Hamilton County Historical
Alliance met at Stanhope Community Center on Saturday,
Present: Janet Adix (Ellsworth), Jackie Frederick
(Stanhope, Jewell), Mary Jo Johnson (Stratford), Linda Wild (Randall),
Dick Steffan (Jewell), Bruce Johnson (Jewell), and Alan Sponheimer (South
Hamilton).
Roll Call: Tell of a celebration held in your
town long ago.
Stratford. The Hook’s brothers were
the first settlers in the area. When the railroad came, the post
office which had been at Hook’s Point was moved to Stratford. Those
interested in learning more about Hook’s Point can read Hook’s Point
echoes by Clara Layton Madsen.
Additional information can be found here: Hamilton
County History.
Ellsworth: Turkey Days. Turkey Days were
held from 1950 to 1961 on the 2nd Wednesday in September. As many
as 123 women cooked 200 turkeys. Booths were set up in the park and
the lines ran around the park. Janet Adix’s Dad wired the booths
for electricity. This was a free event and attended by many.
All participants received a turkey sandwich, ice cream and coffee.
Janet also remember that people left a mess to cleanup, throwing down their
plates and napkins when finished. More info:
Turkeys in the Ellsworth area.
Jewell: Discuss about the Lutheran College.
That the college went on to be the elementary/high school in June.
As the building aged, teachers and students could feel the building move
in the wind. https://sites.google.com/site/hamiltoncountyhistory/home/newspaper-articles/jewell-lutheran-college
The Lutheran College was a 4 year school that taught subjects like:
Norse, Trig, Chemistry, Elocution, Orthoepy, Orthography, Latin, Geometry,
Botany, English, Christianity, Ethics, Penmanship and German. The
college was owned and controlled by the Iowa District of the Hauge Synod.
Randall: A brush with elegance.
Whole community got together to serve breakfast to select RAGBRAI participants
in July 1989. Valet bicycle parking. Grand Pianos in the park.
Stanhope: Watermelon Days celebrated
their 60th celebration in 2017. Thousands now come from all over
annually for the parade, carnival rides and games, free entertainment and
free watermelon. Very much earlier in Stanhope’s origins, traveling
chautauquas set up in the park. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85050913/1921-07-04/ed-1/seq-3.pdf
Blairsburg: In the 1970s Blairsburg
had a parade where the town’s senior citizens rode around in antique autos.
Minutes from the last meeting
were read and approved. Bruce/Dick made the motion. MCU.
Old Business: none
New Business:
Grant possibility
supporting museum infrastructure—Building Challenge Grant from NEH, National
Endowman for the Humanities.
Updates on renovations
at the Jewell Museum. $5000 grant received from the Jewell Centennial
Trust for the southwest corner. Discussion of having an open house
at the museum during Jewell Jubilee. Accessibility of the Jewell
Museum continues to be explored. Accessibility for both floors, all
options, are expensive. They are having several entities make suggestions.
Hannah from the
Ames Historical Society had extra Webster City Year books from 1925.
She sent The Torch to Webster City and 2 copies came to the Alliance.
Next Meeting: April 21, probably in Webster City
Adjourn at 11:15: Dick/Bruce. MCU.
Thanks to Mary Jo for her hospitality
Submitted by Linda Wild, Acting Secretary,
in the absence of Secretary Debra Caudle Chavira
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