Tue, 29 December 2009
Dan Clark called this show "Isn't it time for a REAL trolley in Muscatine (again)?" We had 'em from the 1880s through the 1920s, unless you count the electric interurban which ran through 1938. What would it take, he asks, to run a real streetcar in Muscatine, maybe between historic Downtown/Riverfront and Southend sports complex? He says the USA's premier heritage-trolley restorer and replica-maker is Gomaco Trolley Co. of Ida Grove, Iowa (http://www.gomacotrolley.com), but their only car in Iowa is at Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant (http://www.oldthreshers.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.midwestElectricRailway). He reads a description of Muscatine's eight streetcars ordered in 1913 and proposes commissioning Gomaco to construct a replica. He also reads from and comments on Facebook discussion with skeptics. He calls this show Part 2 of his "rant" from September 2008 (http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=383570).
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Tue, 22 December 2009
Dan Clark reads "First Christmas Tree" by William D. Randall (Little Known Stories of Muscatine, Vol. 4) and then takes a call from Randall's daughter, Shirley Calvert. Guest author Tom Savage says his research has turned up more information about early settlers than was known when the historical marker was placed in the 1960s at the foot of Iowa Avenue ("This granite stone marks the site of the first log cabin...." http://muscatine-tours.com/vanater1.jpg). He tells of the trading post started by Mr. Farnham before the Black Hawk War and mentions other early settlers who will appear in the local-history storybook he and wife Sharon are writing. They own Muscatine Books and More (http://muscatinebooks.com) and have sponsored TTT "from the git-go." Finally, Dan reads an excerpt from a Christmas-tree tale by Steve Hanken, about a pine his parents in Iowa sent him in Vietnam in 1969.
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Tue, 15 December 2009
Dan Clark called this show "It's Our People on that Monument." His guest is Lee Miller, who is leading an effort by local veterans groups and others to restore the 1875 Civil War monument on the grounds of the Muscatine County Courthouse. They propose to replace the soldier atop the column and the four plaques at the base, and they would add names that were left off originally. Lee is author of Crocker's Brigade, a 2009 book telling the story of four Iowa infantry regiments combined under command of Marcellus M. Crocker after the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh, and he says he is working on his second book. Hear our first show with Lee (Jan. 27, 2009) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=426836 and another (with host Tom Savage)at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=508792 (July 7, 2009).
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Tue, 8 December 2009
Dan Clark called this show "Old Barn 'Acorn Fund' Saves the Day." His guests are John Haskins, founder and president of Friends of the Old Barn, and Judi Holdorf, executive director of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. Two weeks ago the Muscatine County supervisors reversed an earlier vote and approved a request from Friends of the Old Barn to use a nearby "cottage" for a public restroom for programs at their restored barn at the former county farm site. Haskins credited a community foundation "acorn fund" for helping make the winning case and called the decision "democracy in action." The story is told at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/11/24/news/doc4b0c074310602718088662.txt; the Old Barn fund and others are described at this CFGM page: http://www.muscatinecommunityfoundation.org/staticpages/index.php?page=20060107130217954&tab=2. Hear Dan's first show with John (Jan. 17, 2006) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=399731 and his Old Barn (Nov. 2008) update with Dave Casstevens and Dave Metz (Nov. 4, 2008) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=399823.
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Tue, 1 December 2009
Dan Clark called this show "No, the Muscatine Trolley is NOT for sale..." but hurried on to say he is getting ready for some changes in the coming year. December concludes eight years of MT&T and four years of TTT. "In the coming year, I will pass the age of 'Old' John Brown when he died December 2, 1859, on the Virginia gallows," Dan said. All year the show has tracked the story of the Brown band's 1859 slave-liberating trek across Iowa and their dramatic departure from Muscatine County. "The more I dig and learn from others who share this interest, the more connections I'm seeing between here and Harpers Ferry," Dan said. "Plus the abolitionists who were active here and all the Iowans who took part in the Civil War that soon followed. Opportunities for so-called heritage tourism are all around us, neighbors." He invited listeners to come out Friday evening for Muscatine's 25th annual Holiday Stroll with a new the parade up Second Street and free trolley rides throughout the evening.
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Tue, 24 November 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "What else can we learn about the Underground Railroad around Muscatine?" His guest is Doug Jones, staff archaeologist for the State Historical Society of Iowa whose job includes Underground Railroad research. Doug is visiting the Muscatine area to learn about Alexander G. Clark and other black residents and also their white neighbors who opposed slavery. He gives an update on the project marking the route of John Brown's last trip across Iowa in 1859. Hear Doug's previous show (March 2009) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=439389. Learn about Alexander G. Clark at http://alexanderclark.org. Photo: November 20, the day Kent Sissel (left) and I (right) helped erect the John Brown Freedom Trail marker at the Springdale Friends Cemetery. Also shown are Doug Jones and Lowell Soike, the main staff on the SHSI project. Photo by Mike Boyle. NOTE: For some reason, only the last five minutes of the show was recorded.
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Tue, 17 November 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "Mark Twain Dissenting AND the Diogenes of Diamond Towns." Muscatine brags about the months Mark Twain lived here in 1854. We love his praise of our sunsets, but most don't know his anti-war writings. Dan reads from Twain's "The War-Prayer" in belated recognition of Veterans Day. "When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory—must follow it, cannot help but follow it." Read the full text and view a beautifully done video at http://www.thewarprayer.com/. Dan's guest in the second half is Tom Huber, director of Muscatine-based Diamond Towns of America. He explains the DTA community-building model and invites participation. The newspaper called DTA founder Dick Maeglin a philanthropist, but Dan calls him Diogenes. http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/11/14/news/doc4afe4bf154dbd953140766.txt and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Muscatine-IA/Diamond-Towns-of-America/97774599536
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Tue, 10 November 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "Muscatine Memories of the Berlin Wall and Its Fall." His guests are Kristine Conlon and Ingrid Rowe of Muscatine Sister Cities Association. Kristine is a Muscatine native and German-language teacher who led several school trips to Germany. Ingrid is an East German native who fled to the West with her parents when she was 12, shortly before the border closed. She is now a Muscatine resident and US citizen. Fifteen years after the fall of the wall, on December 2, 2004, Muscatine gained a sister city in the former (East) German Democratic Republic. Ludwigslust is the capital of a district between Berlin and Hamburg. Ingrid and Kristine share memories of Germany and tell about plans for a Sister Cities trip there scheduled for May 2010. NOTE: For some reason, only the last five minutes of the show was recorded.
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Tue, 3 November 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "Our Very Own Lincoln-Assassination Story." After killing President Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth eluded federal pursuers and changed his name and lived out more adventures. He ended up in Oklahoma or maybe South America or India. Booth's accomplice Michael O'Laughlen didn't die in prison in 1867 after all, but rather in Muscatine County in 1890, after living where Wild Cat Den State Park is today. Dan says these yarns are part of our local lore, so you'll want to learn about them—and you don't have to believe to enjoy. He reads from the "O'Laughlen" manuscript http://odin.indstate.edu/about/units/rbsc/neff/PDFs/stevenson_olaughlin.pdf and urges listeners to attend a talk by Gladys Mittman who grew up with the story and has been learning more lately. Details at http://muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/10/31/news/doc4aebcbd126576354383074.txt. More background at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2007/04/13/news/doc46204bd5585b2975671645.txt.
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Tue, 27 October 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "Wedding Destination Muscatine." His guest is Misty Lutz of Hazel Green Bridal and Tux, one of the sponsors of the Wedding Salon Bridal Show that will be at the Muscatine Mall on November 1 http://www.specialelegantevents.com/id83.html. They discuss the bridal show and the wedding business and Muscatine as a place for weddings. Misty says weddings often cost $15,000 to $20,000 these days, but she emphasizes that local businesses work with budgets of all sizes and do their best to help brides make the most of that most special of days. And weddings help pay the trolley bills!
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Tue, 20 October 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "Connecting the Dots...to Harpers Ferry and Beyond." He's just back from West Virginia where abolitionist John Brown led raiders into the federal arsenal on October 16, 1859, and helped bring on the Civil War. Dan experienced some of the 150th anniversary observances and took part in an academic symposium at which several sessions were filmed by C-SPAN. At least one program has already been shown, and others may follow http://www.booktv.org/Program/10910/John+Browns+Trial.aspx. News coverage has been vast and is continuing http://www.johnbrownraid.org/pressroom.php. Dan's guest is Kent Sissel, the owner/restorer of the Alexander G. Clark House http://alexanderclark.org. They agree antebellum Muscatine was an abolitionist stronghold and Iowa's main center of African-American population, and they discuss new information about Alexander Clark's family. Urging listeners to learn about Brown's activity in Iowa and Iowans' roles related to Harpers Ferry, Dan recommends "John Brown Among the Quakers" by Irving B. Richmond of Muscatine (1894). Hear last week's Harpers Ferry show at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=537158 and check the TTT archive for other shows on John Brown, Alexander Clark, and the Underground Railroad.
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Tue, 13 October 2009
Dan Clark devotes this show to the 150th anniversary of John Brown's raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry (now West Virginia) on October 16, 1859, in an attempt to end slavery. Dan will take part in a conference there this week http://www.johnbrownharpersferry.com/ and visit a friend, a circuit court judge whose work takes him to the courthouse where the 1859 judge pronounced sentence after a fast trial. Brown and several comrades were executed a few blocks away. In his newspaper column this week, the Hon. John C. Yoder writes of the versions of the story he learned growing up in Kansas and going to school in Iowa. "When I moved to Harpers Ferry 25 years ago, however, I began to hear other sides of the story about John Brown," he writes. "Those other perspectives included a belief that his violence and fanaticism may have actually hindered and embarrassed, rather than helped, those who favored the abolition of slavery at the time." John says he supports a proposal to restore the original courtroom where Brown was tried. This could preserve a heritage "and hopefully bring even more tourism to the area." Here in Muscatine County, as elsewhere across Iowa, we are rediscovering remnants of our Civil War and pre-war history, including sites associated with Brown and fellow abolitionists. The June 23 show is also about this topic: http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=495069. Dan says, "Maybe I'm crazy to be devoting so much attention to Brown and his followers, especially those recruited from this area and others who trained near here before following Brown to Harpers Ferry. Craziness is, after all, a central theme in this all-American story of direct action by citizens impatient for change. Whoever was crazy and however history judges those abolitionists and the slaughter that followed, it is still a very big story here."
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Tue, 6 October 2009
Dan Clark's guests are Ann Meeker and Dawnese Openshaw, business owners and leaders of Muscatine's Downtown Action Alliance http://muscatinedowntown.com/. They discuss coming events and promotions and talk about holding onto dreams for a vibrant "heart of the community" in this tough economy. There's even a little singalong with Petula Clark on "Downtown"! "Things'll be great...Downtown"..."Downtown, no finer place for sure..."
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Tue, 29 September 2009
Dan Clark's guest is Heather Shoppa, director of Muscatine's Convention and Visitors Bureau http://www.meetmuscatine.com/. It's her job to market our town's attractions, and she tells about two big days for out-of-town visitors arriving via motor coaches: Great River Celebration and Meet Muscatine Day (September 30 and October 21 this year). During such events, the trolley shuttles the visitors from the Riverfront through Downtown. Heather explains that the CVB does not receive hotel/motel tax revenue directly and must request funding from local governments each year.
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Tue, 15 September 2009
Dan Clark's topic is "Who's Afraid of the Paint Police?" Dan compares Muscatine's Historic Preservation Commission (educational and advisory only), which he chairs, with other communities' more robust protections for historic properties. And he confesses envy of Dubuque which last month celebrated a huge economic development success based on historic preservation. He reads from Dubuque's ordinance prohibiting "Demolition By Neglect" and imagines something of the sort for Muscatine. Meanwhile, our city struggles to cover the costs of recent landfill expansion, and Dan jests that maybe it's time to help out by demolishing a whole bunch of old stuff. Later this week Muscatine hosts a two-day historic-preservation workshop conducted by state experts http://www.iowahistory.org/about/news/2009/08-26_historic-preservation-workshops-muscatine.html.
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Mon, 7 September 2009
Dan Clark's topic is "Celebrating Freedom Seekers" with guest Barb Christensen, director of the Muscatine Art Center http://muscatineartcenter.org/. They discuss a current exhibition of paintings by Joseph Holston, "Color In Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad," and related programs at Musser Public Library http://musserpubliclibrary.org/Quick-Links/Event-Calendar/The-Undergraound-Railroad-in-Iowa.aspx. See a "virtual tour" of the paintings: http://www.umuc.edu/colorinfreedom/virtual_tour/index.shtml.
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Tue, 1 September 2009
Dan Clark's topic is "Iowa and Russia: A Half Century of Citizen Diplomacy," starting from memories of Nikita Khrushchev's visit to Iowa in 1959. He tells of welcoming visitors from the former Soviet Union and helping many Iowans with their exchange efforts, having traveled in Russia eight times, 1984-1998, especially Iowa's sister state Stavropol and Muscatine's sister city Kislovodsk. He asks listeners, "What difference has Russia—or the former USSR—made in your life?" and invites calls during Part 2 scheduled for Sept. 22, the actual 50th anniversary of Khrushchev's arrival in Iowa. Links related to the topic: "Khrushchev in Iowa" http://www.creatinggreatplaces.org/khrushchev.aspx; "Dan's Russia Experiences" http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=105312&id=802136391&l=fd3f441222; "Chechen war: We know these folks" http://friendlywork.com/chechen.html; early history of Kislovodsk-Muscatine relations (1996) http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=269536050226.
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Tue, 25 August 2009
Dan Clark says, "It's Time for School—Preservation School!" The Muscatine (city) and Louisa (county) preservation commissions will be hosting a lot of history horsepower at a workshop on historic preservation that will be presented in Mucatine Sept. 17-18 by experts from Iowa's State Historic Preservation Office. Everyone is invited, and the first day is free. Details at http://muscatinepreservation.org/preservationworkshop2009sept.pdf. Dan reads and discusses a news story: "Make a deal on the Jayne House: Only caveat - You have to move it later" http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/08/21/news/doc4a8ebca7b59c2579322163.txt and callers respond.
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Tue, 18 August 2009
Dan Clark called this show "A Half Hour for Billy Baladeer" in memory of William "Bill" Duval who died last week at age 86. With recorded hymns as background (Bill playing in his "primitive piano" style), Dan reads stories from Bill's life as salesman and musician from the book Bill published about a year ago. Caller Kent Sissel tells about the operetta Bill wrote that was performed in the 1980s and later published on CD, and the show ends with several minutes from that recording, "The Great State of Trinity." Bill was Dan's guest on July 1, 2008, archived at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=374752. Read his obituary at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/08/14/obituaries/doc4a85532fe07c8171612206.txt.
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Tue, 11 August 2009
A demolition reprieve is running out for the 110-year-old Henry Jayne house acquired last fall by the Muscatine Art Center. The center's trustees say they need the land at 1402 Mulberry Ave. for "future expansion" and insist that letting the house remain at its historic location is out of the question. However, after objections by the city's Historic Preservation Commission and the nonprofit Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation, they voted in February to allow the commission 180 days to find a way to remove the house for preservation elsewhere. Several hundred people have gone on record expressing opposition to demolition since then, and commission volunteers have used the time to study and document the home's historic significance. Now only a few days remain, but nobody has stepped forward with the dollars needed to save the house. The Art Center building and grounds committee has decided to proceed with "general bid letting" for removal by any buyer who might come forward (probably during September). If there's no buyer, demolition could come next. Official action is on the agenda for the next trustees meeting on August 20. BACKGROUND: Architectural conservator's report: http://muscatinepreservation.org/1402mulberry/JayneHouseReport.pdf • Henry Jayne biography: http://iagenweb.org/muscatine/biographies1911/jayne.htm • "Save 1402 Mulberry" created by a former owner: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/300153 • Jayne House in THIS PLACE MATTERS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/preservationnation/3426185127 • Photos and more: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51187&id=802136391&l=f8b48710f0 • Muscatine Historic Preservation ordinance: http://muscatinepreservation.org/mhpc-ordinance.pdf.
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Tue, 28 July 2009
Dan Clark and guest Kent Sissel, resident restorer of the Alexander G. Clark House, discuss steps involved in gaining recognition for the area surrounding the West Third Street residence of Muscatine's famous 19th century citizen. Muscatine has two "national" historic districts, but the Clark district would be locally designated. Learn about Clark at http://alexanderclark.org/ and local districts at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/workingonthepast/index.htm.
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Tue, 21 July 2009
Back from a two-week "family history and US history" vacation in the eastern US, host Dan Clark chats with producer Ron Edwin, catching up on local happenings and weaving together his travel report with praise for the "heritage tourism" that can be enjoyed right here at Muscatine.
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Tue, 14 July 2009
Guest host Tom Savage, co-owner of Muscatine Books and More, speaks with Duffy DeFrance, "renaissance woman" storyteller and director of the Muscatine Literacy Coalition. The retired children’s librarian was recently recognized by the Bi-State Literacy Council with an exemplary service award. Duffy tells of the 56-year history of the Muscatine Masquers Community Theatre, focusing on founder and longtime leader Virginia Schauland. She promotes an upcoming Masquers dinner-theater show, and she and Tom discuss local performing arts and artists along with caller Shirley Calvert. Tom reads from J.P. Walton's address at an 1891 Old Settlers Reunion in which the local historian describes amazing changes in communication and transportation he'd witnessed. And Tom tells about the history storybook he and wife Sharon Savage are writing.
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Tue, 7 July 2009
Guest host Tom Savage, co-owner of Muscatine Books and More, speaks with local Civil War authors Lee Miller (Crocker's Brigade) and Jeff Shay (book in progress). Dan Clark is on vacation.
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Tue, 30 June 2009
Dan Clark and guest Ann Meeker talk about the third annual "PatriArt" events June 27-July 4, organized by the Muscatine Cultural Alliance. Discussing concerts and July 4 parade and more, they chat mostly about trolley rides, horse-drawn carriage rides, and the first-ever Pearl Button paddlewheel boat cruises http://thepearlbuttonpaddlewheel.com/special-events.html. See the complete PatriArt schedule at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/06/29/news/doc4a44db74c101b777429326.txt.
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Sun, 28 June 2009
Sermon by J. Glen Widmer at Sugar Creek Mennonite Church, Wayland, Iowa • Sunday, June 28, 2009
"Several weeks ago, one of the elders said, 'Maybe we should have some stories told over the pulpit.' And I said, 'Well, I've got some stories. I think I can do that.' And so this morning I want to talk a little bit about God's faithfulness in my spiritual pilgrimage."
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Tue, 23 June 2009
Dan Clark talks on "Historic Markers and Rest Area Tourism" after he attended the June 19-20 "Underground Railroad in Iowa 2009 Symposium" http://muscatine-tours.com/cedar-county/UGRR-Iowa2009Symposium.pdf. It was a moving feast, from the Hoover museum at West Branch to an old Cedar County cemetery to the Wilton Rest Area on I-80. Just before the conference, several took part in erecting a John Brown Freedom Trail marker here in Muscatine County at the historic West Liberty depot. See some of Dan's photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=87201&id=802136391&l=cda347e39b along with John C. Yoder's comment on holding court last week in the room where Brown was sentenced for treason in 1859.
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Tue, 16 June 2009
Dan Clark's guest is Frank Kelly, retired from the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine http://www.muscatinecommunityfoundation.org/. Now he is serving on the Muscatine County Extension Council http://www.extension.iastate.edu/muscatine/ and helping start a consulting company called Diamond Towns of America http://www.diamondtownsofamerica.com. Frank says we have diamonds beneath our feet, right here in the Pearl City. As the former resident restorer of the historic Henry Jayne House, he is campaigning to save it from demolition http://www.facebook.com/frankanddiane. His previous TTT show is at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=395120.
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Tue, 9 June 2009
Dan Clark's guests are Al Brotherton, Chris Clark, and Duffy De France. Chris and Duffy talk about the free summer concerts sponsored by the Muscatine County Arts Council http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org. Every "Second Sunday Summer Concert" will start at 6:00 p.m. on the Pearl Plaza patio outside Elly's Tea and Coffee: June 14 - Cruisin' (60s rock-n-roll); July 12 - Fry Daddies (country, rock, blues, folk); August 9 - River City Big Band; September 13 - Sarah Snydacker, classical vocalist. Al tells about the River City Big Band and its history since 1986. Producer Ron Edwin plays selections from a RCBB CD.
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Tue, 2 June 2009
Dan Clark describes his past week of visits in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and chats with Muscatine native Rob/Bob Fiedler calling from Grand Junction, CO. Dan praises Grand Junction's downtown "Art on the Corner" and invites listeners to see his photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82133&id=802136391&l=818929779e. He also tells about visiting Iowa places where John Brown stopped with fellow abolitionists and escaping slaves in 1859 (photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82607&id=802136391) and announces the June 19-20 "Underground Railroad in Iowa 2009 Symposium" http://muscatine-tours.com/cedar-county/UGRR-Iowa2009Symposium.pdf.
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Tue, 26 May 2009
Guest host Tom Savage (co-proprietor of Muscatine Books and More http://muscatinebooks.com) chats with storyteller-author Dan "Danny" Titus and radio journalist Kristin McHugh. Dan's latest book is "Muscatine Businesses of the 1940s and 1950s: Long Gone But Well Remembered." Kristin is writing a book with the working title "Muscatine" based on the archives of the Muscatine Art Center.
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Tue, 19 May 2009
Dan Clark's guest is downtown redevelopment advocate Tom Bankhead, a Muscatine native who has enjoyed a view of Second Street from his architecture firm for the past 37 years. They discuss new uses for old buildings in Historic Downtown. Tom says he preaches "feet on the street" and wants to bring in a bakery soon and maybe a food co-op type of grocery. Callers Michael Maharry and Shirley Calvert praise historic preservation efforts.
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Tue, 12 May 2009
Dan Clark's guest is Melanie Alexander, director of the Muscatine History and Industry Center http://www.muscatinehistory.org/. She tells about the museum's newest exhibits (Monsanto and Muscatine Power & Water), and they discuss upcoming events in Historic Downtown Muscatine. Caller Max Churchill tells about a group of Midwest Riverboat Buffs visiting here later this week.
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Tue, 5 May 2009
May is Historic Preservation Month. "Scoffing at History?" asks Dan Clark, then tells about Muscatine's historic buildings and districts. (And repeatedly says "Chestnut" when telling about a new plaque on Pine Street—oops!) He urges everyone to come out for the first Mothers Day historic-homes tour "House Calls: Muscatine Doctors Then and Now." (See poster at http://muscatinepreservation.org/housecalls-poster.jpg and Quad-City Times feature at http://www.qctimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_1ba9dbe2-3689-11de-bc44-001cc4c03286.html and http://www.qctimes.com/article_e0c1c536-3687-11de-852f-001cc4c03286.html ). Dan reads from the Muscatine Historic Preservation ordinance at http://muscatinepreservation.org/mhpc-ordinance.pdf and district survey files at http://www.musserpubliclibrary.org/Reference-Desk/Local-History.aspx. Caller John Elshoff talks about local Civil War history.
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Tue, 28 April 2009
Dan Clark's guest is Michael Maharry, MD, president of Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation (http://muscatinepreservation.org and http://apps.facebook.com/causes/179427/35994298). They discuss local events and activities observing Historic Preservation Month, especially a first Mothers Day historic homes tour called "House Calls: Muscatine Doctors Then and Now." See http://muscatinepreservation.org/housecalls-poster.jpg.
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Tue, 21 April 2009
Dan Clark's guest is Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House. Kent tells about a recent flurry of recognition for Muscatine's black statesman, and reports on efforts to nominate the house as a National Historic Landmark plus his own proposal for creating a local historic district centered at West Third and Chestnut Streets. An 1868 Iowa Supreme Court decision, Clark v. Board of Education, established equal rights for all Iowa children—86 years before the US Supreme Court established educational equality as the law of the land. Learn more about Alexander Clark at http://alexanderclark.org . Hear other conversations with Kent at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=434366 (Feb. 17, 2009) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=429539 (Feb. 3, 2009).
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Tue, 14 April 2009
Great River Days 2009 will be July 29-August 2, 2009. Dan Clark's guest is GRD co-chair Kerry Keller. This 51st edition of the "family-friendly and affordable" riverfront celebration promises "the best music entertainment seen in many years." Kerry plays music from headliners LoCash Cowboys http://locashcowboys.com/ and Su DeBaco & Wise Fools http://www.wise-fools.com/. Learn more about the newly reorganized event at http://www.greatriverdays.com/.
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Tue, 7 April 2009
Dan Clark chats with Ron Edwin (KWPC producer) about his announced topic "Muscatine's (Gay) Wedding Trolley?" posed by last Friday's Iowa Supreme Court ruling. Dan reads from a New York Times editorial ("Iowa Decency" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/opinion/05sun3.html?_r=2&ref=opinion ) and asks for listener feedback on the prospect of Muscatine as a wedding destination for gay couples. A solitary caller declares gay marriage "sick" and urges Dan, "Don't promote it." The 1868 civil-rights decision (mentioned as a precedent) desegregated Muscatine schools, and thus all Iowa schools, 86 years ahead of the US Supreme Court. Learn that story at http://alexanderclark.org .
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Tue, 31 March 2009
Dan Clark and Shirley Calvert speak with Sheila Chaudoin about her work at Musser Public Library. Sheila specializes in local history including genealogy, oral history and photo archives, and online history resources. See http://www.musserpubliclibrary.org/Reference-Desk/Local-History.aspx and Oscar Grossheim Photo Collection Index at http://iagenweb.org/muscatine/Grossheim/grossheimintro.htm . Hear a previous Sheila-and-Shirley conversation at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=449170 (May 27, 2008).
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Tue, 24 March 2009
Dan Clark speaks with Ann Meeker, the new president of Muscatine's Downtown Action Alliance http://www.muscatinedowntown.com/, about what's happening in the historic heart of our town, upcoming events, and the latest plans for the new excursion boat, The Pearl Button. Hear a past show about the paddleboat at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=391849 (Oct. 14, 2008).
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Tue, 17 March 2009
Dan Clark discusses "Treasures or Eyesores," the cause of historic preservation in old Muscatine. Visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation page on "Teardowns and McMansions" at http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/teardowns/. Learn more about Muscatine's two historic districts at http://www.musserpubliclibrary.org/Reference-Desk/Local-History/History-of-Buildings-and-Neighborhoods-in-Muscatin.aspx. Join the Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation on Facebook at http://apps.facebook.com/causes/179427?m=d6ff9e99.
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Tue, 10 March 2009
March 10 is the anniversary of abolitionist John Brown's last departure from Iowa in 1859, 150 years ago. With a group of armed followers and a dozen freed slaves they had brought across Iowa and hidden in a boxcar at West Liberty, Brown boarded a train for Chicago and then on to Canada. Dan Clark speaks with Lowell Soike, staff historian at the State Historical Society of Iowa and leader of the SHSI project that's erecting historical markers along the route of Brown's last trip and otherwise researching and telling the importance of the Underground Railroad in Iowa history. Learn more at http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/NEWS/415551840 or http://alexanderclark.org/johnbrownsjourney.pdf (with map). Join the conversation at "Iowa's Underground Railroad" http://iowa-ugrr.blogspot.com/ and "Underground Railroad (West)" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46633975447.
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Tue, 3 March 2009
Dan Clark speaks with Doug Jones, staff archaeologist for the State Historical Society of Iowa whose job includes Underground Railroad research. Dan reads another episode in the tale of John Brown's last trip across Iowa exactly 150 years ago, and Doug tells about the project to place markers along the John Brown route. Read a description of the Freedom Trails project at http://gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/NEWS/415551840 or http://alexanderclark.org/johnbrownsjourney.pdf (with map). Join the conversation at "Iowa's Underground Railroad" http://iowa-ugrr.blogspot.com/ and "Underground Railroad (West)" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46633975447 .
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Tue, 24 February 2009
Dan Clark and Shirley Calvert discuss various happenings as Muscatine's "colored orator of the West" is remembered during Black History Month. We hear the voice of Shirley's father, William D. Randall, recorded in 1949 reading his story, "Jimmy White Finds Freedom: Slavery and Alexander Clark." Clark's 183rd birthday is Feb. 25 (born 1826). He died in 1891 in Monrovia, Liberia, while serving as U.S. ambassador, and his body was returned to Muscatine. Learn more at http://alexanderclark.org.
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Tue, 17 February 2009
Dan Clark and Kent Sissel discuss heritage tourism and Black History for the second time this month. (See http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=429539 Feb. 3.) Kent is restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House. Dan reads another episode in the tale of John Brown's last trip across Iowa exactly 150 years ago. Caller Frank Best, Louisa County historian, shares an Underground Railroad story handed down by a local family. Learn more about Alexander Clark at http://alexanderclark.org. Join the conversation at "Iowa's Underground Railroad" http://iowa-ugrr.blogspot.com/ and "Underground Railroad (West)" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46633975447.
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Tue, 10 February 2009
Dan Clark and guest Steve Hanken, archaeologist from Cedar Rapids, chat about "Uncovering Iowa's Underground Railroad." Another "White Folks Talking Black History" topic for Black History Month. Join the conversation at "Iowa's Underground Railroad" http://iowa-ugrr.blogspot.com/ and "Underground Railroad (West)" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46633975447.
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Tue, 3 February 2009
Dan Clark and guest Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House, discuss Black History Month events including a Feb. 22 observance and other recognitions of Clark's birthday and legacy. Dan describes the show's month-long special emphasis as "White Folks Talking Black History." More on A.G. Clark at http://alexanderclark.org.
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Tue, 27 January 2009
Dan Clark's guest Lee Miller is author of Crocker's Brigade, a new book telling the story of four Iowa infantry regiments combined under command of Marcellus M. Crocker after the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh. Many of the men were from the Muscatine area. Dan and Lee are joined by another local Civil War author and previous TTT guest, Jeff Shay. Learn more about Lee Miller and his book at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/01/09/news/doc4967744f5824d970374432.txt .
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Tue, 20 January 2009
Dan Clark's guests are Dave Ales and Al Brotherton, talking and playing music to get us in the mood for the 15th annual Eagles and Ivories Ragtime festival coming January 23-24-25. Al leads the local band Mad Creek Mud Cats, and Dave is the festival organizer for the Muscatine County Arts Council http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org/eagles%20&%20Ivories.htm. Hear the previous pre-festival show at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=419741 (Jan. 6).
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Tue, 13 January 2009
Dan Clark's guest is Jay Logel who started his 42-year career at Muscatine Power & Water as a power plant maintenance helper and is retiring this month after serving in nine positions, the last 11 years as general manager at Iowa’s largest municipal electric utility http://www.mpw.org/.
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Tue, 6 January 2009
Dan Clark's guests Chris Clark and Duffy DeFrance represent Muscatine County Arts Council http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org/ which sponsors the 15th annual Eagles and Ivories Ragtime Weekend coming up January 23-24-25. More about John Brown's last trip across Iowa 150 years ago and an acclaimed puppet show based on that real-life saga, "FREEDOM STAR: Gertie's Journey on the Underground Railroad" http://www.puppetspuppets.com/about/birthday/favorite/favorite.html . Includes music cuts from ragtime artists slated for the 2009 festival.
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