Wed, 27 October 2010
"So, I keep gathering the pieces, and one of these days I think it'll flow out." Dan Clark tells about family history discoveries and says he is writing a book. The readings on this podcast began as two Facebook "notes" which may be read at Underground Railroader Ancestors and Anticipating "a time machine experience". |
Thu, 30 September 2010
Robert A. Fiedler II realized he couldn't answer when his 10-year-old daughter asked, "Daddy, why do you do what you do?" He quit his job rather than prepare for nuclear war. |
Tue, 4 May 2010
[Distributed via e-mail and Facebook on May 3, 2010]
Hey, Neighbors!
THIS WEEK (May 4) on Trolleys, Tales & Talk: "THE END OF THE LINE"
This will be my last show. That's right, this is the end. It's been a good run since January 2006. The trolley is parked, and I am moving on to other things. For this last show I'll be taking calls and talking about what I plan to do next, including local-history TV. Call during the show at 563-263-8600, or send me e-mail that I might read on the air. ou can hear this last "Trolleys, Tales & Talk" on KWPC AM-860 at 9:05 a.m. THIS TUESDAY ONLY, streamed live via http://voiceofmuscatine.com. Or listen anytime from anywhere in the world at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/ as always. I look forward to future guest appearances on KWPC's Friday morning "Coffee Club," and I'll continue building the online archive. I will add most of the past shows that aren't there already, and I plan to offer new audio material and other information I haven't thought of yet. Did you miss last week's show, "Civil War 150 Years Later," with Pam Knott and Lee Miller? Hear the podcast at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=609279. So...thanks for listening, and please keep in touch!
Dan Clark
Muscatine Trolley & Tours, L.C.
http://muscatine-tours.com/
http://www.facebook.com/iowapeacechief
[During the show, I spoke about Julia Ward Howe's peace declaration that helped establish Mothers' Day, and I read from an essay by Jone Johnson Lewis, online at http://womenshistory.about.com/od/howejuliaward/a/julia_ward_howe_4_mothers_day.htm. I also spoke with three wonderful callers: 1) My third cousin Willis S. Whittlesey III called from Salt Lake City. He's the genealogist who's probably more responsible than anyone else for getting me into all this. 2) Shirley Calvert, 83-year-old daughter of William D. Randall, was my once-a-month co-host during most of my time on air. Many of our shows relied on "Little Known Stories of Muscatine" her father wrote as radio scripts in the 1940s. 3) John Haskins, leader of Friends of the Old Barn, was my guest more than once and embodies the cause of Historic Preservation I've tried to champion. So long, neighbors! And please stay in touch.]
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Tue, 27 April 2010
"Civil War 150 Years Later" • Dan Clark read William D. Randall's story, "Muscatine's Heroic General," and guests Pam Knott and Lee Miller of the Civil War Memorial Committee told about a fundraising campaign to replace the 1875 monument at the Muscatine County Courthouse. As sesquicentennial observances approach, there's much local and national history to recall and much work to be done. Hear the previous show about the Civil War memorial (March 2 with Sandy Lee and Lee Miller) at http://www.muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=588480 ("Renewing Muscatine's Civil War monument"). See the Facebook album "The Civil War remembered at Muscatine County Courthouse" at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79743&id=802136391&l=dfe417bd5b. FREE PUBLIC PROGRAM THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 7:00-9:00 P.M.: "Recent Research on the Underground Railroad in Eastern Iowa" presented by Douglas W. Jones, Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office, State Historical Society of Iowa • Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence (MME) Center, 129 West Second Street (former Marie Lindsay Interiors) • Doug has served as archaeological advisor and historical researcher on the Iowa Freedom Trail project, documenting the people, places, and events associated with Abolitionist and Underground Railroad activities in Iowa. Historically those activities were better known and documented in Cedar, Johnson, and Clinton counties. However, this week he will tell about activities in adjacent counties, including Muscatine County.
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Mon, 26 April 2010
Dan Clark and Lee Miller address the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors on April 26, 2010 • Photo: Lee Miller with soldier removed from 1875 monument • Duration 04:36 min |
Tue, 20 April 2010
"Too Much Local History?" • Dan Clark's guest is Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the Alexander G. Clark House. The Muscatine City Council recently recognized a two-square-block area as the "Alexander Clark Heritage District." They discuss what's next for our latest district as it relates to other local history efforts and as a destination for heritage tourists. They speak about the effort to replace the 1875 Civil War monument at the courthouse and identifying other sites with Civil War significance. They urge a good turnout next week for a presentation on "Recent Research on the Underground Railroad in Eastern Iowa" by Doug Jones, archaeologist with the State Historical Society of Iowa. (Thursday, April 26, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Center, 129 West Second Street—former Marie Lindsay Interiors.) Doug has served as archaeological advisor and historical researcher on the Iowa Freedom Trail project, documenting the people, places, and events associated with Abolitionist and Underground Railroad activities in Iowa. Historically those activities were better known and documented in Cedar, Johnson, and Clinton counties. However, on April 29 he will present information that is turning up about activities in adjacent counties, including Muscatine County.
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Tue, 13 April 2010
"Crawfordsville Connections" Dan Clark tells of attending the 51st annual meeting of the Washington County Historical Society the previous evening in the little Iowa town that's still bragging it was the birthplace of the national Republican Party in 1854. He continues from last week about the Underground Railroad line from Crawfordsville to Muscatine, and he says he wishes for a Muscatine County Historical Society.
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Tue, 6 April 2010
"The traffic...to Muscatine was very heavy," according to O.A. Garretson, along the important Underground Railroad line from Crawfordsville in Washington County. Dan Clark reads several Muscatine references from Garretson's 1924 article which you can read at http://www.garretson.us/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=6. Mark your calendar for "Recent Research on the Underground Railroad in Eastern Iowa" which will be presented in Muscatine on Thursday, April 29, by archaeologist Douglas W. Jones of the State Historical Society of Iowa. Doug has served as archaeological advisor and historical researcher on the Iowa Freedom Trail project, documenting the people, places, and events associated with Abolitionist and Underground Railroad activities in Iowa. Historically those activities were better known and documented in Cedar, Johnson, and Clinton counties. However, Doug will present information that is turning up about activities in adjacent counties, including Muscatine County. Doug has been on the show twice: http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=555079 (Nov. 24, 2009) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=439389 (Mar. 3, 2009).
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Tue, 30 March 2010
"Season Without a Trolley?" Dan Clark announces: APRIL 15 WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF TROLLEY-BUS OPERATION FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. "What I've decided is that my little company needs a rebuilding season. I apologize to all who hoped to use the trolley in coming months, but I am optimistic about bringing it back even better—eventually if not this year. Meanwhile, there's definitely demand for fun transportation in Muscatine, so maybe others will step forward with other possibilities." Muscatine Trolley & Tours remains in the local history and tourism business, just without its own charter bus for now. Here are some past shows about the history and evolution of the company: http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=564858 Dec. 29, 2009 http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=557547 Dec. 1, 2009 http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=388999 Oct. 7, 2008 http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=383570 Sept. 23, 2008 http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=408792 Apr. 8, 2008 http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=447278 Oct. 23, 2007 |
Tue, 23 March 2010
"Moving Day for the Jayne House" • Dan Clark's guests Susan Jayne and Frank Kelly tell about some of the families who lived at 1402 Mulberry Avenue over the years. Susan's great-grandparents Henry and Ella Jayne built the house 110 years ago. The Kellys were there in the 1980s and 90s when it was still known as "Dr. Miller's house," remembered for the family residing there longest. Susan came from Indiana to join the crowd of watchers as the historic house moves (March 23-24) from its place beside the Muscatine Art Center toward its new address at 1200 Iowa Avenue. See pictures and learn more of the story at "Friends of the Henry Jayne House" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=368359087332. In the Discussion section are links to all the Muscatine Journal stories about saving the house. |
Tue, 16 March 2010
"Muscatine Downtown—Maybe Down But Far From Out" • Dan Clark's guests are Chris Clark and Dawnese Openshaw. Dawnese co-chairs the Downtown Action Alliance http://www.muscatinedowntown.com and tells what's coming up including "It's A Spring Thing Girls Getaway Weekend," March 26-27. Chris tells about the Muscatine Melon Patchers quilt show, March 19-20, and all discuss the challenge of attracting tourists and reviving a historic commercial district. |
Tue, 9 March 2010
"Historic Preservation Turns 10" Dan Clark talks about his experience serving on the Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission, created 10 years ago in response to citizens who were asking for the city to take better care of preserving Muscatine's unique collection of historic buildings and neighborhoods. He invites listeners to get involved via Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation http://muscatinepreservation.org/ and tells about the "Heavy Haulers" cable-TV show that might feature the move of the historic Henry Jayne House. Related: "Who's Afraid of the Paint Police?" (September 15, 2009) Dan compares Muscatine's Historic Preservation Commission (educational and advisory only), which he chairs, with other communities' more robust protections for historic properties. http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=526587 |
Tue, 2 March 2010
"Renewing Muscatine's Civil War monument" Dan Clark's guests are Sandy Lee and Lee Miller. Lee chairs the committee to restore the 1875 Civil War monument on the grounds of the Muscatine County Courthouse; Sandy is local commander of the American Legion and treasurer of the Civil War Memorial Fund. Yesterday, the soldier who has stood watch for 135 years came down from atop his column in the gentle hands and equipment of county workers and Muscatine Power & Water. The plan is to replace the monument and to add names that were left off originally. Lee (pictured) is author of Crocker's Brigade, a 2009 book telling the story of four Iowa infantry regiments combined after the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh. Hear Dan's first show with him at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=426836 (Jan. 27, 2009) and the most recent at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=560428 (Dec. 15, 2009). See photo album "The Civil War remembered at Muscatine County Courthouse" at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79743&id=802136391&l=dfe417bd5b. |
Tue, 23 February 2010
"African American life in 19th century Iowa" Dan Clark's guest is David Brodnax, Sr., a leading expert on black life in early Iowa and Muscatine in particular. A law graduate of the University of Iowa with a PhD from Northwestern, David has taught history at Trinity Christian College (Palos Heights, IL) since 2005. More about him at http://www.trnty.edu/faculty/brodnax.html. Last week, David was quoted at length in the Muscatine Journal: http://www.muscatinejournal.com/news/local/article_dafa5f1a-1de4-11df-aeb0-001cc4c002e0.html. And also six years ago: http://www.muscatinejournal.com/news/local/article_8b40551e-7bf4-5d79-8484-9c059e22e967.html. Earlier conversations with David: http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=577985 (Feb. 2, 2010) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=585449 (Jan. 2, 2007). Alexander G. Clark Week, Feb. 21-27, honors the legacy of Muscatine's equal-rights pioneer, born Feb. 25, 1826, in Washington, PA. http://alexanderclark.org
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Tue, 16 February 2010
"A Heritage District for Black History and More" Dan Clark's guest is Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House. This week Muscatine City Council will consider Kent's proposal for naming a two-square-block area on both sides of West Third Street as the "Alexander Clark Heritage District." The center of the district would be the intersection of West Third and Chestnut which is the original site of Clark's house. They discuss the process the Historic Preservation Commission went through before recommending approval. Alexander G. Clark Week, Feb. 21-27, honors the legacy of Muscatine's equal-rights pioneer http://alexanderclark.org. Other recent conversations with Kent: "White Folks Talking Black History" (Feb. 3, 2009) http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=429539 and "More on Heritage Tourism and Black History" (Feb. 17, 2009) http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=434366.
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Tue, 9 February 2010
"Something Magical About a Bookstore!" Dan Clark's guests are Sharon and Tom Savage, co-owners of Muscatine Books & More http://muscatinebooks.com—and sponsors of this show "from the git-go." Eight years ago they opened their independent bookstore in the recently restored Silberhorn Building at 124 E. 2nd St. "It just looks like a bookstore you'd find in a movie," Sharon said at the time. "It's in the center of the downtown area where the history lives and they put up flags." Now the store is for sale, as Sharon has announced in a newspaper column: "This store has been a wonderful adventure that my husband and I have enjoyed beyond description. There is something magical about a book store." And then she says: "We would like to sell it to people who have energy and motivation. We need people who have a vision for the future of small downtowns and who want to participate in creating and nurturing the downtown climate of the future." http://www.muscatinejournal.com/news/opinion/columns/article_f0dcb958-0e8b-11df-bbbc-001cc4c03286.html The conversation starts from there. (NOTE: The recording starts about 10 minutes into the show. Sorry!)
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Tue, 2 February 2010
"Muscatine's Black History" Did you know Muscatine was Iowa's center of African American life in the 1850s? Dan Clark says there's a lot happening in Muscatine during Black History Month, a time for us all to learn about race relations and equal rights. Then historian David Brodnax calls from Chicago and tells about Muscatine's black population before the Civil War and the far reaching influence of the local A.M.E. Church (African Methodist Episcopal) and members such as the first pastor who was later a congressman, Richard H. Cain, and equal-rights pioneer Alexander G. Clark. David wrote a not-yet-published dissertation, “'Breathing the Freedom's Air': The African American Struggle for Equal Citizenship in Iowa, 1830-1900." Learn more about Clark at http://alexanderclark.org/. |
Tue, 26 January 2010
"Builders to the World" Dan Clark's guest is Richard H. Stanley, chair emeritus and past president of the Stanley Group which includes the Muscatine-based Stanley Consultants, Inc., a member-owned worldwide provider of engineering, environmental, and construction services. Dick tells about the firm's international work in some 98 countries over the years since it opened an office in Liberia in 1957. http://www.stanleyconsultants.com/about_us_history.php Dick also chairs the board of the Stanley Foundation, a private-operating international-affairs organization that is separate from SCI and its charitable foundation. http://www.stanleyfoundation.org/richard-stanley-bio.cfm Last week SCI announced a $50,000 donation from the Stanley Consultants Charitable Foundation to the International Red Cross for Haiti-earthquake relief.
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Tue, 19 January 2010
"It's Time for Ragtime!" The 16th Annual Eagles and Ivories Ragtime Weekend is January 29-30-31. Dan Clark's guests are Chris Clark and Duffy DeFrance representing the Muscatine County Arts Council which co-sponsors the festival along with the Muscatine Art Center. See schedule and program and links to performers' sites at http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org/eagles&Ivories.htm.
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Tue, 12 January 2010
Dan Clark called this show "Who's got a better idea for Muscatine (better than tourism)?" [more soon]
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Tue, 5 January 2010
Dan Clark asked his next-door neighbor Frank Kelly to take the lead for this first show of Year 5. A former executive of the local community foundation, Frank says Muscatine is "close to greatness" as an award-winning city for many attributes and attractions, e.g., health care and river front and trails and historic preservation. Caller Kent Sissel calls for a "summit" on cultural tourism. Hear past shows with Frank at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=492461 (June 16, 2009 about the Diamond Towns initiative) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=395120 (May 13, 2008 about Historic Downtown).
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