Sometimes the smallest things can ide some of the biggest stories. Or, in this case, the legend of a man large enough to take on the name of a mythical creature and become a legend in his own time. Sources Wundrum, Bill. ‘He Ate the Whole Thing.’ Quad City Times, 11/28/1985 Ramaciti, Dave. […]
Episode 5: The Giant of Scott County Read More »
The morning of December 15, 1921 was just another winter morning in Long Grove, Iowa. The business district at the center of the small town was humming with activity as people went about their normal business. People made their way along the streets, maybe stopping in for a haircut or a little gossip at the
The Long Grove, Iowa Bank Robbery of 1921 Read More »
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
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!
Historical Travel Wasn’t Always the Safest 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
And the Rain Fell, and the Waters Rose…. 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 »
In 1853, Edward Graham was made the County Judge of Clinton County, Iowa, when his predecessor unexpectedly vacated the position. While the new promotion may have come as a surprise, he was more than up to the task. Born in Pennsylvania, he decided to become a lawyer. Seven years later, he and his
Edward Graham’s Legacy: The Forgotten DeWitt Courthouse of 1854 Read More »
Paul Schroeder was running through the repair shop, trying his best to avoid the hail of bullets flying his direction. He fired back blindly, trying to make the cops stop shooting long enough so he could get to his car. To be fair, it wasn’t his car. He and his brother, Everett, had stolen it.
Bandits in the Blizzard: The Schroeder Brother’s Crime Spree of 1937 Read More »
From his home in Elvira, Iowa, Captain Robert Lyons surveyed his property with his mariner’s telescope. A relic from his 18 years as a sailor and sea captain, Lyons still liked to use it on occasion, and what he saw on that day in 1851 surprised him. There, in one of his
Justice on the Prairie: Farmers Break a Horse Thieving Ring in Clinton County, Iowa Read More »
Hard as it is to believe now, Scott County, Iowa, bordering the Mississippi River on the state’s eastern edge, was once America’s frontier. Before 1833, when the United States Congress opened what was then known as the Blackhawk Purchase to free settlement, nearly that entire region was as wild and untamed as anything the
John Shook’s Toes: Surgery on the Iowa Frontier Read More »
