Grundy County Heritage Museum

In July 2016, Yai and I visited the Grundy County Museum. There are several buildings on the museum grounds. Perhaps most impressive is the old public school. But tours start in the newer museum building, so we had to walk around the grounds to the other side of the block to find it.

On the way, we had the pleasure of seeing an old caboose, farm equipment and a little log cabin.

Hardin County Farm Museum

The Hardin County Farm Museum is a little different than most museums I have visited because it holds a lot of good memories. My family and I have attended pancake breakfasts and political events there, and often went to their annual Threshing Day. The photos in this post are from August 2016, when Charity, Yai and I attended Threshing Day.

Back in the good old days, Papa would often play chess with a local man, Gary. We children enjoyed a coin scramble, and plenty of good, old-fashioned games like corn hole, a canning ring toss, and trying to drop clothespins in an apple juice jar.

The Wells Hotel

In the little town of Wellsburg stands the Wells Hotel. If I recall correctly, it is a house that once was owned by George Wells and served as a residence for farmhands. The house was purchased by the city to serve as a historical museum in the 1990s.

Although I live nearby, I had never visited the museum until August 2016, when I decided to make the trip with Yai. The museum was pretty much what one would expect to see in a historic home in a small town.

Bremer County Museum

If you want to see everything in one place, it may be time to visit the Bremer County Historical Society Museum in Waverly. Regardless of whether you're looking for historic documents, wild African game, wedding dresses, vintage Valentine's cards, musical instruments, crime, or floral pieces made from human hair, you'll be in the right place. This bountiful and varied collection encompasses a myriad of tales from years ago in Bremer County. Charity, Kathleen and I visited the museum in October 2016.

The museum is open from May to October during limited hours throughout the week.  Musical instruments inside included several melodians and  pump organs, all equipped with plenty of sheet music.

New Providence

Have you ever been to an old soda fountain where the community gathers for breakfast every month? If not, it may be time for a trip to New Providence (below). During the summer of 2016, I visited this charming little town with my grandma Siripon (Yai) and sister Charity.

Food selections included biscuits and gravy, pancakes, pastries and omelets. And, wow, were those omelets good. (I still remember them a year and a half later...haha! I'm on the brink of forgetting though, so I figured I should get this posted.)

Autumnal Adventures - Part 2

On our way back from the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Kathleen and I visited the Old Capitol in Iowa City. There were several beautiful churches between the Capitol and where we finally found a parking spot, and I tried the door at each, to see if we could get a closer look. Someone was in the office at the First United Methodist Church, and we were afforded a close-up view of the beautiful sanctuary.

Construction of the church was completed in 1908 at a cost of $75,000.

Mines of Spain

Last October while we were in the Dubuque area, we stopped at the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area and E.B. Lyons Nature Center.  The nature center was a sort of small museum with a gift shop and a conference room.   A field trip for an elementary school class seemed to be in progress; there were a lot of children.

We started our hike on the very short Pine Chapel Trail.  The roof of the chapel was being fixed, and a local historian happened to be there.  She told us about the chapel, built in the 1860s by Otto Junkermann to resemble a church he remembered in Germany.  It seems this chapel, though, was never really used as a church.  

St. Luke's Methodist Church in Dubuque

In Dubuque, we visited St. Luke's Methodist Church, known for its Tiffany windows. This building was built 1895-1897, and with the windows and altar furniture included, cost over $100,000 to construct.

The church features Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and is built from Indiana Bedford limestone.  Each stone is hand-cut, and some have embedded fossils.

Parkersburg Historical Home

One of the places I had the most fun visiting with Yai this August is the historical home in Parkersburg, Iowa, built in 1895.  The home is open Memorial Day through Labor Day on Sundays 1:00-3:00 p.m. and once a year serves as a haunted house for the Rotary Club.  Admission for a guided tour is only about $3 per person, if I recall correctly.

 Upon entering, we were greeted by a couple very nice ladies, Kate Durbin and Chelsea.  Kate, who gave us our tour, was full of interesting information.  Her love for history was obvious, and her ebullient personality was contagious.

Appanoose County Courthouse

St. Louis Trip, Day 8, Friday, July 31, 2015

Court in Centerville, Iowa (the Appanoose County seat) was first held in a building that was also used as a blacksmith's shop and storeroom.  In 1848 the first real courthouse (measuring 24 by 20 feet) was built for $119.  

When this proved too small, court was held at the local churches until a two-story brick building was constructed for $23,000.  

Eden Theological Seminary: Press Building

St. Louis Trip, Day 4, Monday, July 27, 2015

Across from the SPICE building is Eden Theological Seminary.  Papa and I walked over to see the seminary's Press Building while my sisters finished their chess games.  This ecumenical seminary was established in 1850.

In 1924, the seminary moved to its current location in Webster Groves, MO.  The Press Building is named after Dr. Samuel Press.  The tower is 106 feet tall, and was originally used as a water tower!  Water was pumped up into it to provide water pressure for the campus.  It is now used as a bell tower.

St. Louis Old Courthouse

St. Louis Trip, Day 4, Monday, July 27, 2015

We stopped at the majestic Old Courthouse in St. Louis to buy tickets to tour the Gateway Arch.  

The first courthouse was built in 1828, but the population of the city grew quickly.  By 1839, a new courthouse was needed.  There was a re-design in the 1850s, when the original east wing was replaced, and the west wing was remodeled.  Between 1861 and 1864, the building's cupola was replaced with the dome.

Montauk

On our way to Wisconsin this June to meet with Cryslyn, we stopped at Montauk, the mansion of Iowa's 13th governor, William Larrabee.  The mansion, near Clermont, Iowa, was built in 1874 and cost about $20,000 to construct.

In front of the house are four bronze statues portraying Generals Grant, Dodge, and Sherman, and Admiral Farragut.  There are outbuildings for stables and cattle.  The governor had peacocks, chickens, turkeys, and the first Swiss cattle imported to Iowa.   

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

St. Louis Trip, Day 2 - Saturday, July 25, 2015

The site I most wanted to see in St. Louis was my great great great uncle Philander Lockard's grave.  Philander and his brother John both volunteered for the Union army during the Civil War.  Philander died at age 24 of typhoid in St. Louis on December 8th, 1861.  John, 25 years old, was wounded April 6th, 1862 during the Battle of Shiloh, and died on May 25th in Waterloo, Iowa on his way back home. 

The gravestone where John is buried at one of our local family cemeteries commemorates both him and his brother Philander, and I had always thought they were both buried there.  But upon further research, I found that Philander was actually buried at Jefferson Barracks.

Battle of Athens State Historic Site

St. Louis Trip, Day 1 - Friday, July 24, 2015

Just over the border in Missouri, we stopped at the Battle of Athens State Historic Site.  A storm caught up with us here with tremendous claps of thunder.  It was almost as if we could hear cannons roaring.  It started raining, so our visit was a comparatively short one.  We didn't want to do much walking in the rain.

The Battle of Athens was the northernmost battle west of the Mississippi in the Civil War.  It was fought between the Missouri Home Guard (Union) and Missouri State Guard (Confederates).  Athens was a town of over 500 people.  The building above is a very nice picnic shelter, modeled after the Athens General Store, one of 6 grocery stores open in Athens prior to the war.

The Pearson House, Morality, and Legality

St. Louis Trip, Day 1 - Friday, July 24, 2015

Driving through Keosauqua, Iowa, we noticed a sign pointing out the Pearson House which was built between 1845 and 1847.  We hadn't planned on stopping, and it was not open while we were there, so we admired the buildings and the grounds, but didn't get to see the inside of the house.  Also on the property are the Ellis Schoolhouse and a log cabin.

Originally, the second floor of the house was used for Methodist church services.  But, what the Pearson House is most noted for is its place as a stop on the Underground Railroad, which helped fugitive slaves on their way to freedom in Canada before the Civil War.

Van Buren County Courthouse

The Van Buren County courthouse in Keosauqua, completed in 1843, is the oldest courthouse in Iowa and the second oldest courthouse in continuous use since its completion in the United States.  

It currently appears to be undergoing renovation, so although the two brick buildings with offices on either side appeared to be open, we didn't make it into the courthouse.  We only admired it from the outside. 

Wapello County Courthouse

St. Louis Trip, Day 1 - Friday, July 24, 2015

In Ottumwa, Iowa, we stopped to see the Wapello County Courthouse, which was built in 1894.  The first county courthouse was a log cabin.  That was followed by a brick building, which cost $1000 to build.  This was sold to a church in 1855.  From 1855 to 1891 another courthouse served; construction costs for that building were $13,000.  Voters then approved $100,000 in bonds to build the courthouse currently in use today.

Wapello County was named for Fox Indian Chief Wapello.  The Fox Indian tribe is also known as the Meskwaki.  Chief Wapello had a friendly relationship with the European settlers, and moved his tribe west of the Mississippi to Iowa.  Wapello died in 1842.  After his death, the U.S. persuaded the Sac and Fox to sell their lands and move west of the Red Rock Line.  In 1845, they were forced to move to Kansas.  

Airpower Museum near Blakesburg

St. Louis Trip, Day 1 - Friday, July 24, 2015

After leaving the courthouse, we drove to the Airpower Museum just outside of Blakesburg, Iowa.  The museum wasn't open yet (it opens at 9 A.M. on weekdays), so we played Frisbee beside the airfield.  Then we read our Bibles together on a picnic table.  At 9:00, one of the trustees, Brent Taylor, son of Robert Taylor (founder and chairman), drove up and opened the museum for us.

The museum and office building are shown above, along with a couple hangars in the background.  There is no admission fee, but freewill donations are accepted.  After opening the museum, the Mr. Taylor told us to go ahead and browse, as long as we didn't sit or stand on any of the aircraft.  His son would be in the office if we had any questions. 

Wellsburg Veterans Memorial

Before heading back home after visiting The Wellsburger, we stopped at the Wellsburg Veterans Memorial, pictured below.  It is almost surprising how many small towns in our area have beautiful memorials to our veterans.