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DOCUMENT RESUME SO 022989 ED 359 117 AUTHOR Ohrn, Deborah Gore, Ed. TITLE Doing Local History. Iowa State Historical Society, Iowa City. INSTITUTION REPORT NO ISSN-0278-0208 PUB DATE 92 NOTE 33p. State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 Iowa Avenue, AVAILABLE FROM Iowa City, IA 52240-1806 ($10 annual subscription for four issues). PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) Goldfinch. Iowa History for Young People; v14 n2 Win JOURNAL CIT 1992 EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Citizenship Education; Elementary Education; *History Instruction; Learning Activities; *Local History; *Social Studies; *State History IDENTIFIERS Iowa ABSTRACT This theme issue contains articles about the importance of learning local history. The lead article includes historical information about three Iowa cities: Council Bluffs, Waterloo, and Jefferson. Other features in this issue are entitled: "Iowa Kids Talk," "Digging Into Local History," "Goldie's Top Ten News Stories"; "Boosters in Iowa"; "Take the Cemetery Home"; "Flipping Through Photos"; "Telephone Book History"; "Who's Who"; and "It's All in the Name Puzzle." (DB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** 'reeve r r"`iiTHE /elk MIS oell11111b... r-4 CAorommeal u -N11111110/ Vol'unie 14, Number2 Winter 1992 ce: Iowa History for Young; People r e, 1 jrn THIS "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE U.& DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION GRANTED BY MATERIAL HAS BEEN ONIce ot Edutabonel Retearcrt and Imorovoment EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) IS document has boon reproduced as ored from the oerson or oroamtabon 4,== ' onprnotop .%. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve roProduction Duality 241011LLIM. RESOURCES TO THE EDUCATIONAL Points of view or °potions stator] In this document do not necossanly 'present ollocuti INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." OERt poodon or polity t,, fie .; ANC- 11FRT Min evsll ARI F HISTORY GTOldfinch Volume 14, Number 2 MYSTERY Winter 1992 /45:::S, rA, .. EDITOR: Deborah Gore Ohrn DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS: Christie Dailey CONSULTING EDITORS: Loren Horton, field services coordinator. State Historical Society of Iowa: Barbara Beving Long, principal, Four Mile Research Company, Cresco: and Tom Morain, director of history and community relations. Living History Farms, Des Moines. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Susanna Ashton and Jen Guttenfelder. What EDUCATOR'S ADVISORY BOARD: Jan Carlson. South Clay School, Gillett Grove; Margie Hood. Horn Elementary, Iowa City; Pat Rod. is North Hill Elementary. Burlington. CHILDREN'S ADVISORY BOARD: Audrey Ann Coffield. Montezuma Elementary, Montezuma; this? Mathew Kendall, Taft Middle, Cedar Rapids: Amber Massa. Roosevelt Elementary, Iowa City; and Ha Nguyen. Novak Elementary. Marlon. SPECIAL THANKS TO: Lois Krause, Jefferson Public Library; Valerie Ogren, president, Greene County Historical Society; Marlene Wheeler, reference librarian. Council Bluffs Public Library. The characters of Wild Rosle t locks like a teepee. but teepees were NOT five- and Goldie by Jerry Brown. exhibit designer, State Historical Society of Iowa. stories highthat's one good clue that this structure was NOT COVER DESIGN: Strong Productions, Cedar Rapids. Iowa. Photo by Millie Frese. built by Mains Indiana The city of Council bluffs built this giant The Goldfinch (ISSN 0278-0208) Is published "wigwam" for the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition in quarterly by the State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City. Iowa 52240-1806 (319-335-3916). Second-class postage paid at 1898 (a BIG fair). They built it to symbolize how great Council Iowa City, Iowa. Subscriptions are S10 for four issues. Bluffs and F'ottawattamie County were. Read more about exploring Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Goldfinch, State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 your own local history (and our examples of a. Jncil Bluffs, Iowa Avenue. Iowa City. IA 52240-1806. Jefferson, and Waterloo) in this issue of The Goldfinch. State Historical Society of Iowa. 1992 No portion of The Goldfinch may be reproduced without prior permission. 11w Goldfinch 2 Learn how to ON THE COVER discover Tyrell Gary tells Goldfinch readers what it's like to live in Waterloo, Iowa. your own IN THIS ISSUE local history! Feature Shetland ponies:\ conies ,tn f cats Sroagy cats 4 What's so Primo About Local History?. 8 Iowa Kids Talk SPECIAL FEATURE 11 Digging Into Local History Local History Dictionary Your key to understanding words and 16 Goldie's Top Ten News Stories phrases throughout the issue 18 Boosters in Iowa 20 Take the Cemetery Home 21 Flipping Through Photos 23 Telephone Book History 24 Who's Who Goldie's Top Ten News Stories 25 It's All in the Name Puzzle For some ODD stories, see page 16 Departments 2 History Mystery Hey kids, we need your help! 2G Old Places 28 History Makers Readers' Suvey 30 Answers/Readers' Survey Answer a few questions, send them in, 31 and win a prize, see page 30 The Roost The Goldfinch 3 WATERLOO Ad is so Prime COUNCIL 5LUFF5 JEFFERSON Council Bluffs roots. The place where you live "Explorers Wanted!" influences who you are today and the classic movie, 'The President Thomas Jefferson who you'll be tomorrow. Wizard of Oz" Dorothy needed people to explore the new Another primo reason to do clicks her ruby red territory he had purchased in local history: these days, families slippers three times, makes a 1803. Explorers Meriwether seem to pick up and move a lot. wish, and slowly spins. "There's Lewis and William Clark were Maybe you've recently moved or no place like home," she says. the men appointed for the job. you have friends who have left for "There's no place like home." At They led their team up the new places to live. Doing local times, we've all felt that tug Missouri River in 1804 and history helps new people feel toward home. You like your room stopped along the banks at a place more a part of the community. It with all of your stuff. You want to they described as "beautiful." usually begins with: how did this hang out with your friends, family, Lewis and Clark wanted to meet town start? favorite pets. Your neighborhood 213 with the great Indian chiefs to tell is okay. "Home" is more than the them that the U.S. government apartment or house where you I was now their new "commander." sleep at night; it's your family, Lewis and Clark waited for three your neighborhood, and your days at that site, camped alongside community. the river. After the Indians came Doing local history is a way and held a great meeting, Lewis of better understanding your VIII II and Clark decided to call the site community. How did it get to be I II "Council Bluffs" for the important the way it is today? Where did the I meeting on the hills along the farm on the corner go? When did ffi river. they tear down that old barn to build a strip mall? Where did that et) dweeb street name come from? By 'N ME. '-tICE exploring your community's past, c:AT you have a better sense of your I The Goldfinch 4 Moat Local' History? :743.1826) President Thomas Jefferson: Waterloo began in 1845 when the family of George and the president of the United third Mary Hanna stopped at the east bank of the Cedar River. They and the author of the Declaration at Independence called their settlement Prairie Rapids Crossing. Other families Meriwether soon arrived and everyone started building cabins. Lewis: ; 774.1839) an American explorer Nobody is really sure why they changed the name, but in of the Northwest 1851 "Waterloo" became the name. Some people say Mary Hanna had been reading about the famous Battle of Waterloo. 1770.1838) Clark. Northwest William the She thought her new home looked a little like where the explorer American on historic battle had taken place. Charles Mullen, the man who filed for the new name said that he had seen the name "Water- loo" in other states. He also said that Prairie Rapids Crossing was too long for a name. Whatever story you choose to believe, ffi the town has been called "Waterloo" ever since. Jefferson Truman and May Davis and their six children arrived in what is between a bottle who came from now Greene County in 1849. They were typical farmers Waterloo: 1819 British in Battle of ono the Missouri in search of a cabin site. New settlers quickly followed, and the French the community grew. By the fall of 1854 people decided the community needed a name. Since many of the settlers were Democrats, they decided to name the town after the most famous Democrat of all, president and author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. Unfortunately, the post office told them that Dubuque County already had dibs on the name"Jefferson" for a town. Refusing to be discouraged, the Greene County settlers called their community "New Jefferson." When the "Jefferson" in Dubuque County didn't work out, the "New at Jeffersonians" got rid of the "New" and became simply "Jefferson" 5 The Goldfinch 6 &oat Local /-Asioty? What is so Primo (contnua Waterioo In 1853, a ferry began taking iS Promoting local heroes and businesses helped new towns people back and forth across the to grow. In Iowa and other places, people wrote local histories Cedar River. Because getting to help boost the image of towns. The following stories of how across was so convenient, people our three towns grew came from centennial (100 year) books began to build houses and start T. and other resources. businesses on both sides. The east and west sides of the river always competed. Waterloo as a whole Cal/1a developed very quickly. Sawmills Skn5& and flour mills became important traveling west began to settle in Council Bluffs and in Mormons industries. A footbridge across the 1846 called it "Kanesville," after Thomas Kane, a man who had helped river was built in 1858 and a year them on their journey. Gold was discovered in California in 1847 and all of later the first bridge big enough a sudden it seemed as if everyone and their uncle wanted to go west and for wagons was completed. In 1861 get rich. Kanesville began to develop into an important place for all those a railroad line entered the city, and westward-bound dreamers. People coming to Kanesville could equip or then Waterloo began to REALLY "outfit" themselves for their journey. Kanesville became the place to buy grow. It boomed in the 1890s with wagons, shoes, rope, dried food, good horses, and even guidebooks. In the development of the farm 1852, most of the Mormons left and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. implement business. By 1900 Kanesville was renamed "Council Bluffs". more than 12,580 people lived It's no wonder that Council Bluffs got even bigger. It was located there. New factories helped almost exactly in the middle of the country, on a very busy river, arid at the Waterloo to become one of the crossing points of major railroads. For anyone going west, it became hard at most important cities in Iowa. to avoid Council Bluffs! rat Jefferson implement: tool Churches and schools sprouted up in Jefferson as years passed and local farming became more mechanized and more productive. The railroad came to Jefferson in 1866 and opened up Mormons: religious group, the town. Jefferson farmers began to sell their grain and livestock followers of Joseph Smith to the world. Today, Jefferson is a small city with farming as one of its most important industries. The Goldfinch 6 Unsoked mysteries basement that nobody has gotten Mytown?") Ask other folks as well. Look around you. What unsolved around to recycling yet. (Try asking the mail carrier if any mysteries do you see in your Your local historical society or street names have changed since community? Finding out about the State Historical Society of Iowa she has been working in your where you live can be fun, and are both places that can tell you a town.) there are only about a million ways lot about where you live. You'd be You can check out reference to do it! surprised at some of the things books such as local histories. You can start by just asking ffi you can find there. ("Has Mytown grown or shrunk around. Ask the usual experts: over the years?") You can just look librarians, parents, or teachers. at the pile of old lewspapers in the ("Why is Mytown called This issue of The Goldfinch will provide you with the tools Circle some things you probably CANNOT a good local history detective find at a historical society: needs to solve those old A map of your town from when there were just a couple mysteries. Read about what it of buildings and shops. is like to live in Waterloo, 49 A phone book that lists your grandfather's first phone Council Bluffs, and Jefferson from some kids wtm know. number Uncover the past by looking at The red sock you lost in the dryer last week unique library and local 0 The yearbook from when your big brother graduated historical society resources. Get out your pompoms for (check out his picture!) a boosting article and zany CO The town newspaper from the day you were born stories pulled from local Barbecue rives, hot off the grill newspapers. Put on your Goofy buttons from political races detective hat to do some primo activities on your own O The program from a 1937 talent show contest held in local history. So if you ever your town get the urge to click your A photograph of the house that used to be right where heels and make a wish about going home, you'll have a your house is now better understanding of your (Turn the page upside down for the answers.) own Land of Oz. 7 The Goldfinch 9 Pue E :S1BMSNV 1:UJ WA Ki S TALK Story and photos by Millie K. Frese Park to swim in the lake and play this 10 year old has already on the sand beaches," she begins. traveled three times. Sunset Park, the swimming pool, "My father was born in and her school are als, 1 Mexico," said Emelia. Her grand- ). her list of places to show them. So are a parents, many of her aunts, few unlikely spotslike the uncles and cousins still live there, between Mexico City and Laundromat. Guadalajara. "They'll be amazed to see Being from two cultures, machines do the work," says says Emelia, makes her feel Emelia. In Mexico, she compares, special. "I have the language women do the wash in big tubs of water using bars of laundry soap, and way of life of my mom's American culture, and I have or on stones in a river. to Grocery stores, the mall, and the skin color of Mexicans," she describes. "I like the library would complete the tour. learning about my Mexican back- Emelia describes Council ground from my dad." Emelia Banderas won Bluffs as a place where people can Emelia's father, Raphael, Longfellow Elementary's feel safe because "neighborhoods works at a food company in fourth grade spelling bee last year Omaha and her mother, Peggy, is are small enough that you know when she correctly spelled G-E-O- a cook at a hospital in Council many people." Guodaia G-R-A-P-H-Y. Besides being her Bluffs. She also has a brother, a City infra' city: winning word, geography is a Jose, who is 12. If you ask her say it Gyvi3:,:lrico, ite copitw subject Emelia knows something 01 1314exico LA fa. h what's most important in her life, about. Emelia immediately responds with "I was born in Missouri and one word: family. lived in California," Emelia Emelia hopes her relatives in explains. "My family tells me all Mexico will someday come to visit about those places, but I only Council Bluffs. She wants to show remember Council Bluffs." Emelia them all the things she likes about also knows how far it is from her city. Council Bluffs to Mexicoa route "I'll take them to Manawa 8 The Goldfinch Dustin, a fifth grader whose f you're in Jefferson in the favorite subjects are health and I summertime looking for science, wants to be a doctor Dustin Briggs, try the swimming someday so he can help kids pool. He'll probably he there, like himself who suffer from practicing the events he swims fI - asthma and allergies. If not a competitively-25-meter butterfly, doctor, he wants to be a backstroke, and freestyle. He's a swmmer. local celebrity among swimming Born in Iowa City, fans, having won the conference ; Dustin moved with his championship in his age group family to Jefferson on his two years in a row. fifth birthday. He likes If 11-year-old Dustin's not in the community, the pool, try one of Jefferson's four describing Jefferson baseball diamonds. Or he might as a "safe and friendly be on the football field. If he could place to live." His be mayor of Jefferson for a day, father, David, is an Dustin says he would appoint kids agricultural education as teachers and have them teach everyone how to play sports. OOOOO OOOOO Along with the recreational "You can see everything in activities Jefferson offers, Dustin townand past townfrom up Dustin likes Jefferson well says his town is known for the enough that he might want to live there!" says Dustin. annual Bell Tower Festival. there the rest of his lifeunless Located on the town square, the he decides to move to Florida to tower is 162 feet high. "You can instructor. His mother, Anita, is a live near an ocean. see everything in townand past marketing coordinator. Dustin townfrom up there!" Dustin also has a brother, David, 13, who says. There are games, rides, and he says he "gets along with pretty contests. Dustin's favorite attrac- wellsometimes." tion (next to a ride up the bell tower) is baseball card shows. The Goldfinch 9