I have always loved Adams County. Located in the southwestern portion of the state, Adams county is the least populous county in Iowa, containing just under 3700 people. It’s very rural, and is comprised of rolling hills and rich green fields. People still wave to you in the street, or raises an index finger in …
Breakfast was slightly awkward in the Hoskins household that cold January morning. John Hoskins and his wife, Hulda, had been arguing. Hulda, as she usually did, had eventually stopped arguing with her husband, just letting him yell and scream on in his anger. They had only been married a few years, and the union definitely …
In 1919, Irene Hoskins burst into her neighbors house, bleeding profusely. The story she told them would change their lives forever. What horrible event took place at the Hoskins’ rural Iowa farm? Sources “Triple Murder Near Prescott.” Adams County Free Press, 1/15/1919 “Bad Murder at Prescott.” Adams County Free Press, 1/18/1919 ”Hoskins is Indicted.” …
Episode 1: The Devil You Know: The John Hoskins Murders Read More »
If you ever happen to be driving along Highway 34 through Adams County, Iowa, you’ll eventually pass a cemetery along the right-hand side of the road. While mostly unobtrusive, there is one stone that definitely stands out. Standing nearly ten feet tall, it’s an elaborate monument, topped by a beautiful woman carved from marble. She’s …
The Marble Woman: Thoughts of Henry Reese in Adams County Read More »
Breakfast was slightly awkward in the Hoskins household that cold January morning. John Hoskins and his wife, Hulda, had been arguing. While that wasn’t necessarily unusual, it didn’t make things exactly comfortable. All four of the children – Roy, 12, Merlin, Irene, 15, and Gladys, 18 –seated at the table could tell that John was …
The Devil You Know: The John R. Hoskins Family Murders of 1919 Read More »
Someone once told me that everyone is born with a gift. It is up to us what to do with that gift, but if you have it, why not use it? As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that some people are born with several gifts, and they use each and every one to the fullest extent of their ability. One of these people was Milo Green.
You ever seen a building that’s been named after someone? Of course you have. We all have. It could be a business building, or an old house, or even a laundromat. There are all kinds of buildings across the United States that have been named after …
Iowa Playwright had South Dakota Building Named After Him Read More »
The audience was in a great mood. They had just heard some fantastic music, and were ready for more. The management did not disappoint. Billy McKee came out from behind the curtain, his instrument in his hands. Billy played the bones, an instrument that went back into the mists of ancient history. Originally thought to …
Fiddlers, Dancers, and…Boxers?: The End of an Era in Corning, Iowa Read More »
Last week, we learned about how southwest Iowa businessman Frederick Reese pushed to build the Corning Opera House. This week, stop over and see how and what kinds of entertainment he provided to the masses of southwest Iowa!
The Corning Opera House in Corning, Iowa, was made to stand out, and stand out it does! It’s one of my favorite places in southwest Iowa, and I’m honored to be able to share some of its long history with you! Come over and see how it came into being!
