August 30th, 1945 was just another day for most people. The Second World War had just come to an end a few weeks before. William Galitz was just another working man making a buck at the F.L. Implement Store in DeWitt, Iowa. The day had been uneventful, and all was well. And then he …
Healing Fire: The Explosion That Led to A Small Town Hospital Read More »
When I was a kid, I remember my Dad taking me to City Cemetery in Davenport, Iowa. A big history buff, Dad used to take me to all kinds of cemeteries while doing family history, or just some personal research on something. One of the older cemeteries in Scott County, City Cemetery is, …
Desecration: Cemetery Vandalism and Grave Robbery Read More »
There are many things that can hook us into many different facets of historical interest? Do you have one? If so, please share! I love to hear from you folks!
A while back, I worked with an organization in Clinton, Iowa called the Catholic Historical Center. They are dedicated to the preservation of the remaining original Catholic Churches of Clinton, as well as the preservation of the history of Catholicism in Clinton County. At the first meeting that I attended, I met their …
Help! The Need for Volunteers in Historical Organizations Read More »
Very recently, I wrote a blog about an original section of the Lincoln Highway in Clinton County, Iowa. One of my readers had a question about it, so I told them that I would get in touch with the Lincoln Highway Association and get an answer. I wrote them an e-mail introducing myself …
Unsung Heroes: Small-Town Museums and County Historical Associations Read More »
Mostly when we think about the American Civil War, we think about a man who lives in one of the Northern states marching south and fighting gigantic battles against a raging Confederate army. While this was the case for thousands of young soldiers, there were battles fought against other adversaries on different fronts, as …
The Same War, But Different: The Civil War in the Dakota Territories Read More »
Recently, I was having a conversation about World War II with my children. As the discussion progressed, I told them that it was important for them to learn about that time in history, because those things should never be forgotten. I told them that they needed to remember and carry that knowledge forward into …
The American Civil War – A Conflict for the Ages Read More »
Should we keep the bridge or not? The Clinton County Lincoln Highway faces a tough choice in historical preservation.
This past weekend, the Midwest faced down Winter Storm Jupiter, what was promised to deliver a whole lot of nastiness. Thankfully, here in eastern Iowa it turned out to not be too awfully bad, but still bad enough to cause a lot of people to fall on icy sidewalks and streets and go to …
Dark Winter’s Past: The Unfortunate End of Singleton Gardiner Read More »
During the past week, I’ve had to spend a good amount of my time at the University of Iowa Hospital Complex. I’ve you’ve never been there, it’s quite the place. First off, it’s huge. The main building is eight stories tall, with the newly-constructed Stead Family Pediatric Hospital even taller than that. The complex …
