Author Archives: Jeff

Jan 30

Janesville’s old US 218 bridge is gone

Posted on Monday, January 30, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Iowa Highway Commission blueprints, April 1928 I have no idea how many overhead truss bridges remain on paved roads in Iowa, but they are few and far between nowadays. The one I knew of for sure, on old US 218 … Continue reading →

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Jan 27

Another roundabout for Ottumwa

Posted on Friday, January 27, 2023, at 10:05 AM by Jeff

The intersection of Albia Road and Quincy Avenue in Ottumwa is going to be turned into a roundabout this year, KTVO reports. This intersection is on old US 34, now Business 34. Fifteen years ago, the DOT officially changed the … Continue reading →

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Jan 25

East River Township School, 1956-68

Posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In my 2014 Des Moines Register column about Manilla’s school, I invoked the evolution of a “typical” school complex in small-town Iowa. At the core, you have a two- or three-story symmetrical brick structure from 1913-28. An elementary wing comes … Continue reading →

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Jan 23

Re-countying Connecticut

Posted on Monday, January 23, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 12, 2017: The grave of Nathaniel Lyon is in Phoenixville, Connecticut, in the northeastern corner of the state. Lyon was killed at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek in Missouri, southwest of Springfield, in 1861. The following year, the Iowa … Continue reading →

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Jan 20

How well does Sprite go with cheese curds?

Posted on Friday, January 20, 2023, at 10:05 AM by Jeff

I did a double-take when I walked in to a Culver’s recently and saw the sticker on the door announcing it was proudly serving Coca-Cola products. Noooooo! Culver’s, according to a 2021 fragment of a paywalled story at AdAge, was … Continue reading →

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Jan 18

In which my podcast machine gets a worse interface

Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Apple: Welcome to iOS 16! With “all-new personalization features“! “It’s easy to customize the font, color, or placement of elements on your Lock Screen by tapping the element.” Me: What the [expletive deleted] did you do to the clock font? What … Continue reading →

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Jan 16

Unclear on the concept, “What the crap, Ed?” division

Posted on Monday, January 16, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

This started shortly after the new year. NOW how am I supposed to watch SoundOff? (Title reference.)

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Jan 13

Yag, Yag, Yag

Posted on Friday, January 13, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 9, 2020: Imagine the middle line on this LGS on IA 92 at IA 28 pointing to Yaggy. Winterset Madisonian, December 8, 1910: Where is Yaggy? What is Yaggy? Yaggy is a town, and a town right in our … Continue reading →

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Jan 11

2023 Iowa Legislature geography by the numbers

Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There is the typical coverage of a new legislative session by demographics, so this post is going to focus on geography. Last time, I made a map, but this time, that job has largely been done for me, so thank … Continue reading →

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Jan 09

IA 146 Searsboro curve to be realigned

Posted on Monday, January 9, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

May 31, 2005: The former east end of IA 225, at IA 146, looking east. The Iowa DOT has a request for public input, but not a public meeting, regarding a change to IA 146 at Searsboro. The minimalist PDF … Continue reading →

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