Iowa History Journal Volume 5, Issue 1, Now Available

Tuesday, January 1st, 2013 | Iowa History Journal | No Comments

In 1937, Universal Studios selected Stanley Leland Weed of Forest City, Iowa, to be its new singing cowboy star of the movies . They picked him over a group of other candidates, including a young fellow who would go on to movie fame as Roy Rogers. Stanley Leland Weed became Bob Baker and rode into Hollywood history, leaving a series of question marks about the direction of his career. Mike Chapman’s article explores the background of this one-time cowboy movie star from Iowa.

Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the empire of Japan, the United States enacted a daring bombing raid on Tokyo and other Japanese cities. Led by Colonel Jimmy Doolittle, the daring raid has become a part of American military folklore – and three Iowans were among the pilots who risked their lives. Michael Vogt, a civilian pilot and curator at the Gold Star Military Museum at Camp Dodge takes Iowa History Journal readers on this trip back into history.

Also included in this issue:

• The amazing journey of Casey’s General Store
• The Iowan who made history with Lincoln
• Iowa’s Field House boasts 85 years of fine memories
• Story of trampoline founder George Nissen: book review
• Sioux City actress Constance Towers
• Columns by our regulars – Arvid Huisman, John McNeer and Mike Chapman
• Iowa History quiz
• Letters to the editor

…and much more!

Click to see the full contents of the issue…

Tags: Bob Baker, Casey's, Constance Towers, George Nissen, Iowa Field House, Jimmy Doolittle, Michael Vogt, Stanley Weed