Author Archives: Jeff

Aug 28

Football(?)(*)(?)

Posted on Friday, August 28, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There is to be football in Traer tonight. After Iowa became the first state to complete high school seasons in any sport (despite both the North Tama softball and baseball teams unable to say the same), Iowa will be one … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports, Tama County | Comments Off on Football(?)(*)(?)
Aug 27

Big T Maid-Rite has closed

Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Another item lost in the shuffle: The Big T Maid-Rite in Toledo, at the corner of (Business) US 30 and US 63 since that intersection opened in the mid-1950s, is gone for good. The restaurant went from being forced closed … Continue reading →

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Aug 26

Southwest Arterial open; US 52 beside itself

Posted on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Southwest Arterial in Dubuque opened August 17. Stories: KCRG, KWWL, KDTH. (Sorry for the delay, but I’d been commuting an hour each way for more than a week and, well, *gestures omnidirectionally*.) As of Sunday, all US 52 signage … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction, Highway Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Southwest Arterial open; US 52 beside itself
Aug 24

Iowa’s 1920 highway system: Small connectors

Posted on Monday, August 24, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Some of this batch of routes seem superfluous, but there was usually some sort of rationale for their existence. IA 53: Nora Springs to Charles City via Rockford instead of Rudd, out of a request from the Floyd County supervisors. … Continue reading →

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Aug 21

‘Votes count now’

Posted on Friday, August 21, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

From the September 23, 1920, Tama Herald, unsigned but presumably from editor/publisher Charles J. Wonser: Votes count now. For many years we men have been told what would happen if women were given equal suffrage with men. Now they have … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous, Tama County | Comments Off on ‘Votes count now’
Aug 19

A Grundy County suffrage pioneer

Posted on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Women in Iowa had been given partial suffrage in 1894, allowed to vote “on school issues, local officers, or bond-related matters.” The suffrage movement had been active in Iowa for half a century before ratification of the 19th Amendment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on A Grundy County suffrage pioneer
Aug 18

The edge of suffrage

Posted on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, August 14, 1920: Women go after House votes in Tennessee for a final show down Nashville, Tenn, Aug. 14 — “I do not believe that men of Tennessee will surrender honest convictions for political expediency or … Continue reading →

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Aug 17

Some derecho pictures

Posted on Monday, August 17, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The worst part of the derecho that wreaked havoc on so much of Iowa its effects can be seen from space lasted about an hour and a half. Its effects will be felt for years. August 12, 2020: MANY places … Continue reading →

Posted in Iowa Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Some derecho pictures
Aug 14

Iowa’s 1920 highway system: Are you suggesting that highways migrate?

Posted on Friday, August 14, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 13, 2015: Of all the routes listed below, IA 93’s west end and IA 96’s east end are the only endpoints that retain both their number and location from 1920. Four other endpoints have the same location but different … Continue reading →

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Aug 13

Zearing school being demolished

Posted on Thursday, August 13, 2020, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Due to circumstances extremely beyond our control, blog posts will be limited to those previously scheduled for a while. — The Management Zearing school demolition. Photo credit: Laurie Yocumk The three-story Zearing school building is being torn down this summer, … Continue reading →

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