Iowa History Journal Volume 5, Issue 5, Now Available

Friday, September 6th, 2013 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

Few Iowans have had a bigger impact on the overall prosperity of the state than “Tama Jim” Wilson, who spent most of his adult life in Traer. Wilson served as Secretary of Agriculture for sixteen years under three presidents – William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. In this issue of Iowa History Journal, Jerry Harrington provides an in-depth look at this very influential Iowan and also has thumbnail sketches of the other five Iowans who have held that prestigious position.

In addition, Don Doxsie writes about the devastating tornado of 1860 that left the city of Camanche in total ruin; Pat Kinney gives readers a tantalizing trip back in time to WWII with his interview of the widow of one of the five Sullivan brothers; Jeff Stein informs of the period in 1953 when television exploded onto the eastern Iowa scene, and John Skipper writes about the amazing success of the Sukup family in the grain bin business.

All that and much more in the latest issue of Iowa History Journal – including Winterset’s latest efforts in expanding the legacy of John Wayne.

Click to see the full contents of the issue…

Tags: Camanche, Fort Dodge, John Wayne, Pocahontas, Sukup, Tama Jim Wilson

Iowa History Journal Volume 4, Issue 3 Now Available

Saturday, May 26th, 2012 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

When the USS Titanic sank in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, it was front page news all over the world. Over 1500 people perished on the ship and among the casualties – and survivors – were several Iowans. A century later, the Titanic legacy lives on. At the Brucemore Estate in Cedar Rapids visitors can see an extensive exhibit which tells the story of the Titanic and its many Iowa connections.

Readers will also be treated to feature stories on many other fascinating persons and moments in Iowa history – ranging from the impact of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie on over 100 Iowa libraries to memorable moments by Iowans who played in the major leagues.

Also included in this issue:

• Henry A. Wallace is not only one of the most important figures in all of agricultural history, he was also one heartbeat away from being president of the United States.
• USS Iowa battleship has finally found a permanent home and will open as a museum later this summer.
• EMC has been a huge player in the world of insurance for over 100 years and is an Iowa landmark and institution.
• Music of all kinds has been featured at the legendary Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines for many decades, attracting some of the biggest names in the music industry.
• Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman

…and much more!

Read more to see what’s inside this issue…

Tags: Andrew Carnegie, EMC Insurance, Henry Wallace, John Wayne, Titanic, USS Iowa, Val Air Ballroom

Iowa History Journal Volume 2, Issue 5 Now Available

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

With football season kicking off all across the state of Iowa and the nation, now is the perfect time to revisit the story of one of the greatest football players in the history of our state. Johnny Bright played his first game at Drake University in the fall of 1949 – and over the next three years blazed a trail that is simply amazing.

Bright led the entire nation in total offense as a sophomore, as a junior, and was leading the nation as a senior when he suffered one of the most reprehensible occurrences in the history of college sports. Bright and the Bulldogs took a 6-0 record into Stillwater, Oklahoma, on October 20, 1951, to meet the Oklahoma A&M Aggies. What happened that day has been a dark spot ever since.

Bright was badly injured and missed two of the next three games but still finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting that year. He went on to a tremendous career in the Canadian Football League and eventually became a highly regarded educator in Edmonton, Canada.

This issue of Iowa History Journal offers the compelling story of Johnny Bright along with some fabulous pictures. You won’t want to miss it.

Read more to see what’s inside this issue…

Tags: Britt, John Wayne, Johnny Bright, National Cattle Congress, Underground Railroad

Iowa History Journal Volume 2, Issue 4 Now Available

Friday, July 9th, 2010 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

Iowa is known for the “Field of Dreams” movie starring Kevin Costner in which the ghosts of major league baseball players emerge from an Iowa cornfield near Dyersville. But the original “field of dreams” was built near Van Meter, in central Iowa, by Bill Feller and his son, Bob – who went on to become the greatest baseball player ever produced in this state!

This issue has a long feature article – written by Buck Turnbull, retired award-winning sportswriter of the Des Moines Register – on Bob Feller’s amazing career with the Cleveland Indians. Also, publisher Mike Chapman writes about the Fellers’ field of dreams and the beautiful Bob Feller Museum in Van Meter.

There is also Part Two of the John Wayne story, based in Winterset, Iowa.

The magazine has other outstanding articles on a wide range of topics – including Glenn Miller, king of the Big Band era; a magician from Marshalltown who was so famous that even Harry Houdini listened to him, and a forgotten Utopian society named the Icarians.

All of this plus columns by John McNeer and Arvid Huisman and a book review, Iowa History Quiz and What’s In a Name, telling about the historic past of Iowa’s third largest city, Davenport.

Read more to see what’s inside this issue…

Tags: Bob Feller, Field of Dreams, Glenn Miller, John Wayne