Feed sacks bring to mind poverty of the Great Depression but at the same time there is a romance to the idea that women could make something beautiful from something so mundane. In truth feed sacks were used for sewing well before the depressions and for several years after. The evolution of the feed sack…
Full Article >>The beginning for the need of barbed wire was seen in the year of 1867 as a few men applied, that year, for patents pertaining to restraining wire with sharp points to turn and to hold livestock. The first wires were made on coffee mills, grind stones and some were even made in blacksmith shops. …
Full Article >>
RUSH PARK ERA‘AXTELL’ THE STALLION‘ALLERTON’ THE STALLION AXTELL “Axtell” was foaled on March 31, 1886. His sire was William L., a son of George Wilkes, who was one of the best producing sons of Rysdky’s Hambletonian, the founder of the trotting horse family of America. His dam, Lou, was by Mambrino Boy out of Bird…
Full Article >>“Honoring the Courage of our Early Settlers” A Pioneer Cemetery is a cemetery that has had less than 6 burials in the preceding 50 years. Most in the county are over 150 years old. We owe it to the early settlers and to those who passed away on their way West, the respect of maintaining…
Full Article >>
How did the Wapsipinicon River get its name? Stories about the Indian naming of the river are both dramatic and romantic, and provide an interesting legend for the “Wapsi”. In a 1941 State Historical Society of Iowa publication, “Iowa – The Rivers of Her Valleys,” William Petersen presents the story of the beautiful Indian maiden…
Full Article >>1860 – 4th of July Celebration The “town bell fund” was started in 1860 during the 4th of July celebration. The amount raised for the bell was about $160. This sum was increased by donations from entertainments, suppers, dances, etc., until by the fall of 1860, a sufficient sum was collected to purchase it. The…
Full Article >>
1857 – Appeared in the Independence Civilian a small news item of great interest suggesting that there be formed a “County Agricultural Fair”. 1858 – The first county fair was held in Independence on Oct. 13-14, 1858. A Buchanan Co. Agricultural Society was organized on March 20, 1858. A Board of Managers, comprising of 5…
Full Article >>- « Previous
- 1
- 2
- 3
- Next »