Category Archives: Tama County

Nov 09

North Tama bond issue passes

Posted on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

August 14, 2010: Cornerstone of Traer School built after the 1917 fire. It took a second try and a satellite voting station, but nearly two-thirds of North Tama voters approved a $14.85 million bond issue “to provide funds to build, furnish, … Continue reading →

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Oct 20

License Plate Letters — NTH

Posted on Friday, October 20, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 15, 2023: North Tama band director (and volleyball coach) Channing Halstead leads the band at Homecoming. North Tama beat BCLUW, 36-6. Who ya’ rootin’ for? N-T-H! Little louder now! N-T-H! Part of Iowa high school sporting tradition is passing … Continue reading →

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Oct 16

Sharing stories of closed high schools

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

Author James Kenyon came to Traer to talk about his book full of stories about closed high schools. I wrote on my Substack about it Friday. I used the link without the background this time because the photo was cropped … Continue reading →

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Oct 13

Here fishy fishy fishy (2)

Posted on Friday, October 13, 2023, at 10:27 AM by Jeff

Just like at Otter Creek Lake in 2021, the Iowa DNR is relaxing fishing regulations at a lake in Tama County. Limits have been removed at Casey Lake in Hickory Hills Park in the far northeast corner of the county, … Continue reading →

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Sep 08

Montour celebrates 150th year of being Montour

Posted on Friday, September 8, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 23, 2008: RAGBRAI riders stop outside Montour’s most famous institution, Rube’s Steakhouse. Rube’s turns 50 this year. RAGBRAI bounced off the corner of Montour in 2023 despite the locals’ best efforts to get riders to divert. The southern Tama … Continue reading →

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Aug 24

We triple-did-it

Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The 99 I experienced in Albuquerque in 2019 was a dry heat. This is not a dry heat. Glory to corn sweat. Cedar Rapids’ last 100-degree day was a decade ago next week (August 30, 2013).

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Aug 23

Tama bridge’s future remains unclear

Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at 1:00 PM by Jeff

For the second week in a row, I went to a Tama City Council meeting. Once again, the Lincoln Highway bridge was the subject. My Substack is ideally about Iowa history and highways, and right now, this is the story … Continue reading →

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Aug 16

Lincoln Highway bridge can’t be rehabilitated

Posted on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

See my story about Monday’s Tama City Council meeting on Substack.

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Aug 11

Winding Stairs Festival marks Traer’s sesquicentennial

Posted on Friday, August 11, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

July 9, 2023: Happy birthday! We’re celebrating Traer’s 150th birthday this weekend, although many of the activities were back in June. The schedule is on the WSF committee’s Facebook page. My parents are grand marshals for tomorrow’s parade, which starts … Continue reading →

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Aug 09

At long last, a correction in Traer’s highway history

Posted on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

For years I have tried to reconcile early 20th century maps of the area just east of Traer with the present alignment of IA 8. I knew that at least part of the diagonal heading east from Second Street did … Continue reading →

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