University of Iowa in Iowa City for 44 years, from 1896 until his death in 1940. From 1900-on, he was head of the university's political science department.
His love of politics and history led to another role...as superintendent and editor at the State Historical Society of Iowa in Iowa City from 1907 to 1940.
During his leadership, the Iowa political science program came of age, producing scholarly research and articles, many focusing on local government in Iowa. And Shambaugh was a leading force in research focusing on trends and tendencies...a scientific approach toward the study of politics and government.
Benjamin Shambaugh and his wife Bertha were well known on campus for their generosity and hospitality. They bequeathed their spacious home on Clinton Street to the University, and it has since been home to the Honors Center, the International Center, and currently, the International Writing Program.
There has been a Shambaugh Auditorium on campus...a university Shambaugh lecture series...and the author of the most significant book published each year on Iowa history receives the coveted Benjamin F. Shambaugh Award. That's consistent with his vision, that historians should apply their knowledge outside the academic community, in pursuit of the greater public good.
The noted historian and professor Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh...born in Elvira, Iowa, on this date in 1871.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 29th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 29
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, January 28
"The Capital Gets Its Name"
We all know Des Moines as Iowa's largest city, and the state capitol. But its beginnings were far more humble.
Back in May of 1843, Captain James Allen supervised the construction of a fort where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Captain Allen wanted to call it Fort Raccoon...but the U.S. War Department overruled him, and declared the structure to be known as Fort Des Moines.
Archaeological excavations have found many fort-related features survived under what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and First Street in Des Moines.
In May of 1851, much of the town surrounding the fort was destroyed by floods. The devastation was complete, allowing in essence a clean slate on which a new city could be built. That city was incorporated in the fall of 1851 as Fort Des Moines.
At that time, there were only 3,500 residents living in about 500 dwellings. But the city grew, with an official population of 203,433 in the last census. Being the state capitol obviously helped in the city's growth. The state capitol moved from Iowa City to Des Moines by declaration of Governor James Grimes in 1857.
Notice I said "Des Moines"...that's because shortly before the governor declared the city to be the state's capitol city, the name "Fort Des Moines" was shortened to, simply "Des Moines".
Imagine if Captain James Allen had gotten his way when the original fort was built...Iowa's capital city might be known as Raccoon. But it's not...and the city became known as "Des Moines" on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 28
"The Capital Gets Its Name"
We all know Des Moines as Iowa's largest city, and the state capitol. But its beginnings were far more humble.
Back in May of 1843, Captain James Allen supervised the construction of a fort where the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers merge. Captain Allen wanted to call it Fort Raccoon...but the U.S. War Department overruled him, and declared the structure to be known as Fort Des Moines.
Archaeological excavations have found many fort-related features survived under what is now Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and First Street in Des Moines.
In May of 1851, much of the town surrounding the fort was destroyed by floods. The devastation was complete, allowing in essence a clean slate on which a new city could be built. That city was incorporated in the fall of 1851 as Fort Des Moines.
At that time, there were only 3,500 residents living in about 500 dwellings. But the city grew, with an official population of 203,433 in the last census. Being the state capitol obviously helped in the city's growth. The state capitol moved from Iowa City to Des Moines by declaration of Governor James Grimes in 1857.
Notice I said "Des Moines"...that's because shortly before the governor declared the city to be the state's capitol city, the name "Fort Des Moines" was shortened to, simply "Des Moines".
Imagine if Captain James Allen had gotten his way when the original fort was built...Iowa's capital city might be known as Raccoon. But it's not...and the city became known as "Des Moines" on this date in 1857.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 28th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 28
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, January 27
"The Iowa Leads the Fleet"
Various ships have borne the name U.S.S. Iowa. The one with the designation BB-61 was the fourth "Iowa", and was launched in August of 1942. It carried the nickname "The Big Stick" and was an important part of the World War II effort.
The Iowa was chosen to carry President Franklin Roosevelt across the Atlantic to a 1943 meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin. She also witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
The "Iowa" was re-commissioned to serve during the Korean conflict, and decades later, was again reactivated to counter the expanded Soviet Navy during the 1980s.
In 2011, the Iowa was donated to the Pacific Battleship Center and was opened to the public in 2012 as the USS Iowa Museum at the Port of Los Angeles.
But it was on this date in 1946...the year of Iowa's centennial as a state...that the U.S.S. Iowa arrived in Tokyo Bay, where she would serve with honor as the flagship of the entire Fifth Fleet, before returning to the American continent two months later to facilitate training drills for the next generation of midshipmen and reserve officers.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 27
"The Iowa Leads the Fleet"
Various ships have borne the name U.S.S. Iowa. The one with the designation BB-61 was the fourth "Iowa", and was launched in August of 1942. It carried the nickname "The Big Stick" and was an important part of the World War II effort.
The Iowa was chosen to carry President Franklin Roosevelt across the Atlantic to a 1943 meeting with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin. She also witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
The "Iowa" was re-commissioned to serve during the Korean conflict, and decades later, was again reactivated to counter the expanded Soviet Navy during the 1980s.
In 2011, the Iowa was donated to the Pacific Battleship Center and was opened to the public in 2012 as the USS Iowa Museum at the Port of Los Angeles.
But it was on this date in 1946...the year of Iowa's centennial as a state...that the U.S.S. Iowa arrived in Tokyo Bay, where she would serve with honor as the flagship of the entire Fifth Fleet, before returning to the American continent two months later to facilitate training drills for the next generation of midshipmen and reserve officers.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 27th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 27
Iowa Almanac for Monday, January 26
"Wallace Defends Himself"
By 1950, the hot war, World War II, was over...but the new cold war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union had just begun.
Iowan Henry A. Wallace served as in Franklin Roosevelt's administration as secretary of agriculture, secretary of commerce, and for four years at the heart of the war, as vice president.
It was on this date in 1950 that Wallace testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, which was investigating reports claiming he was responsible for the shipment of uranium compounds to Russia in 1943. At that time, then-Vice President Wallace was also chief of the Board of Economic Warfare, which issued export licenses. Some commentators had suggested that Wallace approved licenses for the Soviets to get atomic bomb making materials, since they were a wartime ally.
Under oath, Wallace testified he knew nothing about the matter, saying he was in Latin America at the very time he was supposedly approving the creation and shipment of the atomic material. And he said he didn't even know the name of the Manhattan Project until May of 1945, not long before the first bomb was dropped on Japan.
"In short and in fact," he said, "I had absolutely nothing to do with any of these licenses."
He said despite his role in the government and the war effort, he was "neither responsible nor aware" of any kind of shipping to Russia. He said that was in the hands of the lend-lease program.
The story made headlines back here in Iowa, with the Cedar Rapids Gazette proclaiming "Henry Says he Wasn't in Red Deal" in a front page headline, as Iowan Henry Wallace defended his honor in Washington, on this date, in 1950.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 26
"Wallace Defends Himself"
By 1950, the hot war, World War II, was over...but the new cold war between the U.S. and the Soviet Union had just begun.
Iowan Henry A. Wallace served as in Franklin Roosevelt's administration as secretary of agriculture, secretary of commerce, and for four years at the heart of the war, as vice president.
It was on this date in 1950 that Wallace testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, which was investigating reports claiming he was responsible for the shipment of uranium compounds to Russia in 1943. At that time, then-Vice President Wallace was also chief of the Board of Economic Warfare, which issued export licenses. Some commentators had suggested that Wallace approved licenses for the Soviets to get atomic bomb making materials, since they were a wartime ally.
Under oath, Wallace testified he knew nothing about the matter, saying he was in Latin America at the very time he was supposedly approving the creation and shipment of the atomic material. And he said he didn't even know the name of the Manhattan Project until May of 1945, not long before the first bomb was dropped on Japan.
"In short and in fact," he said, "I had absolutely nothing to do with any of these licenses."
He said despite his role in the government and the war effort, he was "neither responsible nor aware" of any kind of shipping to Russia. He said that was in the hands of the lend-lease program.
The story made headlines back here in Iowa, with the Cedar Rapids Gazette proclaiming "Henry Says he Wasn't in Red Deal" in a front page headline, as Iowan Henry Wallace defended his honor in Washington, on this date, in 1950.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 26th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 26
Iowa Almanac for Friday, January 23
"An Officer's Murder Remains Unsolved"
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Buckman operated a drug store in the Bremer County town of Plainfield and lived in the upstairs of the building. Just after 2 a.m. on January 23rd, 1961, Mrs. Buckman heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion. When she looked out the window, she saw someone moving around inside the packing plant across the street. So she called town marshal William Meadows, and the family members who operated the packing plant.
Thieves had broken the lock on the front door of the building, and were still trying to crack the safe in the company's office when marshal Bill Meadows entered the building. One of the thieves fired a high powered 30-30 deer rifle...the bullet went completely through the 36-year-old officer's body, and he fell, barely three feet inside the doorway.
Just then, Ted Hartmann, one of those who operated the plant, arrived and was coming toward the door. Another shot rang out, this one shattering the plant's front glass and barely missing Hartmann's head.
Someone yelled, "Stay where you are, or you'll be shot, too." The thieves continued shooting until both of them exited the building. Despite a $500 reward offered by Iowa governor Norman Erbe, the burglars were never found.
In 2009, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation started a Cold Case Unit. Marshal Meadows' murder was one of about 150 cases the DCI hoped to solve using the latest advancements in DNA technology, but were unable.
One more thing...the burglars were using explosives to open the cash compartment of a safe, hoping for an easy score. They shouldn't have bothered; the compartment contained only documents...the cash had been taken to the bank earlier in the day.
And we still don't know who killed a Plainfield officer in the line of duty, on this date, in 1961.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 23
"An Officer's Murder Remains Unsolved"
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Buckman operated a drug store in the Bremer County town of Plainfield and lived in the upstairs of the building. Just after 2 a.m. on January 23rd, 1961, Mrs. Buckman heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion. When she looked out the window, she saw someone moving around inside the packing plant across the street. So she called town marshal William Meadows, and the family members who operated the packing plant.
Thieves had broken the lock on the front door of the building, and were still trying to crack the safe in the company's office when marshal Bill Meadows entered the building. One of the thieves fired a high powered 30-30 deer rifle...the bullet went completely through the 36-year-old officer's body, and he fell, barely three feet inside the doorway.
Just then, Ted Hartmann, one of those who operated the plant, arrived and was coming toward the door. Another shot rang out, this one shattering the plant's front glass and barely missing Hartmann's head.
Someone yelled, "Stay where you are, or you'll be shot, too." The thieves continued shooting until both of them exited the building. Despite a $500 reward offered by Iowa governor Norman Erbe, the burglars were never found.
In 2009, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation started a Cold Case Unit. Marshal Meadows' murder was one of about 150 cases the DCI hoped to solve using the latest advancements in DNA technology, but were unable.
One more thing...the burglars were using explosives to open the cash compartment of a safe, hoping for an easy score. They shouldn't have bothered; the compartment contained only documents...the cash had been taken to the bank earlier in the day.
And we still don't know who killed a Plainfield officer in the line of duty, on this date, in 1961.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 23rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 23
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, January 22
"Connecting the Rails"
The middle part of the 1800s saw the growth of railroad construction in America. Lines connecting various points in Iowa to one another aided in transporting goods and people. But it was the building of the transcontinental railroad that spurred completion of the main rail lines in our state.
The two major Iowa lines…the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, and the Mississippi and Missouri…each wanted to be the connecting link between the Union Pacific to the west, and the Chicago to the east.
Under the leadership of promoter John Blair, the CR & MR moved ahead, starting west of Boone in late 1865…reaching Denison by the next spring…then continuing to move westward the rest of that year. Finally, crews laid the last rail in front of the new station in Council Bluffs on this date in 1867. And with that, Council Bluffs had a complete rail route eastward to Chicago. It would be another two years before Leland Stanford drove the ceremonial golden spike into the Utah ground, joining the rails of the original transcontinental railroad.
As for the Mississippi and Missouri…that line was taken over by the Rock Island, and did not reach Council Bluffs until May…two years later. The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River would later became the Chicago and North Western.
The desire to connect railroads westward across Iowa led to another development…the city of Ames, which was chartered in 1864 for the railroad, and named by CR & MR president John Blair after a Massachusetts congressman, Oakes Ames.
But it was on this date in 1867 that Council Bluffs became the eastern terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad, when the last spike was driven, and the rail line from there to Chicago was completed.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 22
"Connecting the Rails"
The middle part of the 1800s saw the growth of railroad construction in America. Lines connecting various points in Iowa to one another aided in transporting goods and people. But it was the building of the transcontinental railroad that spurred completion of the main rail lines in our state.
The two major Iowa lines…the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, and the Mississippi and Missouri…each wanted to be the connecting link between the Union Pacific to the west, and the Chicago to the east.
Under the leadership of promoter John Blair, the CR & MR moved ahead, starting west of Boone in late 1865…reaching Denison by the next spring…then continuing to move westward the rest of that year. Finally, crews laid the last rail in front of the new station in Council Bluffs on this date in 1867. And with that, Council Bluffs had a complete rail route eastward to Chicago. It would be another two years before Leland Stanford drove the ceremonial golden spike into the Utah ground, joining the rails of the original transcontinental railroad.
As for the Mississippi and Missouri…that line was taken over by the Rock Island, and did not reach Council Bluffs until May…two years later. The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River would later became the Chicago and North Western.
The desire to connect railroads westward across Iowa led to another development…the city of Ames, which was chartered in 1864 for the railroad, and named by CR & MR president John Blair after a Massachusetts congressman, Oakes Ames.
But it was on this date in 1867 that Council Bluffs became the eastern terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad, when the last spike was driven, and the rail line from there to Chicago was completed.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 22nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 22
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, January 21
"A Secret Society is Formed"
There's some pressure among college students today to get into the "right" fraternity or sorority. Not being invited to join can have an effect on a young person.
Back in 1869, sororities were not common...in fact, there was only one in existence in the country, now known as Pi Beta Phi. At Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, there was a new chapter of that sorority, and seven close friends were among those who wanted to be the first members. But when invitations went out, not all of the seven were included.
Not wanting anything to come between their friendship, the seven decided to form their own sisterhood. Hattie Briggs and Franc Roads came up with the idea, and soon enlisted Allie Bird, Ella Stewart, Mary Allen, Suela Pearson, and Alice Coffin in the cause.
They called it the P.E.O. Sisterhood, and for more than a century, the meaning of P.E.O. was an official secret. In 2008, the group's website indicated that the letters stand for Philanthropic Educational Organization.
Today, that original membership of 7 women on one Iowa campus has grown to nearly a quarter of a million members in chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada, with headquarters in Des Moines. The second sorority to be founded in the country now sponsors six international projects to help women with their educational goals.
And it all started when seven young women decided not to join an Iowa Wesleyan sorority that wouldn't take their friends as well...choosing friendship over membership...on this date, in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 21
"A Secret Society is Formed"
There's some pressure among college students today to get into the "right" fraternity or sorority. Not being invited to join can have an effect on a young person.
Back in 1869, sororities were not common...in fact, there was only one in existence in the country, now known as Pi Beta Phi. At Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, there was a new chapter of that sorority, and seven close friends were among those who wanted to be the first members. But when invitations went out, not all of the seven were included.
Not wanting anything to come between their friendship, the seven decided to form their own sisterhood. Hattie Briggs and Franc Roads came up with the idea, and soon enlisted Allie Bird, Ella Stewart, Mary Allen, Suela Pearson, and Alice Coffin in the cause.
They called it the P.E.O. Sisterhood, and for more than a century, the meaning of P.E.O. was an official secret. In 2008, the group's website indicated that the letters stand for Philanthropic Educational Organization.
Today, that original membership of 7 women on one Iowa campus has grown to nearly a quarter of a million members in chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada, with headquarters in Des Moines. The second sorority to be founded in the country now sponsors six international projects to help women with their educational goals.
And it all started when seven young women decided not to join an Iowa Wesleyan sorority that wouldn't take their friends as well...choosing friendship over membership...on this date, in 1869.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 21st...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 21
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, January 20
"Ozzy and the Bat"
Concert goers at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines got more than they bargained for on this date in 1982. For that matter, so did the performer.
Today's generation knows Ozzy Osbourne as the bumbling patriarch of a TV reality show family. Back then, he was the former lead singer of the band "Black Sabbath" and was known as the "Prince of Darkness".
He was touring the country, promoting his album "Diary of a Madman"...at the end of concerts, Osbourne had taken to tossing raw meat into the audience. Before long, audience members started bringing items to the concerts, and returning the favor.
A fan tossed a bat onto the stage. Osbourne thought it was a rubber bat and bit the head off it...and quickly found out it was real.
That fan was 17-year-old Mark Neal of Des Moines. Neal says the bat was actually dead...but certainly real, and not rubber.
Osbourne's actions led to having a series of rabies shots at a Des Moines hospital.
Of all his antics over time, Ozzy Osbourne says the bat story is still what he's asked about most.
By October, Veterans auditorium officials prohibited performers from using live animals as part of any show without prior consent. As you now know, the stunt was not exactly planned. But it was memorable...and it happened on this date in 1982.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 20
"Ozzy and the Bat"
Concert goers at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines got more than they bargained for on this date in 1982. For that matter, so did the performer.
Today's generation knows Ozzy Osbourne as the bumbling patriarch of a TV reality show family. Back then, he was the former lead singer of the band "Black Sabbath" and was known as the "Prince of Darkness".
He was touring the country, promoting his album "Diary of a Madman"...at the end of concerts, Osbourne had taken to tossing raw meat into the audience. Before long, audience members started bringing items to the concerts, and returning the favor.
A fan tossed a bat onto the stage. Osbourne thought it was a rubber bat and bit the head off it...and quickly found out it was real.
That fan was 17-year-old Mark Neal of Des Moines. Neal says the bat was actually dead...but certainly real, and not rubber.
Osbourne's actions led to having a series of rabies shots at a Des Moines hospital.
Of all his antics over time, Ozzy Osbourne says the bat story is still what he's asked about most.
By October, Veterans auditorium officials prohibited performers from using live animals as part of any show without prior consent. As you now know, the stunt was not exactly planned. But it was memorable...and it happened on this date in 1982.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 20th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the link below:
Iowa Almanac for January 20
Iowa Almanac for Monday, January 19
"From Peanuts to President"
The Iowa Presidential Precinct Caucuses started in 1972, and Senator George McGovern of South Dakota used them to attract national attention that year...but the Caucuses really came into their own four years later.
Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter spent most of 1975 in Iowa, and on January 19, 1976, Iowa's new first-in-the-nation test catapulted Carter into national prominence.
Carter actually did not "win" the 1976 Iowa Democratic caucus...more Democrats--37 percent--declared themselves as uncommitted than for a single candidate. But Carter scored 27 percent, which was more support than any other candidate, and more than double the tally of his closest competitor, Indiana senator Birch Bayh. Carter parlayed that showing into national attention going into other states, like New Hampshire. And candidates from both parties have used that Iowa strategy successfully ever since...including the current occupant of the White House.
Iowa Republicans held their caucuses on the same date as the Democrats in 1976...and along with the Carter story, much was made of the fact that President Gerald Ford barely defeated Ronald Reagan in the party's straw poll...an early sign of Ford's possible weakness in his own party.
One year and one day after the Iowa caucuses, Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States. But he got his start with his showing in the Iowa Caucus on this date in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 19
"From Peanuts to President"
The Iowa Presidential Precinct Caucuses started in 1972, and Senator George McGovern of South Dakota used them to attract national attention that year...but the Caucuses really came into their own four years later.
Former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter spent most of 1975 in Iowa, and on January 19, 1976, Iowa's new first-in-the-nation test catapulted Carter into national prominence.
Carter actually did not "win" the 1976 Iowa Democratic caucus...more Democrats--37 percent--declared themselves as uncommitted than for a single candidate. But Carter scored 27 percent, which was more support than any other candidate, and more than double the tally of his closest competitor, Indiana senator Birch Bayh. Carter parlayed that showing into national attention going into other states, like New Hampshire. And candidates from both parties have used that Iowa strategy successfully ever since...including the current occupant of the White House.
Iowa Republicans held their caucuses on the same date as the Democrats in 1976...and along with the Carter story, much was made of the fact that President Gerald Ford barely defeated Ronald Reagan in the party's straw poll...an early sign of Ford's possible weakness in his own party.
One year and one day after the Iowa caucuses, Jimmy Carter was sworn in as the 39th president of the United States. But he got his start with his showing in the Iowa Caucus on this date in 1976.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 19th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 19
Iowa Almanac for Friday, January 16
"Basketball in Iowa City"
When you think of basketball at the University of Iowa, Carver-Hawkeye Arena or the Field House come to mind. But the history of basketball there goes back to the very beginning of the sport.
On this date in 1896, University of Iowa physical education instructor Henry Kallenberg welcomed Amos Alonzo Stagg to campus. Stagg was athletic director at the recently founded University of Chicago. The purpose…an experimental game in a new sport.
Kallenberg has met Stagg at a YMCA training school in Massachusetts back in 1890. The next year, that school’s director of physical education invented a new game called basketball. That, of course, was Canadian-born James Naismieth.
Through those connections, basketball came to Iowa City. Initially, players passed a soccer ball up and down the court. Points were earned by landing the ball in a peach basket. By 1893, iron hoops and a hammock style basket were introduced. It would take another decade before open-ended nets were added, so until the early 1900s, the ball had to be manually retrieved from the basket each time a goal was scored.
And so it was in Iowa City in 1896…the University of Iowa’s Kallenberg refereed the game. The University of Chicago won, 15 to 12. The game is historic, not for its score…but because it was the first unofficial college basketball game played with five players on each side, the standard we all know today. And it was played in Iowa City on this date in 1896.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 16
"Basketball in Iowa City"
When you think of basketball at the University of Iowa, Carver-Hawkeye Arena or the Field House come to mind. But the history of basketball there goes back to the very beginning of the sport.
On this date in 1896, University of Iowa physical education instructor Henry Kallenberg welcomed Amos Alonzo Stagg to campus. Stagg was athletic director at the recently founded University of Chicago. The purpose…an experimental game in a new sport.
Kallenberg has met Stagg at a YMCA training school in Massachusetts back in 1890. The next year, that school’s director of physical education invented a new game called basketball. That, of course, was Canadian-born James Naismieth.
Through those connections, basketball came to Iowa City. Initially, players passed a soccer ball up and down the court. Points were earned by landing the ball in a peach basket. By 1893, iron hoops and a hammock style basket were introduced. It would take another decade before open-ended nets were added, so until the early 1900s, the ball had to be manually retrieved from the basket each time a goal was scored.
And so it was in Iowa City in 1896…the University of Iowa’s Kallenberg refereed the game. The University of Chicago won, 15 to 12. The game is historic, not for its score…but because it was the first unofficial college basketball game played with five players on each side, the standard we all know today. And it was played in Iowa City on this date in 1896.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 16
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, January 15
"It's the Oldest of its Kind"
Fairfield has a long history when it comes to libraries. The first library there dates back to 1852 when some of the town’s prominent citizens founded the Jefferson County Library Association. But for 40 years, the collection of 500 volumes moved around a lot from one location to another.
In 1891, Fairfield’s Senate James Falconer Wilson approached the Pittsburgh steel-industry magnate Andrew Carnegie, to ask for help in building a permanent library for Fairfield.
Carnegie was already known for funding libraries, but this one would be different. You see, Andrew Carnegie didn’t have any ties to Fairfield and had never visited there. His other donations were to places he had seen personally.
But Wilson was persuasive, and on January 15, 1892, Carnegie pledged $30,000 for a library to bear his name in Fairfield. Wilson himself donated the land, and the next year, the permanent Jefferson County Library opened.
That library in Fairfield served the town well for almost a hundred years…a new library was built in 1996, and the building Carnegie supported now is operated by Indian Hills Community College.
That gift was the first for a library west of Pittsburgh, then known as Allegheny City. But it was more than that. It was the gift that started one of the more remarkable funding efforts ever. Between 1892 and 1917, Carnegie provided grants for 1,689 public library buildings in the U.S., at a cost of 41 and a half million dollars. Iowa cities took advantage, and by 1918, Carnegie had provided funds for 97 of the 136 public libraries in our state…Waterloo and Sioux City, in fact, each received grants for 2 libraries in their respective cities.
Worldwide, the massive Carnegie library project supported more than 28-hundred libraries…but it started with a grant to Fairfield, on this date in 1892.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 15th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 15
"It's the Oldest of its Kind"
Fairfield has a long history when it comes to libraries. The first library there dates back to 1852 when some of the town’s prominent citizens founded the Jefferson County Library Association. But for 40 years, the collection of 500 volumes moved around a lot from one location to another.
In 1891, Fairfield’s Senate James Falconer Wilson approached the Pittsburgh steel-industry magnate Andrew Carnegie, to ask for help in building a permanent library for Fairfield.
Carnegie was already known for funding libraries, but this one would be different. You see, Andrew Carnegie didn’t have any ties to Fairfield and had never visited there. His other donations were to places he had seen personally.
But Wilson was persuasive, and on January 15, 1892, Carnegie pledged $30,000 for a library to bear his name in Fairfield. Wilson himself donated the land, and the next year, the permanent Jefferson County Library opened.
That library in Fairfield served the town well for almost a hundred years…a new library was built in 1996, and the building Carnegie supported now is operated by Indian Hills Community College.
That gift was the first for a library west of Pittsburgh, then known as Allegheny City. But it was more than that. It was the gift that started one of the more remarkable funding efforts ever. Between 1892 and 1917, Carnegie provided grants for 1,689 public library buildings in the U.S., at a cost of 41 and a half million dollars. Iowa cities took advantage, and by 1918, Carnegie had provided funds for 97 of the 136 public libraries in our state…Waterloo and Sioux City, in fact, each received grants for 2 libraries in their respective cities.
Worldwide, the massive Carnegie library project supported more than 28-hundred libraries…but it started with a grant to Fairfield, on this date in 1892.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 15th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 15
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, January 14
"The Undefeated Champions"
There has only been one national football league team in history that has won the Super Bowl as an undefeated champion. The Miami Dolphins capped their 1972 perfect regular season with a win in Super Bowl 7 on this date in 1973.
One of the stalwarts on that team was a young man from Iowa…Vern Den Herder.
Born in LeMars in 1948, the Sioux Center high school graduate played his college football at Central in Pella. He was a 9th round draft pick for Miami, back when the draft had that many rounds.
After a rookie year when he played primarily on special teams, Den Herder became a starting defensive end just before the 1972 season started. The Dolphins had incentive that year…they lost to Dallas in the Super Bowl the year before, and looked to avenge that loss. And did they ever…winning all 14 regular season games, two playoff games, and then the Super Bowl over Washington 14-7. It was a tackle by Den Herder near the end of the game that sealed the win and the perfect season for Miami. The Dolphins went on to win the Super Bowl the next year as well…all tolled, Vern Den Herder played in three Super Bowls for Miami before he retired after the 1982 season.
He still lives in Sioux Center today, engaged in farming.
It’s now traditional for championship sports teams to visit the White House for a ceremony with the president. That undefeated Dolphins team never had such a ceremony…the Watergate scandal was unraveling at that time…but to mark the 40th anniversary of the team, President Obama invited them to the White House in 2013. Vern Den Harder couldn’t make it…he said he was needed on the farm in Iowa.
Now more than 40 years later, there’s still only been one undefeated Super Bowl champion…and Iowan Vern Den Herder was a big part of that championship game, on this date in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 14th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 14
"The Undefeated Champions"
There has only been one national football league team in history that has won the Super Bowl as an undefeated champion. The Miami Dolphins capped their 1972 perfect regular season with a win in Super Bowl 7 on this date in 1973.
One of the stalwarts on that team was a young man from Iowa…Vern Den Herder.
Born in LeMars in 1948, the Sioux Center high school graduate played his college football at Central in Pella. He was a 9th round draft pick for Miami, back when the draft had that many rounds.
After a rookie year when he played primarily on special teams, Den Herder became a starting defensive end just before the 1972 season started. The Dolphins had incentive that year…they lost to Dallas in the Super Bowl the year before, and looked to avenge that loss. And did they ever…winning all 14 regular season games, two playoff games, and then the Super Bowl over Washington 14-7. It was a tackle by Den Herder near the end of the game that sealed the win and the perfect season for Miami. The Dolphins went on to win the Super Bowl the next year as well…all tolled, Vern Den Herder played in three Super Bowls for Miami before he retired after the 1982 season.
He still lives in Sioux Center today, engaged in farming.
It’s now traditional for championship sports teams to visit the White House for a ceremony with the president. That undefeated Dolphins team never had such a ceremony…the Watergate scandal was unraveling at that time…but to mark the 40th anniversary of the team, President Obama invited them to the White House in 2013. Vern Den Harder couldn’t make it…he said he was needed on the farm in Iowa.
Now more than 40 years later, there’s still only been one undefeated Super Bowl champion…and Iowan Vern Den Herder was a big part of that championship game, on this date in 1973.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 14th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 14
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, January 13
"Honoring a Favorite Son"
Clarinda was justifiably proud of one of their own, trombonist and band leader Glenn Miller, who was born in that southwest Iowa town in 1904 and tragically lost in World War II.
Miller was memorialized by Hollywood in a movie, “The Glenn Miller Story” in 1954, around what would have been his 50th birthday. Producers decided to premiere the film in Clarinda, which declared January 13th, 1954, to be Glenn Miller Day…and all the stars turned out.
Jimmy Stewart played Miller in the movie, and turned out along with other stars from the film. Miller himself accompanied 82 year old Mattie Lou Miller, Glenn Miller’s mother, on a visit to the home where Miller was born. Then they went to the country school where Mrs. Miller taught at the turn of the century, and the church the family attended.
There was a Glenn Miller Day queen, a parade around the city square complete with performances by the Clarinda high school band, and the Offutt Air Force band.
And at night, after Gov. William Beardsley dedicated the new Glenn Miller National Guard armory, the movie premiered as the climax of the celebration.
And even now, more than 60 years later, the Glenn Miller Story…the movie and the life…remains a classic. And it was on this date in 1954 that the film premiered in Clarinda.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 13th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 13
"Honoring a Favorite Son"
Clarinda was justifiably proud of one of their own, trombonist and band leader Glenn Miller, who was born in that southwest Iowa town in 1904 and tragically lost in World War II.
Miller was memorialized by Hollywood in a movie, “The Glenn Miller Story” in 1954, around what would have been his 50th birthday. Producers decided to premiere the film in Clarinda, which declared January 13th, 1954, to be Glenn Miller Day…and all the stars turned out.
Jimmy Stewart played Miller in the movie, and turned out along with other stars from the film. Miller himself accompanied 82 year old Mattie Lou Miller, Glenn Miller’s mother, on a visit to the home where Miller was born. Then they went to the country school where Mrs. Miller taught at the turn of the century, and the church the family attended.
There was a Glenn Miller Day queen, a parade around the city square complete with performances by the Clarinda high school band, and the Offutt Air Force band.
And at night, after Gov. William Beardsley dedicated the new Glenn Miller National Guard armory, the movie premiered as the climax of the celebration.
And even now, more than 60 years later, the Glenn Miller Story…the movie and the life…remains a classic. And it was on this date in 1954 that the film premiered in Clarinda.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 13th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 13
Iowa Almanac for Monday, January 12
"Local folks called it the Black Blizzard"
The winter of 1888 had been fairly moderate, with only light amounts of precipitation in the Hohenzollern area of Crawford County in western Iowa. You know the area today as Schleswig, but our story today happened 11 years before that town was even mapped out.
January 12, 1888 began mild, but people noticed an ominous still in the air. Long before the days of weather warnings, folks were caught completely by surprise when suddenly, a low howl was heard. It was the wind, bringing with it a blizzard from Nebraska and what was then called the Dakota Territory.
By 4:30 in the afternoon, the storm arrived. The lack of snow cover meant that clouds of dust were stirred up by the strong wind…then came an enormous amount of snow…together they created blackout conditions…which is why the storm got the name, the Black Blizzard.
Then the temperature dropped…as low as 42 degrees below zero in some points in Iowa. In Hohenzollern, the storm raged throughout the night, piling snowdrifts 15 feet deep.
Jurgen Jepsen and his family were returning home from helping nearby relatives with a butchering job when the storm hit. His wagon broke and his horses ran off, so Jepsen turned the wagon box over to shield his family and went to find help. When he failed to return, his wife went looking for him. They found her body the next day. One of the Jepsen children who survived suffered such extreme frostbite that his left hand became crippled.
The next morning, residents were greeted by sunshine and blue skies. The winds were calm. But they would long remember the fury of the Black Blizzard, which killed 235 people across the Plains…many of them, children on their way home from school…on this date in 1888.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 12th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 12
"Local folks called it the Black Blizzard"
The winter of 1888 had been fairly moderate, with only light amounts of precipitation in the Hohenzollern area of Crawford County in western Iowa. You know the area today as Schleswig, but our story today happened 11 years before that town was even mapped out.
January 12, 1888 began mild, but people noticed an ominous still in the air. Long before the days of weather warnings, folks were caught completely by surprise when suddenly, a low howl was heard. It was the wind, bringing with it a blizzard from Nebraska and what was then called the Dakota Territory.
By 4:30 in the afternoon, the storm arrived. The lack of snow cover meant that clouds of dust were stirred up by the strong wind…then came an enormous amount of snow…together they created blackout conditions…which is why the storm got the name, the Black Blizzard.
Then the temperature dropped…as low as 42 degrees below zero in some points in Iowa. In Hohenzollern, the storm raged throughout the night, piling snowdrifts 15 feet deep.
Jurgen Jepsen and his family were returning home from helping nearby relatives with a butchering job when the storm hit. His wagon broke and his horses ran off, so Jepsen turned the wagon box over to shield his family and went to find help. When he failed to return, his wife went looking for him. They found her body the next day. One of the Jepsen children who survived suffered such extreme frostbite that his left hand became crippled.
The next morning, residents were greeted by sunshine and blue skies. The winds were calm. But they would long remember the fury of the Black Blizzard, which killed 235 people across the Plains…many of them, children on their way home from school…on this date in 1888.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 12th. Listen to the extended audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 12
Iowa Almanac for Friday, January 9
"They Didn't Wait for the Trial"
Murders have never been common occurrences in Floyd County in Northeast Iowa, and that was certainly the case in 1907.
So it was no surprise that when Charles City residents awoke on January 8th of that year and learned that Ella Cullen and her 15-year-old son Roy Eastman were killed in their home overnight, it attracted a lot of attention.
James Cullen was a well-to-do contractor in his early 60s. But it was said he had a troublesome disposition, and Ella was his fourth wife. Around 3 o'clock in the morning, James had returned home after picking up his brother at the train station. After showing his brother to bed, he then went to his wife's bedroom and stabbed her through the heart as she slept. He then tried to cut his stepson's throat, but the boy fought him off. Cullen then shot the boy through the head with a revolver, killing him. He then turned the gun on himself, but only sustained a slight cheek wound. The sheriff arrested James Cullen, and charged him with two counts of first degree murder.
He claimed it was self-defense, saying his wife had been nagging him to death, and that his stepson had tried to kill him.
The next night, a mob formed outside the jail, made up in part by Roy Eastman's friends. Some say 500 people gathered; others say it was a thousand.
Around 11 p.m., the mob confronted the sheriff at the jail, saying they intended to save the county the expense of a trial for Cullen, and suggesting the sheriff go to the nearby courthouse. He did. Soon after, a railroad rail weighing 750 pounds was used as a battering ram to knock down the jail door. Sledge hammers were used to knock off the cell door hinges, and Cullen was dragged into the street. As the crowd reached the old girder bridge on Main Street, a rope was placed around James Cullen's neck, and he was hanged.
The county tried to prosecute the leaders of the mob, but without success.
One more thing...for reasons no one has ever been able to explain, while public records include a death certificate for Ella Cullen, there is no record of the death of Roy Eastman...whose teen age friends were the ones who took justice in their own hands, hanging James Cullen from the Main Street Bridge in Charles City on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 9th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 9
"They Didn't Wait for the Trial"
Murders have never been common occurrences in Floyd County in Northeast Iowa, and that was certainly the case in 1907.
So it was no surprise that when Charles City residents awoke on January 8th of that year and learned that Ella Cullen and her 15-year-old son Roy Eastman were killed in their home overnight, it attracted a lot of attention.
James Cullen was a well-to-do contractor in his early 60s. But it was said he had a troublesome disposition, and Ella was his fourth wife. Around 3 o'clock in the morning, James had returned home after picking up his brother at the train station. After showing his brother to bed, he then went to his wife's bedroom and stabbed her through the heart as she slept. He then tried to cut his stepson's throat, but the boy fought him off. Cullen then shot the boy through the head with a revolver, killing him. He then turned the gun on himself, but only sustained a slight cheek wound. The sheriff arrested James Cullen, and charged him with two counts of first degree murder.
He claimed it was self-defense, saying his wife had been nagging him to death, and that his stepson had tried to kill him.
The next night, a mob formed outside the jail, made up in part by Roy Eastman's friends. Some say 500 people gathered; others say it was a thousand.
Around 11 p.m., the mob confronted the sheriff at the jail, saying they intended to save the county the expense of a trial for Cullen, and suggesting the sheriff go to the nearby courthouse. He did. Soon after, a railroad rail weighing 750 pounds was used as a battering ram to knock down the jail door. Sledge hammers were used to knock off the cell door hinges, and Cullen was dragged into the street. As the crowd reached the old girder bridge on Main Street, a rope was placed around James Cullen's neck, and he was hanged.
The county tried to prosecute the leaders of the mob, but without success.
One more thing...for reasons no one has ever been able to explain, while public records include a death certificate for Ella Cullen, there is no record of the death of Roy Eastman...whose teen age friends were the ones who took justice in their own hands, hanging James Cullen from the Main Street Bridge in Charles City on this date in 1907.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 9th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 9
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, January 8
"The First of Her Kind"
Nancy Hill wasn't born in Iowa, but she certainly made her mark here. Born in West Cambridge, Massachusetts in November of 1833, she served as an army nurse during the Civil War, stationed at Washington's Armory Square Hopsital, within 75 miles of such bloody battles as those fought at Antietam, Chancellorsville, and the Battle of the Wilderness. The chief surgeon there was so impressed with her work that he encouraged her to study medicine, so after the war, she went to the University of Michigan, which was the only medical school at that time to accept women. She graduated second in her class at the age of 41...and that's when her Iowa story begins.
Dr. Nancy Hill moved to Dubuque in 1875, shortly after graduating from medical school. She was the first female doctor in Dubuque, and one of fewer than a dozen in the whole state. She practiced medicine there for nearly 40 years, specializing in obstetrics; by her own count, she delivered a thousand babies during that time.
In 1896, feeling great concern for unwed mothers and lack of care their babies received, Dr. Hill founded the Women's Rescue Society of Dubuque and operated the home until her 80th birthday; you know it today as Hillcrest Family Services, serving tens of thousands of clients each year with vital social services throughout the state of Iowa.
Dr. Nancy Hill was also president of the Dubuque Women's Suffrage Association, and stirred up controversy when she called out the Daughters of the American Revolution for not supporting suffrage strongly enough, saying they were too content to tell of the glory of their ancestors, instead of battling to gain the same principles of law for themselves.
Dr. Nancy Hill was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame 70 years after her death, which was on this date in 1919.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 8th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 8
"The First of Her Kind"
Nancy Hill wasn't born in Iowa, but she certainly made her mark here. Born in West Cambridge, Massachusetts in November of 1833, she served as an army nurse during the Civil War, stationed at Washington's Armory Square Hopsital, within 75 miles of such bloody battles as those fought at Antietam, Chancellorsville, and the Battle of the Wilderness. The chief surgeon there was so impressed with her work that he encouraged her to study medicine, so after the war, she went to the University of Michigan, which was the only medical school at that time to accept women. She graduated second in her class at the age of 41...and that's when her Iowa story begins.
Dr. Nancy Hill moved to Dubuque in 1875, shortly after graduating from medical school. She was the first female doctor in Dubuque, and one of fewer than a dozen in the whole state. She practiced medicine there for nearly 40 years, specializing in obstetrics; by her own count, she delivered a thousand babies during that time.
In 1896, feeling great concern for unwed mothers and lack of care their babies received, Dr. Hill founded the Women's Rescue Society of Dubuque and operated the home until her 80th birthday; you know it today as Hillcrest Family Services, serving tens of thousands of clients each year with vital social services throughout the state of Iowa.
Dr. Nancy Hill was also president of the Dubuque Women's Suffrage Association, and stirred up controversy when she called out the Daughters of the American Revolution for not supporting suffrage strongly enough, saying they were too content to tell of the glory of their ancestors, instead of battling to gain the same principles of law for themselves.
Dr. Nancy Hill was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame 70 years after her death, which was on this date in 1919.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 8th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 8
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, January 7
"Trapped by Fire"
It was the deadliest fire in Davenport history. Around 2:30 in the morning, on January 7, 1950, Davenport firefighters responded to a call at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a mental ward operated by Mercy Hospital on the city's west side.
When they arrived, flames were coming from the windows...which, because of the nature of the facility, had metal bars on the outside. The patients were trapped inside, with no way out except through corridors that were filled with smoke, or actually on fire themselves.
It was no surprise something like this happened. The three-story, 78-year old brick building had wood framing...no sprinkler system or fire alarms...and thickly varnished floors that encouraged the spread of fire...especially with the winter wind that cold January night.
The fire was started by a patient who ignited curtains with a cigarette lighter. Of the 65 people in St. Elizabeth's that night, firefighters did rescue 24. But for years, they carried the guilt of not saving more.
For four hours, 14 fire companies fought the blaze. But 41 people, all women, lost their lives that night in the deadliest fire ever in Davenport...on this date, in 1950.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 7th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 7
"Trapped by Fire"
It was the deadliest fire in Davenport history. Around 2:30 in the morning, on January 7, 1950, Davenport firefighters responded to a call at St. Elizabeth's Hospital, a mental ward operated by Mercy Hospital on the city's west side.
When they arrived, flames were coming from the windows...which, because of the nature of the facility, had metal bars on the outside. The patients were trapped inside, with no way out except through corridors that were filled with smoke, or actually on fire themselves.
It was no surprise something like this happened. The three-story, 78-year old brick building had wood framing...no sprinkler system or fire alarms...and thickly varnished floors that encouraged the spread of fire...especially with the winter wind that cold January night.
The fire was started by a patient who ignited curtains with a cigarette lighter. Of the 65 people in St. Elizabeth's that night, firefighters did rescue 24. But for years, they carried the guilt of not saving more.
For four hours, 14 fire companies fought the blaze. But 41 people, all women, lost their lives that night in the deadliest fire ever in Davenport...on this date, in 1950.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 7th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 7
Iowa Almanac for Tuesday, January 6
"How We Got to be A Place to Grow"
The turbulent decade of the 1960s was over, and as the 1970 began, state leaders decided they needed a fresh image to promote economic growth and development.
That led to development of a slogan, "Iowa, A Place to Grow". It obviously related to the state's agricultural heritage, along with the concept of growing in other ways.
To make that point, a four-loop cloverleaf symbol was developed, representing growth in all directions, and strength in unity. The loops were said to represent individual growth in education, spiritual awareness, friends, and family.
But not everyone thought it was a good idea. They worried that somehow the economic development slogan and symbol would take the place of the state's slogan, or even the state flag...concerns that Gov. Robert Ray had to address publicly.
"Iowa, A Place to Grow" was the state's official marketing slogan throughout Gov. Ray's time in office, into the early 1980s.
We've had a few other slogans over time...in 1994, "Iowa, You Make Me Smile" started appearing in marketing campaigns...that gave way to "Fields of Opportunities" in 1999...and so on.
A large concrete representation of the symbol can still be found in downtown Des Moines today; it's displayed north of the Grimes State office Building, at East 14th State and Grand Avenue.
If you're nearby, you might want to visit it today...because it was on this day in 1970, that "Iowa, A Place to Grow" and the four-loop clover leaf symbol were officially adopted.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 6th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 6
"How We Got to be A Place to Grow"
The turbulent decade of the 1960s was over, and as the 1970 began, state leaders decided they needed a fresh image to promote economic growth and development.
That led to development of a slogan, "Iowa, A Place to Grow". It obviously related to the state's agricultural heritage, along with the concept of growing in other ways.
To make that point, a four-loop cloverleaf symbol was developed, representing growth in all directions, and strength in unity. The loops were said to represent individual growth in education, spiritual awareness, friends, and family.
But not everyone thought it was a good idea. They worried that somehow the economic development slogan and symbol would take the place of the state's slogan, or even the state flag...concerns that Gov. Robert Ray had to address publicly.
"Iowa, A Place to Grow" was the state's official marketing slogan throughout Gov. Ray's time in office, into the early 1980s.
We've had a few other slogans over time...in 1994, "Iowa, You Make Me Smile" started appearing in marketing campaigns...that gave way to "Fields of Opportunities" in 1999...and so on.
A large concrete representation of the symbol can still be found in downtown Des Moines today; it's displayed north of the Grimes State office Building, at East 14th State and Grand Avenue.
If you're nearby, you might want to visit it today...because it was on this day in 1970, that "Iowa, A Place to Grow" and the four-loop clover leaf symbol were officially adopted.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 6th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 6
Iowa Almanac for Monday, January 5
"Blazing the Trail"
If you travel on Interstate 35 today, you've got some fellow Iowans to thank for their work one hundred years ago today.
Back in March of 1911, a group called the Des Moines/Kansas City/St. Joseph interstate trail association was organized in Lamoni and a route between those cities was marked, with thanks from farmers, automobile clubs, and citizens in towns along the way. Officially, the highway then was a direct route between Fort Des Moines and Fort Leavenworth, making it a practical road for transporting troops as well as a way to improve business.
On January 5th, 1915, a meeting of the association was held at Mason City. The result was to extend the original trail 271 miles north from Des Moines, through Nevada, Iowa Falls, Mason City, and Northwood, Iowa...and Albert Lea, Owatonna, Faribault, and Northfield to St. Paul, Minnesota.
That route may sound familiar, as it closely follows the path of today's Interstate 35. But there's more. Later in 1915, Edwin Meredith, the publisher of Successful Farming magazine, organized a meeting in New Orleans, with the goal of creating a great north and south highway, named for the president who was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase...the new Jefferson Highway Association extended the road southward, completing the north-south run across the country.
But it was made possible because of the success of the original trails that connected Iowa to our neighbors...and the connection that completed the run through Iowa was organized on this date 100 years ago.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 5th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 5
"Blazing the Trail"
If you travel on Interstate 35 today, you've got some fellow Iowans to thank for their work one hundred years ago today.
Back in March of 1911, a group called the Des Moines/Kansas City/St. Joseph interstate trail association was organized in Lamoni and a route between those cities was marked, with thanks from farmers, automobile clubs, and citizens in towns along the way. Officially, the highway then was a direct route between Fort Des Moines and Fort Leavenworth, making it a practical road for transporting troops as well as a way to improve business.
On January 5th, 1915, a meeting of the association was held at Mason City. The result was to extend the original trail 271 miles north from Des Moines, through Nevada, Iowa Falls, Mason City, and Northwood, Iowa...and Albert Lea, Owatonna, Faribault, and Northfield to St. Paul, Minnesota.
That route may sound familiar, as it closely follows the path of today's Interstate 35. But there's more. Later in 1915, Edwin Meredith, the publisher of Successful Farming magazine, organized a meeting in New Orleans, with the goal of creating a great north and south highway, named for the president who was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase...the new Jefferson Highway Association extended the road southward, completing the north-south run across the country.
But it was made possible because of the success of the original trails that connected Iowa to our neighbors...and the connection that completed the run through Iowa was organized on this date 100 years ago.
And that's Iowa Almanac for January 5th. Listen to the audio version of today's story here:
Iowa Almanac for January 5