Iowa

Name: Calhoun County
Brand: Darcy Dougherty-Maulsby
SKU: 9781467114486
Price: 18.74 USD
Availability: InStock

Only one place in Iowa officially goes by Story City, but the name could fit any town in the state. There’s a reason the RAGBRAI route shifts every year so that cyclists can enjoy the hospitality of different communities, each with a unique tale to tell. Our Iowa books offer a similar sampling of Hawkeye flavor, without the 467 mile bike ride. Solve a murder in Scott County or make some pearl buttons in Muscatine while exploring our Iowa history books from Okoboji and the Iowa Great Lakes to the flagship Younkers store in Des Moines. [View all Iowa books]

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Calhoun County

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

How Iowa Cooks

$14.95 $11.21 Save 25%

Campustown

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Des Moines

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

East Village, Des Moines

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Ottumwa

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Council Bluffs

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Orange City

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Humboldt County

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Anamosa

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Dubuque, Iowa

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Baseball in Northwest Iowa

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Des Moines

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Indianola

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The Dubuque Shot Tower

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Des Moines Architecture & Design

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Iowa's Black Legacy

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Allen College

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Fremont County

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Czech Village & New Bohemia

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Crusading Iowa Journalist Verne Marshall

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Iowa City

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Grinnell in Vintage Postcards

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The Chiefs of Council Bluffs: Five Leaders of the Missouri Valley Tribes

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East Village

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Clermont, Fayette County, Iowa

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Davenport

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Perry

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Calhoun County

9781467114486

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

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.

Campustown

9781626199903

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For more than one hundred years, Campustown has served the students and community of Iowa State University. The originally residential neighborhood west of Ames was born in the early 1900s, when the school compelled students to seek residence off campus. However, local government overlooked the neighborhood, and it fell behind the achievements of Big Ames. After the boom of the previous decade, community leaders organized a secession movement in 1916. It took nearly a quarter century, but the neighborhood finally connected to the grid of public utilities. Author Anthony Capps takes readers on a journey from Campustown's roots, through its vibrant years in the 1960s to current projects breathing new life into the district.

Des Moines

9780738591834

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Consistently ranked as one of the top 10 cities in America to raise a family and own a business, Des Moines began as a frontier fort and pioneer village. It soon became a center for government, commerce, finance, and insurance. The community has gone through many transformations over the years but still retains the character and quality that makes it an example to the nation.

East Village, Des Moines

9781467119627

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East Village was not always the fashionable destination it is today. When the first settlers arrived in 1843 on the muddy banks of the Des Moines River, it was in direct violation of a treaty with the local natives. The settlement grew so quickly that by 1855, the fledgling city had been selected to be the state capital, and the building was constructed in East Village. The next century saw rivalries with the western half of the city, the birth and battle of one of the city's largest red-light districts and the construction of some of Des Moines' most prized historic treasures. Historian Hope Mitchell investigates the people and events that shaped the culture and landscape of Des Moines' most dynamic neighborhood.

Ottumwa

9780738550831

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Ottumwa was established in 1843 on the banks of the Des Moines River. The city quickly became a center of retail trade and industry for southeastern Iowa, as well as a railroad hub that shipped products across the country. More than 200 vintage postcard images show the booming industrial and retail city at the beginning of the 20th century and after--from the river to the railroads, from parks and recreation to business and retail, from quiet residential streets to churches and ice-cream parlors--bringing back the bygone days of a still thriving city.

Council Bluffs

9780738550756

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During the 1830s, a path appeared where Indian Creek flowed out of the loess hills at Caldwell's Potawatomi village and led west across the Eight-Mile
Prairie. A decade later, that path became Broadway through Mormon Kanesville where California-bound 49ers found anything for sale. Kanesville became Council Bluffs after 1852 as Broadway spread from Mud Hollow and Old Town past the Fourth Street Angle across a "sea of prairie grass and sun-flowers" to the ferries on the Big Muddy, the Missouri River. More changes came with the Northwestern, Union Pacific, and Illinois Central Railroads as Broadway evolved into the route of four U.S. highways. People went to work at World Radio, Woodward's, and Omaha Standard, and notorious mobster Meyer Lansky ran greyhounds where stock cars later raced at Playland Park while teenagers cruised for hamburgers and entertainment.

Orange City

9781467111584

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Orange City was founded in 1869-1870 as a colony of Dutch Americans from Pella. Led by Henry Hospers, the colonists made Orange City the center of Dutch agricultural expansion in northwestern Iowa and farther west. By 1874, the town had railroad connections, was the seat of Sioux County, and had a Dutch-language weekly newspaper that was read in the Netherlands as well as around North America. Hospers, along with others, founded an academy in 1882 to train young people in the classics and the Reformed faith. By the 1930s, the academy was maturing into what is now Northwestern College. The town's populace has never been exclusively Dutch; nevertheless, the Dutch heritage of the settlement has remained central to Orange City's identity. A tulip festival held in 1936 became an annual event that continues to draw tens of thousands of visitors each May. In 1986, a Dutch-front initiative was launched that has transformed much of the town with a distinctive Dutch look.

Humboldt County

9780738576497

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The story of Humboldt County begins with a settlement of progressive dissenters and New England conservatives in north central Iowa. It is the tale of land-starved Scandinavian and Northern European immigrants who traveled to the area seeking rich soil for their farms. Early settlement in the county began in 1854, and Dakota City became the county seat. In 1863, the Reverend Stephen H. Taft brought a colony of his followers to form Springvale, now the city of Humboldt. After the coming of the railroad in 1879, the county prospered from the sale of agricultural products and equipment. Today, new industries are attracted to Humboldt County's skilled labor force, work ethic, and high quality of life. The combination of high-tech school facilities and a wide range of recreational opportunities attracts thousands of people every year.

Anamosa

9780738598932

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Anamosa is in the heart of Jones County along the Wapsipinicon River. Initially named Buffalo Forks in 1838, the town was platted as Dartmouth and incorporated as Lexington. In 1842, a Native American girl named Anamosa passed through with her family and endeared herself to those who met her. At Edmund Booth's suggestion, the town's name was changed to Anamosa in 1851. Gradually, it incorporated Strawberry Hill, a small settlement to the east. Grant Wood was born just east of Anamosa and is laid to rest in Riverside Cemetery. He is best known for his painting American Gothic; the dour woman and somber man, who is holding a pitchfork, is an iconic image of the 20th century. Anamosa is now a thriving community and was named the "Pumpkin Capital of Iowa" in 1993. It is the only "Anamosa" in the world.

Dubuque, Iowa

9780738507446

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Daily change in any city can be difficult to recognize. Although everyone notices when a building is razed, it is more challenging to identify the subtle alterations occurring regularly which make a city slightly different than it was the day before. It is for precisely this reason the authors have decided to capture the changing face of Dubuque through a compelling selection of over 80 vintage images, each paired with its modern counterpart. Older residents will be able to identify many of the long-gone structures pictured in this volume, but newer arrivals will uncover a Dubuque they never knew existed. Public institutions, parks, homes, and entire blocks have been altered, and from the birth of photography to the present, these changes are documented in this volume. The physical contrasts between Dubuque's residents today and those of long ago are immediately apparent. Fashions and jobs are always evolving, but the similarities outnumber the differences. The people of Dubuque are, as always, hard-working and self-reliant, and they remain proud of their heritage and their town.

Baseball in Northwest Iowa

9781467125147

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While new railroad tracks cut through Northwestern Iowa in the mid-19th century, hardy pioneers cultivated the fertile soil, and the burgeoning sport of baseball took root and flourished. An integral element of the developing culture, it promoted community pride. Eight Northwestern Iowa towns supported professional teams by 1912, the first being Sioux City in 1888. Over time, that city's clubs produced hall-of-fame shortstop Dave Bancroft and initiated the still-existing American League. Homegrown talent from an abundance of professional, semiprofessional, and amateur clubs throughout the area's 19 counties yielded 38 major-league players before 1960 and more since.

Des Moines

9780738550886

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The city of Des Moines experienced a rebirth at the beginning of the 20th century. The City Beautiful movement focused on cleaning up the city, starting with a new civic center along the Des Moines River. A progressive wave in city politics organized the Des Moines plan of commission government. Modern streetcars traveled along recently paved roads and newly constructed bridges, while electric lights kept the streets safe at night. The city motto said it all: Des Moines Does Things. This postcard collection showcases the best the city had to offer during that time, as the city changed and prospered, becoming the "City of Certainties," through challenges during both world wars, and beyond into the postwar boom, when Des Moines became the crossroads of the nation.

The Dubuque Shot Tower

9781609492564

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The George W. Rogers & Co. ShotTower claims the distinction of being Dubuque's most recognizable and enduring landmark. And while it only operated intermittently from 1856 to 1862, the Shot Tower continues to serve as a reminder of America's vibrant entrepreneurial spirit of the mid-1800s. To preserve this local legacy and position it in the larger narrative of our nation's past, students from Central Alternative High School in Dubuque invested a year of research in 2005-6 to tell the story. Their findings, combined with essays contributed by community experts, have been edited by John Adelmann into a first-of-its-kind book that presents a fascinating saga of the Shot Tower that has become greater than the sum of its myths and legends.

Iowa's Black Legacy

9780738503516

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African Americans make up only a small minority of Iowa's population, but contrary to widespread belief, there is a very rich historical culture of African Americans throughout the state. This photographic history focuses on that heritage, and especially on ten Iowa cities with the largest African-American populations.Through vivid images into the early history, religion, culture, sports, recreation, education, health, law, business, and industry in ten towns in Iowa, Charline Barnes, Ed.D, and Floyd Bumpers clearly show that the African- American community of Iowa has made many significant contributions to the history of that state.

Allen College

9781467124249

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In the early 1920s, Waterloo businessman Henry B. Allen donated $200,000 and 80 acres of land to the Allen Memorial Hospital Association to establish a hospital in memory of Mary, his wife. The hospital opened in 1925 and was operated by the Deaconess Hospital Association of the Evangelical Church. The School of Nursing was founded in 1925, but a lack of resources during the Depression forced the hospital into receivership and the school was closed. Hospital management was assumed by the Lutheran Good Samaritan Society in 1938, and the school reopened in 1942 as the Allen Memorial Hospital Lutheran School of Nursing. In 1989, the school became Allen College of Nursing, a degree-granting institution. Today, as Allen College-UnityPoint Health, it offers an associate degree in radiography; bachelor of science degree in nursing; bachelor of health science degree with majors in diagnostic medical sonography, nuclear medicine technology, medical laboratory science, public health, and dental hygiene; master of science degrees in nursing and occupational therapy; and two doctoral degrees in health professions education and nursing practice. Throughout its 90-year history, Allen College has remained faithful in its mission to prepare health care professionals for their roles in society.

Fremont County

9780738583129

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Situated in the extreme southwest corner of Iowa, with its western border being the Missouri River, Fremont County has been part of two states at different times. It is part of the Loess Hills found only in western Iowa and China. Lewis and Clark took their first steps in what would become the state of Iowa, more specifically Fremont County. Later abolitionists sheltered slaves there who were crossing the river from Nebraska to Kansas on their way to freedom. Mormons settled there. Communities started in the 1830s have used the Missouri River for supplies, then overland pack wagons, and then railroads. The story of Fremont County is a blend of national historical events, the good and bad effects of a mighty river, and the people who created the thriving communities described in this book.

Czech Village & New Bohemia

9781467117616

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Beginning in the 1870s, thousands of Bohemians flocked to Cedar Rapids in search of a better life. Czech immigrants courageously overcame the difficult conditions of the local packinghouse and the challenge of creating a new home. They maintained a strong cultural identity with Czech music, literature and an undying dedication to family. In the wake of a devastating flood in 2008, the people of Czech Village and New Bohemia re-imagined traditional principles to forge a remarkable resurgence toward a promising future. Author Dave Rasdal travels from the Charles Bridge to the Bridge of Lions in a celebration of Czech heritage and history in Cedar Rapids.

Crusading Iowa Journalist Verne Marshall

9781467135979

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On December 12, 1934, police raided a canning factory in Cedar Rapids, uncovering an illegal liquor and gambling set-up. Verne Marshall, tempestuous editor of the Cedar Rapids Gazette, sensed a bigger story and a wider network of corruption. His aggressive investigative reporting led to multiple resignations, nearly fifty indictments and the dramatic trial of the state's attorney general. These explosive exposés earned Verne Marshall and the paper the 1936 Pulitzer Prize. Author Jerry Harrington traces the legacy of Marshall's incendiary crusade across Iowa's political landscape.

Iowa City

9780738584027

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After raucous times on the western frontier during the 1840s and 1850s, Iowa City settled into a relatively sleepy existence while its principal industry, the University of Iowa, was finding its way from obscurity into an important Iowa resource. Its once-too-small-to-succeed university hospital has blossomed into a medical and economic powerhouse. Research in widely varied fields, from space science to microbiology, finds fertile grounds and minds. Big Ten football beckons on fall Saturdays.

Grinnell in Vintage Postcards

9780738532271

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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.

The Chiefs of Council Bluffs: Five Leaders of the Missouri Valley Tribes

9781609496135

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Two centuries ago, the fierce winds of change were sweeping through the Middle Missouri Valley. French, Spanish and then American traders and settlers had begun pouring in. In the midst of this time of tumult and transition, five chiefs rose up to lead their peoples: Omaha Chief Big Elk, the Pottawatamie/Ottawa/Chippewa Tribe's Captain Billy Caldwell, Ioway Chief Wangewaha (called Hard Heart), Pawnee Brave Petalesharo and Ponca Chief Standing Bear. Historian Gail Holmes tells the story of their leadership as the land was redefined beneath them.

East Village

9780738577425

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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

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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.

Davenport

9780738551579

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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

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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.