Whats HOT
Latest Posts
Iconic State Fair Architecture: Historic Buildings Reflect Decades of Memories
The Iowa State Fair is a homecoming for Iowans, and the historic buildings that grace the fairgrounds in Des Moines provide iconic venues for this statewide family reunion. There’s also a lot of surprising history behind many of these structures, from the Agriculture Building to the Livestock Pavilion.
“The Iowa State Fair connects generations of Iowans,” said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who spoke during the opening ceremony of the 2017 Iowa State Fair on August 10. “There are so many wonderful memories and traditions here at the fair, which showcases the best of Iowa’s agricultural and cultural heritage.”
While the first Iowa State Fair was held October 25-27, 1854, in Fairfield, supported by a total operating budget of $323, the fair moved to its present location in 1886.
“The state fair moved to this site in Des Moines after the State Legislature and the City of Des Moines appropriated funds to purchase Calvin and Arminta Thornton’s farm,” said Leo Landis, state curator for the State Historical Society of Iowa, who helped lead an Iowa State Fair walking tour on Aug. 10. “One building original to the Thornton farm remains–Grandfather’s Barn, which is on the far eastern edge of the fairgrounds.”
Livestock Pavilion opened in 1902
Between the time the Fair Board purchased the land in June 1886 and when the fair opened in September 1886, crews constructed 67 buildings. “Of those, Pioneer Hall is the only one that remains today,” said Landis, museum curator at the State Historical Museum.
By the 1900 Iowa State Fair, most of the buildings built for the 1886 fair were still in use. They were beginning to show signs of decay, however, and roofs were particularly bad. It was time for the Iowa State Fair to clean up the fairgrounds.
One of the first new buildings added more than a century ago was the Livestock Pavilion. Back in 1901, more than 650 cattle were shown at the Iowa State Fair – only about 50 less than were shown that year at the International Stock Show at Chicago, Landis said. With future Iowa State Fairs expected to have even more cattle, the Iowa Legislature appropriated $37,000 for a fireproof steel-and-brick stock pavilion, similar to one that had just been constructed at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
The Livestock Pavilion was the first major brick-and-steel structure built at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. “By constructing buildings out of these materials, the Fair Board gave the fair a sense of permanence and safety at this location,” said Landis, who noted that the new Livestock Pavilion officially opened for the 1902 fair and has been used for stock judging, lectures, entertainment and more for decades.
A new Agriculture Building was constructed in time for the 1904 Iowa State Fair. This famous building is home to the beloved Butter Cow. The Agriculture Building is one of the finest examples of Double Jeffersonian architecture remaining in the world.
1904 State Fair showcased new Agriculture Building
A new Agriculture Building came along two years later, in time for the 1904 Iowa State Fair. Located at the intersection of Grand Avenue and Rock Island Avenue, the Agriculture Building was built along the route to and from the State Fair from the Rock Island Railroad depot.
From the beginning, the Agriculture Building has been used as the agricultural, horticultural and dairy building. It’s home to the famous Butter Cow and other butter sculptures, which have been part of the Iowa State Fair since 1911.
“The Homestead,” a well-known farm newspaper of the late 1800s and early 1900s published in Des Moines, touted the new Agriculture Building as “one of the finest structures for exhibiting products of the farm that can be found in the Central West.”
The building’s design was inspired by the Exposition Halls at the Columbian Exposition, the world’s fair held in Chicago in 1893. The Agriculture Building is one of the finest examples of Double Jeffersonian architecture remaining in the world.
“Building a structure of such grand scale – with 33,800 square feet of floor space – suggested to visitors that the Iowa State Fair was an event of both civic and social importance,” said Jessica Rundlett, special projects and outreach coordinator at State Historical Museum of Iowa, who assisted with the Iowa State Fair walking tour.
Kyle Andrews with the Wayne FFA chapter exhibited hogs during the 2017 Iowa State Fair. The Swine Barn was built in 1907.
Swine Barn design enhanced ventilation
When a new Swine Barn was constructed for the 1907 Iowa State Fair, the roof covered 185,000 square feet of stalls, exhibition areas and two central show rings that could seat more than 800 people. “The Homestead newspaper said you had to see it to believe its grand size,” Landis said.
The state appropriated $75,000 to build the Swine Barn. The building’s roof profile is designed to provide superior lighting and ventilation. The long open windows at roof level and open exterior walls draw in fresh air. Today you can see the Big Boar at the Swine Barn, as well as the Avenue of Breeds, which is coordinated by the North Polk FFA.
Horse Barn cost $25,000
The Horse Barn was completed in 1912 for $25,000 and renovated in 1929. Measuring 156 feet by 224 feet, the new barn could accommodate 132 draft horses and a like number of ponies, according to the Homestead newspaper. Th article also noted the new barn was equipped with water troughs, wash stands, sanitary feed mangers and automatic hayracks, Landis said.
The Horse Barn was completed in 1912 for $25,000 and renovated in 1929.
Cattle Barn named for Iowa farmer
The Iowa State Fair’s building boom of the early twentieth century included the new Cattle Barn, which opened for the 1914 fair. While the original barn could accommodate 108 head of cattle, the barn now has ties for 1,600 cows, thanks to multiple expansions through the years.
Among the early proponents of Iowa’s cattle industry was Iowa Governor William Larrabee of Clermont, Landis noted. Larrabee helped introduced Brown Swiss dairy cattle to Iowa after studying the breed and concluding Brown Swiss were best suited for Iowa’s climate.
Today, the Cattle Barn is named for John Putney, a farmer from Gladbrook who was also a long-time cattle exhibitor, president of the Sale of Champions and beef superintendent. Putney was appointed the first executive director of the Blue Ribbon Foundation, which has raised more than $135 million in the last 25 years to renovate and preserve the Iowa State Fairgrounds.
In 1915, the state legislature appropriated $14,000 to build a sheep pavilion. The Sheep Barn opened for the 1917 Iowa State Fair. The building is notable for the detailed terra cotta designs on the east façade, including a row of rams’ heads near the roof.
Sheep Pavilion opened for 1917 fair
During the Golden Age of Agriculture, state funding was available to construct a wide range of livestock barns at the Iowa State Fair. In 1915, the state legislature appropriated $14,000 to build a sheep pavilion. The Sheep Barn opened for the 1917 Iowa State Fair. The building is notable for the detailed terra cotta designs on the east façade, including a row of rams’ heads near the roof.
The legacy lives on
The Iowa State Fairgrounds was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It’s a fitting honor for a unique venue filled with many architectural marvels. “The late Bill Wagner, a preservation architect from Iowa, noted that ‘the complex contains a representative collection of almost all architectural styles for most of the past 200 years,’” Landis said.
Historic buildings are just one of the many reasons the Iowa State Fair is the best state fair in the nation, Reynolds said. “I’m extraordinarily proud of this tradition. Remember—nothing compares to our great Iowa State Fair!”
Take a virtual tour
The Iowa State Fair Walking Tour can be found on the Iowa Culture App. Either download the app, or log onto dcaapp.com. Click on the featured tour “Star” button on the right and look for the “Iowa State Fair tour.”
Want more?
Thanks for stopping by. I invite you to read more of my blog posts if you want more more intriguing Iowa stories and history, along with Iowa food, recipes and tips to make you a better communicator. If you like what you see and want to be notified when I post new stories, be sure to click on the “subscribe to blog updates/newsletter” button at the top of this page. Feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who might be interested, too.
If you’re hungry for more stories of Iowa history, check out my top-selling “Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, Maid-Rites and More” book from The History Press, as well as my Calhoun County” book from Arcadia Publishing, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa. Order your signed copies today! Iowa postcards are available in my online store, too.
Let’s stay in touch. I’m at darcy@darcymaulsby.com, and yettergirl@yahoo.com.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
About me:
Some people know me as Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, while others call me Yettergirl. I grew up on a Century Farm between Lake City and Yetter and am proud to call Calhoun County, Iowa, home. I’m an author, writer, marketer, business owner and entrepreneur who specializes in agriculture. Learn more at www.darcymaulsby.com.
Behind the Scene at Iowa’s Own Market to Market
If you’ve lived in Iowa, especially on a farm, anytime from the mid-1970s to today, there’s a good chance your family has tuned into Iowa Public Television (IPT) on Friday nights (or possibly Sunday afternoons) to watch Market to Market. That’s how it has been at my family’s Century Farm, and it’s a tradition that makes me proud to be an Iowan.
After all, Iowa is the home of Market to Market, which has covered issues affecting agriculture, from global trade conflicts to environmental controversies to changing technology, for more than four decades. Today, the weekly news segments and market commentary are geared towards the nearly 60 million people who live and work in rural America.
Even when I was too young to really know what Market to Market was all about, I could always identify the show by its music. I didn’t know the ending theme song was “Buy for Me the Rain” by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I just called it the Market to Market song, and I’m glad it’s still part of the show.
History and tradition are part of Market to Market, the longest-running TV show of its kind. The first episode of Market to Market debuted on October 24, 1975, on IPT. Back then, the show was called “Farm Digest,” I learned from Dave Miller, a senior producer/director who has worked at IPT more than 33 years.
I met Miller in July when my family and I toured the IPT studio in Johnston. The tour came about after Josh Buettner, an IPT producer/director, visited our farm a few years ago to shoot a segment on water quality. He mentioned that if I’d ever like to watch a taping of Market to Market, he could arrange it.
I thought it would be cool to take him up on this unique opportunity, since my family has been Market to Market fans for decades. When we pulled up outside the gleaming white studio on a hot Friday afternoon in July, we felt like royalty as IPT staff members greeted us at the front door and welcomed us into the bright lobby. When we were ushered back to the control room around 4 p.m., I was amazed by how dark the rest of the building is.
As we took our seats around the edge of the room, it wasn’t long before a staff member called out “We’re 15 seconds away. Stand by everybody, stand by!”
At the word “go,” vibrant images flashed onto row after row of computer monitors that glowed against the black surroundings. “Thunder!” called out one producer as the famous Market to Market logo shot onto the screens.
About 10 minutes later, we were ushered across the hall into the cavernous main studio, where Market to Market host Mike Pearson sat at a spacious desk and prepared to interview analyst Tomm Pfitzenmaier. As the red digital numbers counted down on a monitor near us, it seemed surreal to watch the interview in progress, both in person just a few feet from us and on a TV monitor right in front of us.
As I took it all in, from the thick power cords snaking across the floor to the huge cameras to lights of all types hanging from the black ceilings, I wondered what the technology was like back when Chet Randolph hosted the show. Dave Miller filled in some of the gaps. “I can remember when we had to run the tapes to the bus station in Des Moines so they could be put on an express bus to Lincoln, Nebraska, which had the nearest uplink,” he noted.
Wow, times have definitely changed. Still, one thing hasn’t changed—the Market to Market team’s commitment to share timely news and ag-related feature stories each week. When the show wrapped up and I heard the familiar notes of “Buy for Me the Rain,” it was amazing to think that the segments recorded right in front of our eyes would be broadcast to 20 states from California to Tennessee in just a few hours—and it all starts right here in Iowa.
This piece originally appeared on Farm News.
Want more?
Thanks for stopping by. I invite you to read more of my blog posts if you want more more intriguing Iowa stories and history, along with Iowa food, recipes and tips to make you a better communicator. If you like what you see and want to be notified when I post new stories, be sure to click on the “subscribe to blog updates/newsletter” button at the top of this page. Feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who might be interested, too.
If you’re hungry for more stories of Iowa history, check out my top-selling “Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, Maid-Rites and More” book from The History Press, as well as my Calhoun County” book from Arcadia Publishing, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa. Order your signed copies today! Iowa postcards are available in my online store, too.
Let’s stay in touch. I’m at darcy@darcymaulsby.com, and yettergirl@yahoo.com.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
About me:
Some people know me as Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, while others call me Yettergirl. I grew up on a Century Farm between Lake City and Yetter and am proud to call Calhoun County, Iowa, home. I’m an author, writer, marketer, business owner and entrepreneur who specializes in agriculture. Learn more at www.darcymaulsby.com.
Cruising Through Forgotten Iowa History on Lincoln Highway
If you ever travel U.S. Highway 30 across Iowa, you’re never far away from the Lincoln Highway, if not right on top of it. If you’ve ever driven on Interstates 80 or 35, you’re also enjoying a legacy of fast, efficient transportation that took root with the Lincoln Highway more than 100 years ago.
I was reminded of the Lincoln Highway’s pivotal role when I shared my “Culinary History of Iowa” program with 100+ Lincoln Highway enthusiasts from New York to California who met in Denison from June 20-24 for the Lincoln Highway Association’s 2017 annual conference. As attendees shared their stories with me, it was clear the Lincoln Highway’s magic hasn’t waned through the decades.
Perhaps we should all thank the founders of the Lincoln Highway for helping get rural Iowa out of the mud. Oh, that mud!
It’s obvious why Iowa needed to get out of the mud 100+ years ago.
As late as 1912, road conditions in the United States and Iowa were often deplorable, especially in rural areas. Few roads in the countryside were graded, and maintenance fell to those who lived along them.
The lack of paved roadways meant travel was always dominated by the weather. In wet weather, roads turned to mud and became impassable. During the winter months, you could be stranded on the farm for weeks if snowdrifts blocked the roads.
Iowans, like most Americans, were frustrated by poor road conditions, especially as the automobile’s popularity took off. Indiana native Carl Graham Fisher envisioned a solution. A tireless promoter of the automobile industry, Fisher had a track record of success, having joined a group of Indianapolis businessmen who invested in what became the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
At a dinner meeting in 1912 in Indianapolis, Fisher proposed the idea of a highway that would span America from coast to coast. Stretching nearly 3,400 miles, this “rock highway” named in honor of President Abraham Lincoln would follow the shortest, fastest, most practical route. Fisher’s goal was to finish the highway by the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. The highway’s path would run from New York City to the Exposition’s host city of San Francisco.
Belle Plaine, Iowa, celebrates its rich Lincoln Highway history.
Established in 1913, the Lincoln Highway transformed automobile travel from a tortuous journey to an exciting adventure. In Iowa, the Lincoln Highway was built from Clinton to Council Bluffs, connecting the Main Streets of 43 communities along the way.
As the first coast-to-coast highway, the Lincoln Highway demonstrated the power of good roads for transportation and commerce. It accelerated the Good Roads Movement, which helped get Iowa and other states out of the mud. On a national scale, the Federal Highway Administration and interstate highway system decades later marked the culmination of these efforts.
This vintage postcard shows the historic Park Motel and Cronk’s Cafe in Denison along the Lincoln Highway.
While interstates often offer the fastest way to crisscross Iowa today, I’ve been taking the backroads, including the Lincoln Highway, on some of my recent excursions around Iowa. I got a kick out of “Travel Tips from the Past” that the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association recently posted on its website and also appeared in a Washington Post article. While these road-trip gems were first promoted in the early 1900s by etiquette maven Emily Post and fellow motorists Effie Gladding and Beatrice Larned Massey, they still hold true today:
• Stop on a whim. If you see an intriguing café, go in. I recently stopped at the Lincoln Café in Belle Plaine and enjoyed a delicious bowl of vegetable beef and noodle soup, an Italian beef sandwich and coleslaw, along with a side of history. This café has served locals and travelers since 1928.
• Pause to take in the view. It usually takes me awhile to get to my destination, because I stop often to capture rural Iowa’s beauty with my camera.
The Reed-Niland Corner in Colo has served travelers since the 1920s and is likely the only remaining spot on the entire Lincoln Highway that still features a café (try their homemade ham-and-bean soup and a slice of pie!), vintage gas station and motel.
• Eat local. I love supporting locally-owned businesses that preserve the history of the Lincoln Highway, from the Santa Maria Winery in Carroll to the fabulous Reed-Niland Corner in Colo. This Story County treasure has served travelers since the 1920s and is likely the only remaining spot on the entire Lincoln Highway that still features a café (try their homemade ham-and-bean soup and a slice of pie!), vintage gas station and motel.
No matter where your summer road trips take you in Iowa and beyond, long live the legacy of the iconic Lincoln Highway!
This story first appeared in my Farm News column in June 2017.
Want more?
Thanks for stopping by. I invite you to read more of my blog posts if you want more more intriguing Iowa stories and history, along with Iowa food, recipes and tips to make you a better communicator. If you like what you see and want to be notified when I post new stories, be sure to click on the “subscribe to blog updates/newsletter” button at the top of this page. Feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who might be interested, too.
If you’re hungry for more stories of Iowa history, check out my top-selling “Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, Maid-Rites and More” book from The History Press, as well as my Calhoun County” book from Arcadia Publishing, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa. Order your signed copies today! Iowa postcards are available in my online store, too.
Let’s stay in touch. I’m at darcy@darcymaulsby.com.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
About me:
Some people know me as Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, while others call me Yettergirl. I grew up on a Century Farm between Lake City and Yetter and am proud to call Calhoun County, Iowa, home. I’m an author, writer, marketer, business owner and entrepreneur who specializes in agriculture. Learn more at www.darcymaulsby.com.
The historic Lincoln Cafe in Belle Plaine has served home-cooked food along the Lincoln Highway since 1928.
Ethanol:Passion by the Gallon
What drives you? When I stopped by the Iowa Corn 300 at the Iowa Speedway on July 9, ethanol wasn’t the only driving force as Indy cars roared past the grandstand.
While the cars shot around the oval at speeds over 200 miles per hour, covering the length of a football field in less than a second, I was also struck by the passion that drives today’s corn-grower leaders. It’s a spirit fueled by a strong sense of history and a focus on the future as the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) celebrates its 50th anniversary.
“Long before the Iowa Corn 300, the whole ethanol industry got started by visionaries who were tired of being captive to low corn prices and wanted to find a way to write their own ticket,” said Mark Heckman, a farmer from West Liberty and chairman of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) who visited with me during the race.
Those visionary farmers included Thurman Gaskill, a Corwith farmer who served as ICPB’s first president in 1978. When this future ICGA president and state senator pumped Iowa’s first tank of corn-based ethanol (called gasohol back then) in the eastern Iowa town of Clarence, many people viewed this new fuel as just a corn-fed gimmick.
Corn growers like Gaskill were undeterred in their quest to provide a solution to the 1970s energy crisis and low corn prices.
Iowa Corn leaders found five filling stations willing to sell gasoline mixed with 10 percent ethanol in Clarence, Cumberland, Osage, Peterson and Fort Dodge. The fuel cost about 70 cents per gallon, and customers drove away with a free “This car powered by Gasohol” bumper sticker. The Fort Dodge station sold about 350 gallons in the first hour, mostly to farmers who pulled up in their pickups, according to ICGA.
Thanks to tireless efforts by Iowa corn grower leaders, ethanol grew from a dream into a reality. Here’s a look back with ICGA’s timeline:
1982: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces standards to reduce lead content in gasoline, paving the way for ethanol’s use as a replacement octane booster.
1985: The Ford Motor Company rolls out the first vehicles designed to run on unleaded gasoline.
1988: Iowa Governor Terry Branstad orders all vehicles in the state government’s fleet to run on ethanol-blended fuel.
1990: The federal Clean Air Act is amended to mandate the use of clean-burning additives to fuel, while the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait focuses attention on U.S. oil supplies and the importance of home-grown ethanol.
1996: The ICPB establishes Iowa’s first E-85 (85 percent ethanol) fueling station in West Burlington. (I admit—I love my flex-fuel SUV and always look for E-85 pumps when I’m on the road.)
1999: The ICPB hosts workshops with ethanol plant representatives and other ethanol supporters to develop new farmer-owned ethanol ventures.
2004: Iowa becomes the #1 ethanol-producing state for the first time.
2005: Congress creates the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, cut greenhouse gas emissions and spur economic development, especially in rural America.
2007: Iowa Corn develops a partnership with the new Iowa Speedway for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 (now the Iowa Corn 300) to promote higher blends of corn-ethanol fuels in high-performing engines.
2008: Corn prices soar to historic levels, triggering the food-versus fuel ethanol debate as food prices also spike.
2011: NASCAR adopts the use of E-15.
2017: More than 15 billion gallons of ethanol are produced annually in America, and ethanol is used in more than 95 percent of the fuel sold in America.
While I heard a lot about ethanol’s power and performance at the Iowa Corn 300, passion is also key to this remarkable story. “As we think back to the vision that earlier generations of farmers had for the corn industry and ethanol, it’s clear we need to keep promoting and reinvesting to move forward,” Mark Heckman emphasized to me. “Passion drives this industry.”
This column first appeared in Farm News in July 2017.
Want more?
Thanks for stopping by. I invite you to read more of my blog posts if you want more more intriguing Iowa stories and history, along with Iowa food, recipes and tips to make you a better communicator. If you like what you see and want to be notified when I post new stories, be sure to click on the “subscribe to blog updates/newsletter” button at the top of this page. Feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who might be interested, too.
If you’re hungry for more stories of Iowa history, check out my top-selling “Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, Maid-Rites and More” book from The History Press, as well as my Calhoun County” book from Arcadia Publishing, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa. Order your signed copies today! Iowa postcards are available in my online store, too.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
Small – Town Iowa Polo Teams Thrilled Depression – Era Crowd
What comes to mind when you think of polo? English royalty, perhaps, since this ancient, unique blending of athletic talents between horse and rider helped polo become the “sport of kings.”
Yet there was a time in northwest Iowa when polo reigned as the sport of the common people. It happened in an era when rural Iowans desperately needed a diversion, if only for a Sunday afternoon, from life’s harsh realities.
It all started in the early 1930s in the small Cherokee County town of Marcus. I first heard about this intriguing tidbit of local history from Beth Kingdon, director of the Marcus Public Library, when I shared my “Culinary History of Iowa” program at the library. “Since you like Iowa history, you might be interested in this,” said Beth, as she opened the 700+-page book “Pride in the Past Faith in the Future: A Historical View of Marcus, Iowa.”
Sure enough, right there on pages 157-158 a section titled “Marcus Polo Team” spun a long-forgotten tale of rural Iowa. “The Marcus Polo Team made history in the 1930s for the small but prosperous farm community, providing thrilling Sunday entertainment for residents far and near,” stated the article.
No doubt there were thrills galore, since there’s nothing subtle about polo. This is in-your-face, aggressive horsemanship at its best, demanding power, intense speed, balance, coordination, quick reflexes, strategy, well-trained horses and expert riders.
“Shucking corn develops a wrist, and that’s what polo takes”
The Marcus team consisted of local businessmen and farmers, including Gregory Kennedy, Kenneth (Kim) Bancroft, W.W. (Bill) Bass, Henry (Hank) Abels, Walter Garlow and Glenwood French (the alternate). The Marcus Polo Club boasted a “splendid field” just a mile and a half south of town, where polo matches were played on the W.E. Wiley farm (managed by Walt Garlow). “Two Marcus youths, Jimmy Hogue and Roy (Junior) Williams, were full-time groomsmen for Kennedy and Garlow,” the history noted.
Polo was introduced in Marcus around 1931. By the early to mid-1930s, there were polo teams and/or polo fields in Paullina, Primghar, Clarion, Sheldon, Spencer and beyond, including the famous Barnes Bros. polo team from the Cherokee/Peterson area.
The Marcus Polo Club gained a strong reputation by beating professional teams from Minnesota to Omaha and clinched the Iowa championship by defeating the Des Moines team at the Iowa State Fair. The Marcus Polo Club eventually expanded into two teams, the Purple Team and the Orange Team, which traveled as far away as Sioux City and Pierre, South Dakota, to compete.
The famed Marcus team even caught the media’s attention. In 1936, Country Home magazine devoted a page-long article to document this fascinating phenomenon on the Iowa prairie. Here’s a snippet from Paul T. Sturges’ feature story:
“But polo,” I objected. “Isn’t that a millionaire’s game?
“Practically everyone seems to think so,” said Kenneth Bancroft. “But around here, most of our players are farmers.”
We were talking in Bancroft’s meat market in Marcus. On the wall, pictures of sleek polo ponies flashed white-helmeted riders, a team as proud as the best of them.
“No, don’t get the idea polo is just a rich man’s game,” continued Bancroft.
“Bill Ginger started us going. We used farm horses for mounts. Bill lives up a Gaza, Iowa. He’s farming. Had played polo in the Black Hills, enough at least to get polo in his blood.”
To make a polo mallet, Bill unearthed an old binder roller, sawed out a chunk, drilled a hole into it, and inserted a lengthy of hickory wood into this homemade affair. “First thing they know, people saw Bill out in his pasture on horseback larruping a ball around,” Bancroft said.
Joe Hey, the harness maker, braided whang leather loops on the mallets’ handles. A local pasture provided the playing field, and it was game on. “On stock saddles cinched to regular farm horses, the boys, when the farm work was done, would make for the pasture and have a barrel of fun. The players lined up in center field. The umpire throws the ball out, and it’s in play until it crosses the goal.”
Those Iowa farmers knew their style of polo was a bit—unique. “If today’s crack polo players could have seen us then, they would have died laughing,” Bancroft said. “Imagine horses weighing 1,800 pounds galloping after a little ball.”
The rural Iowa polo players’ gear made the game affordable, from homemade mallets to second-hand Army saddles. “It was inexpensive,” Bancroft noted. “The town boys boarded their ponies with the farmers, who, in turn, found the extra horses came in handy during cultivating time. Corn-shucking time, our players would use their horses on the wagon and then in the evenings would throw on saddles for a whirl at polo. Shucking corn develops a wrist, and that’s what polo takes.”
Chukkers and shuckers
The talented Marcus Polo Club beat professional teams from Minnesota to Omaha and clinched the Iowa championship by defeating the Des Moines team at the Iowa State Fair. The Marcus Polo Club eventually expanded into two teams, the Purple Team and the Orange Team, which traveled as far away as Sioux City and Pierre, South Dakota, to compete.
In the 1930s, just like now, each polo team consisted of four riders and their mounts. The ideal polo pony combined intelligence, speed and stamina, with the ability to accelerate, stop and turn quickly. All horse breeds were allowed to play polo, but a majority ranged from 15-16 hands tall. (A hand is equal to 4 inches.)
“Each player [with the Marcus Polo Club] has two or more ponies, and, in general, have an excellent string of horses,” noted the Marcus history book.
The story also cited Slim Nix, the “wild-riding cowboy,” captain, coach and trainer of Paullina Pirates polo team, who said “a man gives his wife credit for half she does, but a polo player gives his pony credit for 75 percent of his good playing.”
Some of the Paullina players paid big money for the best ponies and gear. Dr. G.E. Van Tuyl played a gray horse, which he purchased in Idaho for $1,000. (That’s roughly $18,000 in today’s money.)
Horses and riders competed on an outdoor polo field measuring 300 by 160 yards. Outdoor polo games consisted of six chukkers (periods) of 7 minutes and 30 seconds each. The main objective? Defeat your opponent by scoring the highest number of goals.
What a spectacle this must have been during the Great Depression, when crowds of rural Iowans flocked to polo fields across the state. Though admission cost 25 cents to see the Marcus team play tough competitors like Omaha more than 80 years ago, the promised rewards were almost irresistible. “These horses can turn on a dime and give you 8 cents in change,” one ad proclaimed. “Everyone come and see this thrilling game.”
This column originally appeared in Farm News July 2017.
Want more?
Thanks for stopping by. I invite you to read more of my blog posts if you want more more intriguing Iowa stories and history, along with Iowa food, recipes and tips to make you a better communicator. If you like what you see and want to be notified when I post new stories, be sure to click on the “subscribe to blog updates/newsletter” button at the top of this page. Feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who might be interested, too.
If you’re hungry for more stories of Iowa history, check out my top-selling “Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, Maid-Rites and More” book from The History Press, as well as my Calhoun County” book from Arcadia Publishing, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa. Order your signed copies today! Iowa postcards are available in my online store, too.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
Lightner on Leadership: “Everyone Has Something to Give”
My friend Deb Lightner calls it her ah-ha moment. While she was well acquainted with Stewart Memorial Community Hospital (SMCH) in Lake City through her 12 years of service on the hospital board, it became personal when a good friend received care at SMCH.
“My friend received a survey from SMCH and was asked if there were any staff members she’d like to lift up for special recognition,” said Lightner of Lohrville, whose friend had been diagnosed with breast cancer. “My friend said she couldn’t single out any one person, because they were all wonderful.”
This experience highlighted the value of compassionate care close to home and reinforced Lightner’s commitment to SMCH, where she served on the board from 2005 to her retirement this spring.
“It’s wonderful to have access to high-quality healthcare in our community. Having SMCH here also does so many other good things for our area, from attracting medical and business professionals to providing good jobs. Our communities also benefit when people connected with SMCH fill leadership roles, from city councils to school boards.”
Lightner is a true servant leader, said Cynthia Carstens, president/CEO of SMCH. “Deb has the skills, knowledge and heart to tackle challenges and make sure that needs are addressed. She adheres to the principles of listening, empathy, foresight, shared decision making, a willingness to challenge the status quo and building community.”
Carstens cited how Lightner recognized a need for a Meals on Wheels program for the Lohrville community. “She worked with our organization to get that set up and delivered many of those meals herself until there no longer was a need.”
Five ways SMCH is raising the bar
This spirit of service is reflected throughout SMCH, a critical access hospital affiliated with UnityPoint Health. Lightner is proud that SMCH is raising the bar in five keys ways, including:
1. Culture change. SMCH worked with the Studer Group® to build a sustainable culture that promotes accountability, fosters innovation and consistently delivers a great patient experience. This culture helps attract top talent to SMCH, a non-profit organization that employs approximately 185 full-time staff in Lake City, Lake View, Rockwell City and Gowrie. “Other hospitals around Iowa are amazed at SMCH’s ability to recruit doctors and other medical professionals,” Lightner said.
2. Diverse leadership. Strong leadership is the key to any successful organization, said Lightner, who farms with her family near Lohrville. Along with the SMCH leadership team, the SMCH board includes people with a diverse array of skills. “The board has included farmers, educators, pastors, small-business owners, bank presidents and others who care about the community and the organization,” Lightner said. “Good board members also show a willingness to learn, ask questions and speak up.”
3. Inclusion. While Lightner encourages people to serve on the SMCH board, there are other ways to get involved. SMCH offers a hospital auxiliary group where members can volunteer at the SMCH gift shop, help with fundraising events and more.
4. Responsive solutions. Wellness and preventative healthcare are priorities at SMCH. “Many of SMCH’s Lunch Connection educational programs and other wellness programs are developed in response to issues the community cares about,” Lightner said.
5. Forward focus. As medical technology advances and outpatient services become much more prevalent, this presents complex, challenging issues for the hospital, said Lighter, who has a strong background in finance. “While we’re still one of the hospitals that delivers babies, the trend away from in-patient care means SMCH is looking at new ways to best serve our community and do it cost-effectively.”
Lightner remains a strong supporter of SMCH, even though her board term is completed. “It has been an honor to work with Deb, who is one of the strongest women I know,” Carstens said.
Lightner is currently exploring volunteer opportunities with the Peace Corps. “I never view community service as a chore,” she said. “Everyone has something to give.”
This originally appeared in the Hometown Pride section of the Fort Dodge Messenger, June 25, 2017.
Want more?
Thanks for stopping by. I invite you to read more of my blog posts if you want more more intriguing Iowa stories and history, along with Iowa food, recipes and tips to make you a better communicator. If you like what you see and want to be notified when I post new stories, be sure to click on the “subscribe to blog updates/newsletter” button at the top of this page. Feel free to share this information with friends and colleagues who might be interested, too.
If you’re hungry for more stories of Iowa history, check out my top-selling “Culinary History of Iowa: Sweet Corn, Pork Tenderloins, Maid-Rites and More” book from The History Press, as well as my Calhoun County” book from Arcadia Publishing, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa. Order your signed copies today! Iowa postcards are available in my online store, too.
Let’s stay in touch. I’m at darcy@darcymaulsby.com, and yettergirl@yahoo.com.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
About me:
Some people know me as Darcy Dougherty Maulsby, while others call me Yettergirl. I grew up on a Century Farm between Lake City and Yetter and am proud to call Calhoun County, Iowa, home. I’m an author, writer, marketer, business owner and entrepreneur who specializes in agriculture. Learn more at www.darcymaulsby.com.
Learning from the Land: 9 Surprising Ways Farmers Make Conservation a Priority
Spring planting will soon arrive here in Iowa, but planting our Calhoun County fields isn’t the only thing on my mind. My family is always looking for ways to embrace conservation and better manage our land, because we understand the benefits of improved water quality and soil sustainability extend far beyond our fields.
This mindset defines any true steward of the land, and Iowa is blessed with an abundance of conservation-minded farmers. This is reflected in the Iowa Environmental Leader Award, which recognizes the exemplary voluntary efforts of Iowa’s farmers who are committed to healthy soils and improved water quality.
We were honored to receive a 2016 Iowa Environmental Leader Award last August at the Iowa State Fair from Iowa’s governor, lieutenant governor, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship staff and Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff. It was inspiring to see how many other progressive, dedicated farm families across Iowa are redefining the sustainable nature of modern agriculture.
Learning from the land is just part of my DNA. My great-great grandfather, John Dougherty, emigrated from Ireland and settled in Calhoun County north of Lake City in 1889. He purchased 200 acres, and history records that he “placed the land under a high state of cultivation,” a legacy my family carries on today with our Century Farm.
I’m also guided by the philosophy of another Iowan, Aldo Leopold, whose “land ethic” called for a principled, caring relationship with nature. “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect,” noted Leopold, author of the Sand County Almanac.
The residue of the previous year’s crop helps hold our precious soil in place and builds organic matter in the soil.
Here are 9 ways that Iowa farm families like mine are putting this land ethic into practice:
1. Building on a legacy of conservation. Iowa agriculture reflects a long history of people helping the land. The process accelerated in 1935, when the Soil Conservation Service was created in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In this era, young men with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) worked on hundreds of Iowa farms to assist with soil-erosion-control projects, such as terracing hills, digging ponds, repairing gullies and planting trees for wind breaks. In 1948, more than 100,000 farmers from across the Midwest flocked to the National Soil Conservation Field Days in Dexter, Iowa, to learn new conservation practices. Even President Harry Truman made an appearance see farmers’ conservation efforts first-hand. (You can read more about it in my blog post “Riding with Harry,” where I interviewed a young Iowan who escorted Truman on a bulldozer in the fields.) While much has changed in farming since the 1930s and 1940s, one thing endures—our commitment to be good stewards of the land and keep our land productive for generations to come.
2. Prioritizing soil health. I’m convinced that unlocking the secrets of the soil is the next frontier in farming. As world population and food production demands rise, keeping our soil healthy and productive is of paramount importance. By using cover crops, diverse rotations and other systems, more Iowa farmers are increasing their soil’s organic matter while improving microbial activity. As a result, farmers are increasing water infiltration, controlling runoff and enhancing soil health—all while harvesting better yield and profit potential.
3. Balancing the three-legged stool of sustainability. Successful farm management involves environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and social sustainability that benefits not only our farm, but our community, state and beyond. Without all of those three legs, the sustainability stool falls down. That’s why my family has invested in a number of best-management practices, including soil testing to better manage fertilizer applications, grassed waterways and grassed field borders to help control soil erosion, conservation tillage, drainage water management, and the addition of windbreaks and shelterbelts. These practices help improve soil health, prevent erosion, boost yield potential and keep nutrients in place where they can nourish our crop and protect Iowa’s water quality.
4. Learning from others. I’m blessed to live in the epicenter of agriculture, where farmers have a strong support network to help enhance their conservation and farm management strategies. I value input from Iowa State University Extension, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association, MaxYield Cooperative’s SciMax Solutions, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Practical Farmers of Iowa and other trusted organizations. In my roles as a freelance ag journalist and president of the Calhoun County Farm Bureau and Calhoun County Corn Growers, I enjoy meeting with other conservation-minded farmers across the state who are willing to question current management practices and never stop asking, “Is there a better way?”
5. Finding conservation-minded urban partners. As Iowans, we’re all in this together when it comes to conservation. I applaud the City of Storm Lake for its city-wide plan emphasizing green infrastructure practices. These practices include bioreactors, which essentially function like large “coffee filters” to help improve water quality. The results are impressive. City manager Jim Patrick tells me that Storm Lake has seen a bioreactor remove 45 percent of the nitrates coming off agricultural land in the area. Storm Lake has also hosted “reverse field days” so farmers, soil and water conservation groups and others can see the progress that’s being made. “These partnerships are vital, because rural and urban communities are in this together,” Patrick told me. “It’s not city water or ag water; it’s all our water.”
6. Focusing on continuous improvement. A spirit of continuous improvement contributes to long-term success in any business, including our farm. My dad, Jim Dougherty, served as a township committee member with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, the forerunner of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Dad was also quick to see the value of conservation tillage and other practices that make the farm productive and sustainable. Today, we are using precision ag tools to maximize production and conservation. We never stop seeking solutions.
7. Developing a conservation philosophy. If you never try something different, how do you know if you’re maximizing your investment on every acre? My conservation philosophy is to keep learning, help my family do our best to protect Iowa’s precious soil and water resources, and pass on a legacy of conservation to future generations.
8. Providing leadership. We’ve hosted numerous media professionals at our farm, from the local newspaper to USA Today and “Market to Market,” to share what we’re doing to promote conservation and protect soil and water quality. In 2015, I also worked with the Iowa Food and Family Project to coordinate and host Expedition Yetter, a bus tour of farms in west-central Iowa that allowed urban Iowans to see conservation in action. (Watch “Market to Market’s” Expedition Yetter and water quality video here.) That same year, I also testified before the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee in Washington, D.C. to explain to federal lawmakers how conservation plays a key role on my family’s farm.
9. Enjoying the journey. Enhanced conservation, like improved farm management, is a quest that never ends. I value the legacy of farmland that was passed on to my family from previous generations and enjoy the challenge of maximizing our acres. With all the technology available today, it’s exciting to see what’s next as we keep learning from the land to enhance the sustainable nature of modern agriculture.
Darcy Dougherty Maulsby is a proud member of a Century Farm family, author, entrepreneur, business owner, and farm leader from Lake City. Visit her online at www.darcymaulsby.com.
* This editorial first appeared in the April 9, 2017, Sunday edition of the Fort Dodge Messenger.
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
My family (including my dad, Jim, my mom, Jan, me and my younger brother, Jason, on our Calhoun County Century Farm.
High-Octane Achiever: Ethanol Fuels New Driver Tiffany Poen
Most of us can vividly remember getting our driver’s license and our first car—our first taste of independence and grown-up responsibility. Fuzzier, however, is our first solo trip to fill up at the pump and the likely confusing choice we made purchasing gas. Not for Tiffany Poen, a new driver (and my awesome neighbor!) who is deliberate with her fuel choice.
Ethanol fuels her new adventure and, just like the truck she inherited from her grandfather, the choice was a matter of passing down a family tradition.
Tiffany Poen from Lake City, Iowa, is a proud South Central Calhoun FFA member and ethanol supporter.
“I really looked forward to getting my license and inheriting my grandpa Bob’s truck,” said Poen, 17, a high school junior from Lake City, Iowa. “This truck is special because my grandma Betty used to ride in it before she passed away in 2013 from complications of cancer.”
Family is important to Poen, who credits her grandfather, mom, and dad for teaching her to drive on the gravel roads near her family’s farm. After completing a driver’s education course, Poen was excited to receive her official driver’s license, which has opened up a new world of possibilities.
“I can go where I want,” said Poen, a high school basketball cheerleader and dancer who drives to practices at the local dance studio and joins friends at the community-owned movie theater where she volunteers.
No matter where she’s headed, there are three big reasons why Poen fills her flex-fuel truck with E85 (a blend of 85 percent ethanol):
1. E85 is a family tradition. Poen is the fifth generation of her family to farm. Her family raises corn that’s converted into ethanol. “My family only uses ethanol,” explained Poen, who plans to study agricultural business at Iowa State University and wants to pursue an ag sales career. “We’re proud that it’s a homegrown fuel that supports America’s farmers.”
2. E85 is eco-friendly. As a member of the South Central Calhoun FFA, Poen is growing her knowledge of agriculture while expanding her leadership skills. “Farming is focused on preserving our natural resources. I like how E85 is a clean energy source that helps protect the environment.”
3. E85 is easy on the wallet. When you’re a student, you have to make your money count. Poen appreciates how E85 and other ethanol blends are budget-friendly. “I want to make the best choices, and that includes E85.”
It was so much fun to interview Tiffany for this article, which appeared in the Winter 2017 issue of American Ethanol magazine, which is distributed nationwide. As you can see, even one of the Poen’s kittens got in on the act!
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
Growing with Grow: Iowa 4-H Leader Guides 100-Year-Old 4-H Club for 50 Years
With more than 50 years of experience leading the century-old Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club in Dallas County, Iowa, Lorna Grow knows what it takes to help kids succeed. It doesn’t mean giving everyone a participation ribbon.
Lorna Grow has led the Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club near Dallas Center, Iowa, since 1966.
“You gain confidence when you achieve,” said Grow, 84, a retired teacher who has guided Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-Hers since 1966 when her oldest daughter, Glenace, joined the club. “I expect high-quality work from my 4-H kids, and I coach them to help them learn.”
With her high-energy style, quick smile and lively personality, Grow is a hands-on instructor, whether she’s helping the kids refinish furniture, re-cane vintage chairs, bake a pie from scratch, sew on a button, hem pants, sew flannel-lined, zippered gun cases or complete basic home repairs like fixing a hole in the wall. While she coordinates 30- to 45-minute educational workshops that are held during the club’s meetings on the first Monday evening of the month, Grow doesn’t stop there.
“Because I’m retired, I can devote additional time for extra activities,” said Grow, a great-grandmother who marches in local parades with her 4-Hers, helps her club sponsor a county-wide cooking challenge for 4-Hers and their friends, inspires 4-Hers in design-a-room competitions, works with them throughout the Dallas County Fair and supports them at the Iowa State Fair.
Whenever there’s a local 4-H activity going on, Grow is there, said Aleta Cochran, county youth coordinator for Dallas County Extension. “The kids love Lorna. She always supports the kids, listens to them, encourages them and helps them grow.”
Refinishing furniture and chair caning offer Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club members like Isabel Simpson the chance to learn skills they may not learn anywhere else.
A century of believing, a future of achieving
Grow has been involved with 4-H since 1943, when she joined the Union Lassies 4-H Club in Indianola. The all-girls club followed the traditional three-year program rotation of food, clothing and home improvement.
The club that Grow would become most affiliated with, however, is the Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club in Dallas County. This group dates back to 1917, when a 4-H club led by Mrs. A.J. (Mary) Hayes was founded at Sugar Grove No. 9, a one-room country school near Dallas Center. This 4-H sewing club had 10 members, met weekly and wore blue uniforms with white caps. The entire club traveled to the Iowa State Fair by car (quite an outing in those days) and marched in the state fair parade behind the 168th Infantry.
The club evolved in 1922 into the Oblegro (Observe, Learn, Grow) Club. After an A.B.C. Club was organized in 1929, the two clubs joined and eventually became the Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club, named after the local township. From 1918 through about 1965, the Dallas County Farm Bureau sponsored local 4-H clubs, which were separated into girls’ clubs and boys’ clubs.
“We are the oldest documented 4-H club in Dallas County,” said Grow, who added that 4-H clubs began to integrate in the 1990s. “I think the club’s founders would be surprised their group is still going all these years later when so many other 4-H clubs have died out.”
Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club members, 1966-67
Today, the Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club includes 42 boys and girls in grades 4 through 12 from Dallas Center, Adel, Van Meter, DeSoto, Perry, Grimes, Johnston and Urbandale. While it can be challenging for kids to find time for 4-H, due to busy schedules packed with sports, dance lessons and more, Grow refuses to schedule meetings on Sundays. “That’s family time,” she said.
Families are the key to success with any 4-H activity, she added. “I have wonderful 4-H kids because I have wonderful parents who care about their kids.”
Learning skills for life
These parents value the life lessons that 4-H teaches, including decision-making skills, goal setting, leadership and teamwork. To enhance the learning, Grow assigns older 4-Hers to help mentor younger club members.
Members of the Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club, along with club leader Lorna Grow, represented 4-H in this 2015 parade.
The Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H members have also gained a new appreciation for history by helping plan the club’s 100-year-anniversary celebration, which was held Sept. 24, 2016, at the iconic Lake Robbins Ballroom near Woodward.
During the program, club members performed some of the songs that earlier generations of 4-Hers enjoyed from the 4-H Song Book. “The emphasis on music back then reflected people’s desire to get more culture into the rural areas,” said Grow, who added that the Adel Live Wires 4-H Club had an orchestra at one time.
Club members also researched local 4-H club record books dating back to the 1930s, when club projects included altering dress patterns and answering roll-call questions like “my favorite radio program.” Club members also scanned photos of previous generations of 4-Hers, including a group of girls showing off their baked goods for the 1934 Achievement Day. “Back then, you had to go through Achievement Day to have your project qualify for the Dallas County Fair,” Grow said.
While those early 4-H members used to meet in club members’ homes, today’s Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H members meet in the basement of the Dallas Center Church of the Brethren. They also gather once a year at the Dallas Center-Grimes school to cook a meal and host an appreciation dinner for parents and guests. “We’ve served everything from Mexican to Chinese and prepare a four-course meal, including appetizers,” Grow said.
The learning opportunities that Grow offers 4-Hers are exceptional, emphasized Cochran with Dallas County Extension. “Lorna has done so much for 4-H. A volunteer like her is priceless.”
Grow said she’ll continue to serve as a club leader until she’s no longer effective. “Why do I keep doing this? Because I’m having fun. I love watching these kids grow and develop skills that will benefit them throughout their life.”
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.
Members of the Sugar Grove Sunshine 4-H Club, like Jacob Storey, enjoy hands-on learning for pie baking and other skills.
Celebrating New Year’s Eve in Style at a Classic Iowa Ballroom
There was a time when THE hottest place to be for New Year’s Eve was at one of Iowa’s ballrooms, which could be found across the state in cities, small towns and even in the country. While most of these iconic places are gone, Lake Robbins south of Woodward carries on a proud Dallas County tradition since 1931.
Here’s a glimpse of what makes Lake Robbins such a remarkable piece of Iowa history (photos courtesy Lake Robbins Ballroom):
Ringing in the New Year. The legendary Lake Robbins Ballroom opened Nov. 11, 1931, and soon became one of the hottest entertainment venues in Dallas County. With its 10,000-square-foot white oak dance floor (which is still in place), spacious interior and music from popular dance bands of the day, the ballroom became a destination. The photo at the top of this blog post which shows people dancing was likely taken on New Year’s Eve, circa 1933. Notice what appears to be confetti on the dance floor.
The beginnings of Lake Robbins. Located southwest of Woodward, Lake Robbins started as a natural pond. In the 1920s, Riley Robbins and his son, Mervin, built a man-made lake dredged out by teams of horses. Robbins built an eight-sided cabin with a boardwalk to the edge of the area that would become the famous Lake Robbins Ballroom. A drought in 1936 decimated the lake, which was not rebuilt.
One of Iowa’s last ballrooms. Lake Robbins has always been in the country, and there’s only one way to get there—an unpaved country road. While the ballroom has always had a simple exterior, the magic occurs inside. Through the years, countless married couples first met at Lake Robbins. While many Iowa towns used to have ballrooms, Lake Robbins is one of the few that remains.
Soon-to-be-married dance champions. While they were not yet married when this photo was taken in 1938, Jacob Cushing of Adel and his future bride, Florence, won a dance contest at Lake Robbins Ballroom. The event was sponsored by Chaplin Gas & Oil. This photo was taken by Edmondson Studio in Perry.
Celebrating the good times. Young people from Dallas County and beyond flocked to Lake Robbins Ballroom, which was one of the few places in the country that had electricity in the early 1930s. Some say future president Ronald “Dutch” Reagan patronized the ballroom when he was a broadcaster at WHO Radio in Des Moines. Lake Robbins was inducted into the Iowa Rock & Roll Music Association in 2007.
Let’s have a party! While some Lake Robbins performers slipped into obscurity, others became stars. Herbie Kay’s orchestra from Chicago that played opening night in 1931 featured 17-year-old vocalist Dorothy Lamour. In 1936, Lamour moved to Hollywood and made a series of successful comedies starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Another Lake Robbins singer, Perry Como, had huge hits in the 1950s with “Magic Moments” and “Catch a Falling Star.”
Kip Shannon’s 80+-year career. While she didn’t work on the opening night (Nov. 11, 1931), 23-year-old Coloma “Kip” Shannon stopped by the new Lake Robbins Balloom with her family. She got a job selling tickets there soon after and also handled practically every job at the ballroom during her career, which spanned nearly 80 years at Lake Robbins. Kip died at age 105 in 2014.
Today, owner Lyn Wilkinson carries on the Lake Robbins Ballroom Iowa legacy, caring for the beloved ballroom that she has owned since 1993. Stop by this remarkable venue for an evening of music, dancing and an unforgettable piece of Iowa history.
Want more Iowa culture and history? Lake Robbins Ballroom will be featured in my upcoming book, Dallas County, a pictorial history from Arcadia Publishing, which will be released in the summer of 2017. In the meantime, check out my top-selling “Calhoun County” book, which showcases the history of small-town and rural Iowa, as well as my “Culinary History of Iowa” book from The History Press. Order your signed copy today!
P.S. Thanks for joining me. I’m glad you’re here.
@Copyright 2017 Darcy Maulsby & Co.