This week we’re serving up a main course of sudden endings at the table. Oscar Staby was the stepson of an industry giant, and very successful in his own right. But what drove him to a shocking act at his Los Angeles home in 1927? Pull up a chair and find out.
Guy Gilbert was probably a little surprised when his son Gene showed up on the doorstep of his Yale, South Dakota home. While far from unwelcome, Gene hadn’t said anything about coming for a visit. But here he was just the same. Guy welcomed Gene inside. Guy Jr., Gene’s brother, was also there, and …
Gertrude Woodard was only seventeen years old. Popular and well-liked by many, young Gertrude lived with her parents near Hale, Missouri. She, just like most people that age, no doubt had her hopes and dreams, of what adventures would fill the years of life that stretched out in front of her. Gertrude might …
Sudden Endings: The Tragic Tale of Singleton Gardiner Read More »
The holidays are here again! Soon, hundreds of us will travel across the nation to see our family and friends. But, with all that travel comes potential dangers, dangers that have always been there. Come and learn more about it this week at the table!
If you were to peruse a history of the small town of Long Grove, Iowa, you are very likely to find a very interesting black and white photograph. In it stands a huge man, looking at the camera with relative disinterest. The viewer can’t help but notice the man’s size. Yes, he’s very overweight, but …
Little Stone For a Big Man: The Giant of Scott County, Iowa Read More »
Just south of the town of Atlantic, Iowa, is a roadside attraction called the Plow in the Tree, within sight of the Nishnabotna River. It delivers exactly what the name says – it’s a plow in a tree. The story is that in the 1860’s, a young man was plowing a field when he heard …
Halloween is synonymous with ghosts. Every October, people from all over America break out their spooky holiday decorations to celebrate all things supernatural. Perhaps most iconic among them all are cemeteries. As a place were we bury out dead – both loved and no-so loved – the cemeteries conjure thoughts of the great beyond, serving …
Unfinished Business: Walking the Rows of Iowa’s Haunted Cemeteries Read More »
Halloween is a time that so many people wear masks. People get to step out of their normal roles and act a little different for a day or two. They get to step outside the box and play pretend, turning from soccer moms and construction workers into vampires, sexy nurses, and kung-fu nuns. It’s good …
A Night on the Town: The Jerry Corcoran Murder of 1902 Read More »
The mid 1800’s was a time of intense migration from Western Europe to the United States. Millions of immigrants made their way across the Atlantic to settle anywhere and everywhere. They came for many reasons, but ultimately, they all amounted to one thing – to make a better life for themselves and their …
Midnight Tragedy: The Koenig Family Murder/Suicide of 1870 Read More »
I grew up watching movies from the 1930’s and 40’s with my mom. While I still enjoyed the newer films coming out, I loved to hear the banter between Nick and Nora Charles, or thrill to Errol Flynn’s daredevil heroics. As I grew older, I began to notice a common thread amongst them – the …
Hazel and Helen: Two Cases of Strong-Arm Robbery in 1920’s Moline, Illinois Read More »
