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Copyright 2024 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 2024 by Stein Enterprises, L.L.C.
Iowa Almanac for Friday, May 17, 2024
"Stop the Construction"
City leaders on both sides of the Mississippi River were excited about the prospects. The existing bridges connecting Iowa to Illinois and Wisconsin were carrying more cars each day than they were designed to, so the idea in 1978 of a new $35 million, four-lane bridge was quite welcome.
But the Higgins' Eye Clam almost put a halt to the project.
Clam hunting was once a profitable business on the Mississippi River, reaching its highest profitability in the late 1800s when several varieties were used in the button industry.
The Higgins' Eye Clam was named for the man who discovered the species in Muscatine in 1857. But by the 1970s, over-harvesting and changing climate led to the clam becoming endangered, with only four known clam beds remaining...including one off City Island at Dubuque, near the bridge construction site.
On May 17, 1978, the Iowa Department of Transportation awarded an $8,000 grant to Loras biology professor Edward Cawley. He and his team set out to determine if the Higgins' Eye Clam would be adversely affected by the bridge project. Construction stopped immediately, and for the next two months, researchers brought a thousand clams to the surface. Only one Higgins' Eye Clam was found, and it died within 24 hours of being transferred to an aquarium.
That led to careful construction of the bridge, so as not to disturb the habitat where the clam was found, just less than 1,000 feet from the bridge itself.
That wasn't the only snag in construction, though. Two years later, construction was halted when a Native American burial site was found on the bluff where the bridge was to connect with Wisconsin. Archaeologists had read a map incorrectly and missed the site originally.
But not long after the Tennessee Valley Authority was stopped from building a project thanks to the snail darter fish, a bridge over the Mississippi River was temporarily stopped in order to protect the Higgins' Eye Clam, on this date in 1978.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Stop the Construction"
City leaders on both sides of the Mississippi River were excited about the prospects. The existing bridges connecting Iowa to Illinois and Wisconsin were carrying more cars each day than they were designed to, so the idea in 1978 of a new $35 million, four-lane bridge was quite welcome.
But the Higgins' Eye Clam almost put a halt to the project.
Clam hunting was once a profitable business on the Mississippi River, reaching its highest profitability in the late 1800s when several varieties were used in the button industry.
The Higgins' Eye Clam was named for the man who discovered the species in Muscatine in 1857. But by the 1970s, over-harvesting and changing climate led to the clam becoming endangered, with only four known clam beds remaining...including one off City Island at Dubuque, near the bridge construction site.
On May 17, 1978, the Iowa Department of Transportation awarded an $8,000 grant to Loras biology professor Edward Cawley. He and his team set out to determine if the Higgins' Eye Clam would be adversely affected by the bridge project. Construction stopped immediately, and for the next two months, researchers brought a thousand clams to the surface. Only one Higgins' Eye Clam was found, and it died within 24 hours of being transferred to an aquarium.
That led to careful construction of the bridge, so as not to disturb the habitat where the clam was found, just less than 1,000 feet from the bridge itself.
That wasn't the only snag in construction, though. Two years later, construction was halted when a Native American burial site was found on the bluff where the bridge was to connect with Wisconsin. Archaeologists had read a map incorrectly and missed the site originally.
But not long after the Tennessee Valley Authority was stopped from building a project thanks to the snail darter fish, a bridge over the Mississippi River was temporarily stopped in order to protect the Higgins' Eye Clam, on this date in 1978.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 17th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 16, 2024
"A Vote Against Impeachment"
James Grimes served with distinction as Governor and U.S. Senator from Iowa. First elected to public office as a Whig, he was influential in the creation of the Republican Party in the state.
He served as a senator during the Civil War, and was an ally of President Abraham Lincoln. And he had no love for Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson.
Grimes was one of Johnson's most bitter and influential opponents in the U.S. Senate, but he was also fair. And when members of his own party started impeachment proceedings against President Johnson, Grimes ultimately opposed the move, upset about how the proceedings had been manipulated to give a one-sided view of the evidence. He declared he would vote against impeachment, and others said they'd follow suit.
That brought tremendous pressure upon Grimes, and he suffered a paralyzing stroke just two days before the impeachment vote was to be taken. Impeachment supporters were counting on Grimes being too sick to vote. But on May 16, 1868, four men literally carried him into the chamber and to his seat. When the time came, with help, he struggled to his feet and in a firm voice called out his vote--not guilty.
Six other Republicans followed Grimes' lead, and Johnson was not removed from office.
Grimes resigned from the Senate the following year due to increasingly poor health. He died in 1872 at the age of 55. Now, a state office building and a town near Des Moines bear his name.
Rising from his sick bed, Iowa's James Grimes of Burlington cast the deciding vote against impeaching a president, on this date, in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Vote Against Impeachment"
James Grimes served with distinction as Governor and U.S. Senator from Iowa. First elected to public office as a Whig, he was influential in the creation of the Republican Party in the state.
He served as a senator during the Civil War, and was an ally of President Abraham Lincoln. And he had no love for Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson.
Grimes was one of Johnson's most bitter and influential opponents in the U.S. Senate, but he was also fair. And when members of his own party started impeachment proceedings against President Johnson, Grimes ultimately opposed the move, upset about how the proceedings had been manipulated to give a one-sided view of the evidence. He declared he would vote against impeachment, and others said they'd follow suit.
That brought tremendous pressure upon Grimes, and he suffered a paralyzing stroke just two days before the impeachment vote was to be taken. Impeachment supporters were counting on Grimes being too sick to vote. But on May 16, 1868, four men literally carried him into the chamber and to his seat. When the time came, with help, he struggled to his feet and in a firm voice called out his vote--not guilty.
Six other Republicans followed Grimes' lead, and Johnson was not removed from office.
Grimes resigned from the Senate the following year due to increasingly poor health. He died in 1872 at the age of 55. Now, a state office building and a town near Des Moines bear his name.
Rising from his sick bed, Iowa's James Grimes of Burlington cast the deciding vote against impeaching a president, on this date, in 1868.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 16th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 15, 2024
"Deadly Tornadoes"
In the late afternoon of May 15, 1968, a large tornado tore through five counties in northern Iowa, hitting the town of Charles City around 5 p.m. Overall, the tornado killed 13 people, injured 462 others, and caused $30 million of damage in Charles City alone. That would be nearly $200 million in today's dollars. All 8 churches and 3 of the city schools were damaged or destroyed.
It's going to be a long, arduous process throughout Charles City. The town will not be back to normal for a long time, we can just face that fact.
He was the long-time chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, but at the time, Brian Ross was a college student working part-time for various radio stations, and was on the scene just after the tornado struck Charles City.
People are wandering around downtown in a state of shock, not knowing just...what...how could this happen, it happened so quickly and so suddenly. You just don't really expect these sort of things. But there's been no report of looting, none of these things. So there's people, everybody is out trying to help.
Soon after, a second tornado hit Fayette County, killing 5 and injuring 156 others. The hardest hit areas were Oelwein and Maynard, with $21 million in damage caused by this tornado, which destroyed or damaged another 1,000 homes.
It's an odd thing about tragedies like these, but these people getting together, helping one another, it's the thing you don't see very often and it makes you feel among all the tragedy there's perhaps something good.
Throughout America that year, there were only four F5 tornadoes. Two of them were in Iowa, on this date, in 1968.
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 15, 1968, a large tornado tore through five counties in northern Iowa, hitting the town of Charles City around 5 p.m. Overall, the tornado killed 13 people, injured 462 others, and caused $30 million of damage in Charles City alone. That would be nearly $200 million in today's dollars. All 8 churches and 3 of the city schools were damaged or destroyed.
It's going to be a long, arduous process throughout Charles City. The town will not be back to normal for a long time, we can just face that fact.
He was the long-time chief investigative correspondent for ABC News, but at the time, Brian Ross was a college student working part-time for various radio stations, and was on the scene just after the tornado struck Charles City.
People are wandering around downtown in a state of shock, not knowing just...what...how could this happen, it happened so quickly and so suddenly. You just don't really expect these sort of things. But there's been no report of looting, none of these things. So there's people, everybody is out trying to help.
Soon after, a second tornado hit Fayette County, killing 5 and injuring 156 others. The hardest hit areas were Oelwein and Maynard, with $21 million in damage caused by this tornado, which destroyed or damaged another 1,000 homes.
It's an odd thing about tragedies like these, but these people getting together, helping one another, it's the thing you don't see very often and it makes you feel among all the tragedy there's perhaps something good.
Throughout America that year, there were only four F5 tornadoes. Two of them were in Iowa, on this date, in 1968.
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 Tuesday, May 14, 2024
"The Tulips Are In Bloom"
In the early 1930s, the citizens of Orange City decided to honor the traditions and customs of their Dutch ancestors. So in 1933, the first Tulip Show was sponsored by the local Lions Club, Yard and Garden Club, and the Women's Club. It was a success, so they did it again the next year. By 1935, another 50,000 tulip bulbs were imported and planted by citizens. And soon, it became more than a tulip show.
On May 14, 1936, the first Spring Festival was held in Orange City. It was a one-day event, and some 3,500 people attended. Residents were asked to bring antiques and rarities from the Netherlands for display in store windows, to be seen by the visitors. A costume parade was held, and the Sioux City Symphony performed that evening.
The festival was, of course, centered around Orange City's tulips. Ironically, adverse weather conditions in 1936 meant few of the tulips were in bloom at festival time. But that did not deter organizers from expanding the event the very next year, adding election of a Tulip Festival Queen. By 1938, the event had expanded to two days, and by 1941, a night parade was added. After converting the festival to a Victory Days celebration during the Second World War, the original intention returned soon after, and by 1950, a third day was added to accommodate the more than 15,000 visitors.
Now, the Orange City tulip festival features two daily parades, Dutch folk dancing, a musical night show, and of course, the blooming of tens of thousands of tulips. Weather permitting of course.
As the headline in the Sioux County Capital newspaper proclaimed, "All Roads Lead to Orange City" for the first spring festival, centered around tulips, held on this date, in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"The Tulips Are In Bloom"
In the early 1930s, the citizens of Orange City decided to honor the traditions and customs of their Dutch ancestors. So in 1933, the first Tulip Show was sponsored by the local Lions Club, Yard and Garden Club, and the Women's Club. It was a success, so they did it again the next year. By 1935, another 50,000 tulip bulbs were imported and planted by citizens. And soon, it became more than a tulip show.
On May 14, 1936, the first Spring Festival was held in Orange City. It was a one-day event, and some 3,500 people attended. Residents were asked to bring antiques and rarities from the Netherlands for display in store windows, to be seen by the visitors. A costume parade was held, and the Sioux City Symphony performed that evening.
The festival was, of course, centered around Orange City's tulips. Ironically, adverse weather conditions in 1936 meant few of the tulips were in bloom at festival time. But that did not deter organizers from expanding the event the very next year, adding election of a Tulip Festival Queen. By 1938, the event had expanded to two days, and by 1941, a night parade was added. After converting the festival to a Victory Days celebration during the Second World War, the original intention returned soon after, and by 1950, a third day was added to accommodate the more than 15,000 visitors.
Now, the Orange City tulip festival features two daily parades, Dutch folk dancing, a musical night show, and of course, the blooming of tens of thousands of tulips. Weather permitting of course.
As the headline in the Sioux County Capital newspaper proclaimed, "All Roads Lead to Orange City" for the first spring festival, centered around tulips, held on this date, in 1936.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 14th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Monday, May 13, 2024
"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 Friday, May 10, 2024
"Esthervillite"
Last week, we told you about a meteor that struck near Forest City in 1890. More than a decade before that, an even larger boulder came crashing to the Iowa Earth.
Folks in and around Estherville in Emmet County heard a loud explosion in the sky on an otherwise quiet Saturday afternoon in May 1879. According to reports, “the earth trembled, china shifted on cupboard shelves, doors and windows jarred, and window panes were broken.” The ball of fire coming from the sky traveled from southwest to northeast.
What has become known as the Estherville Meteorite fell three miles north of the city. It burst into three large pieces as it neared the Earth’s surface…one weighing 106 pounds, another 151 pounds, and the third topping out at a whopping 431 pounds.
The largest meteorite pieces were hard to recover; the largest fell on the Lee farm, burying itself fourteen feet below the earth’s surface. Later, after the Lees defaulted on payment for the farm, an attorney made claim to the meteorite and sold it to the British Museum for a large sum--large enough to cover the remaining mortgage, and the Lees received the deed to the farm.
The meteorite was composed of iron, nickel, phosphorus, and sulphur…along with a metal not previously known. That metal is now called Esthervillite.
In 1980, the Estherville Area Arts Council held a sculpture competition around the meteorite theme; the winning creation was placed in Library Square. And a piece of the meteorite was purchased in 2010 to be the centerpiece of a Meteorite Center in Estherville.
The largest meteorite known to have fallen in North America came to earth near Estherville…on this date in 1879...145 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Esthervillite"
Last week, we told you about a meteor that struck near Forest City in 1890. More than a decade before that, an even larger boulder came crashing to the Iowa Earth.
Folks in and around Estherville in Emmet County heard a loud explosion in the sky on an otherwise quiet Saturday afternoon in May 1879. According to reports, “the earth trembled, china shifted on cupboard shelves, doors and windows jarred, and window panes were broken.” The ball of fire coming from the sky traveled from southwest to northeast.
What has become known as the Estherville Meteorite fell three miles north of the city. It burst into three large pieces as it neared the Earth’s surface…one weighing 106 pounds, another 151 pounds, and the third topping out at a whopping 431 pounds.
The largest meteorite pieces were hard to recover; the largest fell on the Lee farm, burying itself fourteen feet below the earth’s surface. Later, after the Lees defaulted on payment for the farm, an attorney made claim to the meteorite and sold it to the British Museum for a large sum--large enough to cover the remaining mortgage, and the Lees received the deed to the farm.
The meteorite was composed of iron, nickel, phosphorus, and sulphur…along with a metal not previously known. That metal is now called Esthervillite.
In 1980, the Estherville Area Arts Council held a sculpture competition around the meteorite theme; the winning creation was placed in Library Square. And a piece of the meteorite was purchased in 2010 to be the centerpiece of a Meteorite Center in Estherville.
The largest meteorite known to have fallen in North America came to earth near Estherville…on this date in 1879...145 years ago today.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 10th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 09, 2024
"A Sit-Down Strike"
In early May, 1938, management at the Maytag Washing Machine Company plant in Newton posted a notice, saying employees would soon be taking a 10 percent pay cut.
In that Depression-era time, the news did not sit well with workers and their families.
Union workers called for a relatively new strategy--a sit-down strike. The idea was that if workers stayed at their jobs, literally sitting down instead of walking out, then owners could not hire strike breakers to replace them. It had worked two years before at the General Motors auto plant in Flint, Michigan.
But in Newton, police arrested some union leaders, charging them with kidnapping when they refused to let foremen and company officials leave the factory.
On May 9, 1938, strikers closed down the plant and three months of turmoil began. A fight broke out between strikers and some who changed their minds and tried to return to work. Hundreds of people surrounded the plant, stretching for blocks.
By July, the National Guard was called in by the governor to restore order, and more street fighting broke out.
Finally, on August 3rd, workers said they'd return to work, with the pay cut, provided that they could recover those lost wages if the company's profits improved within two years.
Owner Fred Maytag the Second was quoted as saying, "Apparently, our employees weren't so happy as we thought."
The violent, three-month long work stoppage at the Maytag plant in Newton, over pay cuts, started with a sit-down strike, on this date, in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"A Sit-Down Strike"
In early May, 1938, management at the Maytag Washing Machine Company plant in Newton posted a notice, saying employees would soon be taking a 10 percent pay cut.
In that Depression-era time, the news did not sit well with workers and their families.
Union workers called for a relatively new strategy--a sit-down strike. The idea was that if workers stayed at their jobs, literally sitting down instead of walking out, then owners could not hire strike breakers to replace them. It had worked two years before at the General Motors auto plant in Flint, Michigan.
But in Newton, police arrested some union leaders, charging them with kidnapping when they refused to let foremen and company officials leave the factory.
On May 9, 1938, strikers closed down the plant and three months of turmoil began. A fight broke out between strikers and some who changed their minds and tried to return to work. Hundreds of people surrounded the plant, stretching for blocks.
By July, the National Guard was called in by the governor to restore order, and more street fighting broke out.
Finally, on August 3rd, workers said they'd return to work, with the pay cut, provided that they could recover those lost wages if the company's profits improved within two years.
Owner Fred Maytag the Second was quoted as saying, "Apparently, our employees weren't so happy as we thought."
The violent, three-month long work stoppage at the Maytag plant in Newton, over pay cuts, started with a sit-down strike, on this date, in 1938.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 9th...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 08, 2024
"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 Tuesday, May 07, 2024
"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...55 years ago today.
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...55 years ago today.
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 Monday, May 06, 2024
"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 slave 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 slave 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 Friday, May 03, 2024
"May Flowers, or May Snowfall"
We know that the weather in Iowa can change rapidly. But rarely did it change as rapidly as it did in the days leading up to May 3rd of 2013.
The spring that year had been cold and damp. But on April 30th, the temperature reached 86 degrees in Des Moines. There were some thunderstorms as well, leading to hail damage in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, among other places.
Then the weather changed--precipitation continued, but the temperature dropped. On May 1st, the high temperatures were 40 degrees colder than the day before. And as the temperature dropped, and the precipitation continued, it turned to snow--a lot of it.
By the time the storm ended on May 3rd, Osage had 13 inches of snow, the highest May storm total in Iowa history. Chariton had a foot of new white stuff...Lake Mills had more than 11 and a half inches, while Britt and Forest City each reported 11 inches.
Snow was continuously reported at the Des Moines International Airport from 6:34 a.m. on May 2nd, to 2:48 p.m. on May 3rd, an uninterrupted 31 hours and 14 minutes, leading to just under 7 inches of snow in less than a day and a half.
And just like that, it was over. The temperatures warmed back to seasonal norms, in the 60s...the snow melted...and a wild weather week was over. It started with temperatures in the 80s with thunderstorms and hail, and ended with a foot of snow common in many areas of the state, when the record May snowstorm ended on this date in 2013.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"May Flowers, or May Snowfall"
We know that the weather in Iowa can change rapidly. But rarely did it change as rapidly as it did in the days leading up to May 3rd of 2013.
The spring that year had been cold and damp. But on April 30th, the temperature reached 86 degrees in Des Moines. There were some thunderstorms as well, leading to hail damage in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, among other places.
Then the weather changed--precipitation continued, but the temperature dropped. On May 1st, the high temperatures were 40 degrees colder than the day before. And as the temperature dropped, and the precipitation continued, it turned to snow--a lot of it.
By the time the storm ended on May 3rd, Osage had 13 inches of snow, the highest May storm total in Iowa history. Chariton had a foot of new white stuff...Lake Mills had more than 11 and a half inches, while Britt and Forest City each reported 11 inches.
Snow was continuously reported at the Des Moines International Airport from 6:34 a.m. on May 2nd, to 2:48 p.m. on May 3rd, an uninterrupted 31 hours and 14 minutes, leading to just under 7 inches of snow in less than a day and a half.
And just like that, it was over. The temperatures warmed back to seasonal norms, in the 60s...the snow melted...and a wild weather week was over. It started with temperatures in the 80s with thunderstorms and hail, and ended with a foot of snow common in many areas of the state, when the record May snowstorm ended on this date in 2013.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 3rd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Thursday, May 02, 2024
"Outshining The Sun"
It was a quarter after five in the afternoon on May 2nd, 1890, when residents of Winnebago County saw something quite remarkable.
Witnesses heard a roaring sound, and looked into the western sky to find an object with a head compared to the size of a full moon, sputtering and throwing off a long train of sparks, with a trail of heavy black smoke creating a line in the sky. It looked like a great fireball, which for a moment eclipsed the sunlight of what was an almost cloudless sky that day.
It was a meteorite shower, which wound up being seen across the state...but fragments showered down on an eight-mile area of the county after the meteorite exploded about 11 miles northwest of Forest City, next to the town of Thompson.
The Forest City Meteorite, as it quickly was called, rained 269 pounds of fragments onto the ground, with the largest piece weighing 81 pounds alone. For many miles, the noise sounded like heavy cannonading, along with a hissing and a tremor that brought people from their houses, to find out what was going on.
People picked up fragments right away, and geologists traveled to the area to get samples. One from Minnesota offered top dollar for fragments, which led Peter Hoagland to sell a particularly large piece to a geologist, after a bidding war. But a legal battle ensued, since Hoagland sold a fragment which had landed on his neighbor's property. The case went all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court...the stone stayed at the University of Minnesota, and Hoagland had to give back the money.
Witnesses throughout northwest Iowa--near Mason City, Fort Dodge, Sioux City--and even into South Dakota said they saw and heard it, which was unique because of the time of day and weather conditions, when the Forest City Meteorite fell to the ground and shook Winnebago County, on this date in 1890.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
"Outshining The Sun"
It was a quarter after five in the afternoon on May 2nd, 1890, when residents of Winnebago County saw something quite remarkable.
Witnesses heard a roaring sound, and looked into the western sky to find an object with a head compared to the size of a full moon, sputtering and throwing off a long train of sparks, with a trail of heavy black smoke creating a line in the sky. It looked like a great fireball, which for a moment eclipsed the sunlight of what was an almost cloudless sky that day.
It was a meteorite shower, which wound up being seen across the state...but fragments showered down on an eight-mile area of the county after the meteorite exploded about 11 miles northwest of Forest City, next to the town of Thompson.
The Forest City Meteorite, as it quickly was called, rained 269 pounds of fragments onto the ground, with the largest piece weighing 81 pounds alone. For many miles, the noise sounded like heavy cannonading, along with a hissing and a tremor that brought people from their houses, to find out what was going on.
People picked up fragments right away, and geologists traveled to the area to get samples. One from Minnesota offered top dollar for fragments, which led Peter Hoagland to sell a particularly large piece to a geologist, after a bidding war. But a legal battle ensued, since Hoagland sold a fragment which had landed on his neighbor's property. The case went all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court...the stone stayed at the University of Minnesota, and Hoagland had to give back the money.
Witnesses throughout northwest Iowa--near Mason City, Fort Dodge, Sioux City--and even into South Dakota said they saw and heard it, which was unique because of the time of day and weather conditions, when the Forest City Meteorite fell to the ground and shook Winnebago County, on this date in 1890.
And that's Iowa Almanac for May 2nd...Listen to the extended audio version of today's story by clicking on the audio player above.
Iowa Almanac for Wednesday, May 01, 2024
"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 or Marshalltown, 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 or Marshalltown, 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.