Name: Grinnell in Vintage Postcards
Brand: Bill Menner
SKU: 9780738532271
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Grinnell in Vintage Postcards

9780738532271

$24.99

From an abolitionist hotbed to the home of a prestigious liberal arts college, Grinnell, Iowa, is known across the country as a "jewel of the prairie." Originally conceived as a Congregationalist utopia, Grinnell developed a reputation as a highly-educated community with a wealth of incredible architecture. It was also a turn-of-the-century industrial hub, despite a population of less than 5,000, where buggies, early automobiles, and gloves were made.

The historic postcards in this book recall a community on the verge of transition, from a small agriculture-based town on the prairie to a thriving center of commerce and higher education. They provide a remarkable glimpse of the buildings that make up what is now a "Historic Commercial District" on the National Register of Historic Places. Still others are visual reminders of great buildings-both in the community and on the Grinnell College campus-that now exist only in memory.

Cass County

9780738583181

$24.99

Ghosts still walk the land watered by the Nishnabotna and shaded by the great groves of walnut, oak, and maple. These are the spirits of men and women whose vision, faith, and daring led them to abandon homes in the East, leaving behind the social and physical amenities of an established community, to risk their lives and lay claim to a harsh and virginal land. The proud and handsome Ioway chief Mahaska, the visionary entrepreneur Franklin H. Whitney, and the wartime friend of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Gov. Clyde Herring, are just three of the scores of extraordinary individuals who played a role in Cass County history. Not every effort met with success, as many early settlements now exist only in the ghostly images of fading memory; yet it is out of their vision and sacrifice that a thriving county of 16 proud townships emerged.

Calhoun County

9781467114486

$24.99

View the history of small-town, rural Iowa through the eyes of those who lived it. Images of America: Calhoun County showcases this unique heritage through remarkable glimpses into the past and intriguing stories that bring these images to life. Discover the region's pioneer heritage, the birth of the railroad and prairie towns, and the growth of some of most productive farms in the world. Calhoun County claims two nationally acclaimed authors as native sons, welcomed Babe Ruth in 1940 (but not on the baseball field), and was the target of a bank robbery by Bonnie and Clyde in the 1930s. Calhoun County offers a well-researched pictorial journey designed for native Iowans, transplanted Iowans, and those curious about the evolution of small towns and farms in the Midwest.

East Village

9780738577425

$24.99

A little neighborhood in the shadow of the state capitol, East Village in downtown Des Moines used the statehouse dome as a backdrop to establish itself in what was low, mostly unusable land along the Des Moines River. Just after the dawn of the 20th century, the neighborhood burgeoned with blue-collar industry and corner stores, while boasting the convenient use of railroads for industrial development and travel. It seemed to be in competition with the west side, where the insurance industry and wealthy neighborhoods blossomed on high ground. By midcentury, though, East Village suffered as a mobile population chose suburban shopping malls over traditional mom-and-pops. By 1990, buildings were in disrepair, and crime was increasing. A group of dedicated individuals came together and, with assistance and cooperation from the city, brought East Village back into focus, with a clear urban identity that sparked a renewed sense of pride.

Clermont, Fayette County, Iowa

9780738501482

$24.99

Located on the east and west banks of the Turkey River, Clermont has historically attracted settlers for both its idyllic setting and its proximity to water. Clermont's story is revealed here in over 200 vintage photographs that trace the town's progress from the early days through the late 1920s. Drawn by inexpensive and fertile land, immigrants from Germany, Ireland, and Norway came to Clermont because of the new possibilities and opportunities afforded to those living by the river. The building of the brick mill, the cooper mill, and the introduction of the railroad were all major events that resulted in Clermont's development as a trading center. With informative captions narrating your visual tour, this collection provides an intimate look at the town.

Washington

9781467110020

$24.99

Washington was founded in 1839 and is the county seat of Washington County. The population grew significantly after the arrival of the first railroad in 1858. Much of its past and present economy is based on agriculture, and the county has some of the richest soil in the world. Through the years, industries have included cigar, pearl-button, and buggy manufacturers, as well as calendar and biofuel producers. Washington has a rich history and many well-preserved historical sites, and it has been listed as "one of the best small towns in America" three times by author Norman Crampton. With approximately 7,200 residents, Washington maintains a historic downtown square and a variety of vintage buildings and homes, many of which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, it was designated a Main Street community.

Davenport's WOC AM-FM-TV

9780738577807

$24.99

Beginning in 1922, Davenport's WOC has charted an impressive list of broadcasting firsts: the first licensed commercial radio station west of the Mississippi River; first station to establish logging, the practice of recording program schedules down to the minute and second; the use of time signals at the beginning of programs; first to build and use audio mixing controls that allowed multiple microphone usage; first to broadcast from a state legislature; and first to broadcast programming meant specifically for children. WOC-TV was the first television station in Iowa on the air when it began regular programming in 1949. This volume of images presents an overview to the history, facilities, programming, and technology of the WOC stations and provides a glimpse at the stations today, as new ownership carries on an outstanding tradition in Quad City broadcasting.

Ottumwa

9780738541068

$24.99

Long one of Iowa's most important industrial cities, Ottumwa was established on the banks of the Des Moines River in 1843. The river was both a blessing, providing transportation as well as ice for early meatpacking plants, and a curse, inundating the city with periodic floods until it was tamed in the latter half of the 20th century. This collection of vintage photographs highlights the city's industries and laboring people, the river's role in the shaping of the community, and Ottumwa's unique place in history as the location of the Iowa Coal Palace and Industrial Exhibits of 1890 and 1891 and the Ottumwa Naval Air Station during the World War II era.

Davenport

9780738551579

$24.99

Native Americans inhabited the gentle sloping bluffs along the Mississippi River on which Davenport now sits. The peoples who lived on the fertile soil of eastern Iowa were forced into selling their land for pennies to white settlers. From the original survey of the town in 1836 throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, progress was steady as steamboats navigated the dangerous rapids of the Mississippi River, and settlers came to battle extreme Midwest winters and plow the unbroken prairie. In 1856, the first bridge to span the river was completed here, heralding the locomotive from the east and becoming of major importance to the movement west. German and other immigrant families came in droves and with them the development of major national industrial centers for agriculture and its implements, lumber and building material, alcohol and tobacco, and numerous other products. Davenport has been a town of unusual and fascinating history.

Perry

9780738561660

$24.99

Perry came to life in 1869, when town founder Harvey Willis convinced a railroad surveyor to run the train through the town. The "magic" town then boomed almost overnight, as schools, churches, and businesses sprang up. Although the last train left Perry in 1980, the town has proved resilient through the changes of the last 150 years. Fueling Perry's vibrant history are the many people who came to town seeking opportunity. From the arrival of early European settlers to the development of a Latino community in more recent years, Perry continues to be a place for people to set down roots and find a home. Because many threads of Perry's history reflect events happening in the wider world, this community is a lens through which to understand not just the history of small-town America but the lessons it holds for the future.

Lost Buxton

9781467124386

$24.99

Buxton, Iowa, was an unincorporated coal mining town, established by Consolidation Coal Company in 1900. At a time when Jim Crow laws and segregation kept blacks and whites separated throughout the nation, Buxton was integrated. African American and Caucasian residents lived, worked, and went to school side by side. The company provided miners with equal housing and equal pay, regardless of race, and offered opportunities for African Americans beyond mining. Professional African Americans included a bank cashier, the justice of the peace, constables, doctors, attorneys, store clerks, and teachers. Businesses, such as a meat market, a drugstore, a bakery, a music store, hotels, millinery shops, a saloon, and restaurants, were owned by African Americans. For 10 years, African Americans made up more than half of the population. Unfortunately, in the early 1920s, the mines closed, and today, only a cemetery, a few foundations, and some crumbling ruins remain.

Camp Dodge

9780738560915

$24.99

The Camp Dodge military reservation, located northwest of Iowa's capital, Des Moines, has been a community presence in times of war and peace. During World War I, a city serving over 45,000 soldiers sprang up inside its boundaries. As quickly as the army's city was built, it was dismantled, no longer needed at the war's end. The land again became a training area for the Iowa National Guard. The community found a home here too, flocking to one of the world's largest outdoor swimming pools, built in the early 1920s. World War II saw the post processing new soldiers and training the Iowa State Guard, left behind to safeguard the state. Over the years, the camp has heard the pounding of horses' hooves turn to the roar of tanks. Hand-drawn strategy maps have given way to high-tech computer maneuver simulations. Camp Dodge has survived and grown.

Waukee

9781467114332

$24.99

In 1869, Gen. Lewis Addison Grant and Maj. William Ragan purchased the land around the Des Moines Valley Railroad bed owned by Cyrus W. Fisher in Walnut Township. A plat map was drawn, and Waukee began. The Des Moines Valley Railroad was completed in June 1869, and Waukee was incorporated in 1878. Work, family, and church were the centers of life, and agriculture was predominant in Walnut Township. The Harris Coal Mine opened in 1920 and closed in 1928. The Shuler Coal Mine, opened in 1921, employed 500 men and closed in 1949. Community events are still held at the historic Triangle. Waukee's first school, facilitated in 1870, was held in the Presbyterian church. Today, Waukee is the fastest-growing school district in Iowa. On April 16, 2014, the Waukee City Council unveiled plans for Kettlestone, a 1,500-acre mixed-use development that will include an outdoor town center, housing, retail space, green space, trails, and an amphitheater.

Ringgold County

9780738583747

$24.99

Ringgold County was named for Maj. Samuel Ringgold, a hero of the Mexican-American War, who died in battle on May 11, 1846. The first white settler, Charles Schooler, came to what would later be called Ringgold County in 1844. Other settlers followed, and the county was officially established on May 14, 1855. The towns of Caledonia, Ringgold City, and Mount Ayr, the county seat, were all established that same year. Beginning in 1879, the railroads came, and other towns grew up quickly along those lines. Only one railroad town does not survive today: Knowlton, which forfeited its incorporation in the mid-1920s. Road construction and the automobile spelled doom for rural post offices, schools, and general stores, but much of this history was captured in pictures.

Clinton County

9780738532240

$24.99

Before settlers first arrived in the 1800s, Clinton County rested full of promise along the western edge of the Mississippi River. In the years that have passed, it has become an area of great commercial, agricultural, and industrial accomplishments. From the initial settlement of Lyons, DeWitt, and Camanche, where axe and oxen were prevalent on the scene, to the modern communities that are now home to astronauts and artisans, this book illustrates the incredible growth that has occurred over nearly two centuries. Through over 200 historical photographs, the Clinton County Historical Society documents how Clinton County has become a national treasure of culture and character.

Atlantic

9780738584294

$24.99

The history of Atlantic is rooted in the story of unrelenting entrepreneur Franklin H. Whitney. His passion inspired a strong and enterprising breed of men who embraced his vision and settled in the lush hills and valleys of Cass County, Iowa, in the decade following the close of the Civil War. The railroad provided the impetus for rapid growth and prosperity, and Whitney's vision of a new city became a reality when his recommendation for a depot site was approved. Within six days, Whitney's agent, Thomas Miller, had built the first house from which Whitney ordered furrows plowed to the railroad grading. Atlantic was thus born. The town grew rapidly, and by 1869 civic and social organizations, churches, newspapers, banks, schools, and businesses were thriving. Atlantic also had its share of shady characters, outlaw gangs, and disasters. The photographs and stories in this book provide a glimpse into the lives of Atlantic's intrepid developers and the city they established in the valley of the Nishnabotna.