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I remember when...
(your stories here)
I remember when my Grandfather (PoP) Ralph Dunn
used to take me golfing with him at the Elks club, "Hello Barney" as
we walked into clubhouse, he let me drive the cart at a very early
age, I loved it and picked up on the game due to his patience...the
"Car Barn" was our place, we knew every truck and tractor and used
the gravel and sand as our own personal play lot. The Dr. Pepper was
a quarter!
I remember picking the crab apples from the back of Mrs. McGunuiss'
apple tree, salt'em and eat them until it our stomachs ached...Our
kick the can games attracted a hundred kids and when we outgrew the
1900 Exchange street block, we went to Kilbourne and another hundred
joined in...Kilbourne was also the place where I fell in love with
basketball...everyday, even when the older kids would not let us
play, we sat, watched and learned, I remember Troy Buckner and the
older Buckner brothers, when they let me play, it was like playing
with the best!
I remember the Mortimer's Faber's, Krauses and Masons. Jimmy
Mortimer throwing a golf ball against the 19th street concrete
retaining wall and picking up every grounder for hours at a time
(while listening to WLS Chicago, Cards and Cubs)
I remember riding my motorcycle around our neighborhood at twelve,
never worried about being stopped even crossing Main to ride over by
the car wash.
I remember the Clark station and how hot the days were and how cold
the pop was.
I remember playing in the cemetery until dusk, then always hearing
weird noises from the one big mausoleum and making it back to 19th &
Exchange in three minutes.
I remember the laundry mat on 18th and Timea, machines always stole
our money.
I remember Pop waking me up while it was still dark to go to Dixie
Cream, being tired, but snapping out of it as soon as I walked in
and took a whiff...still the best damn donuts I have ever
ate...Keokuk other best food items: maid-rites, Grand Lunch chili,
Grand Lunch tenderloin, beer battered catfish in Montrose- Anyway, I
remember more about my childhood in Keokuk than I remember of last
week. It has been years since I left, but recently returned for my
Grandmother's passing. (Mary Dunn) She was the best and I miss her
more all of the time. To all of you from the old neighborhood, St.
Vincent's school (I am 43),7th street, paper route allover 7th , 8th
to Grand and down to Palean I hope you are all well and
God Bless! If you remember any of these things....let me know.
Tony Vera
Chicago
E_Mail:
concretefloors@gmail.com
I remember when -1966_1969 - the street fair
would explode into our town and it was so exciting that people came,
just to watch them set every thing up. It was nice. It
was clean and it was ours. I still have several family members
living in the area. The last time I was there with my brother
Jodie we left on a Sunday and at 2:00am that morning our mother
died. We had not seen her in 6 years. However during that week
she was with us every day and she was beautiful. She
introduced all of the Wells Boys to everyone she knew. She
made me laugh and cry - sometimes during the same sentence.
She was a wonderful woman.
It was sad - but we had a wonderful week and it is a part of life.
"I" was even able to prepare my special spaghetti dinner for her and
93 of her children and grandchildren. Mother had two helpings.
Whether most of you know it or not, I remember how hard my teachers
were and how much it helped me grow. I just felt that I was
normal, but the level of my education and my performance always
seemed to shock the people and professors I came into contact with.
Keokuk Senior High School ROCKS! Always remember that.
Today, I am now retired, a Doctor (Ph.d) Wells and it would not have
happened without the people, the parents, the drive and hopes of
Keokuk, Iowa. I thank you all.
PS. Also, I loved the maid-rites, the coney dogs, the skating
rink, the little six conference, the street fair, warm donuts at
2:00am downtown, walking to school, the new track and field
uniforms, and the first time I out ran my cousin Allen Cooper on the
indoor track - in the 60 yard dash, my band when we were hired to
play the first concert during the day in our cafeteria. (that was
hot). My saddest moment was when I learned that M. McDonald -
my neighbor had been killed in Vietnam. I never understood it.
Take care all of you.
Love....
Robert (Bobby) Wells
City: Boulder Creek and Mount Shasta, California
E_Mail: newschol@pacbell.net
I remember when I GREW UP IN
KEOKUK MY STEPFATHER GOT TRANSFERED TO TEXAS WHEN I WAS 13 ALL MY
FAMILY IS STILL THERE SADLY I ONLY MAKE IT HOME FOR FUNERALS LIKE
TOMORROW. I'M LEAVING CORPUS FOR KEOKUK AT 9 AM ANOTHER FAMILY
MEMBER I WILL MISS. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND TRIP FOR MY FOUR YEAR
OLD DAUGHTER FOR HER LUGGAGE SHE PACKED HER SWIMMING SUIT SHE
DOESN'T UNDERSTAND IT'S SO COLD THERE. I LOVE THE CHUCKWAGON BUT MY
FAVORITE WAS MAIN STREET CAFE MY AUNT AND UNCLE OWNED IT THE BEST
RICE PUDDING ANYWHERE IF WE WANTED TO GO TO THE CHUCKWAGON INSTEAD
OF MAIN ST. CAFE MY GRANDPARENTS AND I WOULD DUCK UNDER THE WINDOW
SO MY UNCLE WOULDN'T SEE US MAKES ME LAUGH THINKING ABOUT IT. I
FOUND THIS WHILE I WAS PACKING FOR MY TRIP TOMORROW I WANTED TO KNOW
THE THE WEATHER AND FOUND THIS SO INTERESTING MY MOM SAID ITS THIRTY
DEGREES THERE MY SISTERS SAY IT FIFTY I THOUGHT I WOULD CHECK FOR MY
SELF ITS LIKE EIGHTY FIVE HERE SO EITHER WAY ITS COLD THERE AFTER
THIS WEEK I MIGHT HAVE MORE STORIES THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH
Samantha Robertson
CORPUS CHRISTI,TX.
E_Mail:
jnoodles1029@yahoo.com
I remember when I used to walk
to Lincoln grade school in West K, all the friends I had there. My
dad coming home from Hubingers smelling like work. The noon whisltle
from the plant and riding my bike everywhere, including all over
town. Went back to visit and every block has been taken over by the
plant, I don't even know the name. All those homes and faces are
gone but not forgotten.
Steve Davis
Rockford Illinois
E_Mail: steve.davis.53@comcast.net
I remember when I was told of
my grandmother being raised in Keokuk. This was many years ago.
Grandmother was born in 1878, possibly in Keokuk (or the Co.) Her
name was Mary Levine Cotter. I am very anxious to learn more
about the Cotter family. I was told they lived on a farm. I am
thinking they were one of Keokuk's pioneer families?
She married John D. Reese on Feb.14th 1898 - in Mornoe County ? I am
a native Iowan and love it! What a great State! I would
appreciate anyone who can send me anything on Keokuk history during
Grandmother's growing up years.
Ann Boyce
Peoria, AZ
E_Mail: appleannie7@cox.net
I remember when my family and I
use to visit my Grandmother and Grandfather, Leota and Otis Bowles
every year. They had a farm out of town down the lane from
Gary Betts and his family. My grandad used to own a little
store called "The Breadbox" and us kids would work during the
summer. He'd launch his little flatbottom boat in the
Mississippi and we use to bait hooks and leave them for days at a
time. I love Keokuk; nothing but great memories.
Laura Bowles
Lompoc
E_Mail: laurajl44@hotmail.com
I remember the burnt oatmeal
smell, the all day trip to visit Grandparents, 70 mph on 218 with
the concrete lips which 18 wheeler wheels ride on, when a semi
passed the draft would pull you towards the center, every block on
Main Street had 2 or 3 Pabst Blue Ribbon/ Blatz Beer signs, fishing
with baitcasting reels and stinkbait on treble hooks, catching 40
catfish below the toll bridge, Uncle Elmer winding the wet line
around 2 nails in the rafters, my Grandfather knew and talked to
everyone while driving around town, waking up from the sound of
barge tows scraping by in the channel, a million fireflies looking
down the bluff from Rand Park, shuffleboard, the Iowa song "where
the tall corn grows", Card games and Redbird games, famous stock car
drivers, pelicans with their head under water in the current below
the dam, Keokuk Light and Power, waiting for the Zephyr-Rocket with
rotating headlight and the 12 hour ride back home, stopping at every
milk stop for milk cans...
Greg Obern
ST PAUL
E_Mail: gregobern@yahoo.com
This article was copied from
the back of two watercolored pictures by R. Hedden. I
found the information so interesting that I thought I would pass it
on. The paintings are about 9 X 9 and one is the Police Dept and the
other of the Fire Dept. done probably around 1950 ish.
"So Keokuk called it Lucas Ave.
Lucas Ave, in downtown Keokuk, is only two blocks long. It is
narrow and dark, there are no sidewalks or department store display
windows, and it is usually crowded with trucks loading docks.
It is just another downtown alley until you explore it and hear its
history and legends.
Such stories are easy to come by...all you have to do is walk to the
corner of Sixth street and Lucas avenue and join the group in front
of the old fire station. Between the two big doors is a green
bench, the scene of a continuous and informal public forum since the
station was built in 1856. Here you can always find a fireman,
city official, businessman, or an old-timer more than willing to
recount tales.
This station was built in 1856, that's over 100 years ago.
Probably the oldest fire station still in operation west of the
Mississippi. The fist firemen were volunteers, two compnies of
them...The Heart of America volunteer fire company was made up of
the elite of Keokuk...then later there was the Hook and Ladder
Company.
Most of those fellas went off to the Civil War and some of them got
to be pretty important. There was General Curtis, who drove the
Confederants out of Missouri, and there was General Belknap, who was
Secretary of War under President Grant, oh and Justice Samuel
Freeman Miller. During the Civil War the station itself was
used to store Union artillery and powder. That old bell up
there in the tower was rung at the end of that war and at the end of
every war since...four of them.
Say, you know this station probably holds a world record. It
answered three alarms, each one in a different state, all within an
hour. That was in the 1920's...fires were in Alexandria, Mo.,
Nauvoo, Ill., and here in Keokuk.
This can go on as long as you like. You might even be given a
tour of the building and shown pictures on the walls of the old fire
companies and their strange looking equipment. You will also get in
on one of today's major controversies in Keokuk. A new Keokuk fire
station is being built and present plans call for the old station to
be torn down and the space used for a parking lot. However
there is a strong crusade to save the old station and, perhaps , use
it as a museum for old fire fighting equipment.
You can leave this bench and walk down the old bricks of Lucas
avenue, past the fire station, and the police station and find
another bench and more information. The jail is a good
example of the old "treat'em rough" technique. There is the dim
square "Bull Pen" in the center, small, dark, windowless cells
around it on the first and second floors..the only light comes from
a square skylight.
In the old days women prisoners were kept in the upstairs cells and
the men downstairs. The brick walls are patched here and there
where attempts have been made to escape. Prisoners are still held in
this jail but a new one is being built.
Finally you can't resist it any longer and you ask the question:
"Why is it called Lucas avenue?"
Well, it seems as if around the turn of the century the city council
passed an ordinance against saloons facing on an alley. Now
across the way there was a saloon, but this saloon-keeper had
considerable pull with city officials and got the alley changed to
an avenue. They decided on Lucas avenue because the police
department's paddy wagon was called Lucy. You know how police used
to name their paddy wagons? They always named them after the first
woman to ride in them. Seems as though there was this woman called
Lucy.....
So as you wander along Lucas avenue and listen to the stories and
Legends you no longer walk an alley...you walk Lucas avenue and it
takes its place among the avenues of the world.
Des Moines Sunday Register...October 20, 1957...F. Miller
Hope you all enjoy this.
JMV
June Valentyn
Pittsfield NH
E_Mail:
junemvalentyn@yahoo.com
Please excuse this intrusion
and totally unorthodox contribution from a rank outsider. I had to
go to a map to find Iowa. I am a bit of a Mark Twain "nut" and I was
www visiting a few of his rarely mentioned places of domicile when I
came upon your HISTORY url. I just wanted to say what a "Terrific"
idea.
And may I offer for consideration for those who are interested in
the "past - past" the name of a former resident and visitor "Mr
Samuel Langhorne Clemens". He affords an unprecedented avenue of
historic travel from 1835 to 1910 and beyond - he never departs. He
will take you by the hand "Innocents Abroad" to the beginning of the
ends of the earth and each following step (and previous) you will be
afford an unequaled insight as to why we are - the way we are. Being
generously endowed with flaws he is a reservoir of human reflections
and infractions. One must always keep in mind that all of History is
shaped by personalities not events... as some of the current and
past perpetrators would like you to believe.
The Clemens family have an enormous Keokuk history. Twain's older
brother Orion
married a Keokuk girl [Mollie Stotts]. They first settled in Keokuk
in 1855. He and his brothers "Sam" (Mark Twain) and Henry [killed in
a steamboat explosion in 1858) published the Keokuk Journal at 202
Main St. Twain lived at First and Johnson Sreets. Their mother Jane
Lampton Clement was a permanent resident from
1883 till her death 10/27/90. She resided at 628 High St. It was
Orion's appointment as Secretary of the Territory of Nevada by
Lincoln that took
Twain west and propelled his career. The Civil War having brought
his steamboat
Pilot career to permanent close. Orion died in Keokuk on 12/11/97.
I recommend my source material Mark Twain A-Z R. Kent
Rasmussen but be careful Twain is progressively addictive. You open
one door and there are two others
If there is anyone in the area who shares my delightful impediment -
let me know.
Jim Mulligan
Barre VT
E_Mail: jmull516@aol.com
I remember my childhood in
Keokuk vividly. I belonged to a large family that included the
Mortimer's, Oshea's, Bryant's, Burgess, Lloyd's, and several other
family names too numerous to list. My family lived one block from
the Kilbourne park and us kids played there and at the city barn
every day. The Rocket slide was always a big attraction and I was
sad to see it come down this year. Where County Market, the Farm &
home, & McDonalds are located now use to be a big area that
contained a football field and lots of trees. I believe that the
name of it was Klinko Park where us kids would also go to play. I
attended Jefferson elementary which has been closed for many years
now. I was in the first class of 6th graders to go to the Middle
school when it was renovated from being the Junior High. Mr. Kneuven
was my favorite teacher and he will always have a special place in
my heart. The assistant principal, Jay Vest, was also very nice and
helped me out a lot in my wilder years to see the errors in my ways.
Back behind the old Coastal station use to be a fishing pond where
we would all spend summer days catching more baby fish then anything
else but it was always fun. Max Meat Market was a big attraction
because you could buy penny candy and just about every kid's parents
had a charge account there. Vera Mae's Beauty Salon was the home of
two of my best friends April & Sheila Leffler. We would play dress
up and sleep out in tents in the back yard. Another best friend of
mine, Kathy Stark, use to come over and play hide and go seek with
us and all of the neighbor kids. I left this area many years ago and
returned 2 years ago due to the passing of my father. His name was
Jim Mortimer but everyone called him Mort. He worked for Dial the
majority of his life and had Mort's Lockshop until he passed away.
My siblings, Jim , David, Debbie, and Gary all still reside here and
so does my mother Mary. We all have our own families now but enjoy
spending time with each other still. I moved back to my old
neighborhood next to Kilbourne and take my granddaughter there to
play just as we did as kids. I want her to have the special memories
that I still cherish from there.
Janet Mortimer Payne
Keokuk
E_Mail:
100Iowagirl@excite.com
I never lived in Keokuk, but I
spent many a summer vacation week, visiting my Law and Savacool
cousins. One of the better memories was of the annual Street
Fair. Main street was closed off and there were rides, games,
and of course girlie shows.......now I was too young (plus being a
girl), but I do believe my brothers and male cousin managed to get
in. The "girls" would come out on the front stage to do a
little dance to entice the men to buy a ticket...I did watch
that.....and I remember, one of the stars was "Cloe of the Swamps"
and she had special music. No matter where you might be in
town, when you heard that music you knew "Cloe" was doing her little
dance.....Grand Park - The Locks - all part of the annual site
seeing - I loved Keokuk, but I usually got in trouble with my folks
sometime during the visit...sigh....My year period was late
forties/early fifties.....Those cousins are still there and over the
years they have added quite a bit to the population of
Keokuk.....probably 5 generations which started with my
aunts/uncles.....oh, and by the way....looking back, Cloe was
overweight, bleach blond who had seen better days.....
Dee McFadden Townsend
West Des Moines, Iowa
E_Mail: deesend@aol.com
I remember when there were two
movies playing at the mall and they would play for several weeks, so
my friend Leslie Real and I would watch the same movie several
times. Leslie and I lived outside of town so if our parents
took us to the mall we would have to be there for a while. We
would always eat Pizza Hut, go to a movie, walk around Woolsworth,
and just hang out. I remember Keasling's before it burned
down. We used to walk over there from Middle school and get
candy. My parents always waited for their prescriptions in
there and we looked around. I remember eating breakfast at
ChuckWagon every Saturday morning with my dad. I remember when
Tom cooked at HyVee before he owned TipenBud and Dad and I would eat
there before school. I remember working at TipenBud when Tom
and Linda owned it. We had good times. I remember coming
home from an away game and ringing the victory bell at the high
school. I remember when the Hawkeye was in the old building.
Keokuk was a great town to grow in. I loved it there.
Nicole Grigsby Goetz
Fenton, MI
E_Mail:
nicolegoetz@rocketmail.com
I remember when we came to
visit my grandfather, Clarence Lumberg, in Keokuk during what must
have been the summer of 1958 or '59. My mother grew up in Keokuk and
moved to Burlington, IA as a teenager where she met my dad. After
their marriage, they moved to Northern Idaho and that is where my
brothers and sisters and I were born and grew up. My dad was an avid
outdoorsman and much of our youth was spent in the forests and lakes
of N. Idaho. Especially the summers, with fresh water lakes within a
bike ride in any spin of the compass direction. Nearly every summer
day we could be found at one of those clear lakes, swimming or
fishing or both!
Grandpa Lumberg was a classic, loving grandfather. He would
come see us about every year or so (on the Greyhound!) and would
tell us all about the Mississippi River, just a walk down the road
from his old house on a hill. He was thrilled when we came for a
visit. He couldn't wait for us to swim in the Mississippi so we
could go home and brag about it to our friends! My brother and I
(about 8 & 9) took a look at that big muddy river, and though we
were very interested that this was the Mighty Mississippi that we
had heard and read so much about (Mark Twain, etc), it did not look
appealing as a swimming hole! I think my mother understood because
she did not encourage us though Grandpa was quite enthusiastic.
Eventually toward the end of our stay with Grandpa, one of my uncles
came to visit with us and the event of the hot muggy day became the
dip my brother and I were going to take (and could no longer avoid)!
We donned our swimsuits and tried to hide our reluctance and be good
sports for Grandpa's sake.
Right away I noticed that instead of placing blankets on a sandy
beach from which to watch us swim, as she would have at home, my
mother, younger siblings, Uncle and Grandpa all perched on the
dry-grassy, rocky bank. Eyeing the silty mud beach that lay between
the bank and the river, which looked like watery chocolate pudding
to me, I decided that a fast dash to the water, quick dive and brief
submersion would fulfill my obligation to Grandpa. As my brother and
I picked up speed on the silty "beach," to our horror, as we
approached the water, we began to sink into the mud! It slowed our
progress, sucking us in. Thus, it was a slow wade through
ever-deeper clinging slime to get deep enough for a shallow dive!
But we did it! With eyes shut tight we went under, rose for a quick
stroke or two ("swimming") and hurried as fast as possible back to
Grandpa, who was giving us a standing ovation from the bank! I
noticed brown muddy trickles running off of my brother and then as I
looked to my mother for the towel she was holding out, I saw a
shadow of disgust cross her face! I followed her eyes to look at my
brother and noticed little specks of "mud," clinging to his legs and
upper body! I checked my own legs; I had them, too! I tried to wipe
them off, and while they did kind of "move", they didn't go away! My
brother picked one off his thigh, where blood immediately began to
trickle from a red, raw looking spot! He started to scream! I was
too horrified to touch my own "specks" or to say a word! My mother
said: "leaches!" We had never heard of such a thing! We stood stock
still, horrified, as my uncle took the cigarette from his lips and
began, matter-of-factly, to singe the bloodsuckers off! As the nasty
little lumps fell to the ground, Grandpa, unmindful of our
Northwestern sensibilities, proudly sang out: "Now you've got a
story to tell your friends about swimming in the Mississippi River!"
And he was right! Grandpa gave me a story to tell not only my
friends when I got home but later to my own children and to many
others over the last fifty years!
I don't remember much about Keokuk that summer other than my
Grampa's place. But when I sadly went back to his funeral in 1968
and then later in my adult life, I found it to be a pretty mid-west
river town. But I will never forget my first, and only, swim in the
Mississippi River!
Nancy Dickinson
Yacolt, WA
E_Mail:
nancydickinson@excite.com
I remember when we would drive
from Michigan to Keokuk to go to the street fair. Our parents were
born and raised there and then they moved to Michigan and had three
kids, and then we would all come back. Dad-Ralph Akers/mom Maxine
Akers. We had family living all around there. Uncle Rab I beleive he
was the Fire Chief. We could do just about anything we wanted when
uncle was around.
Then there was my I am not sure cause we always called her (Sis)
Breakbill. She was always so much fun. Her kids are Kathy, Leeann,
Jan, and the SCOTT.
We lived in Hamilton, IL in 8gr and then we met just a few names. I
can remember.
Mike Ikard, Marybeth Cassidy. there were more I am too old to
remember.
Just to say we came there a lot and always and a great time. Oh
remember Aunt Nuet, and Paulin---I remember Mike they said he was my
1 or 2 cuz soooooooooooo he was to damn cute.....well my mom
lives with me now and she is 84 and I came across this site the
other night and I had to read them all to her. She said she
remembered all the names of the streets and she use to car hop at
the A&W. So thank-u all for writing because it really made her
think and talk and smile. Thank-u
Tammie Akers-Raley
Andalusia, Alabama
E_Mail:
tammielynn@andycable.com
I remember when I used to visit
my grandparents and aunt in Keokuk in the early 1940s.
It was a thriving and beautiful town, all shiny and productive. It
was a hub and hive of activity.
Many fine businesses and prosperous people. I was orderly and it
worked. The trains stopped on a regular basis, bringing commerce and
travelers...
It now appears to be tacky and boarded up - ah what ghosts hover
there!
John M
New York City
E_Mail: jjmccaul@gmail.com
I remember Going to baseball
games with my dad. We didn't miss many. I got to meet
many of the players that played for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The one I remember most was Roger Maris. I had an autographed
baseball from him, but it disappeared.
The Salvation Army was right out my back door. We (the kids
from all over the neighborhood) would meet at the S.A. ball field,
out my back door & play ball all day. At night, we would
gather out there & sit in the swings on the S.A. playground & hang
out.
I remember one person in particular who had a big influence on my
early teen years. He was a friend to all of us kids. His
name was Jack. He worked at Stan's Bakery, & was older than we
were, but he was still one of us. He would bribe us to go to
church with him at the Salvation Army. If we went with him, he
would take us to the Cozy Corner soda shop afterward & buy Cokes for
everyone. I went every time the doors opened. We young people
even helped lead Praise & worship. Eventually, we didn't have
to be bribed. One year, we did a Christmas Play. It was
more like a skit. I was the girlfriend & Jack was the guy.
For Christmas, The girl hinted to her boyfriend that she wanted a
white cashmere sweater with pearl buttons. When he gave her
the gift he got her, she asked was it white with pearl buttons.
He said yes. She asked would it keep her warm? He said
yes. Finally she was so excited to get her sweater, she tore
open the present, & found white long underwear with pearl buttons!
It was hilarious! The audience loved it.
I remember the Maid-Rite. That was our hangout. I met my
husband of 46 years there. I cried in my chocolate coke over
many boyfriends. Kitty Wells was on the jukebox. She was
my favorite. You could find us there after school EVERY day.
We would go in & get chocolate or cherry coke & french fries.
They had the best french fries. The soda fountain at S.S.
Kresge was fun, too. We could drink our milk shake & watch
people shop.
K.O.K.X. was THE radio station. Max Hopkins & "Jive Till 5".
My girlfriends & I used to go up to the station a lot. They
would let us go in the room next to the control room, to listen
& watch the program. We would dance, & sometimes do our
homework there.
We lived on Des Moines St. between 4th & 5th streets. My best
friend lived next door. Her name was Mary Margaret. We
were always into something. She taught me to smoke. (YUK)
She went to St. Vincent's Catholic School. Wells-Carey School,
(that's where I went) let out before St. Vincent's, so I would walk
down there & meet her after school. We walked home together.
The Friendly House was across the street. We went there a lot.
One time, when I was a girl scout, Mary helped me sell Girl Scout
Cookies door to door. She took me to this place around 1st or
2nd street & knocked on the door. It was kind of run down, but
a maid answered the door. She said to wait right there & she
would ask him (who ever he was) if he wanted some cookies.
They bought all of them. When we left, Mary asked if I knew
where we had been. When I said no, she said "Hawkeye Hotel"!
That was another house of red lights. Not long after that, the
man who lived there or owned it was found dead in the trunk of his
car. He had been murdered.
We used to walk down 4th St. toward town & see the turkeys hanging
upside down by their feet going into the processing plant on a
conveyer. One day, the guys working there threw turkey eggs at
my girlfriends & I, because we were pretending to ignore them.
Mother baby-sat so she could take me to the Golden Rule for my
clothes. It was expensive, but I always had nice clothes for
school. Irwin Phillips was another store I liked to go in.
I remember 3rd. St. The public library was slap in the middle
of skid row. I am amazed looking back, I was never scared to
go to the library. Next door or maybe a couple doors down was
the infamous 21 1/2 red light place.
The street fairs were the best time of the year. We would ride
the rides, play the games & wander up & down Main St. for a week.
The Christmas parades were great, too. Santa Claus had his house up
on Main St. All the little kids could sit on his lap & tell
him what we wanted for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, they would
have a drawing, & some lucky child would win his house. The
next year, he would have another right in the same spot.
The outdoor skating rink was another of my hangouts. I roller
skated in summer & ice skated in winter. When we weren't
skating out there, we were dancing to the Blue Knights band.
Larry Lestina, Ron Delaney, Spider Farman, Don Bowman, & Carl Steffy.
We were their fan club. We went to dances at the YWCA, down
stairs, also. On Sunday afternoons, we could go to the teen
dances upstairs at the Moose lodge.
A&w Root Beer stand, The donut shop, Stan's Bakery, The Ritz Cafe,
The Iowa Theater. My Daddy Belonged to the Moose club, & the
Eagles club. He would take me with him & let me watch him play
pool with his lodge friends.
I remember the rock wall at Victory Park. We used to walk down
there & sit on that wall & watch ole Misssissippi flow by. The locks
& dam were famous. I remember when the new locks was built.
I have a picture of the construction.
I hope my grandchildren have the chance to see my wonderful home
town of KEOKUK. My daughter wants them to be able to stand on
the bluff overlooking the river & feel what we have all felt.
If I have my way, I will take them up there befor my time is up.
I only lived in Keokuk for 15 years before I eloped, but looking
back it was part of the best time of my life. I even miss the
smell of The factories. (UGH!)
Sharon (Freeman) Brooks
Griffin
E_Mail: sharro914@ymail.com
JOHN VICTOR
Born 1885 - Died 1968
[This is a short narrative written by John Victor Henderson, about
his early family life.]
Louis Simpson, a colored man, was in business for himself at 12th
and Johnson Streets in Keokuk, Iowa. He made his own hot tamales and
roasted his own peanuts. His work was made more difficult by his
handicap (he walked with a limp) and since he couldn't find
employment otherwise, he prayed to the good Lord for help. God never
fails those who trust him and this business was his answer.
Brother Simpson rented a large room in an old two story frame
tenement building which housed six other families. There, he read
his Bible and prayed for God's blessing to others. How the Lord did
prosper him in his business. It seemed that everyone wanted Louis
Simpson's hot dogs, Hot tamales, peanuts, and popcorn, so he had to
hire boys to sell for him. Even boys as young as seven years old
could earn some money that way. Whenever anyone in the neighborhood
was hurt or sick or in need, he did all he could to help, even
paying for food and fuel and doctor bills. Most of these people were
white folks.
In the rear apartment, containing one large room and one small
bedroom, there lived a family of eight. The father, [Charles F.
Henderson] was strong, kind, and worked very hard [at the Keokuk
Ale, Porter, Beer & Cider Works] for his wife, [Clara (Gustafson)
Henderson] and family until he began to drive a beer wagon.
Familiarity breeds contempt, and soon he was spending all his money
on the stuff and before long he was in trouble and in jail. From
then on, it was the rat race of drunk, sober up, in jail, out and do
the same thing all over again.
His family almost never saw him sober. The mother was compelled to
take in washings to keep the children [Oscar Carl, Raymond Oliver,
John Victor, Harry, Edward, and Eleanor] from starving. Many times
there wasn't enough money to buy fuel. The school was only a block
away but she found it very hard to keep her little boys in classes.
The two younger ones (including the only daughter) died in infancy.
The colored man helped her all he could. The white people and the
authorities would not. Even the church turned a deaf ear, but even
so, she gathered her four boys around her knee and read the Bible to
them and prayed that God would help care for them.
The strain of hard work and worry proved too much for her, she
caught a cold and developed consumption. Soon she was too weak to
care for her children, so two of the boys were adopted into families
[in Keokuk] and the other two, aged seven and eleven years, were
sent to the Orphan's Home [in Stanton, Iowa]. Again, it was the
colored man, Louis Simpson, who came to the rescue. He bought the
clothes for the boys, paid their train fare from Keokuk to Stanton,
Iowa, and gave them plenty of food to eat on the way. It was dark
that winter morning when he took them down to the train but as it
pulled out of the station, the boys could see his familiar figure as
he waved them good-bye.
Within a short time the young mother (she was only thirty-two) died
from the dreadful disease and yes, the colored man paid for all the
funeral expenses. No one else seemed to be concerned. Afterwards, he
gave the boys all this information. Every Christmas, he would send
them a big box of fruit and clothing. One day he stopped at the home
en route to California and spent a whole week with the boys. After
that they heard from him once, and then never again. No doubt, he
has gone to his heavenly reward long before now.
I was one of those boys and their mother was mine.
John Victor Henderson
Robert Henderson
Riverside, California
E_Mail:
hendroni@earthlink.net
I remember when...so
many things to remember for such a short time living in Keokuk. We
moved in '75 when my dad got transferred from Keokuk Steel to Kast
Metals in Shreveport, Louisiana.
I remember fondly my mom and I making a "scary" tape (with rattling
chains and us groaning like ghosts) to play during my brother Tim's
boy scout outing at the park. I don't remember the name of the park
but it is the one with Chief Keokuk and the pond that freezes over
and it looks out over the river. I remember my brother pulling me on
my sled over that frozen pond. Not much ice in Louisiana but for
some reason we had our snow shovel here for some time. In fact I
think my dad still has it in his attic.
I remember being friends with Ann Stafford in Kindergarten and
sitting in the middle of a trampoline while her brother jumped on
the outer edges of it for us to skyrocket in the middle.
I remember making mudpies with my cousin Libby on Leighton Street.
We lived on the corner 1027.
I remember how excited I was when I got a Coca Cola for Halloween
and I hid it in a bush so my brother wouldn't steal it from me!
I remember having foster siblings come and live with us. The main
one I remember is Chris Coon. He was my age and I have never been so
jealous of someone stealing the spotlight! OK so I was a little
self-centered! He stayed with us for quite a while if I remember
right.
I remember sitting in the back of a covered wagon in a parade down
main street. I remember I wore a bonnet. Not sure what the parade
was for but my parents were so proud! My brother rode his bike with
cards stuck in the spokes and had it all decorated.
I remember going over the bridge and being terrified when it opened
to let a barge through. You could open your car door and see
straight down to the river. I have to wonder if that is where my
fear of heights came from!
I remember coming back to Keokuk when I was in high school to visit
family and I went on my dream date with Ted Peterson and a bird
pooped on my shirt while riding on his motorcycle. I was absolutely
horrified.
I remember going to Garfield Elementary and then to Torrence when we
moved to Milton for about six months. I loved Garfield but was
terrified of my teacher at Torrence. She made me stay after school
one day and I never wanted to go back!!
I remember making the biggest snowball in the history of snowballs!
It was so big my friend and I could no longer roll it. I'm sure it
was probably nothing but to a six year old it was a world record
breaker!
I remember driving down Grand Avenue and looking at the house my mom
grew up in thinking that the name of the street was SO fitting.
My mom and dad (Don McMurray and Sandy Underwood McMurray) had so
many lovely stories of growing up in Keokuk...of how they met, how
they fell in love and married and struggled to make ends meet. My
dad always says he married up. If you knew where he grew up and
where she grew up it is amazing they ever crossed paths. He said he
met her mom at the grocery store and then one day saw my mom with my
grandmother at the same store. He asked who that pretty blond girl
was and the rest is history. They were married for over 47 years
when mom passed away last year. I will always remember what an
awesome upbringing I had and I know it was from values instilled in
them from Keokuk.
Jill McMurray Koeppen
Bossier City, Louisiana
E_Mail:
jillsean17@bellsouth.net
I remember when I was a
little girl growing up in Keokuk we had so much fun. I loved the
Mississippi river and walking across the bridge. I remember to drive
across the bridge the toll was 10 cents. I loved going to the chuck
wagon, they had good food. I loved the fair, yes I remember when it
was on Main street and then they moved down the hill on the river
front. My brothers and sister lived at the swimming pool in the
summer. Do any of you guys remember toots, what about teddy bear? oh
about the old bag lady that rode a wagon pulled by her old white
horse. My dad worked at Shellor Globe from 18 years old until I was
almost 16 years old. he was a Supervisor there . His name is Robert
Dochterman. He was always bowling if not working. Believe it or not
he still does. I was born in Keokuk in 1956 lived there until I was
16 years old. Moved to Bakersfield, CA. In 1972. I bet I know some
of you guys. Mom and dad go back when they can. They're talking
about going back this year. We still have family there. I sure do
miss the snow.
You have a great day.
Cheryl Snow
Bakersfield
E_Mail: angle1856@yahoo.com
I
remember when I left my hometown to broaden horizons! Never should
have left
Mark Westby
Davenport , Ia
E_Mail: www.redmeat.net
My
memory of the Old Keokuk is slowly fading away I'm now 21 and was
quite young for a lot of the stories I do remember the old
Keasling's I remember the day it caught on fire and sitting on the
lawn of the middle school across the street from the store and
watching it burn. I vaguely remember the street fair however but I
do have some recollection of it. I remember the A&W and drinking
root beer out of child size root beer mugs. I myself went to the
catholic school until I was in the 3rd grade right before all the
nuns in the school and church left. I actually remember having a
principal that was a nun. I can also remember the JC Pennys in the
mall and the jacks store. The old Hy Vee and what county market
looked like before their newest renovation. I remember jacks then
going to Shopko and now being turned in to a church. And I remember
are old Walmart also being converted in to a church. I remember
paying only $1 a day to go to the pool and going right when it
opened and staying till they closed what saddens me is the memories
of the old Keokuk fading away. It was once a truly wonderful town
and its sad to see it struggling.
Lindsay
Hamilton
E_Mail: Lynnn_27@hotmail.com
I remember when I was attending KCC from 1959 to 1961. Used to
cruise to Ft. Madison, Burlington, Quincy at night with Jim "Swig"
Swigelson from Hamilton. If we didn't have any luck, we'd end
up at the Grand Lunch having a tenderloin or cheeseburger and fries
and shooting the bull with Red and Mary Ericksen. There was a
lot of bull to be shot, and there was no better food to be had in
town. How I miss the Grand Lunch. I can taste the food
just thinking about it. Also, don't forget their great chili.
I've lived in Texas for 33 years and am hard pressed to find any
better.
I feel very lucky to have grown up in Keokuk and to have availed
myself of their great school system. It truly prepared me well
for college and beyond.
Ray Bank
Richardson, TX
E_Mail: rbank@sbcglobal.net
I
remember when I lived in Keokuk and worked @ chuck wagon and they
had an awesome jukebox we use to live on Palean street and the old
saddle club. I was in KHS till 76 and then quit. Then Ii worked at
Georges Pizza. i use to be best friends with Shauna Banks and I got
in trouble once with a guy name Rick he cut the seats in the theater
and I got blamed and grounded for a year but Keokuk has a lot of
good times and will be back to visit it soon with my sister Cristal.
Doris Zaleski
Bryan, Ohio
E_Mail:
gidgetmoondog35@hotmail.com
I
remember when ...Actually, I don't remember the day I was born (May
30, 1948). I remember my mother telling me that we lived in
Hamilton, IL and when she went into labor, my Aunt Sissie drove her
to the hospital in Keokuk (she said it was Graham Hospital, but I
can't find any current listing for this in Keokuk--perhaps the name
has changed). We were the last car to get across before they
opened the drawbridge. Aunt Sissie kept saying, "Arlene if you
have this baby on the bridge I will never forgive you! Don't
you dare let go!" as we inched forward in the line. They let
us go and then closed the gates. Since I was born only about
20 minutes after we got to the hospital, Mom always said I was
almost born on the Mississippi River!
We left Hamilton when I was three, moving back to Pennsylvania where
Mom's family came from. I only went back to Hamilton twice.
The first time was to visit my father in 1960. My grandparents
took me to Keokuk shopping. They told me jaywalkers could be
ticketed and that seemed very strange to me, as jaywalking was the
rule in Lancaster, PA. (Perhaps they were pulling my leg!) I
was amazed at how flat the land was. In Lancaster, the land is
all rolling hills. I wrote my mother a letter, telling her about the
daytime drive over the drawbridge and that Keokuk was as flat as our
kitchen table!
My father and his girlfriend took me to a "street fair" in
Keokuk--in Pennsylvania we call them "farm shows". I remember
getting stuck at the top of the ferris wheel with my father.
We rocked a little (forbidden but fun) and I could see forever.
In PA, the view at the top of a ferris wheel is limited by trees,
hills, high buildings, and the Allegheny mountains in the distance.
In Keokuk, nothing got in the way.
On the way home, crossing the drawbridge (I've always thought of
that bridge as "my bridge") I noticed the stars for the first time.
Back east there's so many people and lights that the stars seem
hidden behind a veil, if you can see them at all. Perhaps more than
anything else, my memories of Keokuk & Hamilton are of the stars:
hundreds of millions of jewels shining down on me from out of an
endless black velvet sky. I would stay out as late as I could
every night after that, for as long as I stayed in Hamilton. I
couldn't get enough of those stars, of that velvet sky, of the
vastness of it all. It must go on forever, I believed, right
up to God Himself.
I went back the second time in 1981, to my father's funeral. After
the funeral we drove across the drawbridge to visit my grandfather
who was dying in the same hospital I had been born in. He was
an old, old man by then, a stranger to me, and I found Keokuk a
strange place. But, as we drove back over the bridge I looked
up, and the stars were there as I remembered them, bright beyond
imagining, hundreds of millions of them shining down on me from out
of their velvet sky.
Most everything has changed in my life since 1960, and I've seen the
stars shining down from many places on this earth. The stars
over Keokuk were, and will always be, the most beautiful thing I
have ever seen. I like it that they will be shining down on other
folks, long after I am gone. If you read this, please go look
at them, just one time, for me. Enjoy!
Bonnie Keller Montgomery
Mountville, PA
clm2bkm@aol.com
I remember when I MOVED TO K TOWN 1963 I WENT TO JEFFERSON ELEMETARY.
LOTS OF FOLKS I HUNG WITH JIMMY BRADLEY, TERRY QUEEN, RON
BYRKHART,ALL THOSE LAND GIRLS. THE MYERS BOYS THE FABERS WHERE AN
EXTRA KID WAS ALWAYS WELCOME. BEN AND DOUG DAVIS R.G.DUNN AND A HOST
OF MANY OTHERS. WENT ON TO KJHS WHERE I EXCELLED IN HELL RAISING AND
NOT SCHOOL WORK. I THINK I HELD THE RECORD FOR GETTING THE BOARD FOR
SEVENTH GRADE. MET TONS OF KIDS FROM ALL OVER TOWN. CHUCK BOYD I
STILL KEEP IN TOUCH WITH A LOT OF FOLKS KEITH BABINGTON LIVES NOT
FAR FROM ME. HOWARDS BOAT DOCK THE BARGE TIES AND NAUVOO QUARRY. THE
RIVER WERE GREAT HANGOUTS. THE POOL COST 15 CENTS TO GET MEMBERSHIPS
WERE 20 BUCKS. THE YMCA WAS 10 PER YEAR Y CAMP WAS BUCKS PER WEEK.
CHUCKS DAD OWNED THE DIXIE CREAM DOUNUT SHOP. I REMEMBER STAYING ALL
NIGHT AT CHUCKS HIS MOM WOULD TAKE US OUT FOR HOT DOUGHNUTS AND
CHOCOLATE MILK TILL WE SICK. GRAND LUNCH CHILI SOME OF US ROWDIES
WOULD GO TO GRAND AVE AND RUN FROM ONE POOL TO THE NEXT TILL WE HIT
ALL THE ONES WE KNEW OF OR THE COPS GOT CALLED. THE SKATING RINK
ROLLER IN SUMMER ICE IN WINTER THANK GOD I JOINED THE SWIMTEAM IN
JR. HIGH. HIGH SCHOOL WAS REALLY COOL IN K TOWN ALL THAT GLASS THAT
DRIVERS ED TEACHER MR. JONES I THOUGHT HE WAS KINDA NUTTY. THE OTHER
GUY MR. PETERS WAS EASIER TO DEAL WITH WHO COULD FORGET BUC BUC
BUCKERT AND POHORSKY LOOKING BACK THAT DUDE SET ME ON THE
RIGHT TRACK ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME I WOULD ADMIT IT HOWEVER I DID TELL
HIM SO AT MY 20TH REUNION IN 1994 BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. I LOVED
HITCHING CARS IN WINTER. I LOOK BACK ON KEOKUK WITH FOND MEMORIES I
CAME BACK IN 2004 FOR 30 EAR REUNION AND IF I AM ALIVE I WILL BE
BACK FOR 40 WHO KNOWS I MIGHT EVEN COME BACK OVER LABOR DAY WEEKEND
IF I CAN FIND SOMEBODY TO RIDE MOTORCYCLES UP THERE WITH ME I HAD A
COUPLE GIRLFRIENDS THERE BUT I TICKED MOST OF THEM OFF AND THEY'RE
ALL MARRIED LIKE ME SO I WON'T MENTION THEM BUT THEY KNOW WHO THEY
ARE. I COULD GO ON FOR HOURS NAMING NAMES AND PLACES BUT MY GRAND
DAUGHTERS WANT TO GO FISHING SO I'M OUTTA HERE THANKS KEOKUK
PETE BOLAND
19 GRANGER LANE
BUFFALO MO 65622
pbsfwb @ gmail.com
I remember when, or I should say additional memories to my earlier
postings. I remember Robert (usually referred to as "Pork
Chop" - after awhile, I couldn't bring myself to call him that), an
African-American adult male who could play some mean rhythms with a
pair of spoons he kept in his back pocket. He also showed up
at a lot Keokuk school sporting events.
I also remember participating in the annual summer trip through KJHS
of going to Gettysburg, Washingon, DC, Williamsburg (VA), Annapolis,
Philadelphia and New York City. Great trip, not sure I'd want
to chaperone a busload of 14-15 year-olds for ten days like that.
In the summer of 1971, a group of AFS students passed through Keokuk
on their way to flying home from (probably) JFK airport in NYC.
It was interesting to talk to all these foreign students as we
hosted one of the students, and I thought he was from Spain. I
remember talking to a Central/South American students in particular,
and in some greater detail with a Slovak woman from then
Czechoslovakia, a young Panamian guy who loved baseball and a young
woman from Vietnam. When asking the Vietnamise student about
her American experience, she very sadly relayed the fact that she
was "picked-on" quite a bit. Mike Shea was there from KOKX
roaming the reception for an interview. I remember asking my
mother if she thought it would be appropriate to ask Mike to
interview and she directed me to do so. I remember asking Mike
to interview her and explained the reasons why. He immediately
went over, introduced himself to her and explained he wanted to
interview for KOKX radio. I remember her delightful squeals, "MEEEEEEEEE?!?!?!?!?
You want to interview MEEEEEEE?!?!?!?!?!?"
I also left out another family I really liked back there, the
Inskeep family. One year, John Inskeep had broken his neck and
was placed in a body cast. I remember him driving his
motorcycle in his yard as he had to wear special, re-directive
glasses and his head was perpetually thrust back by the body cast.
I hope updates are ok when other memories are re-opened.
Ttich
City: Charleroi, PA
E_Mail: mtitch@msn.com
I remember when I would go to Keokuk every summer to stay with my
cousin's on Main St 1808 Main St. my cousin's lived there but my
entire family is from Keokuk.
the Weldon's and Buckner's and the Whites we are a mixed family like
many in the town with black and Indian and white. Raymond Weldon Sr.
my grandmothers brother is the only uncle still alive but I know
everyone remembers the Buckner boys because there was six of them
they had one sister Dawn and we would go to rand park to play and
our family reunions are still there. I loved it and hated it at
night you could look out the bedroom window and see the telephone
booth next to the house and the car wash but there is a car
dealership there now. My aunt (moms sister) Barbara is a preacher in
Iowa city now and her husband is deceased. she worked at the rubber
plant all of her life. I was so shocked reading the stories because
I miss Keokuk and going to the fair and watching the fireworks on
the fourth and oh my god the tenderloins!!!!!! outsiders have no
clue what they missed out on. I grew up in Rock Island, IL. and went
to school in Davenport.
This is a great page
kudos for starting it.
Tracee Simmons
Boston MA
E_Mail:
traceegotback@verizon.net
I remember when I was a kid playing kick the can and red rover in
the neighbors yard. Back then the whole block was our play ground
for football, army battles and just goofing off. Try playing on your
neighbor's porch with out asking today! I lived on N 5th St,
just off Grand Avenue. We hung out in Triangle Park and over
the bluff at the end of Orleans and 4th St. Had a few sleep over's
in the tent and ran around town most of the night. In High
School, I was in a band with Kevin Helmick, Joe Hayden and Bob
Hofstadter. We played in Joyce Park by the river with Tommy Tinder
and Senior day at KHS in '72. Never made any money to speak
of, but had lots of fun. Did a lot of dragging Main with Clark
Woodruff (rest his soul) and Terry Rader. Lots of stop light
racing late at night. Oh to have all the 55 & 57 Chevy's we
had back then and even J Wilsey's Comets and Mustangs.
I too, like many others see Keokuk slipping away, but come back to
see family and remember the good times, take a drive thru Rand Park
and out river road.
I hope things can pick up there as it was a great place to grow up.
I still miss the Dixie Cream doughnut shop and Georges Pizza.
I also remember when the Mall was built and State Central Bank had a
ping pong ball drop. I got one worth $5 and had to open an
account to get it, so I left it there for some time. I
remember it was a Friday the 13th. That's why I still like
that day.
I hope to hear from any of my old friends.
Jim Davis
City: Tiffin, IA
E_Mail: jedcat5@hotmail.com
I
remember when going over to "Kluck-Kluck" to ride main Is it
still pronounced kill kuk? The street fair with girlie shows
on both ends-one black one white. I see the mad mouse in the
picture I think. How about reading magazines at Porters Cigar
store on 7th. The x-ray machine to see how your shoes fit
(Kinney's Shoes ?) Jive till five sneakin in
the drive-in
Great reading this site. Good job
Mike Pilkington
City: Carmichael, Ca.
E_Mail:
greenpharm@hotmail.com
I
remember when I used to live there it was along time ago look I am
going to cut it down. I was adopted when I was five and I was born
in Keokuk Area Hospital in 1985. I am 23 now and looking for my mom
her name is Charlene Schneider and her mothers name was Rosetta Self
and they never could find my farther. Charlene said it was a guy in
a bar so any way when you read this if you have any information at
all please tell me send me an e-mail I just want to get reunited
with my family please help any info is good for me thank you for
your time
October Stines
Ottumwa Iowa
E_Mail:
october_stines@hotmail.com
I remember when I WAS A SMALL BOY IN KEOKUK, I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME
LIVING IN DIFFERENT HOMES AROUND 1ST AND 2ND STREET ON BOTH SIDES OF
MAIN BEFORE THE MALL AND AFTER I REMEMBER THE GREAT FIRE THAT WAS
FROM 2ND TO 4TH STREET. I SPEND A A LOT TIME AROUND THE SHOE
FACTORY, AND I REMEMBER THE WOODED AREA CALLED THE CUT JUST BY THE
TRAIN STATION AND GENERAL MILLS AND THE TURKEY FACTORY AND THE STORE
ON 2ND AND MAIN THAT MOST EVERY ONE WOULD BUY BLUE JEAN. THEY HAD
THESE BIG AIR VENTS OUTSIDE THE PLACE THAT WOULD BLOW COOL AIR UP
FROM THE GROUND THAT I WOULD STAND ON TO KEEP COOL ON THOSE HOT
KEOKUK DAYS I ALSO REMEMBER THE MAIDRITE THE BIG G STORE, ALL THE
BARS ON 3RD ST, THE 400 CLUB ON MAIN I REMEMBER THE GATE CITY WHEN
IT WAS ON 6TH ST, THE GRAND LUNCH MY BEST FRIEND BUZZYS MOM WORKED
THERE WE ALWAYS STOP THERE AFTER SCHOOL AND EAT CHILI. THE STREET
FAIR WHO COULD FORGET IT , I LOVED IT ON MAIN ST, I REMMBER GOING TO
THE IOWA THEATER TO SEE ELVIS AND JOHN WAYNE MOVIES IN THE SIXTIES
AND THE OLD BRIDGE I WOULD STAND ACROSS FROM THE TOLL BOOTH AND
COUNT THE CARS COMING TO KEOKUK FROM ILL. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN MAIN
ST WAS BRICK THE DRIVE INN AND THE LONG LINES TO GET IN AND THE
RIVER THE SMELL , I LEFT KEOKUK IN 1974 AND WENT OVER SEAS IN THE
ARMY AND I CAME BACK IN 78 IT HAD ALL CHANGED AND I WORK IN KEOKUK
AND GO THERE EVERY DAY BUT IT NOT LIKE IT WAS WHEN I WAS A KID I
MISS THAT.
Richard
Warsaw, Ill
E_Mail:
richardlong1254@hotmail.com
I
remember when I visited Keokuk for our family reunion. My
grandparents raised my dad and his siblings in Keokuk until my dad
was in the 7th grade then they moved to Minneapolis, MN. My
grandfather was Annis J Clark, and my Grandmother was Nance Smith.
I've heard tons of stories and I still have family that lives there
now. I haven't been down in years, hoping to bring my family down
for a visit sooner rather than later. I would love to know if anyone
has stories about my family.
Annissa Johnson
St. Paul, Mn
E_Mail:
nissanjoesjetta@yahoo.com
I
remember when I came to visit my grandparents and stayed for a few
months when I was nine. I went to the mall and had my ears pierced
for the first time, didn't realize that 7 years later I was going to
have a total of 27 holes in my ear. I remember going to the mall of
maybe 12 stores when I came back to stay with my dad for another 6
months. I was so used to 30 or more to choose from...lol. I always
told my friends that Main Street had maybe 13 or so stop lights.
They couldn't believe how small of a town I was living in,
when all you could really do for fun at my age (16 at the time and
no car) was to hang out at the river or walk up and down the
streets. Sometimes I miss the smaller town scene, but I can't say I
miss the factory smells or the SNOW!!! Yea, ya'll can keep that up
there. I wasn't there for very long on either stay, but I do
remember Wells-Carry and it being the first and only multi-level
elementary school I had ever seen at 9 years old, or a town with
only one middle school and high school. I almost choked when both my
parents admitted to going to the high school when it also included
the middle school. Both my parents are from Iowa, and so are my
grnadparents and their parents. My mom is the one who is now a
long-time resident of Florida with me. But every now and then I
think about coming back up to see old things and the new, take my
kids down to Timea Street adn show them where I stayed with my
grandparents or over to Franklin where I stayed with my dad. I can
take them to see the old section of the bridge still left from when
they replaced it with the new bridge the same year I was there with
my grandparents, and how we got to walk out in the middle for the
opening ceremony. Yep, Grand memories from a little town. That's
what keeps it so special to me.
Sara Vaughn (Gates)
City: Fort Walton Beach, FL
E_Mail: sara_vaughn@cox.net
I
remember when the street fair was on Main Street and down by the
river, but I don't have any pictures of it like Kevin does. I
graduated Keokuk high school in 1978 if any of my classmates would
like to contact me my e-mail address is below or I have my space
look for me under Raceformyscents.
LuAnn (RADER) Godfrey
Kansas City, Mo
E_Mail:
candlelover@rocketmail.com
My Keokuk
memories:
Having milk delivered to the front door in metal carriers by a
milkman. Cardboard bottle caps, cream on top which was skimmed off
to make butter or whipped cream.)
The ice wagon brought ice to homes for our ice boxes (we had no
refrigerator yet.
The making of mud pies, playing hop-scotch, the clamp-on roller
skates.
Stay at home moms, and hard working dads ..one-income families &
making it.
No toys in stores except 2-weeks before Christmas and 1 week before
Easter.
The rationing of gas, sugar, chocolate, pepper, etc. during World
War II.
The “air raids” and “black-outs” during WW II. (Keokuk was on the
“Japanese hit list.” The dam provided power for the area from
Chicago, Illinois to & past Quincy, Ill. along the Mississippi
River.
I remember the "Victory gardens."
I remember my parents only able to afford 1- 25 cent gift for each
of us for Christmas during the War.
The mail being delivered to the house, and 1-cent stamps.
Leaving the house unlocked and being safe.
No wearing slacks or jeans to school if a girl: skirts & dresses
only.
Saying the Pledge of Allegience and having prayer each morning at
school.
Being taught manners at home, AND AT SCHOOL.
Going to the public library on Saturdays and looking at stereoptican
pictures ... they had a wall fill of them in small drawers.
The wonderful band concerts in Rand Park, the beautiful floral
gardens, the bluff steps, and statue of Chief Keokuk.
The great Street Fairs which encompassed the entire length of Main
Street from 3rd street to the old High School..... trapeze artists,
Ferris Wheels, etc.
The Mississippi River floods that covered railroad tracks, and
nearby towns.
I remember before TV, having a wall-crank telephone, and a cental
operator, eventually a dial phone, Victrola record players, air
conditioning not invented yet, iron-wheeled tractors, horse drawn
hay wagons, pop only in bottles (Coke).
Gathering “fire-flies (lightening bugs) in a jar and watching them
flicker.
There was no such thing as “political correctness.”
I remember when Polio was common; people in “iron lungs” because
they couldn’t breathe on their own.
No stores open on Sunday.
I remember when Israel became a state...May 1948.
I also remember a gifted organist ... Vera Klotzbaugh @ the old St.
Paul Church.
My favorite teachers were Mr. Kilgore (Algebra & Geometry)and Mr.
Sorneson (music).
I remember my dad (Ellis Moellring) building & owning Kumo Foundry
on 3rd St. It burned after he retired but he never got over it.
I remember the LHS 1954 graduation, the prom with Ron playing drums,
the Addy May paddle boat trip, etc.
I remember the compassion of the community during the crisis of the
horrific Armory explosion in the "60's. As an RN I helped care for
the injured. (I had moved away & was visiting that day ..
Thanksgiving)
It was wonderful to grow up in Keokuk...a safe, friendly, wholesome
place. Warm memories.
Judy Matott
Libby, MT.
E_Mail: kiwi36@roadrunner.com
I remember when I walked to Higgins grocery with a dime and came back with a giant sack of candy. Kit-kats (2 for a penny), red hot dollars, grape bubble gum, chicken bones, lots more. Most of my memories revolve around food and smells. Like General Mills and Swift. The cigar store, the hat store, Lowry's florist. I wish I could remember the name of the candy man on Main St. He made this incredible taffy - 10 cents a stick, it took an hour for him to shuffle up to the counter and get it to you, it seemed.
Donuts at 2 am and Dixie Cream make Krispy Kremes just orbs of fatty dough by comparison. Getting catfish at the fish market over in West K meant a dinner of fried fish, hushpuppies, and key lime pie. Tenderloins at A&W the size of Rhode Island. Lots of emotions float up to the top of my memories - fear and loathing in the Midwest. Street Fair was a bonanza of toothless hawkers and scary (don't ride on the Mad Mouse, kids got killed there last year, you can still see the blood on the tracks) rides. Most kids were warned not to hang out there, for fear the carnies would capture you and carry you off to work for them forever. Some of us would've welcomed that chance.
Alcohol and the consumption of it was central to high school, and some of my classmates never saw 20. Seemed like there was nothing to do, but I remember little theatre at the YWCA, dances in their "hip" hangout in the basement, even killer concerts at the Masonic lodge with Howie's band. The thing that hits me between the eyes about Keokuk was the creativity there. It even wormed its way into Want Ads: "Ms. John Marion was fined for letting her hounds "run" loose." (those who knew Solomon and Moses would say "run" was a wild extrapolation, so the quotes were poignant.) "Life is good in Keokuk" stickers - my sibling wrote in his ad: "is this to convince the disbelievers?"
Marching backwards in the parade with kazoos. Were we creative because we were bored? Or because we had teachers like John Artman and Randy Hill? I remember whole summers trying to catch up with Artman's recommended reading. I would never have read Mann's "The Magic Mountain" or "War and Peace." Now - as a librarian - I pass that nagging legacy on and challenge my HS kids. I had 3 kids read The Fountainhead last month, Artman!
Liz Krebill Fox
Newport, OR
E_Mail: keokuk@casco.net
I remember when…I got stuck with my mom near
the top of the ferris wheel when it malfunctioned at the street
fair. I was 4 years old, which puts this in the summer of 1963. I
was screaming at the top of my lungs for about half an hour for my
aunt Ginny to come and get me down from there. I’m sure anyone who
was there remembers the sound of my voice.
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I remember Dairy Queen, A&W, Gate City Seed Company, Paetz store, I
remember the park on Timea even before they added the rocket slide,
and I remember when the rocket slide was new and later my own
children came to play on it in the eighties—Kilbourne park was the
name. I remember the story about the children who got caught in the
Rand park pool and went into the drain, what a tragedy. Later there
was another tragedy when my former babysitter had a car wreck on
Main Street because her accelerator got stuck and she panicked. Her
name was Linda and this was in the early 70s.
I remember when they tried having the street fair down by the Verity
rather than along Main Street. I tried to conquer my fear of the
ferris wheel (from the above mentioned incident) by going on the
double ferris wheel—only to get a mouth and face full of miller bugs
attracted to the lights. Eventually the fair was moved back to the
streets. I also remember an annual pilgrimage to Basco, IL to see
fireworks—do they still do that? The best and most intricate
fireworks I’ve ever seen in my life were there and they spoiled me
for any other fireworks.
I remember the maid rites and befriending the waitress who worked
weekday evenings on Main Street. I remember the scent of burned
cereal from General Mills. I remember the State bank and the shoe
polishers and the scale. I loved the architectural detail of that
old building. I enjoyed going to the bank with my grandma because I
could play with the shoe polisher, lie on the benches, weigh myself
and get a drink at the fountain. By the time I did all of that she
was through with her business.
By the time I was ready for a library card there was the new library
with some of the most interesting architecture of any library I have
ever been to (and I’ve seen a number of big city libraries). I read
some of my favorite books over and over again. I got my mom’s
permission to check out books from the adult section, and I haunted
the sci fi sections of both young adult and adult areas.
Someone mentioned the cheap hamburgers near the Dairy Queen—this was
across the street and I think it was called Jerry’s. They were ten
cents or something like that, incredible price even then.
We lived in several locations, from the Shady Acres Trailer Court
where I spent a lot of my gradeschool years, to 7th and Timea, 17th
by the gulch where everyone threw their trash (near the National
Cemetery), 7th and Grand, 16th and Timea, 309 Blondeau (as a small
child), and out near the high school/college and that cool church
(Trinity?) with the triangular shaped roof. Later in the 80s I lived
on Exchange by the Fire Station. My kids were delighted to know all
the fire fighters and get them to toot their horn.
At Shady Acres I roamed the woods behind the trailer court and all
of us kids roamed throughout the trailer court, coming in only when
our parents would yell for us. I remember the sound of mom’s voice
“TER-EE-LYNNNNN” which could be heard all over the trailer court. We
road the bus along the rock roads into town to Washington Central
school (with the junior high and high school kids going on to their
respective schools). Down the road from us lived the Baileys and the
Stotts. Ethel Bailey babysat me for a couple of years and I felt
like the Baileys were a second family. For some reason my mom
switched babysitters and I didn’t get to see them anymore. This
really broke my heart. At the Bailey’s home I got to ride a horse
and swing on their awesome tire swing. I pestered her younger
brother Roger and learned about rock music fandom from her and her
sister Ruth. Their parents were also very welcoming and for an only
child from a single parent family it was a wonderful chance to be
part of a normal family.
Next door were the Stotts—Ramo Stott of stock car racing fame and
his family. A few years later they started having square dances in
their remodeled barn or shed. My grandparents and their friends
Lolene and Albert Storm (of Montrose) attended and I and my friends
from the trailer court, Sandra and Karen Goodwin also attended. We
learned how to square dance, which was light years more fun than the
pale imitation in gym class.
Somewhere along the way we got to go on wagon rides, I can’t
remember who sponsored them, but real wagon rides drawn by horses.
I divided my time between Keokuk and my grandparents’ farm in
Montrose Iowa, about 12 miles from Keokuk. You drove past Shady
Acres, turned right onto a rock road just before a church (and after
the Nye’s farm), turned left at the next T intersection, and drove a
few miles to arrive at Jerry and Velma Hull’s farm. The address was
simply RR2. It was near the Cramer’s farm. Argyle wasn’t very far
down the road from there, and if we needed something from a store we
often went there to the general store. We also attended the small
Presbyterian church in Argyle. In 2004 we visited and drove out to
see the old farm. Someone painted the formerly white farm house red
and it looked like the new owner was gutting the inside in
preparation for renovation. The land around it had grown wild and we
looked inside to see the walls and floor had been torn down to the
studs. Only the fireplace gleamed through the darkness. I saw
wallpaper from the old bathroom (which had been moved) that I hadn’t
seen in years. I took pictures and when we go back again we hope to
see how it turned out. The big lilac bush by the driveway was still
there. The old chicken farm building my grandparents had built
looked very run down. The farm definitely had seen better times. My
grandpa had worked hard to improve the property and make it nice.
This is the tragedy of the family farm, played out many times across
the Midwest.
http://tapatim.multiply.com/photos/album/37/Keokuk_Iowa#12
Back to Keokuk…I attended Wells Carey for first grade since we lived
on Bank Street a few blocks away. I walked to school, which in those
days was unremarkable. (Crime stats were no different for children
back then than they are today, but today we keep our children locked
away for fear of a stranger kidnapping and back then children roamed
the neighborhoods without fear.) Later when we moved to the trailer
court I attended Washington Central, the old building that has since
been demolished (like the Junior High on Main). I remember dodge
ball on winter days inside. I remember the playgrounds, the gym and
the auditorium. I remember music class and art classes, something
that has become rare across the country in later years. I remember
Miss Arenson who came to teach music one year and lost her voice.
She found out she was allergic to the dust of the miller bugs!
Somehow she directed the 5th and 6th grade chorus while being
completely unable to sing and barely spoke—had to use a microphone
to be heard. She was amazing!
Other notable teachers: Miss Matheny, Mrs. Hoffman (who taught us to
mind our cursive fs), Miss Cahill, and Mr. Fox. I loved them all.
I remember the Iowa Basic Skills test, which I loved. Every year
we’d eagerly find out how we did. I am so grateful for an Iowa
education.
I remember our schools were integrated and I didn’t understand all
the fuss about bussing. I already rode a bus every day and I already
went to school with children of other races, so what was the big
deal? It wasn’t until I was older that I learned more about racism,
which I found incomprehensible. By that time I’d had a few black
friends and didn’t see any real difference between them and myself.
I thought racist people must be stupid or something. I count myself
as fortunate to have a diverse group of friends my whole life and am
glad that I didn’t grow up in an overtly racist environment, for my
life would have been so much poorer without them. I’m not saying
that racism didn’t exist in Keokuk—I later learned all too well that
it did. But I wasn’t indoctrinated in that way and I am grateful for
that.
At one point I attended the Bethel A.M.E. church with my friend
Barbara Stewart. Everyone was incredibly welcoming and gracious to
this white girl who suddenly appeared in their midst. I thoroughly
enjoyed the services there. I attended on a few other occasions.
I would love to come back and see revitalized tourism, maybe
helicopter rides over the river, a farm that allows tours, a shuttle
through town to the various points of interest, and so on. I’d love
to see the downtown area support a grocery store so one could stay
there and not have to run out to the edge of town for essential
items. I know one town that has a contest every year for the most
improved yard and I think that would encourage people to work on
their properties (though I know the economic situation is to blame
for the deterioration of some of the properties). Maybe
neighbors can come together and help paint each others’ homes and
bring up the value of the whole block?
As much as I love Keokuk, unless the job outlook improves I can’t
justify living there again. Plus as a vegetarian it would be
difficult to live somewhere with so few places to go out to eat at.
I lived there in the 80s as a vegetarian and basically stayed home a
lot. I would miss the rock concerts, public hot tubs, health food
stores, and vegetarian restaurants (and accommodating restaurants
with vegetarian items) that I have in California. But I’m sure I
will always visit. My mother is buried in the national cemetery, as
is my Uncle George. Keokuk will always loom large in our family
memory, not the least of which because it is the site of an unsolved
family murder. In February of 1928 my Great Uncle, Cecil Earl Paris
(twin of Great Grandma Nona Pearl Paris) was a night watchman for
the Keokuk Box company and he was found shot to death. More
information is available from my photo web site where I have scans
of the newspaper articles if you scroll down (zoom in):
http://tapatim.multiply.com/photos/album/30/Paris_Family_Photos#
Family rumor has it that sometimes gambling went on during the night
shift, but that is not mentioned in the newspaper articles. I would
love it if anyone has information that could lead to the solution of
this murder. Cecil Earl’s children ended up scattered among
relatives and my “Uncle” George was really my cousin, Cecil’s son,
raised by Great Grandma Pearl and her husband Lee Elschlager, along
with her daughters Velma and Dorothy. He didn’t know who his
biological father was until he grew up. I would love to hear from
other members of the Paris family as I have lost track of my many
cousins as I grew up and moved away. I’ve heard they have family
reunions in Missouri, where the family lived for many years.
I have some pictures I took of Keokuk when we were back in 2004:
http://tapatim.multiply.com/photos/album/37/Keokuk_Iowa
Of course I got a few shots of the library…also the court house/post
office building and a few other spots.
I can be found on livejournal as well:
http://tapati.livejournal.com/
Terilyn McPherson (now Tapati McDaniels)
California (can't list city)
E_Mail: or(at)labyris(dot)com (won't use format because of spambots)
Well, since I already have 2 posts about remember
when, I just wanted to share this...........Hi Mary, lol.
Anyway, I got to make the Sept.06 trip to Keokuk this year for the Nauvoo
fest, and the Colchester/Carthage fest. What a great time. What
beautiful weather also. Mooched off one of my brother's, and his
wife. We had a fire outside every night. Sis-in-law made me
TENDERLOINS! I don't care what kinda bun you buy, the Tenderloin
Always sticks out side the BUN..lol
Drove around to some of the old places, Grand Ave. Main street, hit a few
Antique shops, Rand Park. Went to the Locks and watched a barge come
through. Walked out on the old metal bridge, Ah the bike trips
across that baby.
It's THE RIVER, folks. It's the RIVER. Hard to see the River driving
across the new bridge.
Brought Back a few Keokuk shirts, couldn't find a Keokuk hat. Brought
back some Baxter's Wine and T-shirts (hey, you can go up and down
that wine tasting line as many times as you can get away with,
burp.)
My bro said they are talking about rebuilding the old K/H wooden bridge. I
want to see that. I have prints and a old pic, I would love to see
it rebuilt.
Not much more to say, didn't get to see many old friends. But the
trip was great. Oh, and we went to a restaurant in an old hotel in
Nauvoo. Smelled dank and Musty, but the food was great.
My middle bro found a place out on Middle Road? for me to buy. Thinking
very seriously about it. I miss Keokuk, and the RIVER, to this day.
You folks take care, guard what you have. It's a treasure.
Buddy
Arizona
bklong@peoplepc.com
I remember when my
parent's home at Fourth & Fulton was full of life. To all the
people who visited, and all those we knew; thanks for the
memories-they are more than a lifetime.
H. Wells Adams
Collingswood, NJ
haha736@comcast.net
I remember in the late 1950s
and early 1960s, when I was a young child, every couple of years my
family would cross from Illinois into Iowa at Keokuk. Upon seeing
the bridge our hearts would lift because we knew that after a long
hot drive we would soon be at my father's friend's Chinese
restaurant (Lucky Wong I think the name is but I'm not sure). There
we could refresh ourselves with good food and once Mom ordered lamb
with a mint sauce. We liked getting the tiny boxes of Chicklets at
the cash register. Once the family visited us at our home in
Illinois.
Ruth Ann Mostek
Michigan City IN
ruthmostek@hotmail.com
I remember when I used to want to get out of Keokuk, I used to think
that it was a small town with nothing to do. I always said
that I would move out and never return, now how I regret it a
little. It's amazing what you miss when you move, the smell,
the RIVER, the wall by the park where we used to sit and watch the
river. The docks where we fed the ducks with stale bread.
Driving up and down Main St and parking at the River or at the Mall
to socialize. Going to the park on Timea St with the great big
Rocket slide. Going to the very top and looking down. I
remember when we used to go through Rand Park when the City of
Christmas was set up and sitting on Santa's lap before going
through. We used to get a tiny candy cane after we told him
what we would like for Christmas. I remember when I used to
have to walk from 7th street bridge all the way to Middle School,
when Middle School was on Main Street.
You don't know what you miss until you are no longer there.
Wendy (Vradenburg) Brown
Savannah, GA
wendyvradenburg@yahoo.com
I remember when my Grandfather and Grandmother owned the Gate City
Seed Company and I was their, well one of their, star employees.
My Uncle Reinie, recently retired Chief of Police was about sixteen
or seventeen and I was nine or ten. We all lived in the big
house at the top of Bank St. and had a ball together.
Every Saturday my Grandmother, Colleen Dobson, would take me a
couple of doors down from the Gate City Seed after paying me my
weekly payroll. She and Grandpa would laugh every week when
they gave me my check for 125.00. But after taxes it came out
to 5.00. I would grin and take my money AND MY GRANDMA to the
that small shop a few doors down and get me a fish sandwich and a
chocolate shake. Man that was the life!!!!
I will write more later. Had fun on this site.
Randy Dobson
Riverside, California
rkennydobson@aol.com
I remember when Keokuk High School staged
their summer musical productions on the track in front of the
grandstand at Calvert Stadium. They may have only done this
for a summer or two. I lived just down Franklin Street from
the grounds of KHS and I would climb the chain link fence around
Calvert to go watch the rehearsals of 'Carousel' and 'The Sound of
Music'. I wanted more than anything to be in one of those
musicals. Later, I was in 'Oliver' which was staged on the
basketball court in Wright Field House. After that summer,
they moved those productions to the Grand Theater.
I loved going to movies at the Grand and sitting in the balcony.
In my memory, the screen seems like it was bigger than almost any
other movie screen I have ever seen with the singular exception of
the one at the Cinerama theater in downtown Seattle. The Grand
was refurbished and re-opened in the early 1960s. My dad took
our family to see 'My Fair Lady' which was the first movie shown
there after the re-opening. I also remember seeing 'Doctor
Zhivago', 'Camelot', 'The Sound of Music', re-releases of 'West Side
Story' and 'The King and I' at the Grand. Those movies have
remained favorites of mine but have not looked as wonderful since
then.
I remember John Artman's 'Images of Man' class and if his son reads
this and Mr. Artman is still around, please give him my respects and
thanks for introducing me to the cultural history of Western
civilization.
I also remember Mrs. Ferguson, the best High School English teacher
that ever lived. Her enthusiasm and Mississippi accent were a
constant joy and inspiration. She always pushed us to do our
best in her class. I still get a little twinge when I remember
her and her untimely death. I was in Sunday school the day
after that tragic car accident that took her and her foster son's
life. Betty Bauch (Reverend Dean Bauch, then of St. Paul's
UCC's wife) came into our class and said that 'Fergy was killed' and
that some of our classmates had been badly injured while driving
home from a debate tournament. I didn't know anything about
the accident at the time and it was a horrible shock.
I also knew Jack and Vera Klotzbach. My aunt (Marg Patterson)
worked for Jack at Chanen's and my mother, my great aunt and I all
sang in St. Paul's church choir with Vera. Vera sang tenor
when there was a lack of voices in that range. My grandparents
lived across from Jack and Vera on Park View Heights.
My dad worked for Union Electric in the powerhouse out in the river
so I have many memories of watching boats go through the locks and
walking out to meet Dad when he got off work. That was a long,
uncovered walk that those guys had to make out into the middle of
the muddy Mississippi in the pouring rain, or with freezing cold
wind blowing at them from off the river.
Thank you to the person who put up the picture of the Street Fair.
I remember that as the highlight of the summer when I was a kid.
The big green and yellow double ferris wheel was always set up at
7th and Main when the fair was on Main Street. My grandmother
would sit on her screen porch up on 7th and Exchange during the
nights of the fair and watch it turn over and over. That also
makes me think of the chiming of the Post Office clock when the Post
Office was at 7th & Blondeau. There was something comforting
about that sound as I lay in bed during the hot, humid summer nights
before we had air-conditioning in the house.
I remember going for rides in the evening out along River Road in
the summer where it was always so cool after a hot day.
Sometimes we would drive down Main and stop at Peters' Dairy (my
folks liked 'real' ice cream so we very rarely went to the DQ) for
an ice cream cone. My favorite was orange sherbet.
The Keokuk Municipal Pool was my second home in the summer while I
was growing up. In the winter we would go to the ice rink
where, being cursed with a decided lack of athletic ability and weak
ankles, I would struggle to get around the rink without falling on
the cold, wet ice. But there were always hot chocolate and
candy bars to compensate for the pain and humiliation.
When I was home from college (thanks, Brad Shark, for all of those
rides between Burlington and Cedar Falls), The Hearth was the place
to go dance, especially if TWWB were playing. The Cellar was
another favorite haunt in the 70s. Great rib-eye sandwiches!
I too remember visiting Santa in the trailer on Main Street and all
of the Christmas lights on the big, impressive houses on Grand
Avenue. Also angle parking and all the people on Main Street,
especially on nights when the stores were open til 9 (Mondays &
Fridays?) Some people have mentioned the old bridge across the
Mississippi. I remember how the traffic used to back up Main
Street whenever it was open to let a boat that was pushing a
particularly long line of barges through. That bridge was so
narrow that driving across it was always a little scary.
There was The Golden Rule, Johnson Schmidt, Lindquists, J. C. Penney
(the old building on Main that had ceiling fans long before - or
after? - they were fashionable), J & S Pharmacy, 2 Chuck Wagons (one
later became George's Pizza), the Main Cafe, Kresge's, Keaslings,
Henke Hardware, Gate City Seed (where we used to go talk to the
minah bird), Stan's Bakery (best creme horns in the Universe) and
many more that my memory won't come up with at the moment.
Later there were Saturday afternoons walking up and down the mall
and in and out of the stores there. Also many Saturday
afternoons spent at the Iowa Theater with my sister and cousins.
As John Lennon said, there are places I remember, some are gone and
some remain. The old town has changed a lot. But the
memories remain. Thanks to all who wrote here and jogged some
of them loose for me.
Mark Scott
Shoreline, WA
mark.travis@gte.net
I remember when I was born
and raised in Keokuk, Iowa. I left Keokuk in 1968 I have only been
back there for funeral of my parents. I wish I could have come home
for my class reunion class of 1967. Growing up in Keokuk, my friends
and I had so much fun, we loved the snow, sleigh riding down the big
hill by the bridge. staying up till midnight to go get those greasy
hot donuts. We would camp out a lot over on the islands, I rode the
surf board when I was only 6 years old. I miss Sterzing potato
chips, tenderloins, skating rink, swimming pool playing street ball
with my neighbor friends. I still keep in touch with them. I do
genealogy work, I would love to get back to Keokuk someday to do
research at the library, get pictures of different places in town. I
know things are really changing and half of the places are
torn down, but I won't ever forget my grade school days at St.
Vincent and high school at Cardinal Stritch. I loved sitting in rand
park watching the boats go down the Mississippi river, you know they
used to call me and my sisters river rats. I know I could never get
bored swimming and water skiing. Keokuk seems to always hold
memories in my mind and heart. I would love to hear from any body
who likes to talk about there memories of Keokuk so email me
at
carpeter2@aol.com
Carolyn(Whalen) Peterie
Bowling Green, Kentucky
carpeter2@aol.com
Currently
I am only 14. I will be 15 in 12 days. Exciting.
I was reading through a lot of these stories. Sadly, I don't have
many memories like them. I can't say that I remember the A&W, or the
fire at Keasling's, any of that.
I was born February 12, 1993 at the Keokuk Area Hospital. I lived
there until the flood of '93. My parents told me we moved because of
that. Too much damage.
We moved to Missouri then back to Keokuk, then somewhere else, then
eventually back to Keokuk. Pretty much, wherever we lived we always
came back. I went to the new Middle school on Orleans, next to the
High School, in sixth grade and part of seventh. Then I moved.
I lived on Exchange, Carol, 9th, and another street. My grandfather
is Everett Frueh Jr. He went by Butch Frueh and I hear people knew
him. He died on his 49th birthday. His wife Cindy Frueh (maiden name
Miller) was killed on Main Street in Keokuk across from what is now
burger king by a drunken driver when my mother was 6. My mother is
Amanda Frueh and my dad is Robert Dailing (not from Keokuk). My
aunt, Wendy Frueh (Canida) and Uncle Randy Frueh. I love them all.
My grandparents, Grandma June Miller and Grandpa Miller, lived on
Timea. I remember visiting them. I remember visiting my Grandpa
Butch and getting lost in his house. He had one of the oldest houses
in Keokuk. It was in horrible condition after he died. I remember
walking everywhere in Keokuk. That always kept me in shape. I
remember when the New Wal-mart was built and the old was turned into
a church.
I remember when the old hs/ms on main street was being demolished.
Now that land is for sale. Still. I remember going down below the
bridge and watching barges come through. I always loved that. I
remember somebody stealing my dog and me stealing him back. He is my
baby. Still. I remember going to the Public Library. Did that ALL
the time. and the Pool. Jeez, EVERY1 loves going there still. My mom
told me when she was a kid the pool would be ABSOLUTELY full. I
can't imagine that because it is never that full. but I do love that
pool.
Other than that, I just remember all of my friends. I won't forget
them. I will always remember them and keep in touch with them.
If any of you reading this knows anybody I mentioned, please let me
know. It would be so cool to hear more stories.
It would be amazing.
Deejay Dailing
Hamilton, Illinois
d_dailing@yahoo.com
Just on a whim this evening I googled Keokuk and this website came
up. When reading the first posting a flood of memories started
to back as it was written by someone I attended KJHS with.
Mike T- I am not sure if you remember me as we moved from Keokuk to
Burlington in 1968. The giveaway that I knew you was when you
mentioned your mother being the "egg lady". I remember the
eggs she painted and being awestruck of the art, the delicacy and
the detail. I recall my mother and sisters being involved with
Rainbow Girls when your mother and sister were active. Oh,
those formals.
So many years have gone by and so much life since I lived in Keokuk.
The first fifteen years of my life were spent there. Until
kindergarten we lived at 1116 Fulton Street (no longer there), next
to a grocery store (no longer there, across the street from a
laundromat (no longer there). We then moved into the third
house completed on Rainbo Drive, before someone changed the spelling
to Rainbow Drive. I never could understand the spelling, but
thought it unique. My parents tried to live up to the street
name by first painting the house a pale pink, then changing it to a
pale orange. It was very special when the house was half pink,
half orange and we had a lavendar Impala underneath the carport.
And friends wonder where my color sense came from :)
Summers were highlighted by spending most days at the Municipal
Pool. I am not sure what was better, the time in the water or
the dreamsicles. Visiting the Dairy Queen and Mrs. Kutcher was
one of my favorite stops during the summer. She made the best
peanut butter milkshakes and I am sure that was the start of my
weight issues.
In winter I would go to the skating rink by the pool for ice
skating. I could never understand how anyone could stand up
with those skinny blades. Living in Minnesota I still am in
awe of people whose ankles don't bend when on skates.
The Street Fair was always a highlight, but best when it was on Main
Street. When it moved to the river front I remember not
wanting to open my mouth on any of the rides for fear of getting a
mouthful of river bugs. Summers would also include catching
catfish on the banks of the Mississippi by Hubinger's while my
father would sleep, except for him having to wake up to remove the
fish from the hook and re-baiting the hooks. The bait reeked
and I was too squeamish to remove the fish.
When the Grand Theatre was refurbished and reopened as a movie
theatre we would have family outings to see newly released "Funny
Girl", "Hello, Dolly", "Around the World in 80 Days", and "Those
Magnificent Men in Those Flying Machines" to name a few.
Before the Grand reopened I recall standing in what seemed like a
very long line waiting to get into the movie theatre on Main Street
to see "101 Dalmations".
Keokuk is still home to the best homemade pie and the best
tenderloin sandwiches I have ever had, both from the Chuck Wagon.
I remember sitting in the varnished pine boothes having supper
(dinner was not in our family vocabulary then). Eating at the
Chuck Wagon was like seeing everyone we knew in Keokuk. It
felt like the center of all activity in town and was always busy.
I can still recall the many different pies available every day. for
a young boy who loved food it was very impressive! When my mother
passed away two years ago and the family returned to Keokuk for the
service and burial I ordered pies from the Chuck Wagon for the
family meal to follow the service, and they were just as good as my
memories.
I recall being very disappointed when the Keosippi Mall was built.
I loved the old feel of downtown and felt the Mall was more of a
blight than the historic two and three story brick buildings that
gave Keokuk charm.
Paetz grocery store was so cool! A covered parking lot-
something I have yet to see anywhere else unless attached to a multi
level parking ramp.
Enough time has passed since I lived in Keokuk that the names, the
faces and many of the memories are blurred, however, there will
always be a fondness in my heart for the town and the time we lived
there.
Brad Shark
Minneapolis, Mn
E_Mail: sharksommers@visi.com
I remember when we first moved to Keokuk in June 1964 and we first
lived at 520 Morgan, and 1.5 years later, we moved to 227 North
Ninth. We had moved from St. Louis and it seemed like culture
shock. All of a sudden, I had a funny last name (from which "Titch"
was eventually derived). That first Labor Day weekend, a bunch
of abandoned buildings burned and out of the ashes arose the then
Holiday Inn and Country Kitchen, which were across from Keosippi
Mall. I remember the first time (at ten) to get on my bicycle
and bravely trek up sixth street to Grand Avenue and find Rand Park
where I found one of the most beautiful views (to this day) I've
ever seen on the bluffs in front of Chief Keokuk's statue. I
remember taking my three offspring there the Saturday after
Thanksgiving in 1997, my two sons were then 9 and 7, and my daughter
was 5. Even all three of them went "WOW!!" as they didn't
believe me when I told them the Mississippi was over a mile wide
behind the dam.
I remember some really great teachers there, Leo Murphy in the fifth
grade, Mr. Kirsten, Mr. Churchill, Mr. Usher and Mrs. Kimmel in
junior high, John Artman and Bruce Van Dever at good ol' KHS along
with nurse Breitenbucher. KCC had Tom Landis and the recently
departed Mrs. Sutlive.
On the rare occasions that relatives visited, they loved the first
batch of doughnuts at 11:30 PM from the Dixie Cream doughnut shop
and fried chicken from the Grand Lunch. I loved to go the
Chuck Wagon, The A&W Stand, Tipenbud's, George's Pizza and later on,
the Draught House and The Cellar (which makes the best hamburger
I've ever had to this day) and other fine establishments where one
could replenish lost bodily fluids. I also remember Mr.
Bradley's barbeque business where you could get the best ribs ever.
I remember playing bumper pool with George Weiny, one of the finest
men I've ever had the privilege of knowing. And two of the
best friends God ever blessed me with are still there, "Rabbit" and
Jan. I used to help with the props (I was one of a few who raised
and lowered backdrops) of the Summer Drama Musicals held at the
Grand Theater, and remembering that one scene from "My Fair Lady"
was so long, some of us prop folk would sneak out, go the to Dairy
Queen, get a snack and there was still 20 minutes left to that scene
when we'd get back (and how boisterous the song "Get Me To The
Church On Time" was, because everybody involved in the play, us prop
folk, the make-up/costume folk, anybody else who had no business
being backstage would sing the chorus). Even audience members
asked one time "Why is that song SO loud????" after the show.
I remember that my mother was "The Egg Lady" for her Easter egg
decorating and my father was often the PA announcer at Keokuk Chief
HS football and basketball games. My parents are buried at the
National Cemetery by Oakland Cemetery. The Chiefs went to the
state basketball tournament my sophomore year in 1970, led by Roy
Burchette, Clyde Turner, Mike Adkins, Dan Roan (sports anchor for
WGN in Chicago), Danny Peterson and Gordie Williams. I
remember collaborating with John Marion when I was an
alternate-delegate from Iowa for the 1972 Democratic National
Convention as he could type in my phoned stories from Miami Beach
due to the advent of recent development, the word processor.
Sadly, I remember when Mr. Marion suddenly passed away two years
later. My parents and sister were out of town at a state
Rainbow Girls convention. I was 20 that summer, and I thought
I should do what my mother would do, so I baked a homemade pound
cake and took it to the Marion household that Saturday night.
Lo and behold, Mrs. Marion, the widow, was so pleased that she
invited me into the parlor where Mr. Marion's body was (closed
casket), my classmate Ben Marion was there and how so many different
people passed through that evening relishing their favorite John
Marion stories.
I remember the bassets the Marions had and how my mother suggested
to a neighbor (who also had a basset which was in her breeding time)
that she entice either Moses or Solomon to the basement where they
could allow nature to take it's course. Lo and behold, it
worked!!! However, we all howled at John Marion's column about
the three-day disappearance of his dog.
I also remember Ben Marion and I reading a fairly new comic strip,
"Doonesbury" in front of John Artman's "Humanities" class the fall
of my senior year (1971). I can remember football/basketball, track
and field trips to places like Ft. Madison, Quincy, Burlington, Mt.
Pleasant, Ottumwa, Davenport, Chariton, Centerville, Hannibal and
other exotic locales. I remember the KJHS football teams going
to watch Iowa Hawkeye football games in 1967 and 1968 when I was in
8th and 9th grades. I remember Henke Hardware, Keosippi Mall,
the Hotel Iowa, Keaslings, Security State Bank, State Central and
Keokuk Savings bank, and what a fuss there was when McDonald's
opened up there circa 1977. I remember riding my bike to end
of Morgan and sitting on the stone wall watching barges go through
Lock and Dam #19. After closing down the roller/ice skating
rink, I remember skating on the pond at Rand Park, and I remember
finding the lake out by Powdertown. I loved skipping rocks on
the river by the George M. Verity, and a bit further south, playing
on the docks where citizens left their boats tied to log/decks.
I loved climbing down and/or up the bluff in front of Chief Keokuk's
statue. I remember Mike Shea poking fun at my late father on
April Fool's day every year, one time it was "A Soviet submarine has
docked in Montrose and we need a Russian translator! Where is
Boris Tertichny????". Another year, Soviet cosmonauts
allegedly landed in Basco, IL and of course, the same mock plea.
I also remember his very serious eulogy on radio after my father had
suddenly passed away. I played baseball at Joyce Park for a
senior (teen) league and also ol' Keokuk U. (SE Iowa Area CC -
Keokuk campus) which had also seen Roger Maris, Tim McCarver and
Bill Madlock played. However, I was unable to match their
success as they did post-Joyce Park. "Rabbit" and I would play
basketball on the court behind the Huiskamps, or at night at the lit
courts in Hamilton, IL or we'd be mall rats and walk home from
football and basketball practices.
I worked at the Keokuk Country Club, Phillip 66 at 16th and Main (a
few times), Arrowhead Bowl, Sheller Globe, the Burlington Northern
Railroad (boy did that rail yard stink behind Hubingers in 1973
after two floods that year - or one prolonged flood, snowmelt in
April and torrential rains in May/June), and Keokuk Steel Castings.
Before those kinds of employers, I mowed more lawns than I care to
remember. KSC ensured my graduating college in four years as I
did not wish to work there another summer. My first post
college job was with the construction company which built Griffin
Wheel, which then led me to my travels across the US with that
employer. Oh yeah, I remember the last true "gas war".
It was the summer of 1972, regular was 26.9 cents a gallon and
premium was 29.9 cents a gallon. I remember Keokuk's Labor Day
celebrations, one of which I attended, I heard the "Voice of God",
then Governor Harold Hughes whom I later was allowed to befriend
with my political involvement in the 70s.
I remember first learning computers with the BN RR, and I also
remember rumors in 1973 that Coca Cola was switching from sugar to
corn syrup (hence, Hubingers) back then, the old Y closing and the
new Y opening up. Kids used to take their cars on the weekends
and do donuts on the wide expanse by KHS on Middle Road and when no
snow, cruising up and down Main Street. I remember touch
football games on Sunday in Rand Park the fall of my senior year,
coed touch games. A bunch of former HS classmates got together
in the summer of 1974, drove out to Jabberwocky and jumped in the
Des Moines River to go tubing, and then there was a cookout
afterwards.
For good or bad, the Keokuk I remember was a place where everybody
knew your name. Much of what I carry with me was fashioned in
Keokuk from events both good and bad. I've heard references to
Keokuk in John Wayne movies, sports columns in the Pittsburgh Post
Gazette and other places. Others, who when I tell them I lived
in Keokuk, remember the old bridge, hamburgers from The Cellar or
other references we wouldn't imagine. Keokuk has made national
news, but usually only in tragedy, like when the Armory blew up in
November 1965, or the firefighters who perished before Christmas
1999. May the souls of those who died in each rest in peace.
Many families greatly impacted me: the Worster family, the Davis
family (around the corner @ 9th and High), the Bunton family, two of
the Huiskamp families, the Rankin's, the Marion's, the Rulons, the
Bartholomew's, the Folluo's, the Carter's, the Riter's and many,
many others...the list would go on forever.
The Keokuk's of the world are diminishing or being greatly reduced.
As a worker (Chicago native) for a client pointed out to me at the
Griffin Wheel plant my then employer was constructing, "Everybody in
a town this size goes to the same schools, grocery stores, movie
houses and other places regardless of their income status or race,
color or creed. You get to see how the other side lives!"
Thank you, Keokuk.
Titch
Charleroi, PA
E_Mail:
mtitch@msn.com
I left a glaring omission from the 1970 Keokuk Chiefs basketabll
team, Steve High. My apologies. I also remember that
only once did the Keokuk School District call off school for a snow
day while I lived there.
I remember when they built a new bank on north
4th between Main & Blondeau. The construction workers used to give
me money to walk down to the Pepsi place between 5th & 6th on
Blondeau to get them and me a pepsi. A quarter bought four bottles
and paid the deposits on them. They let me keep the penny change and
then let me have their empty bottles. I ended up with a free Pepsi
and change in my pocket! That new bank later became the place where
we now pay our water bill.
I remember when First Community Bank at 4th & Concert was the main
office for Keokuk Electro Metals, later known as Ferro-Sil. I've
been told that my aunt & uncle owned an apartment house on that sight,
but I don't remember that.
I remember when they built the new library on
5th & Concert. I never heard of a round building before. It was in a
much nicer neighborhood than the old library.
I remember the old sheriffs office, also on the corner of 5th &
Concert, across the street from the new library. We used to stop at
the sheriffs office to get Tootsie Rolls from Sheriff "Toots"
Delahoyd. Sometimes we had to wait awhile because they were busy so
we would look at the pictures that they had on the wall, of terrible
car wrecks.
I remember the old YMCA on the corner of 5th & Blondeau. I also
remember that the girls Y was across the street. We used to go to
dances in the basement of the YWCA.
I remember when the U.S. Post office was on the corner of 7th &
Blondeau. The Lee County offices and District Court are there now.
The Army recruiter and Navy recruiter were on the third floor. There
wasn't an elevator in the building at that time. You had to walk up
the marble stairs. I always wanted to go up in the clock tower so I
could look out over the city. Never did.
I remember riding up & down the elevator in the State Central Bank
building. Until we got caught and were told never to do it again.
I remember riding up & down the elevator in the Masonic Building,
too. Until we got caught and were told not to do it again.
I remember riding on the elevator in the Hotel Iowa, too. A man with
only one hand was the elevator operator. We always rode to the 7th
floor. We told the one handed man that we were going to the KOKX
radio office. We weren't but that was the only way that we could
ride the elevator. I don't know why I was crazy for elevators, but I
was.
I remember going to school at the old Washington Central school. I
went to school there all the way through elementary school except
for part of the sixth grade when I went to Jefferson school. I don't
think Ms. White was happy that we moved back to her school district
to finish the sixth grade. I was a pain in her neck, I think. I
don't think I ever was real popular with the teachers in the Keokuk
school system. (you had to be there to understand)
I remember when St. Joe Hospital built their new addition. Now its
not even a hospital. Its Roquette America's office building.
I remember when part of Graham Hospital was an old white stucco
house on the corner of 15th and Fulton. My grandmother Byrne passed
away there when I was small.
I remember when Keokuk had several new car dealerships. There was a
Ford dealership at Third & Main, Rowes had a Cadillac & Oldsmobile
dealership where the Big G grocery store on Blondeau street was,
George Koch had a Pontiac dealership on north 9th street, Jemison
had a Chevy dealership on 8th & Main and Tigues had a Chrysler
dealership across the street from Jemison's. Later, Leon Sharp had a
Ford, Lincoln, Mercury dealer ship on the corner of 12th and Main.
He eventually bought up all of the buildings on the main street
portion of that block and tore all of the buildings down and had the
biggest car lot in town. J.H.Wilkins had a cadillac dealership in a
building that faced Main St but was connected to George Koch's
Pontiac dealership on north 9th.Wilkins had a round, glass enclosed
showroom that held one car and revolved in a circle. These
dealerships were all in business during the time that when new model
year cars were introduced it was a big deal. They covered their
showroom windows with paper so you couldn't see the new cars until a
certain date in September. Cars were delivered in the early morning
with car covers on them so the general public couldn't see them.
They made a big production out of the new model year. The big 3
changed body styles EVERY year, not every 5 or 10 years like they do
today. That was when cars had class and style and lots of chrome and
fins!
I remember when power steering and air conditioning and automatic
transmissions were optional on new cars and would cost you extra. I
remember when you could order a car built to your specifications,
try that today.
I remember learning to ride my bike at the lower parking lot of the
new locks while the locks were being built.
I remember taking a tour under the new locks when I was child.
I remember when Union Electric would give free tours of the
powerhouse.
I remember when there was nothing to do, you could always go down to
the lock & dam and watch the barges lock through from the roof of
the bathroom building.
Those days are all gone...but I still have my memories!
Mike Byrne
Keokuk
E_Mail:
mikebyrne51@hotmail.com
I remember when I was only 3 years old
back in 1974. I was so proud to be in the Pucka-She-Tuck
Parade. I remember my grandmothers garden and all the vegetables
that she grew. She made enough for the whole winter. I
remember picking mulberry's and trying to tell my grandmother that I
wasn't eating any.
I remember the smell of Hubinger's. I never knew what they did
there until about 10 years ago. My mother and her friend owned
Lazorland and I thought I was the coolest kid around because I could
get all the free tokens that I wanted. Oh my the Chuck Wagon.
My mother worked there and we would go in there before the sun came
up and make donuts in the basement. And the bakery. My
Grandma and I would walk there and I always got the coolest sugar
cookies. Walking to Millies which was across the street from
the theatre. She would get her usual and I would get Millies
famous cheeseburgers. She always new they tasted better when
they were cut in half.
Every summer when the Street Fair came
to town. Then when it was down by the river. I always
had a fear the the Ferris Wheel was going to tip into the River.
The smell is what I remember most. Oh, what I would give to
smell that again. The summers at the Public Pool. That
was the spot.
I remember losing a
classmate, Lori Betts. It was my first time dealing with
death.
I'm laughing right now
thinking about walking to the Keokuk Middle School in the middle of
winter and by the time I got there, my hair would be frozen.
I may have moved away from Keokuk at
an early age but Keokuk is who I am. It has made me who I am
today. Being in Florida has not taken the Iowa girl outta me!
I will always be from Keokuk.
Sena A. Steinke
Sebastian, Florida
sena14369@hotmail.com
I remember when I lived 118 Blondeau
St. Bunch Chicken Hatchery was across the alley. Cloyd "Tennessee"
Page and his extended family lived next door. Mom had a picture
window installed in the kitchen so we could have a view of the
Mississippi River. I remember when she woke up in the middle of the
night thinking that the house was on fire, it did look like it with
the reflections of the fire in the two picture windows (one in the
kitchen & the other in the front of the house). In reality it was
the Bunch Chicken Hatchery that was on fire. I remember Tennessee
Page arguing with a fireman about him getting his new car out of the
garage. Tennessee won the argument when he drove it out of the
garage & up the alley.
I remember playing on the long walkway from the alley to the
building at the KKK Medicine building. This walkway was suspended
from the alley to the second floor of the building. A fall from this
walkway would have been fatal to a child.
I remember getting refrigerator boxes from Montgomery Wards trash
bin on 6th and Main and dragging them home so my friends and I could
ride the box down the hill between the Mississippi River bridge and
Sigmund Tent Co. In the winter we rode our sleds.
I remember going to "Iry Hutcherson's" junk store and buying used comic
books for two cents each, then selling them back to Iry for a penny
when I was finished reading them.
I remember when they tore down the old police station on north sixth
street between Main & Blondeau. The Gate City paper was just across
the street and a reporter came out and took my picture playing in
the rubble with my toy trucks. My friend, Billy Mullikin, never got
his picture taken because his mom made him go in to eat lunch. His
dad ran Mr.Lucky's and they lived upstairs.
I remember buying bottles of Pepsi for a nickel at the Pepsi place between
5th & 6th on Blondeau.
I remember when Billy Eaton & his family lived where the new Telephone Co.
relocated to. They tore his house down to build the Telephone Co.
building. I remember when my uncle Don Holland delivered the new
fangled dial phone equipment to the new Telephone Co. building on
one (or more) of his semi trucks.
I remember when they gave us a new phone number (524-1171) and we
could dial any number we wanted and not have to worry about the
operator listening in.
I remember when the "Firebug" was loose in Keokuk. I don't remember anyone
being arrested for arson, but I do know that Keokuk benefited from
his handiwork. We got a new mall and several blocks of urban blight
disappeared.
I had a paper route that took me down to "that part of town". I remember
the Palace Cafe on Third street. I remember several Third street
taverns. I remember the Keokuk Public Library across the street from
a tavern. I remember a house of "ill repute" at 21 1/2 s.3rd street,
I delivered the Gate City there!
I remember walking to Rand Park with Charlie Hewitt and his sister Laurie
and other neighborhood children to go swimming before the "new" pool
was built in 1957 and after the new pool opened in 1958 because the
25 cent admission price was to expensive for my parents to pay
everyday.
I remember when Kenny Shutt had his radiator shop on south second street.
I remember when Fran Whiteside had Whiteys Tire Mart between second
and third on Main. I remember the Grand Hotel (I don't recall it
being all that grand, though) between second and third on Main. I
remember the antique yellow three-wheeled car in the window of the
building on the corner 3rd and main. It was later in the lobby of
the new library, but has since disappeared.
Funny how I can remember things from 50 years ago but can't remember
getting old.
Mike Byrne
City: Keokuk
mikebyrne51@hotmail.com
I remember when life was slow and easy in Keokuk, Iowa.
Walking to the Busy Bee on the corner of 7th and High to get penny
and 5 cent candy. Where you could fill a small paper sack for
a quarter.
Walking to Washington Central grade school and my kindergarten
teacher Mrs. Williams who used to tie my hat for me and I kissed
good-bye everyday just like a member of my family. In second
grade the teachers went on strike and we thought we were so cool
cause we got to sit on top of our desks. In third grade Mrs.
Inskeep lets us "experiment" where I learned that beet juice and
baking soda made an awesome volcano of pink bubbles!
Getting clothes at Sullivan-Auwerda or shoes at Baur-Mullarky.
When summer was picnics on the bluff near the old bridge or going to
Rand park with the fire engine and the old canon.
When you grow up in Keokuk two things are part of your soul.
The Mississippi river and the pride in the town's namesake Chief
Keokuk. Where you never get tired of watching the water roll
and would defend to the death your pride in being a "CHIEF".
Where we never felt anything but pride in the Indians, not like
today when that seems to be politically incorrect.
The street fair was from 14th and main to 2nd street when I was
young. Then it moved to the river front and was never the same
after that.
We had the best Dairy Queen around when the Kutcher's owned it.
Mrs. Kutcher would always give extra cherries in her cherry milk
shakes. She reminded me of my grandma and the lines were
always long and well worth the wait. I remember going to the
Dairy Queen in the evenings wearing my pj's in our mini motorhome.
We would take the Crenshaws and make an outing of it. What a
blast!
Even our dog got a dish at the Dairy Queen, and when we went Mrs.
Kutcher always knew a small dish with no spoon for her!
Dixie Cream donuts were the best donuts I have EVER had. No
donut shop today compares. They had a counter where regulars
would go for coffee and donuts early on Saturday morning when my Dad
would go and pick them up for us. But you had to get there
early cause they went fast!
The A&W was great with the window trays and call boxes. I'll
never forget when we first got electric windows and my Dad would
tease us by rolling up our windows and we would roll them back down.
Well one day sitting at the A&W with a tray full of drinks Dad hit
the wrong button. We all lost it over that one.
There was also a Kings food host that had phones in the booths where
you would call your order in.
When I was really little we used to go to a burger place next to the
Dairy Queen in a building with the laundry mat. We would get
burgers that were really cheap and milk shakes. That was a
special treat.
I remember summer musicals with the Goeke's and marching band
practice. Marching for miles around the neighborhoods near the
high school. Sitting in my car at Victory park watching the
barges on the river. Or watching fireworks from the hillside
on fourth of July.
I remember dragging Main Street in the evenings. It was the
main social entertainment for teenagers. We would stop and
talk in the mall parking lot or in the K-Mart parking lot. The
police didn't like that too much though.
The thing I remember the most though is pride in my town. I
come back at least once a year and still consider Keokuk home.
There are lots of changes, the economy seems to be down there but I
hope that Keokuk bounces back. I would love to come back to live
there someday. My heart is there...and always will be.
Lisa (Bartholomew) Hayes
Commerce Township, Michigan
KeokukIWA@aol.com
I remember when I was a young child always going to Keokuk with my
Mom who is from Keokuk. Almost my entire family still live there or
close to Keokuk. We would drive from Arkansas to Iowa for Christmas'
Thanksgivings, and more funerals than I like to remember.
My Grandma and My Great Grandma still live in the Mississippi
Terrace. I think I have a Great Aunt there also.
My Aunts and Uncles are for the most part still there and a lot of
our family is buried in Oakland, Scandinavian, and the National
Cemetery.
I am planning another trip there next month but I remember when the
Street Fairs where there in the summer. Fishing for Carp for my
Great Grandma to pressure cook. I remember walking from Grandma's
house on Palean to the Seven eleven for Pepsi and peanuts.
My Mom used to work at Oakland cemetery with her friend Chris Happs
she tells me stories all the time.
My Grandpa used to take my Mom and her brother and sister to the
Eagles Nest and they would watch him play Dominos.
My uncle Pete "Pee Wee" and Great Grandma would sit around and talk
about the old days. My cousins and I would walk the streets at all
hours of the night catching lighting bugs and playing tag.
I wish I could live those days all over again, I can still smell old
Hubingers!
I also remember the Potato Queen, Man I feel old now, even at only
31.
Christy Kirkland
Fayetteville,Arkansas
BoogerCountyBaby@aol.com
I remember so much about my home town now that long term memory has
kicked in replacing what I did yesterday. I was born in Keokuk in
Graham Hospital thanks to my wonderful Mother and Father in 1933 and
left in 1959 when General Mills sent me to the big city of
Minneapolis. I
have read with great interest all those memories from the old and
young. Our generation had a special time being born in the days of
the Great Depression, reaching our youth stage in WWII, then came
the days of the accelerating economy. During the war my brother
Wesley served in the 5th army and remember when a telegram would
arrive from the war department and we were afraid to open it but
fortunately it was an automated message wishing my Mother Happy
Mother's Day. Another brother, Donald, served in the Army Air Force.
Both their names are on the recently erected memorial in Keokuk.
Most of the landmarks of 'old' Keokuk I remember well and the joy of
growing up and reaching adulthood in that wonderful little city on
the Mississippi. I say city as I believe the population was
16-17,000 during those years. It was a prosperous city with a base
of manufacturing and served as a shopping hub for the tri-state
area. Saturday nights the town would overflow with locals and
visitors alike. Later the local merchants decided Friday night would
be the stay open shopping time. I still scratch my head over that.
From my memory I wish to dwell on an activity that has influenced me
to this day. I remember well the dragging main street, the soda
shops, the bars, the dances, the parties our gang had on the spur of
the moment. If I did some of those things now I would be let out
only on limited free time. What is that something that still serves
me at my ripe old age? The fantastic music culture to which we were
introduced. From the grade school days and tooting on something that
looked like an ocarina. Going to Wells-Cary school on Saturdays by
the town bus to practice. Listening to the Carnival of the Animals
at Mrs. Kiedaisch's house. Her son Bill became an accomplished
trumpet player and we roomed together one year at the University of
Iowa. GO HAWKS!
Later we had memberships to the Civic Music Association to attend
concerts in the Grand Theater. There we listened to professional
musicians of the highest caliber. The Minneapolis Symphony (now the
Minnesota Orchestra), Jerome Hines of the Metropolitan Opera, Morley
Meridith of the Met, and many others. We were introduced to the
Vienna Choir Boys on their inaugural tour of the United States. I
heard them some years later in Minneapolis and amazingly they had
not grown. When I relate this to friends they find it difficult to
imagine a city our size had this offering of culture. Then I studied
voice with Mrs. Schouten (sp?) a diminutive lady whose voice could
shatter glass. Her husband owned the bakery in town. My brother Wes
and sister Arlene also studied with her and Arlene went on to sing
with the Muni Opera in St. Louis. One very fond memory was having
dinner after the concert with Jerome Hines, his wife, Dale and Edna
Carroll of the Daily Gate City, and my Mother. My brush with
greatness. David
L. Banghart
Rockport, TX.
E_Mail: sailboi69@msn.com
I remember when my Grandpa (Walt
Heavin) would take me to Rand Park as a kid and fish in the fishing
Derby every year with my cane pole. When we would go to Daylight
Donuts and the ladies that made the donuts would make me a special
long john with extra filling because we went there almost every
Saturday. I remember how mad my grandpa used to get agitated at the
restaurant in HyVee because after his heart surgery they wouldn’t
make his eggs with the good old bacon grease he liked. (It was
eggbeaters from then on) I remember when you could take a glass
bottle into the store get ten cents and walk out with a pocket full
of monster chews. We lived on Williams street growing up and right
on top of the hill above us was Bluff Park. (I think) What I do
remember is going down the hill with fishing poles in hand and
getting a line wet in the mighty Mississippi. I remember digging up
red wigglers from underneath the grain belts by the river and then
catching the massive carp that were always biting. I remember the
old bait shop right down the street from the HI HO and the starlight
bar with the pictures of the six foot catfish and dreamed of
catching one that big myself. I remember when a box of 22 shells was
99 cents at Jacks and Dairy Queen closed down for the Winter.( I
don’t know if they still do.) I remember my first grade teacher at
Lincoln Elementary Mr Keesy, second grade was Mrs. Harniture (Definetly
misspelled), third grade was Mrs. Templeton, Fourth grade was Mr.
Brewer and my fifth grade teacher was Mrs. Shurtleff. I remember
playing underneath 7th street bridge and catching crawdads for fish
bait. (We eat them down here.) I remember when Hubinger's did not
own the whole river front south of the locks and spillway. I
remember when that lady was killed right across from the police
station in the Aldi's parking lot by her husband and he almost got
away. I remember sledding down 10th street hill hoping when i got to
the bottom I wouldn’t get hit by a passing car. I sometimes miss it
and someday I will take my kids back and show them where I grew up.
Josh H.
Ragley La.
E_Mail:
joshua.m.humes@conocophillips.com
I remember many,
many trips to Keokuk to visit my mothers family. My
sisters and I remember coming across Kansas in cars way before
air conditioning to go to the Lindner family farm out on Johnson
Street Rd. I remember going in to town to see my grandmother
Louise, but we liked the farm best. Sometimes we would go down
Johnson street road to my uncle Irv's house so we could play with my
cousin Janet and if we were real brave we would go into Little Mound
cemetery at night. I still like coming to Keokuk and visiting, as a
matter of fact we are coming this summer. I do genealogy
research and I want to revisit some of the places I went when I was
young and not paying that much attention.
Christine
Broomfield, Colorado
E_Mail: csr-3@yahoo.com
I remember when you could go to the
Street Fair for hours, it seemed that the time would never end.
I remember going to P.N. Hirsch to get new shoes. There was a
guy named "Porkchops" who rode his bike around town and he would
play the spoons like crazy, pretty talented with those spoons, HA!
We could go to the movies for 25 cents on Saturdays, I remember the
Grand, what a beautiful place. And oh my gosh, those Sterzings
potato chips, I still have them sent to me when I feel the need to
eat a whole bag. I remember and I miss the simpler times that we
had, people were friends with each other, the pizza hut in the
little mall was the big hangout, you could walk the whole length of
main street without a worry. Johnson Schmidt was the place to
buy your new levis. I go back home at least 1 time every year
and each time I do I think that maybe I just need to buy some
property in Keokuk so I can always have that piece of my life.
Ahhh the memories
Sheryl (Dresden)Lucey
St Petersburg FL
E_Mail: ilannoy57@hotmail.com
I remember a lot about living in Keokuk. Although I was 12 when I
moved away, I still have vivid memories of growing up there. I'm
only 16 so my view of Keokuk is a little updated. I remember my
parents telling me stories of how they bought all my baby clothes
from Montgomery Ward. I remember when Keasling's burned down, I
lived on exchange between 18th and 19th streets, you could see the
smoke from my backyard. I remember when Jacks went out of business.
I remember my parents taking me to Chuck Wagon after church, for
Sunday Brunch. I remember my sister and I sometimes being the only
African-American kids at Wells-Carey. My fifth grade teacher was Mrs.
Linda Fischer. in my eyes she will always be the best teacher I ever
(will ever) had (have). I remember going trick or treating over on
grand avenue. I remember the tragic fire in December 1999 that
claimed the lives of 3 kids and 3 firefighters. I remember going
sledding on dead mans hill in the national cemetery. I remember
taking field trips to garland school. I remember going to a&w for
hotdogs and a root beer float. I remember when Hy-Vee and county
market were remodeled. I remember when the new middle was built over
by the high school. i was in the first 6th grade class that went
there. I remember when my sister fell in the pond at rand park when
she got too close to the edge. I remember the part of town by
Lincoln school always smelling like what that factory made. I
remember going to the river to see the barges pass. I remember going
to camp Eastman for Boy Scout camp. I remember going to the public
pool in the summers. I remember being in or watching all the parades
that Keokuk had. I still visit Keokuk every now and then and it
seems to be heading in the wrong direction. It's too bad because I
used to like living there.
Randall Galbrerath
Evanston, Illinois
mama.s_boy_09@yahoo.com
I remember when Keokuk used to be my life I've loved it and hated it
but this town always draws you back for a visit but no matter how
much you say it you will come back you feel at home here the past of
this town the history is so great and we take advantage of it.
KEOKUK is not what it used to be and we need to work on it I
LOVE KEOKUK! we need to bring it back to life its dieing and we know
it. I hear so many people saying it. Lets bring it back. I'd hate to
see a town with so much love and all die out like it is. anyway I
LOVE KEOKUK I wouldn't trade it for the the world!
Will
America
thewayiswithinwill@yahoo.com
We only lived in Keokuk for a short
time of two years, moving away last summer in 2006. There are
things I remember fondly and other things that were more difficult.
But I can say that I miss the simplicity of living in the Midwest.
I miss the chocolate milk in the glass bottles. It was
delicious. I have thought of moving back just for that.
Maybe there is still a hope for Keokuk to grow and prosper. I
hope so! I wish for all the success in the world to come your
way Keokuk! I hope that the mall succeeds. I think about
you every day Keokuk. I sometimes think of returning and
running for mayor. Or maybe just sitting back and watching
someone else take on all the responsibility, but then that's never
been me. Maybe I should come back and re-climb the mountain!
What do you think?
Jon Warren
City: Washington, Utah
E_Mail: astinc17@yahoo.com
Who am I??
I remember when I remember when a man named John Marion had "One
Man's Opinion.
When Solomon and Moses roamed the streets....once caught by a Gate
City photographer carrying a huge bone between them from Benners on
6th and Johnson.
O'Connor was Pastor and Eugene Schmidt was Asst @ St Mary's.
Mears had a Super-Valu, Paetz took over and I believe Myers ran it
later along with a smaller one in Hamilton.
The State hadn't widened Main Street and we had a Street Fair from
13th/16th to almost 2nd street.
People managed to keep 2 Catholic Elementary Schools open and a HS.
They also had 3 Catholic Churches. Then a priest called Goetsch came
…….
Mrs. Boyd was a teacher at St. Mary’s. The SSND ran St. Mary’s and
you had to protect your lunch from falling dust as you ate it in the
unfinished basement of the school.
Wilfred Spring was Scoutmaster of Troop 36.
Keokuk was a member of the Little Six Conference. Larry Holton a
running back of some repute.
Dick Hutcherson, Ramo Stott, Don White, Ernie Derr all raced.
A mailman nicknamed “Tiny” delivered your mail along with another
one called “Chick.”
The convenient Mall fire hadn’t clear the seedier side of town out.
Although who can beat an exploding Humes Distributing semi-trailer
load of Beer Kegs as a spectacle.
Jim Schneider was a Counselor. His Brother John worked at Seither
and Cherry as a Tinner.
Eastman was a Camp. Buck Murphy did a great job maintaining it
His wife Jeanie was the Cook and I think their child were Linda,
Ruthie, Joe and Jim. Camp dogs were named Beans and Bacon.
Western Auto was on 10th run by the Haeberleins (ck that spell).
Henke had a Hardware Store and was Mayor for a time. Tallarico's had
an Appliance store.
The Roosts ran Tigue Motors, Leon was sharp at Sharpe Motors and
Jemisons had the Chevy shop.
Mrs Edwards worked at the Library.
Teen Dances were at the KC’s and the Y on North 5th.
St Joe’s was a Hospital.
MacManus and MacManus split to allow one to become a Judge and Neil
to save Ronald Stump and open a PBR Beer Distributorship on 7th and
Johnson.
Independent and Streeter’s were Lumberyards @14th & Main and 3rd &
Des Moines.
Rein Dobson’ Grandfather called the cops every time they flew model
airplanes at Jefferson School……coincidentally a PD Dobson later
lead.
Colleen and Kenny Dobson ran Gate City Seed with the infamous Mynah
Bird.
Nye’s ran a junkyard near the Missouri Bridge. Delmar was injured in
an accident at Union Electric when a Hi-Ranger aerial bucket
crashed.
Another McManis & McManis were carpenters and built homes
Gross Furniture. Who can forget our town’s most prominent Jewish
Family especially when 2 of them are named Kayla and Julie.
Possibly to be continued……………………….
John Blonde
Toronto
ExcitableBoy07@sbcglobal.net
My 10-yr-old grand-daughter in Phoenix
told me about this website. She was doing a report on the
State of Iowa for school and she looked up "Keokuk" because she knew
her Gramma Jane (maiden name: Alicia Jane O'Gorin) was born there in
1941, attended St. Vincent's Grade School and St. Peter's High
School and was in the first graduating class of Cardinal Stritch in
1959 (new name that year for the old St. Pete's).
The memories I have are much the same as those of you who grew up
there in the 40's and 50's. We didn't know it at the time, but
it was definitely the Best of Times. Picnics at Peter's Grove
and I especially LOVED the big one given by Keokuk Electro-Metals
for all the workers and their families each summer! All the
free ice-cream bars & dixie-cups (remember those wooden spoons??)
you could eat. Then when I was in high-school, I worked at
Peter's Dairy Store. I remember the HUGE banana splits we made
... could barely balance them all the way to the table to serve them
... cost a whopping 35-cents and was the most expensive ice-cream
treat we made! I also remember my pay was 35-cents-an-hour.
Up the street was "Pete's" or "Smitty's" and it was the REAL
hang-out. I remember the dance-floor in the back and dancin' to Bill
Haley and the Comets "Rock Around the Clock" and the
grilled-rolls and cherry cokes from the fountain and what we called
"a nickel bag" (a small bag of potatoe chips) that we would open and
place in the middle of the table so we could all eat them.
We'd tell Smitty, "I'll take a cherry coke and a nickel bag."
I remember his daughters, too: Carol and her older sister.
Tippenbud, the Chuck Wagon, the A&W
... and those Tenderloins that hung way out past the bun ... the
Drive-In Movie. Oh, I also worked at the A&W as a car-hop for
awhile and after shift every Saturday night, all us car-hops would
hop in the trunk of somebody's car and sneak into the drive-in for
the Midnite Movie. I recall Bev Brown was the ring-leader in
all that criminal activity.
We lived on the corner of 7th & Bank after moving from West K when I
was in 1st Grade. I remember West K very well where we lived
in the shadow of Hubingers and I still can hear the whistles blow
... and on 7th & Bank I like to say we lived in the shadow of St.
Peter's Church. Attended daily Mass there for years and
remember Father Murphy, Father Laffey, & Father Hart. I walked
each day one-block up 7th Street Hill to St. Vincents Grade School
and then just a couple blocks the other direction to St. Pete's for
high school. The Sisters of Charity that taught us were
probably the most powerful influence on my life, next to my mother
and all her wonderful sisters, and all the great friends and
classmates (some of whom I am still in touch with: Launa (Henry)
Blickhan and Marie (Arvidson) Lyons. My dear old friends whom
I kept in touch until their passing were Bev Brown and Mary Sue
Jackson. Both are saints for sure (but they would never admit
it). So many people in Keokuk left their mark on me.
I remember the many drives around town and out River Road in my
high-school sweetheart's old 47 Plymouth Coupe. I remember Joe
Mac's red convertible and a junior-boy (can't remember who, probably
Bob Kraus) jumping out the window of Sister Victoria's upstairs
classroom and landing in that car below.
The Street Fairs, The Watermelon Festivals, the Grape Festivals, any
excuse for a gathering ... and gather we did! Best of all:
MacNamara's Band!! And doing the Irish Jig down Main Street on St.
Patrick's Day (we also performed it on stage). I remember the
old St. Peter's Clubhouse that stood directly across from the church
and we had basketball games there (upstairs) and dances there
(downstairs). I remember a kid named Joe Roost who played the
calliope in parades, too. And I remember the calliope on the
river boat ...and the bells that chimed out the old hymns from the
bell-tower of the Baptist Church every Sunday evening ... and how
the Catholic Churches bells rang out "The Angeles" at regular
intervals.
Well, I'm 66 years old now and I have HUNDREDS more great memories
of my growing-up years in Keokuk 1941-1962. I can still smell
the smells of the factories, hear the sound of the chimes & bells,
feel the sticky-heat of the summers and the dank, musty, dusty
places like the downstairs in the Old Library and the Iowa Theater
(10-cent matinees of Roy Rogers & Gene Autry were my favorites).
What a blessing to grow up in Keokuk
with all my wonderful relatives nearby and all the great childhood
friends I had. The Keokuk of the 40's & 50's was Norman
Rockwell Stuff at its best. That's the way I remember it!
I have been transplanted here in Durango, Colorado. Have lived
in the same house for almost 40 years now and I have seemingly put
down roots here. But after reading all these posts, I recall
my true roots once again ... they are in KEOKUK.
Alicia Jane (O'Gorin) Vogt
vogt@frontier.net
I got to make the Sept.06 trip to
Keokuk this year for the Nauvoo fest, and the Colchester/Carthage
fest. What a great time. What beautiful weather also. Mooched off
one of my brother's, and his wife. We had a fire outside every
night. Sis-in-law made me TENDERLOINS! I don't care what kinda bun
you buy, the Tenderloin Always sticks out side the BUN..lol
Drove around to some of the old places, Grand Ave. Main street, hit a few
Antique shops, Rand Park. Went to the Locks and watched a barge come
through. Walked out on the old metal bridge, Ah the bike trips
across that baby.
It's THE RIVER, folks. It's the RIVER. Hard to see the River driving
across the new bridge.
Brought Back a few Keokuk shirts, couldn't find a Keokuk hat. Brought
back some Baxter's Wine and T-shirts (hey, you can go up and down
that wine tasting line as many times as you can get away with,
burp.)
My bro said they are talking about rebuilding the old K/H wooden bridge. I
want to see that. I have prints and a old pic, I would love to see
it rebuilt.
Not much more to say, didn't get to see many old friends. But the
trip was great. Oh, and we went to a restaurant in an old hotel in
Nauvoo. Smelled dank and Musty, but the food was great.
My middle bro found a place out on Middle Road? for me to buy. Thinking
very seriously about it. I miss Keokuk, and the RIVER, to this day.
You folks take care, guard what you have. It's a treasure.
Buddy
Arizona
bklong@peoplepc.com
I remember when Keokuk was a thriving community of 17,500 citizens
and was the hub city for farmers and rurals to purchase all of their
commodities. I am now 77 years old so I doubt if many readers of this
epistle will know first hand the delights and sorrows of Keokuk
during the 1930's (depression era), 1940's (WWII era), 1950's (boom
time and beginning of the decline). When I was a youngster Main
Street, and the adjoining side streets, constituted "small town" USA
with all the great amenities and without the problems and cares of
today.
Herewith is an attempt, with sadness and nostalgia, to recall
the names of the merchants and/or buildings on or near Main Street.
At the bottom of the Main Street hill the CB&Q railroad
station welcomed the Burlington Zephyr and Mark Twain Zephyr at
least two times a day. To assure one's mail would be delivered
faster, many Keokukians made a late afternoon trip to the depot to
send their letters. The first building of consequence, located, I
believe, in the two hundred block of Main, was the Irwin Phillips
Department Store; now I am going to attempt to remember both sides
of the street, and peripherals, to at least the 1400 block. There
was: The Grand Hotel (with a very small zoo), Postal Telegraph and
their competitor Western Union buildings, with the Public Library in
close proximity on Third Street. Between Main and Johnson on or
close to Third street was The High Life Gardens ball room,
later the site of a labor union hall, the remains of a hotel that
burned to the ground in the early 1930's, a small inn/restaurant and
saloon across the street, I don't recall the name. Between Third and
Fourth Street on Main there was the empty Duncan Shell Furniture
building ( they went out of business during the depression) that
later, in the 1950's, became the CIO Union Hall and, I'm not
certain, but I believe the site of Peevler's bowling alley. On the
south side of Main at Fourth, Pearson's restaurant was located. Tom
Pearson, possibly a son, later established the Tee Pee Cocktail
Lounge on North Fourth next to Rowes Oldsmobile and Cadillac
dealership. The next several blocks were really the heart of Main
Street when I was a boy and teen-ager. They included: Seibert's
Cigar Store where we picked up our Sunday Chicago Tribune, Daily
News, Des Moines Register etc., on Saturday evening shortly after
the train came in. Every paper at that time had a sepia rotogravure
section. Then came the Rialto Cafe, Sullivan Auwerda Department
Store (Mr. Henry Auwerda pontificated from his elevated desk, puffed
his cigars and expelled the smoke through a rubber tube to the
basement lest he offend the shopping ladies), Skip and Bud Stadler
high line cigar store came next under the Marquee of the Iowa
Theater. The Iowa succeeded the Regina Theater that was the original
home of Saturday oaters for youngsters. Admission to the cowboy show
was ten cents or nine Sanitary Dairy milk bottle caps plus a penny.
Also, under the Iowa marquee a Greek gentleman held forth with his
shoe shine parlor and popcorn stand.
Kent Arlo Porter
New Orleans
kent@londoncompany.net
I was born and raised in Keokuk, and although I had big plans to
move far away and never return, I came back (just like all the
others who said the same thing). I was young and I wanted to
experience the bright lights and fast paced world beyond the
boundaries of Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. I moved away at the age
of 17 and moved back before my 21st birthday. The absence of
my loved ones from my new home definitely helped my decision to move
back. But I realized it wasn't just the people I missed.
Even before I reached the city limits of Keokuk, the rolling fields
formed by rows of perfectly aligned crops caused a knot in my heart
to loosen; my heart has been happy ever since.
I grew up in the hustle and bustle of south 7th Street; one of my
grandmothers lived at the Mississippi Terrace and another lived on B
Street in West K. Both of them were in walking distance and I
took full advantage of having loving family members so close to
home. Even now, the sound of a train whistle down by the river
reminds me of late nights spent on my grandma Flossie's fold out
sofa. When the wind blows out of the south and the heavy odor
of Roquette permeates the town, I think of the open windows at my
grandma Lucy's house, and how the crisp, fresh smell of the bed
sheets made the stink of production seem secondary and distant.
I remember visiting Folluo's bait shop, just a block away from home,
so I could buy crawdads and set them free in Soap Creek. The
best thing to do on a hot summer night was to play kick ball on the
corner of 6th and Carroll with all of the neighborhood kids.
It was torture to the first kid whose mother called them home,
because the remaining players would cackle and make rude comments
about being a "baby" as the child in question whined all the way
home.
As a teenager in Keokuk, all I could do was complain about the lack
of interesting activities and the fact that everyone knew what I was
up to (whether I wanted them to know or not). I felt as though
Keokuk was sheltering me from experiencing the rest of the world,
and in a way it was. Growing up in Keokuk sheltered me from
the reality of big-city living, where crime rates and poverty rule
the headlines and everyday is a lesson in survival. Upon
leaving, the veil that surrounded me in Keokuk was lifted and I was
introduced to the world beyond: It is a world where
nobody helps you when your car is smoking and sticking halfway out
onto the highway. In fact, most people I have met outside of
Keokuk would not only refrain from helping, they would probably
provide some kind of sign language and a few choice words before
speeding by.
My family will continue to call Keokuk home for as long as we can
afford to. I would like my son to grow up in a town that
he can feel safe in, the education he will receive here is second to
none, and it doesn't hurt that grandma and grandpa only live two
houses away. Even though I would still like to see more
recreational activities for people of all ages in the area (and more
jobs!) I feel much better now about leading a sheltered life.
Jennifer Wills (Hauff)
Keokuk
E_Mail:
jenniferhauff@yahoo.com OR
esoteric_ellie@peoplepc.com
I remember when I
lived at the corner of 14th and Grand in a little bungalow across
the street from the grand homes. Next door to Kathy Yates where she
and I would dress up in our mom's high heels and have tea parties at
her house. I learned to ride a bike in her front yard. I moved to
Keokuk in 1947 at the age of 1 when my father took a job at Hoerner
Boxes. We lived across the street from the Hoerner's home. We loved
climbing trees, having lemonade stands and spotting Toots Delahoyd
coming down the street. I got scared by a "hobo" that my mother
warned me about. Climbed down the stairs by Chief Keokuk (how many
were there??) so many days in summer. Caught lightening bugs in a
Skippy peanut butter jar every night, letting them go before we went
in. Torrance School, Rand Park (and the snack stand where we bought
popsicles), the pond, the flower gardens, geodes, band concerts in
the park, the house we moved to on Park View Heights. When they
developed and ruined our "Woods." Then I moved in the seventh grade
to Kankakee IL, another town with 3 Ks! I loved Higgins, Keasling's
(vanilla cokes), the Street Fair, swimming at the Country Club,
going over the bridge (scary) and riding in the car on River Road
when it was flooded a little. Fireworks across the river, the
motorboat we had that got lifted out of the water, leaving minnows
on the lift. The view of "the bend." Memories of Keokuk will stay
with me forever. I have a photo of the Chief Keokuk statue in my
living room.
Valerie Bowman (Gault)
City: Oakland CA
E_Mail: valjohnbow@aol.com
I remember when I
moved into Keokuk from Hilton Road. My father had
purchased a home for us on Morgan Street and my mom had gone to the
hospital to have my baby sister. When mom returned home with
our new baby, we had all the furnishings from Hilton Rd. into our
new home. We lived in a great neighborhood; the Brainerds
lived next door (he was a black barber and had just recently died
but Mrs. Brainerd used to sit on the porch and talk to me for hours.
Across the street lived the Pepples (he was a policeman), and the
Rissers exactly across the street, and next to the Ritters was the
owner of a music store Mr. and Mrs. Lowenstein but we kids always
thought they were grouchy people However, in the
evenings in the summertime, you could hear wonderful piano music
coming from their home.
On the corner lived the Dillon family (all siblings) and the house
was huge with a huge front porch. My teacher lived there !!!!
Everything seemed to be so friendly, you knew neighbors for blocks;
no one bothered to lock their house doors....we used to play outside
in the street and under the street lights....
I remember summers best...the street fair (which everyone looked
forward to), and usually the family took a vacation somewhere, the
trips out to Rand Park to the wading pool -- and mother always
protesting my going there: "kids spit in the water and even
more". And, "you don't know what might happen"...."don't
drink any of that water". "remember, polio can strike
anyone".......the fears of loving parents. And I remember
getting up and going outside to the "stench" of Hubingers...sometimes,
I was for sure it was burning my nose. Of course, the
trips to the Quarry as I became older; it just seemed to be the
place to go for a suntan and perhaps seeing your "boyfriend".
I remember the trip out River Road and the bridge you could go over
with some speed and it would make your head hit the ceiling of the
car.
The Skylark Drive-In....I remember some nights it was so hot that my
parents thought the only way to cool off was to go to the Skylark.
We always made our own popcorn to take. And usually we would
park at a spot where the speaker didn't work and we would have to
move, and sometimes move twice.
I loved the season of sweet corn...and Montrose had such good places
to go for it. We used to buy bushels at a time.
Picking strawberries at Sandusky was fun too....hot days!
My mom would always say, "watch for snakes".
Any time we went for a ride as a family, we always went out Grand
Ave....all the way down to where you could look over the dam and all
the way out around the Boulevard, making a circle before returning
home. Sometimes we stopped at Keaslings for an ice cream
cone (They had the best lime sherbet), and sometimes to the Root
Beer Stand. My mom didn't care for Dairy Queen so we
didn't go there often as a family. I used to love the
tall skinny bag of buttered popcorn you would get at the Root Beer
Stand. I would buy one and walk down Main Street (that's what
we all did). I remember Saturday nights when you parked your
car on Main and watched all the people go by....you knew everyone
and sometimes people would come to the car and visit outside the
window.
Breaded tenderloin sandwiches from Chuck Wagon was my very favorite
thing! Even after the games everyone would go there for
sandwiches, etc. We all had places we liked: Wells
Way had the best phosphates, Green Rivers and marshmallow cokes.
The rock candy at the drug store next to the Iowa Theatre was a
place I always went before I got to the movies. I think it was
called Ford Hopkins?? I remember when you could go in the dime
stores and take the lids off lipsticks so you could really see what
the colors looked like (and even rub some on your hand, if you
wanted). And those wonderful neopolitan ice cream sandwiches
from Woolworths (or was it Kresge's - or maybe Metropolitan).
I loved to go to the dime stores. They had everything !!
However, they don't hold a candle to our super WalMarts of today!
I remember our Pep Squad of which I was a member, and how proud I
was to wear that little uniform. We were
speciallllllllllll! Ms. Nancolas put up with no foolery!
We even marched down Main Street in parades.
The Chief Keokuk statue at Rand was the backdrop of many pictures.
The walks across the old bridge on a Sunday afternoon (with picture
taking); the covered bridge on the other side of the bridge by
Hamilton....all very clear memories when I start thinking.
Times have changed, certainly. But some of the old
houses remain and have been refurbished. The dam is
still there and a very integral part of our country for
transporting goods up and down the Mississippi.
It's all history to me now but the recollection is sweet. I've
always enjoyed returning to Keokuk but have been very amazed at the
number of people in my era who have left there to build their
careers and yet have returned to retire there where the roots of the
growing up years have been so strong.
Janice Dillard Breakbill
"Pickles"
janbr@verizon.net
Bradenton, Florida
I remember when the pickle factory was downtown and one of the big
vats broke open and you could smell the pickle juice for, it seemed
like, weeks! My father was Charles C. Baldock, Jr. My mother
was Mary Ellen Brown. Mt grandfather, Charles C, Sr, was a
typesetter for the paper there in Keokuk. My dad worked for
the starch plant (Hubinger's?), my mom worked at the shoe factory
and had the end of one finger cut off. I was born in Keokuk
(St. Mary's hospital), lived in several places , the last one being
on Timea street. We had a 2-story house. Our neighbors
had 2 daughters, chickens. I remember Friday night rosaries,
watching the bottles go round and round at the (7-up?) plant on Main
street, tenderloin sandwiches at the Chuckwagon restaurant, the
street fairs, Rand Park, the riverboats, the trains. I've
lived lots of places since then, been on top of the World Trade
Center, Empire State, Washington Monument, Notre Dame, Eiffle Tower,
but Keokuk will always have a special large place in my heart.
Mike Baldock
Lansing,Michigan
mbaldock@comcast.net
I remember when we
used to live in what was called Indian Hills. At the time was kind
of the outskirts of town. We lived there on two separate occasions.
Once on Navaho and the other on Pawnee. I even remember the address
of the Pawnee house. #20. I would get scolded by my mom everytime I
went over to a friend's house to play after school because I didn't
tell her first, even though they only lived a small distance away.
I remember going to Hawthorne School for elementary. I made a lot of
good friends there that I still think of to this day.
I remember playing football, but then we moved right after the
football season ended to Eldridge, Iowa.
I learned how to swim at the pool. At the time I thought it was
huge! We would dive in the deep end and retrieve rings from the
bottom.
I remember one year walking in the Puckeshetuk parade as a clown.
My parents would walk in it quite often as clowns.
I remember when Hardees, McDonalds, and A&W were the only fast food
in town and how it was such a treat to be able to go and eat there.
I remember the building of the new bridge as the first one had to be
opened for the barges to go through.
I remember a lot more things about Keokuk. And I love the looks on
people's faces when I tell them where I am from. For me, Keokuk will
always be my hometown, and my friends there, will always be my
friends.
Todd Jacobsmeier
Portland, OR
toddjake73@hotmail.com
I remember growing up
on the corner of 15th and Morgan St., my second cousin Betsy
Anderson lived across the street, and Bobby Jenkins lived on the
other corner, the hospital occupied the forth corner. We had
such fun growing up, playing outside from sun-up until sundown.
We rode bikes to the public pool, walked to Rand Park to play tennis
(and sneak cigarettes in the shelter house at Kiddy Land), and went
to Higgins' corner grocery store on Fulton Street.
I remember going to the movie on Saturday or Sunday afternoon, the
matinee cost 50 cents. Before the movie started, we were
entertained by a gentleman playing his guitar and singing.
I remember when the Iowa Theatre burned down, the last movie I saw
there was "The Towering Inferno", I always thought that odd.
I remember gas prices at Sites being 45 cents per gallon.
I remember going to the river every weekend. My parents Walt
and Rose Harmon always having boats. First a little fishing
boat, the moving to an Inboard/Outboard, and the a jet boat...the
fastest boat around. My dad and I loved to go fast, flying
past everyone else going down to the sandbar.
I remember going to the Palace and riding the mechanical bull..the
drunking age was 19 back then.
I remember going to Street Fairs...the lights the rides the
games...when it was actually on Main Street, then down by the river.
I remember cruising up and down Main, from Victory park to Pamida
and back again.
My family moved to Hamilton when I was a Sophomore in high school.
I lived in Quincy, Il. and Nauvoo also, but when it was time to
raise my children, I came back to Keokuk. I can't think of
anywhere I would rather have them grow up. I can't think of
anywhere that I would rather live. I, like so many others from
here, was born by the Mississippi...and this is where I intend to
stay. Rhonda
Hemphill (Harmon)
Keokuk
dreamweaverchris@hotmail.com
I remember when I made a mistake on my earlier post by saying I
lived on Exchange Street on the north end of town. Wrong. I lived on
Exchange on the south end of town before moving to High Street at
the Steffen's apartments. Anyway, I recently talked to my old friend
Howard Wells (Jelly Wells insurance) still living in Keokuk. I am
visiting a friend of mine who was in a pretty bad accident the first
week of October in Des Moines. Gonna spend Friday before Oct. 7
Homecoming in Iowa City and watch the UI-Purdue game in Keokuk at
Harrington's the next day before returning the St. Louis for the
trip home. I enjoy making the trip back down the river. You guys
keep the spirit.
haven simmons
salisbury, maryland
hxsimmons@salisbury.edu
I remember when there was a White Rose service station at 15th and
Main which became Sherry's and the A & W Root Beer stand just behind
it. Pete's at 10th and Main; the Wells Way at 9th and the News
Stand at 7th cata corner from Rollins. Keen Cutter Hardware,
John Collisson's bicycle shop and Bowlings Sweet Shop; Kkk Medicine,
Bakers Rexall, Gredells, Colvin's Shoe Repair and Bill Johnson's
Barber Shop. The wonderful smell and coolness at Sittler's
Grocery Store on 18th and Main; Diamond DX Service Station across
18th street and the ice cream at the H&L. The terrible summer
heat as I and my cousin Carl Bevering wheeled junk from 9th and Blondeau to the river to sell to Chanen's (iron 10 cents a hundred,
copper 14 cents a pound). The smell of tar on a hot summer's
day at the car barn on South 19th....and the taste of a cold
Fallstaff at the Ten Pin or Lucky's during my college years.
It was, and still is, a great home town.
John W. Lawton
City: Vienna, Virginia 22180
E_Mail: jlawton11@cox.net
Let me start by saying I was born in Carthage, moved to Keokuk just
before kindergarten, around 1964, and then moved back to Carthage
right after the third grade, around 1969. So Carthage will
always be my home town, but at the same time I have great, vivid
memories of Keokuk and will always cherish those. My dad was
(and is) John Artman, who taught at the high school all those years.
He would tell the family about his student's antics, and bring me
out there to see their projects, and I thought those "old" high
school students were the coolest things ever! I remember my
folks taking me to see my first movie at the Grand (Goldfinger), and
all the times at Kiddie Land in Rand Park and playing on the old
fire engine. Going to school at Garfield (sadly closed now),
my third grade teacher Mrs. Ruark, my good buds Mike Finerty and
Rodney Porter. I lived first on N. 4th Street, next to Cheryl
Wiegert(?), then Kathy and Doug Weiss. The TV show Batman was huge
then, and we'd run all over the neighborhood playing that (as so
many have said, the parents didn't have to worry about us). All Star
Dairy would give away Batman and Robin fan club buttons. We'd
listen to KOKX. Then we moved to an apartment building on N.
10th (Ponns Apartments?) Everyone remembers the old bridge; remember
the old Lofton insurance sign by there? (Every so often, it's wise
to see Lofton) Reddy Killowatt on the dam. The street fair was
fantastic no matter where they had it, even if the river bugs would
get into your cotton candy. Christmas was great, visiting
Santa in that little trailer on Main St. Walking with my mom
to a grocery store on Blondeau, I think. Driving with my dad to the
drugstore to get the paper. Visiting this old guy who had a
workshop just up the alley from us on N. 4th, he always had a bunch
of cuckoo clocks in there, and he always had time for us kids.
Winning some award in 1st grade for best Halloween costume.
Still remember some of my classmates; Luann Rader, Donnie Meyers,
Dawn somebody, Andy Svejda(?
Dave Artman
Schererville, Indiana
Carthaginian60@yahoo.com
I remember when, guess
what I WAS BORN HERE AND I still live here! after 27 years in this
town. I love all the stories every one has submitted! I remember the
Street Fair and the FlooD of 93. I remember Keasling's catching on
fire AND NOW THEY REBUILT THE STORE AGAIN and JC pennies being at
the mall, NOT ANY MORE. I remember the oldest house BEING ON THE
CORNER ON 3RD ON MAIN in Keokuk AND IT Actually being lived in. MOST
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS BUT WHERE THE MALL IS LOCATED AT WAS WHERE
MARK TWAIN WORKED AND HIS MOTHERS HOUSE IS LOCATED ON THE CORNER OF
7TH IN HIGH STREET,THE SECOND HOUSE BY THE CHRUCH. I remember the
A&W AND RUNNING, AND THE Jack's and K-mart STORES IN BUSINESS. I
remember us having the electric company in town and we went there to
pay the bill. NOW WE SEND IT OFF. AND WHEN I GO TO THE POST OFFICE I
CAN LEAVE MY MONEY AND KEYS ON THE COUNTER WITH OUT SOMEONE WALKING
OFF WITH THEM WHILE I GET A STAMP!
WE STILL HAVE STAN'S BAKERY. STAN recently DIED I BELIEVE BUT ON
THURS-SAT/ you can get those yummy bakery goods. REMEMBER THE CREAM
HORNS!!! WE finally got a LONG John's Silvers combined with KFC.
ODD! and we don't have street fairs any more. there is the
neighboring COUNTY summer festivities, like the Montrose watermelon
fest., the NAUVOO grape fest. and the WestPoint corn fest., and the
FT. Madison rodeo Fest., and Kahoka has a fest. too. there is even a
strawberry fest in this area I BELIEVE IN DONNELLSON. The old MIDDLE
school got torn down and the new one in right next to the High
School. All the schools are air condition EXCEPT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
Hy-Vee is adding on again. And the Mall IS KIND OF SLOW, the only
movie theater we have is the one in the mall, and we get to watch
only three movies in the plaza. CHIEF Keokuk, is still over looking
the river, We have had ABOUT 20 years of the civil war re-enactment
in the Rand park. Tip'n Buds has change and had disappeared but now
has come back and you can eat there in the afternoon before 2
o'clock. The McCredie Park has moved further out up the high way in
the place there there use to be a drive in movie theater. We have
the movie rentals, Block Buster, Mr. Movies and Family Video. plus
Hy-Vee rents out too/. Lots of hotels and and new one by the
Hy-Vee grocery store, plus we got a Hy-Vee gas station too. Dairy
Queen still stands and when it's cold out side there is a sign the
says "we're closed for the season reason, its freeze'n."
IT'S quiet here but on the weekends the TAVERNS come alive and a lot of
people get out and socialize. the police are friendly here and look
after our safety with care SO FEEL SAFE WHEN YOU COME HERE, in the
Oakland Cemetery we have a huge wall put up in Memorial of those
whom have given their life IN WAR, IT WAS recently put up. And
most of all so any one remember the gazebo? Its on the 5th in main
where the old war hospital use to be, a corner stone is found is in
the Oakland Cemetery in the front Entrance where the war tomb stones
are. I WANT EVERY ONE TO KNOW THAT OUR KEOKUK, ART CENTER IS MOVED
TO THE LIBRARY IN THE BACK WHERE THE ENTRANCE IS AND IT LOOKS GREAT.
YOU HAVE TO VISIT THERE. ITS NOT IN THE MALL AND LONGER. AND THE THE
HAWKEYE RESTARAUNT IS NO LONGER ON 4TH STREET, THEY BUILT A NEW ONE
BY WAL-MART. ITS A NICE PLACE TO CRUISE UP AND DOWN THE MAIN STRIP,
RIVER ROAD IS STILL BEAUTIFUL, TRAVEL IT YOU'LL LOVE IT. THERE ARE
TWO BRIDGES, THE OLD IRON BRIDGE THAT, REMEMBER WENT YOU HAD TO PAY
A TOLL, NOT ANY MORE WE GOT A NEW BRIDGE A WHILE BACK. I REMEMBER
WHEN WE HAD LITTLE GROCERY STORES, NOW THEY ARE GONE, WE HAVE LITTLE
STORES ALL UP AND DOWN MAIN STREET STILL, SOME CLOSED AND SOME OPEN,
BETWEEN MONTROSE AND KEOKUK, WAS THE OLDEST SCHOOL HOUSE WEST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI, AND WHEN YOU GO TO THE KEOKUK GAMES, THE NAME GAVE US A
SENSE OF PRIDE OUR SCHOOLS, ITS FUN AT THAT MOMENT, WE STILL HAVE
OUR SCHOOL PRIDE, YOU CAN BREATHE IN A SMALL TOWN!
i still live here!
KEOKUK IOWA
rose131379@mchsi.com
I remember when my
father opened a meat market on Main Street, between 8th and
9th....he did all his own butchering so consequently real live stock
was needed for this. One day, a black angus that dad was
going to butcher, got loose from the delivery truck to the meat
market. Seemed like everyone was trying to corral the
thing and of course, The Daily Gate City got on the scene and took a
picture...it appeared in the next issue of the paper on the front
page with large picture displaying the animal: IRATE
BULL LOOSE FROM DILLARDS MEAT MARKET!!! My father was
beside himself!! To think they referred to his "meat" as
a BULL !!
Janice Dillard Breakbill
Bradenton, FL
janbr@verizon.net
I remember when.....
Wow! What is there not to remember? My "Keokuk Days" go back, but
not as far as in some of these stories. What year did I move there?
Uh, 1997, I think? (Not sure) I miss it though; A LOT! As I read
through the other stories posted; I have all kinds of memories
flooding back to me....... The Daily Gate (used to help my brother
on his route; ALL the rubber bands; D.J knows what that means);
Tippenbuds (food, or course) The Glass Rail (Memories there both
unbelievably great and not so much) Rand Park (BEAUTY and the
reenactment) The old Pharmacy on the corner of main street, across
from a guitar store and the bank straight across from it. I remember
the old people that ran it. The place smelled like an old basement
but they were so nice; we had to go in daily and say hello. YMCA
school dances! OMG! Lots of memories there too; we were so cool.
(not)%20Happy.png)
The Palace Dances; now those days take me WAAAYY back; oh lord!
Paddle Wheel Pizza was across the street and west from our apt. on
main. My very first job was a dish washer at the Chuck Wagon. Joy
Mart was the "place to go" after school to get pop and a candy bar.
The middle school on main was "so cool". I can remember walking up
the stairs in the front and through the front door, thinking how
HUGE this place was and if I ever got lost they'd never find me. The
principal was bald and a real cool guy, Rick something, I think.
sorry, I am getting old too:-) Crusin Main Street or just walking up
and down trying to turn a few heads. The river.... I miss that so
much. I used to sit down there all the time and just look. Oh how
beautiful it was down there. No matter what life was throwing at me,
at that moment, I'd feel better if I'd just go sit by the river for
awhile. My friends I had in Keokuk is what I miss the most; of
course! I stay in touch with my best friend from there still; Love
you Rocky! She tells me some stuff that still goes on around there;
but things are so different; we're so much older now and have our
own families. I miss when we were young and innocent; or just young
and stupid; what ever!
I miss all my old friends too though. I think of them daily. I
always wished I could find everyone and have a reunion, but I've
lost track of a bunch of them.
My wedding was great, that was the last time "we" all got together.
Keokuk has many memories for many people. Both good, and Bad; for
everyone, I'm sure. But looking back I'd have to say we pretty much
took most of it for granted. Some days I wish I would just turn back
time.... sitting by the river or hanging out with my friends. I say
it every year, but sometime soon, I will make it back for a visit,
and I look forward to that blast from the past!
Jessica S. (was H.)
New Virginia, Ia
thzizme@yahoo.com
I remember when I was
young, Keokuk was very lively with things to do. Every
summer the street fair would roll in, and on those very hot days you
would go to the pool to cool off. I would also spend a
lot of time walking around, and on main street, especially,
meeting new friends. The riverfront, and Rand Park were my
favorite places to go. I loved seeing the Flower Garden in
Rand Park, and enjoyed its beauty. I also remembered when the
refreshment stand was opened there to the public. I used to live in
in West K. Also, I remember the bad fires that happened there and
Keokuk losing three firefighters. Keokuk will always be home for me
no matter what. I am glad to have been born from there, and
hope someday will make it back there on visits. Many of you
knew my family, the Boleys out in West K, that lived on B Street.
I live in California now, and really loving it. If you
remember me, and want to pass along a few lines feel free to email
me at bingoman64@yahoo.com
I would like to hear from old friends and see what they have been up
to.
Andy Boley
Antelope, California
bingoman64@yahoo.com
I remember growing up
on Blondeau St. and walking to Washington Central Elementary which
seemed like such a huge building at the time. We used to play
on the “old school” playground equipment which would get a city sued
these days…too bad. I remember when J. Edgar Hoover died and
they told us about it in school, I think they flew the flag at half
mast that day. I remember getting a measles shot in the
cafeteria with some kind of freaky air gun.
I remember riding my bike to the Western Auto store and then getting
lost on the way home. I had to ask someone for directions!
I was probably only three blocks from my front door. I also
remember Stan’s bakery and all the wonderful treats they had,
especially the crème horns and chocolate sandwiches.
I remember playing a lot in Rand Park. I also remember that
two boys drowned when they got washed down a storm sewer after a big
rainstorm. It scared the heck out of me at the time and I
never played in a culvert again. I still think about that to
this day, I feel so sorry for their families. We moved away to
Chicago not long after that.
I returned every summer for a few weeks. We’d bike down to
Mississippi River, just south of the water treatment plant, and go
fishing with worms and corn. We’d catch giant carp, lots of
perch, and nasty looking gars. I swear we pulled in some fish
over 20 pounds. We always threw them back.
One summer my cousins and I were walking on Hilton Rd and we found a
twelve pack of beer. I think it was Olympia. It was warm
but we drank it anyway. Needless to say, we ended up getting
sick and my aunt and uncle were soooo mad. I never drank
again after that.
Charles Merkel
Los Angeles
Blondeauboy@hotmail.com
I remember when our family moved to
Keokuk in 1948..My Dad, Jack was the manager of Chanen's auto
salvage. (it was located on Johnson street then) We moved into the
large two story white house at 3400 Main St. There was a 4 acre lake
on the property where folks used to come to fish. And provided some
ice skating in the winter. Just up the hill from us was Dryden's
Rubber plant. It seemed to cover everything in the area with a black
soot. The house, all the out buildings and the lake are all gone
now. Replaced by restaurants, motels and a strip mall. Ahh
progress!! I was in the first class to graduate from the new High
School on Plank road. It was marvelous even though it wasn't
finished when we attended it. My Mother became organist at St Paul's
Church also located on Plank Road. I was a member of the KHS band
and was a wonderful way to finish my senior year. Mr. Boschart was
director in those days.
I have traveled a good portion of the world and have never found
anyone anywhere in the world that made chili like the Grand lunch. I
delivered papers for the Daily Gate City. (Mr. Rosencranz was the
head of deliveries) And remember the little greasy spoon restaurant
across the alley from the DGC where all the carriers bought burgers,
fries and malts before starting deliveries.
There were three theaters in town. The Iowa (on Main St.) The Grand
(on north fifth) and the Drive in.. The drive in used to run movies
so old that they had to hire Ben Franklin to run the projector. The
Iowa was the nicest, but there was an arsonist that decided to take
it down. He took down quite a few buildings before he was caught or
moved away.
The High School football field was on Main and next to the water
towers. It seemed to me, at the time, that this was a very slow
moving town but through all the year has managed to not only
survived but has grown and progressed.
Jim Klotzbach
gimpy@centurytel.net
Kahoka, MO
I
remember when I first heard the name of Keokuk. It is my
grandmothers maiden name. She is one of the great
granddaughters of the chief. She is now 95 years old and has
shared many stories and pictures of the Keokuk family. How
great it was for me to search Keokuk and find this website with the
same photo of the chief that also hangs in my mothers home. My
grandmother was born in Oklahoma but eventually landed in Los
Angeles where she and my grand-dad raised my mother. My
grandmother attended her 60th high school class reunion where she
met up with old friends, the school was on a reservation in Ok.
My family and I are very proud of our roots, especially those
beginning with our nations history and Chief Keokuk. Thank you
for the opportunity to connect with these very special blood lines.
Keokuk daughter
City: Anaheim
E_Mail:
joeyscharm@sbcglobal.net
I remember when I used to live in Keokuk. I knew that there really
wasn't much to the town but it was home and it was all I had known
my whole life. And just because it was small and dead didn't make it
boring because when you live with a Grandma that loves you as much
as mine does then you always have fun. My Grandma and I stayed
together in her little apartment. It was small but like I said it
was home. I loved being able to just walk to the mall since it was
only a block away anyways. Especially when I became a teenager and
shopping was at the top of my list. ha ha I am growing into an adult
now only 18 but going to college in Missouri so its tough and I miss
Keokuk very very much. I miss staying with my Grandma and looking
outside the apartment at the boats going by every night. but I have
those memories to hold. - Denessa
Denessa
Sedalia, MO
E_Mail: denessa0@excite.com
Keokuk, Iowa has special meaning to me. My Grandfather went to
Medical School in Keokuk The year he graduated, my father was born
(1896) The family had moved and he practiced medicine in several
communities in Iowa. My father was born in Macksburg, Iowa
He talked of skating on a river from one town to another.
He went to school in Berea, Iowa. It was special to
think of them in Keokuk because of the Mississippi River His name
was Franklin Thompson DeWitt. He grew up in Fulton Co
Illinois. His mother became a widow with two preschool age
sons his Father died very young a victim of Typhoid
Fever. Dr. DeWitt eventually moved to Weston Co Wyo.
where he practiced medicine, homesteaded and ranched. He later
returned to Iowa and practiced medicine at Nemaha, Iowa. It would be
nice to know others who had family members who were educated at
Keokuk. Another thing of interest was the fact he had a life time
friend-- a lady Doctor a fellow graduate who went to
Fulton Co. Illinois to practice medicine--she was from Iowa
Dorothy DeWitt Craft
Van Wert Ohio
dorothy08@msn.com
I was born in Keokuk on January 1st,
1968 and have the front page of the Keokuk newspaper, proclaiming me
as the 1968 New Years baby for Keokuk. We lived on 912 N. 11th
street and I remember that my nannie would take me down to the dam
almost every day so that I could watch the barges go through the
locks. My father worked for Hubinger's as a salesman /
engineer (Bill Fegers). I sort of remember the sheriff
named Toot's, who tossed candy out the window of his patrol car.
I definitely remember going to A & W for a root beer float with my
parents or to Tippinbud's for a huge tenderloin or fried carp
sandwich. I still have a couple of the KEOKUK bricks that used to
cover the streets of the town.
I believe that my father's old childhood home was turned in some
kind of museum or something. My father's dad was a doctor and
had a small medical office attached to the side of their house there
in Keokuk.
My mother parents lived across the river in Nauvoo, IL. and remember
going across the bridge to see them... that was a scary crossing for
a child. I still used to look down, out of the car window
through the grates in the bridge to see the river below.
I plan to take my wife and kids back to my birthplace, so they can
experience my heritage and the town that I love.
Robert Fegers
Grain Valley, MO.
E_Mail: FegersR@Toysrus.com
I remember when the mall was full of shops,
Pizza Hut, J.C.Penny's, The Nibblers Roost. I loved to go to the mall and spend
the day. Shop, eat, and go to a show. I remember renting movies from Box Office
Videos, down on 10th and main, on the weekends. I remember when there was NO
Wal-Mart! We shopped at K-mart and Jacks. I remember when Hy-vee use to be a
small store. I remember when we had a Big G grocery store on 15th and main. I
remember Paddle Wheel Pizza between 7th and 8th and main. On the weekends I
would go to dances at the YMCA or to the Palace for the under 19 dances. I loved
living there. But the most wonderful things I remember is my family. We all were
sooo close. Now everyone is older and times change. Some moved away, like me,
some stayed, some passed away, and others are just to busy. But Keokuk will
always be a special place. My home.
Joetta Smith Gould
Canton Missouri
E_Mail: thegoulds@centurytel.net
I
remember when my family lived in a duplex at 517 Morgan Street in
Keokuk. We moved from there to Quincy in May 1963. My
dad had worked as an architect at Thomas Truck Company. My
grandfather, Ross Bunch had worked at the Daily Gate City for years
and I used to go with him on Sunday nights to make sure things were
ready for Mondays paper. That was back in the days when they
used to set the metal type. My grandparents lived at 417 South
5th Street and my great-grandmother, Bertha Inman lived in a small
house around the corner on Des Moines Street. I also had a
grandmother on my mothers side, Lillian Alden who lived in a gray
stucco house on the corner of 10th & Concert. As a boy, my two
brothers (Mike and Steve) and I used to spend a lot of time with our
grandparents. Grandma and Grandpa Bunch used to take us for a
drive during the evening out along the Boulevard. Afterward,
we'd go back to their house to spend the night. They were the
first in Keokuk to have color TV. While we played with the
color on TV, Grandpa would go up town and get us sandwiches at
Tippenbuds. Even though I've been gone from Keokuk for most of my
life, I still have fond memories and love to drive through there
from time to time.
Chris Bunch
Quincy
E_Mail: cbunch@adams.net
I remember when I
spent weekends at my grandparents out on South 7th. Grandpa
worked the craziest shifts. We had to be quiet while he slept
all day.
I remember my friends at Torrance; Steve, Scott & Ryan. I
remember catching crawdads at Rand Park and trying to make a lantern
by filling a jar with lighting bugs. Great fun! I
remember fishing bluegill out of the pond at Rand Park too.
I remember floating on a raft out at Chatfield and catching
gars down where Soap Creek dumped in to the river. I remember
the raw sewage and toilet paper flowing into Soap Creek.
Hopefully that has been rectified?
I remember the Sheriff tossing out Tootsie Rolls to the kids
as he drove by. I'd still vote him!
I remember smoking for the first time in the woods behinds
Gibsons. Live and learn. I remember flattening pennies
on the railroad tracks down by the river.
I recall days at the pool followed by a trip over to the DQ
before walking home. I remember trash talking to some kid
twice my size and having the wind knocked out of me when he caught
me. Lots of valuable lessons embedded in those childhood days.
Tim
Moscow ID
E_Mail: kinkeade@moscow.com
I remember as a young boy when I would wake up on a bright
summer's morning and right away hear the whistles of the boats on
the Mississippi, not far away. I was staying with my
grandmother, uncle and two aunts in a huge 14-room house at 618
Franklin Street. I never knew my grandfather, George Willis Fanning,
since he died in 1920, twelve years before I was born, but I know he
was a tobacconist and had a shop at 302 Main Street where the mall
now is. I went to the old store once with my father before it
was torn down. To me, my grandmother was a regal sort of lady,
always proper in her dress as in everything she did. She died
in 1943. I remember it clearly.
We lived in Kankakee and Champaign, Illinois, between 1942
and 1952, and my parents took my brother and me to Keokuk often
while we were growing up, and even earlier when we lived in Grand
Rapids, Michigan. About the trip, the things I remember best
are the long two-level bridge with the difficult curve in the middle
of it and the huge dam. We have gone over that bridge in good
weather and in bad, and at least once when the Mississippi was
flooding dangerously. Traveling above the roiling water on a very
narrow and somewhat winding bridge was scary to a young boy. I was
always glad when we arrived on solid ground in Keokuk and then,
finally, at grandma's.
My uncle, who bought a brand-new Buick every year, liked to
take us up to Nauvoo for supper at Hotel Nauvoo, where they served a
marvelous meal family-style. When I was eleven or twelve,
Uncle John would let me steer as we drove along that very curvy
highway from Hamilton to Nauvoo, which frightened my mom nearly to
death. I remember the numberless fish flies on that side of
the river. Not in Keokuk, however, because it was too far
above the river.
During those years, I was a young philatalist and went to the
old post office to get the latest commemorative stamps. My
brother and I were often sent to the movie at the Iowa Theatre.
We were always given enough money for each of us to buy a box of
popcorn. A sight I vividly remember was Electro-Metals working their
electric furnace at night, melting down scrap for the war effort. I
remember seeing a pile - it must have been two stories high - of old
army (German, I think) helmets which were about to be melted down.
Another vivid recollection is the odor of the Hubinger Company's
plant. My Uncle John was a corn buyer for Hubinger and had his
office above one of the banks on Main Street. He took me on a
tour of the plant. My dad and I occasionally climbed down the
bluff and walked along the railroad tracks at the bottom, looking at
the river. Several times we stood there as the Burlington
Zephyr went roaring by. I remember going to the wading pool in
Rand Park with my brother, mother and aunts and having a great time
there. We also had several memorable family picnics at Rand
Park. In later years I read the story of Chief Keokuk.
My Aunt Elizabeth was a home economics teacher at Keokuk High
School for many years, and I once went to a KHS basketball game
there. I recently looked up Cornelia Meigs on the web and
found her listed as a "Famous Iowan". I was interested because
she had lived in the home at 618 Franklin Street before our family
moved in in 1905, and had scratched her name, apparently with a
diamond ring, into one of the upstairs bedroom window panes.
Within recent years I have developed an interest in my
family's history. and in 2002 in the old Catholic Cemetery we (my
family and I) were able to locate, with the help of the cemetery
sexton, both my grandparents and my great-grandparents gravesites
along with Katia Fanning's grave, a niece who died in 1860 at age
eight or nine.
My recollections of Keokuk are only pleasant!
John W Fanning
Salt Lake City, Utah
E_Mail:
jwoodfanning@hotmail.com
Let me start by saying I was born in Carthage, moved to Keokuk just
before Kndergarten, around 1964, and then moved back to Carthage
right after the third grade, around 1969. So Carthage will
always be my home town, but at the same time I have great, vivid
memories of Keokuk and will always cherish those. My dad was
(and is) John Artman, who taught at the high school all those years.
He would tell the family about his student's antics, and bring me
out there to see their projects, and I thought those "old" high
school students were the coolest things ever! I remember my
folks taking me to see my first movie at the Grand (Goldfinger), and
all the times at Kiddie Land in Rand Park and playing on the old
fire engine. Going to school at Garfield (sadly closed now),
my third grade teacher Mrs. Ruark, my good buds Mike Finerty and
Rodney Porter.
I lived first on N. 4th Street, next to Cheryl Wiegert(?), then Kathy and Doug Weiss. The TV show Batman was huge
then, and we'd run all over the neighborhood playing that (as so
many have said, the parents didn't have to worry about us). All Star
Dairy would give away Batman and Robin fan club buttons. We'd
listen to KOKX. Then we moved to an apartment building on N.
10th (Ponns Apartments?)
Everyone remembers the old bridge; remember
the old Lofton insurance sign by there? (Every so often, it's wise
to see Lofton) Reddy Killowatt on the dam. The street fair was
fantastic no matter where they had it, even if the river bugs would
get into your cotton candy. Christmas was great, visiting
Santa in that little trailer on Main St. Walking with my mom
to a grocery store on Blondeau, I think. Driving with my dad to the
drugstore to get the paper. Visiting this old guy who had a
workshop just up the alley from us on N. 4th, he always had a bunch
of cuckoo clocks in there, and he always had time for us kids.
Winning some award in 1st grade for best Halloween costume.
Still remember some of my classmates; Luann Rader, Donnie Meyers,
Dawn somebody, Andy Svejda(?
Dave Artman
Schererville, Indiana
Carthaginian60@yahoo.com
I remember when I grew
up in the wonderful town of Keokuk. I never imagined that I
would ever leave there. I had such a happy life there,
complete with wonderful loving parents and three brothers and a very
large family on my Moms side and smaller family on my Dads side. I
was a little girls when the 2nd world war started. I remember
my aunts who were always worried about my uncles who were overseas.
My Dad couldn't go...he had a medical deferment. I remember
rationing, sugar, gas, not being able to buy meat, saving tinfoil
off of cigarette paper (not my Cigarettes, but the grownups in the
family). I remember carefree summers where the days seemed two
days long, and cold winters with lots of snow and sledding and
later, ice skating on Rand Park pond, and the warm fire barrel we
all hovered around. I remember 4th of July's on the bluffs
overlooking the Lake of the Mississippi , picnicking watching boat
races by day and fireworks on the barge by night, always with our
entire family. I remember Halloween when we started "begging"
two nights before and some generous folks would actually have candy
for us "poor little beggars". We collected candy for three
nights. Didn't have to be afraid to go out alone either.
I remember going to school, coming home, doing chores, eating
"supper", then out to play night games of chase, Red-light, Green
light, Lemonade with all the neighborhood games. Oh I could go
on and on and on.
I spent many hours walking downtown (walked
everywhere I went) and window shopping, never buying but daydreaming
about what I would like to buy. I remember wanting to go to
the Sat. Matinee and the Grand theater and searching the whole house
for pennies until I had ten, just enough to get in. Sometimes
my folks had enough for all three of us to go!
Plus a nickel for popcorn.
I remember when they built the
Starlight drive-in theater! Anyone else remember it?
Enjoyed lots of movies there when I was a teenager. I remember
ballgames at Tumlety Park (SP?) and the Ball park way out on Main
St. Anyone remember the Top Hat? How about the Dairy
Queen? I loved my town.....it was MY town. I loved my
life. it was an awesome life. I loved the simple life
and made my own fun. We all did, who had the good fortune to
grow up in Keokuk, Iowa, USA!
Joyce Schulz Borg
Orange City, Florida
bborg@cfl.rr.com
I remember when Keokuk was the place.
I thought that I had grown up in a small town until I lived in some
really small towns of 800 or 900 people. But Keokuk was a
truly small town where everyone knew you. My mom worked at
Mid's grocery and at at Reither's after that. Everyone knew
her and I couldn't "get away with" anything. My grandpa Charley
Blackwell loved to tell me stories about his wonderful truck and
trips that he had taken.
Going to school at St. Vincent' ( it really was military hospital
during the Civil war) and at St. Peter's High School; you just knew
everybody. I later taught at Senior High and was an
administrator there before moving on to other jobs.
I will always remember picking up donuts and coffee at Charley's and
going with my cousin Gary to fish under the bridge on the Des Moines
river. Smitty's or Pete's was the hangout on weeknights and
after church on Sunday. Remember the grilled rolls that Gert
made? And the Smith girl's?
Keokuk was a place that I will always remember fondly.
Tony Nash
Fairmount, Illinois
E_Mail: emtp01@hotmail.com
I grew up in Keokuk
and have many fond memories. I moved away in 1980 after joining the
Air Force and have been back a few times since but now live in New
Mexico. I am just jotting these down as I think about them. They are
in no kind of order so please bare with me.
I remember riding my bike all over town with my brothers and
neighborhood friends with a transistor radio taped to the
handlebars. Also riding them in the coal yards down on 7th and
Johnson. I remember everyday around noon and then around 5 p.m.
going down to the same coal yard to watch the train switching the
cars for General Mills. Every once in awhile the train would have a
car of lumber and would go up Johnson to Hartrick’s and leave it. I
remember befriending one of the switchmen, I only knew him as Ed. At
noon they would all take their break and eat lunch and listen to
Paul Harvey on their transistor radio. I remember the post office
clock bells ringing every hour 24 hours a day and at noon and five
the church across the street from it playing songs with their bells.
Man I miss that.
I remember going to the old barrel factory on Hilton Road off of
Soap Creek and exploring what was left of it before Keokuk Prototype
Foundry took it over and destroyed it. I used to play all up and
down Soap Creek, and Clay Mountain looking for geodes. I remember
get-togethers at my grandma and grandpa Thompson’s out on south 7th
St. the ball park that was one block away and also Sammy’s Market
that others have made mention of. While out there we used to go play
in the woods back behind their house. My cousins were the Payne’s
and Lander’s. My Uncle Larry Payne and Uncle Steve Thompson would
play their guitars out at my grandparents house during these
get-togethers. I also remember mushroom hunting in the spring when
it was wet and hot. We had several hot spots, the old abandon rail
line out on Valley Rd. a spot off of Carbide Lane which is now a
huge eye sore of a dump. I have always been fascinated with the
history of the rail line out valley road. I only remember seeing
trains on it twice in my life-time but I loved walking the rails and
exploring the different stuff along them. To this day I imagine what
it was like when they were still in use. I remember going to Powder
Town and exploring what we could of the old powder plant. I remember
when you could still see the rails from the days of the street-car,
showing through the asphalt on Timea. I remember when city crews
left holes in the roads at night and instead of orange flashers they
used metal balls full of kerosene that looked like bombs and they
would light the wicks and let them burn to warn traffic of the hole.
I remember the street cleaners coming by spraying water and every
kid around would run out to try and get sprayed by the truck as it
passed.
I remember when Hubinger’s was friendly toward the community and not
operated like a Nazi death camp by a freedom hating third world
country that couldn’t fight its way out of a wet paper bag. I
remember when Mormonism and Nauvoo were historical novelties and not
an invading epidemic.
I remember my father, grandfather and Uncle Steve all worked at
Steel Castings and my Dad taking me down there from time to time. I
remember my grandfather used to operate the crane that lifted the
buckets of steel and I can still picture him waving at me from up
there. Steve played in a local band called Quantrel and played at
some of our school dances. I also remember going to see him play at
the Watermelon festivals in Montrose and also at the fire station in
Alexandria, MO. I also remember the Sweet Corn and Grape Festivals.
My Uncle Roger Thompson was an artist and designed the Keokuk flag
and the city seal. They had some commemorative plates that were made
in the 70’s with his work on them. He died in 72 in a car wreck
while working on a book about George Custard. His work lives on in a
lot of the art that he did.
I remember playing softball for the Cub Scouts pack 47 from
Wells-Carey School along with my brother Shawn. Steve West was the
coach. I remember attending the Belair Baptist Church and then the
New Testament Christian Church for much of my childhood. I loved
Brother Bill Hauser. I remember many people from there, the Lillis’,
the Chases, Davis’ etc. My mom was the secretary for the church
while I was in High school. That was back when the church was on
Concert St. I would sometimes go over to see her as I was walking
home from high school.
I remember all of the fires that the city had on Main St. In
particular I was in Jr. High when the Iowa Theater burned down and
we could see it from the school so the school put KOKX radio on the
intercom so we could all hear them broadcasting live from across the
street in there studios back when they were located on the top floor
of the Eppers Hotel. I remember Chuck Eppers as the mayor. I
remember going to the YMCA when it was down in the old building on
North 5th St. but that building is long gone now. I remember selling
mints for the Y so I could go to Camp Pachotse. I remember riding
our bikes across the old river bridge and going to Wild Cat Springs
with Mark Robinson. In later years we made the same trip along the
bottom of the bridge on the railroad tracks with our motorcycles
just in time to miss the train that was coming. I remember calling
my grandfather to take me fishing on the river or to Chatfield Park.
He would always oblige. I remember going fishing in the lake that
used to be where the Hawkeye restaurant is now and in the lake in
the woods behind the Arrowhead Bowl. I remember being in the
brotherhood in high school and water ballooning Cardinal Stritch
High school. Steeling outhouses for homecoming and dumping them off
in the U-drive at the high school to be burned in the Bonfire.
Camping out in the back yard and scraping up enough money to sneak
down to Dixie Cream Donuts at 11 PM when they opened to get some
fresh hot ones. Pop bottle hunting to get enough money for some
candy. Later, it was aluminum cans when the stag beer
distributor on the corner of 7th and Johnson (now gone) used to cash
them in. Everyone in our neighborhood collected whisky bottles for
some reason so we would always scrounge in the allies behind the
taverns on 5th street and the ones further up Main also. I remember
an old black man everyone called “Porkchops”. He rode a bike
everywhere and everyone loved him.
My dad had the Indian motorcycle shop down on 7th St between Main
and Johnson St. His dad had the Indian and Harley dealership out on
South 7th many years before. For years you could still see where it
said, “Thompson’s Garage” until someone finally built something over
it here lately. I remember the old narrow 2 lane bridge across the
Des Moines river and someone was always getting killed at that sharp
turn going onto the bridge. I remember my Uncle Dick taking us to
the river to through rocks in it. I remember parties at Neal Vogel’s
and Mark Robinson’s places. Snowballing school busses and riding our
sleds down the streets after a nice snow. My brothers and I all had
paper routes for the Daily Gate City. I remember the street fair
being on both Main St. and the riverfront. I liked it at the river
best but it really drew the river bugs.
I remember when the Jaycees used to have their haunted house their
on 6th and Timea. I remember Wells-Carey school having their
carnival about the same time of year too. I remember the 4th
of July fireworks displays at the river, the bottle rocket fights a
field on the edge of town owned by the Daskalos’ and those Christmas
trees that the city would put up every year over the intersections
on Main St. I remember when the mall was a mall, had Woolsworths, JC
Penney’s, Montgomery Ward’s and Osco drug. It also had Disc Jockey,
(a record store), the only real one I remember Keokuk having. I
remember Easter Foods, Gibson’s, Denholm’s IGA, A&P, K-Mart, Big-G,
Burger Chef, Happy Joe’s Pizza, Big Bear, the Knotty Pine
restaurant, when McDonald’s first came to town. I remember the Joy
Gas Station on Main where all the hoodlums hung out at and I
remember the day when two 7-11’s came to town. They didn’t last
long.
I remember when we had 2 A&W’s, summer nights at the
Dairy Queen, a corn dog place across the street from the Dairy Queen
that was right next to a laundry mat. Rexall and Baker’s drug
stores, going across to Keisling’s after Jr high let out to get some
candy. My aunt worked there. There used to be a small café on south
seventh on the east side of the road, not the Cozy Corner, a block
or so down toward the 7th street bridge. It looked like a house that
was converted into a diner. Small mom and pop grocery stores, my
aunt and uncle used to own one on the corner of 18th and main, there
was one on 7th street too across from the old 7-11. Going to the
river to watch the barges at the locks, or to fish or watch the
trains.
I remember the Puck-a-she-tuck day parades. I loved them because
they were on Saturday mornings and my brothers, sister and I would
all dress up like Indians and ride our Indian motorcycles in the
parade to advertise my dad’s motorcycle shop, KST Sales & Service.
(I am the K in the KST). I remember the old hook and ladder truck
that fire dept used to have, going over to Don and Peggy Printy’s
house on Saturday nights to watch Roller Derby and All Star
Wrestling. The milkman delivering milk to our metal milk box on our
front porch. They actually started delivering it in plastic bags
that you would put in a pitcher and then snip the end off and use
the pitcher to pour it.
I remember my parents always going to Missouri to get gas and
cigarettes because it was cheaper. We would always love to go just
for the ride. Also that was wee we had to go to get the good
fireworks.
As you can tell I could probably write a book on my memories of
Keokuk because it is so fond to me. I am thankful for having grown
up there.
Kristian Thompson
kristiant@cableone.net
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
I remember when I was
young and lived & grew up in KAHOKA MO. Keokuk seemed like
going to a big city. Mondays & Friday nights were shopping
nights with many stores open later. There was Woolworths,
Kresges, Wards, Penny's, Golden Rule all on Main St.
Back in those days there were wide sidewalks and angle parking and
of course the parking meters. Then came the mall, the first in
the entire area (before Quincy, Burlington, etc.) and uniquely right
downtown not being a detriment to the locals but and additional draw
for them.
I remember not one but two A&W's where they had the best Coney dogs
and peanut butter shakes you could find. Back in the 70's on
"Coney day" they were only 19 cents. Speaking of food, the
Chuck Wagon (yes there also were two of them at one time) had the
best hot beef & potatoes and pies - all kinds and always great daily
specials. The Cellar, to this day still has the best cheeseburger
you can find. And there was George's Pizza with the best
spaghetti. There way before the Pizza Huts were heard of.
As others, I remember the WORLD LARGEST STREET FAIR that took up
several blocks on main street. I remember me and a buddy
sneaking into a "girlie show" at about 14. Never seen anything live
like that before!!!! Rand Park has one of the best views of the
MISSISSIPPI you can find anywhere. Something all Keokukians should
be proud of. We had a boat for a while and very much enjoyed
navigating the river both above and below the dam. "The Grand" was
(and is) a Gem where we in earlier years saw movies, live shows, and
many of my daughters dance recitals (through a camera lense).
And who could forget the smells of Keokuk; Hubingers, Shellor-Globe,
Carbide, General Mills, etc. I still like the smell of
Hubingers (now Rouqette) but not the others. I once worked at
Shellor Globe and would take that smell home on your clothes (yuk!).
Where else could you find everything on MAIN STREET....Churches,
Schools, Bars, etc. Dragging Main was always unique for Keokuk
going from the river all the way out the Arrowhead Bowl and back.
I remember if you went about 14 mph you could make it through all
the lights. Main Street was always the best for the many
parades we viewed.
And then there were the major fires of the downtown taking the IOWAN
THEATER, DAVIDS, Richards and later Lindquist Furniture.
How sad that was!!!
I also remember GRAND AVENUE or once known a Christmas Avenue back
when they all decorated for the holidays. To me, many of these
homes looked like mansions at the time with some very unique
architecture. I remember as a kid going to Keokuk to see Santa
Clause when there was only one and usually only located one place.
All in all, I must say I have very fond memories of Keokuk and the
time my family lived there. Having lived there for 22 years I
still think of Keokuk as my second home.
Howard Toops
Burlington IA
Hetoops69@aol.com
I spent more of
my life in rather than away from Keokuk. Moved away at 23 years old,
29 now. I remember when I was a very little girl growing up in
Keokuk, it felt very safe. I remember things that no longer take
place. Like, the annual street fair & the Puckeshetuck parade. I
loved watching the floats go by hoping I'd catch some candy. Many
fond memories include the old Middle School on Main Street that no
longer exists, however I remember every twist & turn, even the
smell!! When I saw the empty lot of it's remains, I couldn't help
but shed a tear. I remember how magical it was to drive down Grand
Avenue every year at Christmas & later the magic of The City of
Christmas in Rand Park. Rand Park was also the ideal sledding
destination for little ones.
Many fond memories flood my mind of my
Dad & I tubing down what then seemed like such a HUGE hill. I'll
never forget the numerous dance recitals at Grand Theater. It was a
beautiful & spooky place. I'll never forget Larye's School of Dance
& what joy she & her studio brought to my young life. I remember all
the great times I had with my best friend Aimee growing up in Indian
Hills neighborhood. We used to walk from the woods behind our
neighborhood all the way to the Country Club & never got caught!
Every summer we'd ride our bikes to the Pool on Plank Road & always
get in trouble because we always stayed way too late. I remember
when the new bridge was opened & the city gave anyone who attended a
ribbon (that I still own).
I remember all our family reunions in Tolmie Park. Even though many of us have moved away, we always
return to Tolmie Park for our Reunions. I remember being thrilled
getting to go to the A&W to eat chili dogs & have a frosty root
beer. I remember feeling the shock of the cannons every summer
during the civil war reenactment. I remember the house I grew up in
on Pawnee Drive. I etched my name in the dry-wall. But, most of all,
I'll always remember the day I left Keokuk Even though I was
starting a new life, I would never forget the wonderful memories I
was leaving behind. Memories that I would always cherish of Keokuk.
I remember when Keokuk
was my home for eighteen years. Growing up there and going to other
places made our town seem smaller with less to do. Now I've moved
and all the things I couldn't do there I still don't do. Just
thinking of the way Keokuk was when I grew up is like watching a
child grow. Always changing and learning new things. Keokuk has
changed, so what has it learned? I think they have learned that with
no youth, it will die. So new businesses come and old ones go.
Future generations will have different memories of Keokuk, but
hopefully it will still be around.
Brian
St.Louis Mo.
surb9006@yahoo.com
I lived in Keokuk from
2000 to 2005, however, I had lived in the immediate area prior to
this all my life. I was born in Quincy, Il in 1971 and my parents
moved to Carthage when I was 15 (1987) and lived there until 2005. I
attended Carthage High School and me and my friends (and high school
boyfriend Shawn Worrell) would cruise on Main Street in Keokuk in
his decked out 68 Camaro, go down to the river, hang out with all
the other teenagers from Hamilton and Keokuk and of course have
fights. We would cruise Main ST to McDonalds, turn around and go
back down to the river. We would eat at Pizza Hut in the mall. Where
we once got served a pizza with a dead cockroach on it.
I enjoyed
living in Keokuk so much better than Carthage. The people in Keokuk
were not snobby like in Carthage. Also, it was so much cheaper to
live in Keokuk. Taxes were so cheap but you could afford to buy a
real nice house for little money. I made more friends in Keokuk in
the 5 years that I lived there than I did anywhere else. I attended SCC nursing and graduated with my RN last year (2004) but during the
entire program I kept saying that I would move to Pensacola, FL when
I graduated. I don't think anyone believed me but hey, here
I am
enjoying this beautiful Florida environment with a great nursing
career. However, I will always consider Keokuk my home because that
is where I felt most comfortable those years that I lived there and
for my youngest 2 girls who are now 5 and 4 who have known Keokuk to
be their home until now. I do miss Keokuk and being able to go to Walmart with the comfort of knowing everyone there. However, the
snow and ice and cold I can do without! I am coming home to be in my
best friend's wedding (Amber Flambeau) next month and can't wait to
see all of my friends and family. I will not forget going to the A&W
every day for lunch when I was pregnant for a bacon cheeseburger,
fries and root beer and beautiful Rand Park. I also miss the fact
that there is very little traffic and very few car accidents in
Keokuk. Jennifer
Berry
Pensacola, FL
jenniferberry71@hotmail.com
I remember when growing up the best things in life were the public
library, the public pool and Rand Park! Oh, how those memories
make me smile!
Miss Shirley Dick was the Librarian. She appeared so mean to
us kids, but once I began working at the library as a teenager and I
got to know her I found out she really had a big heart!
Wednesday evening was family night at the public pool. Our
family would go swimming every week! Most times the pool was
packed full! The sounds of kids yelling, splashing, and
lifeguards blowing whistles. Every bit of it in good fun!
I miss that! The town I live in now has an Olympic size pool
but it is very rarely busy. The rules are so strict that kids
don't really enjoy swimming there.
I have some very fond memories of Rand Park and I have some not so
very fond memories of Rand Park. I remember when I was about 6
and my brother was 9. We cut through Rand Park on our way
home. A couple of older teens started picking a fight.
He told me to run home. He stood up to the bullies and I ran
as fast as my little legs could carry me, screaming bloody murder
the whole way. My mom heard me and came running, barefoot and
nine months pregnant. My brother wasn't far behind me, limping
and holding his side. My mom put us in the car and drove
around looking for the teenagers that beat up my brother. I'm
not sure what she would have done, if she had found them but she
sure did look for them! Another time my brother was thrown
into the pond, bicycle and all!
But the good memories are things all the neighborhood kids building
a teepee in the park from fallen limbs after a spring storm.
The newspaper took a picture of it and we were on the front page.
I remember family picnics at the park and playing at Kiddie Land.
Crawling through the concrete tunnel and sand.
My brother and I had a favorite place to play. It was halfway
down the bluff. There had been a concrete staircase many years
before. The majority of it was gone, but halfway down there
was a portion of it left and we built a fort around it. From
the top of the bluff we couldn't be seen because the weeds usually
about 6 feet high. To get to our fort we would slide down the
bluff on our back sides and then grab a tree root half way down to
get stopped. Then climb through the weeds, careful not to
crush them lest someone find our hidden spot. We had all kinds
of "treasures" hidden there. We could watch the ducks and the
boats on the river. When we saw an underwater current move the
surface water, we would make up stories about the creatures that
lived above the dam and were hunting for food!
I think the best thing about those times was the fact that we used
our imaginations! We didn't sit inside and watch tv or play
video games. We were outside wandering around Keokuk.
My parents still own the big green house by Rand Park and it is nice
to sit on the front porch swing and reminisce!
Heather Easterly
Enid Oklahoma
easterlys3@yahoo.com
I remember when Well I have read all the posts here and as much of
them are from the 50"s and 60's and 70's,mine is from some of the
80's.At the time we have lived on Timea street, and some of the
other streets there. I remember my friends or should I say our
friends as my sisters Mona and Lisa and my 2 little brothers
Kevin and C.J. all live there with my mom. In the winter time we use
to go to the cemetery with the big hill and slide down it. I do not
remember the name of the cemetery but I could find it if I were to
go there today. I remember the Mall. We use to go there on Saturdays
and Sundays just to hang out with our friends. Some of our friends
was Nicki Washburn, Tim Corvia whose parents owned a furniture store
there on main street, Smitty Nelson, Tim and Smitty was my sister
Mona's boyfriends, and Jimmy Johnson, he was my sister Lisa's man of
her dreams as I recall. we had a lot of friends that I do not even
remember all their names as it has been years and years since we
have lived in Keokuk, I came back there for a visit a few years back
with my brother C.J. the town sure changed a lot from when we was
kids. If anyone remembers me or my sisters please e-mail me
Gail Davis (Claus)
Montgomery City, MO
Angllv28@yahoo.com
I remember when
I was sports ed of the daily gate city in the late 70s. I became
good friends over the years with Jim Gray, who was managing ed. Jim
donated to the ball fields when he died in 1995. he was a real
gentleman. The Grand Lunch was a great place...so was Tipenbud's...and
the Hawkeye steakhouse when it was in the basement of the Epper's
hotel. they had the best steaks anywhere in their prime. Jim and I
went there many times over the years. i lived on exchange, then the
street that runs parallel to concert in the Steffen's apartments. My
dad always liked black-faced sheep, and he still has the ones I
bought at the gift shop a couple of blocks away. that is some nice
drive out Grand avenue along the river. we tossed down a couple at
Harrington's and the Teepee. two years ago I looked up another old
friend there, Howard wells. He had the insurance agency. we looked
for Jim's gravesite without success. I have good memories of Keokuk,
and always will.
Haven
Salisbury,Md
hxsimmons@salisbury.edu
I remember when going to the mall just to see a movie and going
around the corner and seeing all your friends was a common thing.
You could almost walk from one side to the next in an hour or less.
This city was my life, how I grew up. Yet, the worst memory of
Keokuk is when my father died. Kevin Schmid. A well known man with a
deceiving image. A man who took a bullet to the stomach to save a
friend at the age of 17. A man who did almost everything to make
sure his family wasn't hungry or cold. A man who could tell a story
of his life with people all around stopping to listen.
I grew up in Keokuk as I already said. With many friends, those
friends friends changed over many years though, but there's always
that one you will always remember, I'll remember her till the day I
die. She was the best friend I could have. Emily Clark. We did
almost everything together. Went on trips, had sleepovers, talked on
the phone, and went to school together. The one thing that brought
us apart as I remember is that I started to get different friends
because we had different teachers, basically a different team. I
started hanging with a different crowd... I guess it runs in the
family..lol..anway, these friends were good friends as well. The
girls anyway.
Two of them were sisters and lived just down the street. So we saw
each other everyday. I'd go to their house, they'd come to mine. We
went to Common Grounds together. Common Grounds is a coffee shop
owned by Christian Priests. It was made so that the kids in Keokuk
were able to go somewhere when their parents would be at bars or the
store, or other places, or just so they could have a good time with
all their friends. In Keokuk, if we wanted to go somewhere though,
we would usually walk. The city is more like a nice comfortable
town. With many people, and everybody knows everyone. Quite a few
elementary schools, one middle school, two high schools. Now I bet
you understand why everyone knew everybody.
Another memory of Keokuk would be all of my Family, My grandparents,
(Papa Lee, Grandma Jackie, Grandma and Grandpa Schmid. (Paul and
Jean) My aunt, Cindy Schmid which is the manager of the one and only
movie theatre in Keokuk. My cousin Jessica, she was probably the one
best friend I had the entire time I lived there. We did everything
together. I knew all her friends, she knew al mine, I knew all
her boyfriends, she knew like 2 of mine, but anyway, and last but
not least My uncle Jeff, and Mindy. These two weren't my actual
family, but they might as well have been. You see Jeff was my Dad's
best friend, and watched me grow-up just like anybody in my family
did, same with Mindy, she was always there for me and my mom when we
needed help for whatever the reason.
One memory of Keokuk is no longer there, but played a small role in
my life. The Glass Rail. My mom and Dad were janitors there. I'd go
help them clean, get a soda, play some pool at night with my dad,
watch my dad beat like 20 people at pool and then we'd say bye to
Carol. Carol was the owner I remember. A nice Lady and one of my
Dad's best of friends, and another bar/grill/restaurant type of
thing was The cellar. The Cellar was a nice restaurant, a great bar,
an a wonderful night of amusement. You see, my mom used to work
there, and I would go and get food every once in a while with
somebody, I was too young, so I'm not too sure. Last but not least
in this paragraph would be cruisin'. Yeah, you know you did it too!
Anyway, going up Main to McDonalds, turning around and going down to
the river was a full lap. A lot of things happened on these nights.
Yelling, Screaming, Singing, Kissing, Hugging, Driving, Racing,
Parties, fights, and just looking cool were just the common
situations.
You see, Keokuk is a place of sadness, amusement, and happiness.
Where your history has the most influence on your life today. About
who you are. About what you've done. What you've seen, and what
other people have seen or done. Keokuk is a place of good times. A
place filled with people who you could walk up to and say, Hey,
without even knowing who it is. A place where you could turn in a
circle in the middle of the street and see at last 10 of your
friends houses. Keokuk is a memorable place that will influence you
for the rest of your life. A place where nothing happens, but when
it does, it seems like its in your own back yard. Keokuk is what
made me, what I am. A place I love to call my home. A place that is
just so amazing, Amnesia wouldn't even be able to remove it from
your brain. Keokuk is where history meets today.
Lacey Reed
Olathe, Kansas
lonly_girl91@hotmail.com
I remember when the
George M. Verity gave rides as you toured, the carnival at the
water front, watching the barges from lock and dam 19. For a
small child, finding geodes and fossils, there was nothing better! I
always enjoyed the war reenactments and the best kettle corn made by
my friend Randy...
I worked for a couple of nursing homes in the area but I must say
the best job I had was working for Betty Ward at the Gypsy Dell,
there is nothing more beautiful then watching the fireworks or even
the sun go down over the Mississippi river.
I have raised three children in Keokuk and we all have great memories from
our life there...Some people would say it's not where you're from,
it's where you're at...
Those people have never been to Keokuk.
Sarah
Des Moines, Ia
E_Mail: activegal35@yahoo.com
I remember when last
year we all started getting new places. I also remember when we had
rolling on the river and the rides that came along with it. My
parents told me when they were little they used to have it going up
and down main street. I lived here all my life so far with my
parents and they raised up here between here and Missouri. Keokuk is
a small town and everybody does know everybody. I'll raise my family
here cause its my hometown and I love it here.
Leanora
Keokuk
Lou_brown17@hotmail.com
I
have lived in Kahoka MO all my life until joining the Coast Guard in
September of 2004. I know that I'm only 19 but I have a lot of great
memories from Keokuk. I remember the summer that my best friend
Melanie and I would make the 20 min drive every night to Keokuk
because there was just nothing to do in Kahoka. Once there we would
meet up with all of our friends down at the river or Mc Donald's
wherever they happened to be, then we would start our journey down
main street wasting gas and being mad about the road construction.
We would stop at Wendy's for Jr. bacon cheese burgers fries with
chili sauce and Dr Peppers. The summer of 2003 was the best and I
will never forget being so excited to go to the new Wal-mart at 3 am
just because we could. I also remember when Mc Donald's first
started being 24 hours. I left home because I thought that there was
nothing there for me, but now I realize that I will be back to raise
my family around that place. Those two towns will always be home to
me.
I remember being little and going threw the City of
Christmas, I remember A&W also and I believe that Sonic will never
compare. I remember K- Mart where mom would by me Barbie's for being
good. I remember Hardees and their big roast beef sandwich, plus
they had that amazing ball pin. I also remember Taco Johns and their
tator tots. I vaguely remember Main ST Cafe, I just remember their
big hamburgers.
Both my parents grew up in Keokuk so if any of you remember
Carl Wixom, or Julie Rhodes I would greatly enjoy hearing stories
about them when they were younger.
Amanda
Pensacola, FL
E_Mail:
mandashell03@hotmail.com
I
remember when I was a little girl I would go out to the Oakland
Cemetery to visit my grandmother who still lives out there still.
Her name is Harriett Wittich. When my dad grew up there it was
a thriving farm. He worked it with his mom, her brother, and
her parents. They also made and sold bologna and jelly.
I still run into people who bought the stuff from them or whose
parents did.
I remember living in a trailer court on Airport Road, on
Exchange street about 7 blocks from the Church of Christ, and in the
house on Palean that my parents still own. I can say I have
been in every church that was in Keokuk as of 1999.
I went to Wells-Carry Elementary school, Keokuk Middle School
(when it was on 14th and Main), and Keokuk High School. I did
not graduate there. I home schooled to finish. I did not
get enough English credits to go to college, but with the knowledge
I did obtain it was easy to get my GED.
I was born at Keokuk Area Hospital, as was my son. In
fact, he was born in the same room I was. My father works
there and I remember walking there after school with my sister and
sitting in the cafeteria and having his co-workers pick on us.
It was fun because we would pick back.
I remember attending the D.A.R.E. program my fifth grade year
and I learned a lot. I still use the little sayings I learned
to teach my children that drugs are bad.
The thing I remember most about Keokuk is how small it
is. My family never had the money to go places so I pretty
much stayed in Keokuk all my life. When my husband joined the
military and we left the area I got to see more of the larger cities
and am now living in a city where it is not possible to go some
where without getting on the freeway and you need a map to get to
the grocery store. I remember complaining about how small it
was and lying about places I'd been because my school mates had been
from larger cities or visited them and I hadn't, but now I miss it.
I want my children to have the same small town closeness I had and
to know where everything is and how to get there without any
trouble. I don't even know how to get to the police station
here, how can I expect them to. There, I can still, to this
day, be anywhere and get anywhere including the police station.
If I've never been there I can hear the address and still find it,
while walking.
These are the things I remember most about Keokuk. I
miss it and hope to return one day and be as successful in the
community as the past five generations of my family have been.
Katrina Cole
Augusta, Georgia
E_Mail:
alleykatmeow00@yahoo.com
I remember when I grew
up on Belknap Place, and even though I grew up in the 80's and 90's
it really felt like "Leave it to Beaver" in my neighborhood. I
only played with the other neighbor kids and all the neighbors knew
us. We would visit our elder neighbors and bring them treats.
When the great flood happened in 93 my friends and I had a Kool-aid
stand to raise money to support the victims. We had so much
fun playing in my grandma's backyard, which was the largest one on
the street. And when I was real young I remember Andrea
Sartory's grandparents having the local market down a few blocks.
It was a meat market, sadly it went away with the times. We
also had Sharkey the ice cream truck that came to our street.
I could just go on and on, but I am sure you all get the point.
No matter how old you are, everything was better when you were
young. And somehow the world just keeps speeding up.
Renee Harmon
Hamilton
E_Mail:
reneeharmon@accdir.com
I remember when I was
just a young girl living in Indian hills (behind the long wooden
wall by the bowling alley). The kids of the neighborhood all
took care of one another, we would all gather in our backyards (they
touched and there was not fences up then) and play dodgeball, kick
ball, tag or just sit around and make each other laugh. My
brother Brad and I had so many friends that lived around our block,
The Carrs, The Toops, the Wixom kids, the Varners, The Ruffcorns.
We felt safe and secure then.
I also remember the middle school sports games and none of us girls
would go home after practice, we would go to Wendy's and eat or go
to Keaslings and get penny sour patch kids and sour gum balls.
We would then go back to the school to watch the games!
My fondest high school memory was the football games when Coach
Capaldo would let us "meet the players at the fifty" and running up
to the liberty bell to ring that thing as loud as we could!
I also loved to cruise Main with all the other high schoolers, we
didn't much cruise as we did sit around McDonald's or the river.
I met a lot of really good friends from Main street.
My husband now still says the best thing to come out of Keokuk is
96.3 the rock on the river radio station. He is from CR and he
still loves to come down and watch the barges go throw the lock.
The thing I miss most is the DQ, not the one that is there now but
the Kutcher DQ, the one my grandparents owned. We would swing
on the big swing Grandpa built us in the back yard, we'd ride our
bikes in the parking lot for hours, and coming back from the
municipal swimming pool we'd have ourselves a great big DQ treat!
I can still see Grandma's desk just so, and I will never forget all
the Keokuk residents that would ask my mom (Becky Figge) when we
were going to be selling our extras for the closing season, so they
could enjoy our DQ all year long.
I come back every two weeks to this little Iowa town, not because my
family is still here, but because it will ALWAYS be home.
Brianne Ulrich
Cedar Rapids Iowa
E_Mail: ennairb3@hotmail.com
I
remember the mina bird at the 'Gate City Seed Company,' down on Main
Street. That place smelled like a barn. There was this
big black bird sitting on an open perch amongst all the bins and
sacks of grains, and he talked whenever he felt like it. My
mom and/or dad would take me in with them when they bought birdseed
for our little parakeet. Usually, just before our visit to the
seed company, we would have been at Stan's bakery picking up a sack
full of 'cream horns' for the upcoming weekend. Stan's bakery
reeked with the warmest, richest pastry smells on earth, and his
shop's screen door was his most powerful sales tool. Anyway,
this big, walleyed, black bird behind his large, yellow, curved beak
would carefully scrutinize my every move as I tried to sneak up on
him. He would begin by saying, "hello!," and then start into a
dialogue with himself, about all sorts of things. I was
mystified, spellbound by a bird that could communicate with me in my
own language. How could this be? Saturdays were
especially wonderful in Keokuk in the 1950s. The preceding
week at Washington Central Elementary was the prerequisite dues paid
for what would always be a smashing weekend with neighborhood
friends. Saturday morning cartoons ended abruptly with my two
sisters tyrannically insisting upon watching 'American Bandstand.'
At that point I was out of the house and on my bicycle heading down
Morgan, to 10th Street which would take me to Louie Morgan's
'Standard' filling station at 10th and main. There I would air
up my tires, and begin cruising for empty pop bottles stacked around
the back doors of bars in the downtown alleys. Higgins' market
was my pop bottle 'broker.' Mr. Higgins in his white apron,
cigar in mouth, paid me two cents per bottle--and by noon I had
garnered more than enough money for the matinee at the Iowa Theatre
(including a hot dog, soda and some candy treats). The old
Iowa Theatre was an adventure in itself. The inside of the
place was deliciously dark and mysterious.
Dave Merrick
City: Canon City, Colorado
E_Mail:
DaveMerrickArt@MSN.Com
I remember when we
were living on exchange street and we used to go to the fire station
that was a block from our house and sing for 5 cent sodas that was
way back in 1969 and I was five years old I believe that the
hospital I was born in is gone I went to George Washington
Elementary and would stop at this restaurant on the way home from
school with a friend whose mother would give us a free cokes I
remember my parents talking about the tip and bud and riding in my
fathers 1963 corvette. The most I remember about those times were
going to my grandmother and grandfather's house out in Powdertown
the Horners where my grandfather Kenneth Horner still lives. they
were some great memories. we also visit my other g-parents the
Goetz's at 913 bank street both I loved them all very much and miss
them dearly. we finally moved away when I was nine but still have
most of my aunts, uncles and cousins still living there
SCOTT A GOETZ
City: SAGINAW MICH
E_Mail:
sgoetz@cmishneible.com Webmaster note:
Scott-This email address is not working, please send me corrected
email at
edvinson@keokuk.com
I
remember when Keokuk was a different place. I am sixteen years
old as of now, December of 2004, but I remember when Jack's was
still there and when the old Middle School was still erect =(.
Back when they were still building Burger King, and I use to spend
the summer at my grandma Weber's, where we would go to Aldi's and
buy those freeze pops of various flavors. I remember the Swan
man would come down and give us free samples of Ice Cream even
though now I am quite sure that that wasn't accepted by the company.
The flood of '93 is quite vague but I remember driving on the ferry.
I also remember the 9/11 issue in the Daily Gate City and how scared
everyone was. The constant road construction that seems
infinite, and unstoppable.
Always finding something to fix. I miss A & W, which is
now an insurance place. Also, Keokuk, to my belief, has become
the church center of the U.S, with about seven or more big churches
around the area. The new Wal-mart was just built and might run
some locally owned businesses (the few we have left) out. Sad
to see places like the old arcade and Hardees go. My dad used
to take me to Hardee's early in the a.m. and we would get
mini-slammers. It still makes my mouth water. It appears
the population has steadily decreased, but the barge is still
beautiful in the morning. (speaking of which, some of my photography
may hopefully be on the site soon!)
Cody Weber
Hamilton Illinois
cody_saturnine@hotmail.com
I
remember when...I was a little girl when I moved away from Keokuk,
but in my heart it will always fill like home to me. I
remember a lot of experiences that I had in Iowa that I don't get to
experience here in Tampa. I remember my father trying to catch
a skunk in the woods behind my townhouse and catching a couple of
the neighbors cats instead. Then he called a guy out who shot
it. Man did that thing smell! Our entire apartment smelled for
months. I remember the trains waking me up for school in the
morning, and taking walks through the woods to look for mushrooms
with my father. We would also pick berries and a neighbor made us a
pie. I remember picking wild strawberries in the field to the left
of my apartment. As I remember, they didn't taste too well,
but I kept on trying them. I remember fishing on the Dam with my
father and watching the Barges go by. I remember camping on
the Mississippi, and catching snails with my brother and father in
the creek by my school "Lincoln Stinkin," I don't remember why we
called it that but as I remember that it was close to a
factory of some sort, so maybe that is why. I remember sing
the Iowa theme song every morning at Lincoln and my first grade
teacher made us sing every morning over a microphone Neil Diamond
songs. I remember Christmas at my grandmother (Florence) and Grandpa
(John) Stark, and having to stop the car and wait for the horse
drawn carriages to go by. Definitely not any thing like that
here. I think that if you lived in Keokuk, then you have probably
met someone in my family as there are a lot of Brewers. I remember
the simple pleasures like running around catching frogs and
lightning bugs...When I moved I remember being so sad that Florida
had no lighting bugs... And the bald eagles. My mother (Joyce) and
my brother's (Jonny and Billy) are moving back to Iowa in a couple
months, and I am driving up there with them....So Hopefully I will
be able so stop through see some of the places where I used to live
and the playground where I used to fly my kite and slide at...And
Barbra Spalek
St. Petersburg Florida
Barbra.Spalek@heritagefunds.com
I remember when I was
in 6th grade and was in "Oliver" as one of the boys in the orphanage.
When we'd get up in the middle of the night to see the Mississippi
Queen lock thru. When I'd ride in the Union Electric trucks with my
Grandpa Carl Fuller over to Hamilton to get them inspected on Sat
mornings once a year.
Dairy Queen was owned by Alice ? and was only open in the summer.
You'd walk up to the windows to order and stand in line visiting
with everyone else. My aunt made the tamalies for the Grand Cafe on
Main Street.
Walking from 17th and Fulton to the Jr High on Main Street everyday.
Playing pick up ball games at Tummulty Park and then watching the
men play fast pitch softball in the evenings. When the Queen and her
Court (5 girls) played the men and beat them.
Walking to Trinity Methodist Church one winter when everything shut
down because of the bad snow storm. Max Goldman was the minister and
there were 3 or 4 families that walked there plus he and his wife.
Watching the Keokuk Chief dance before the basketball games and
sitting on my grandparent hill and watch the football games.
Playing little league baseball with Mike O'Bleness, Paul Malcolm,
Ricky Stepp and Mr. Anderson and Mr. O'Bleness helped coach. The
ball field on Timea, I think, had a rock for home plate that stuck
up out of the ground. Would never do today.
My dad, Ron Fuller taught 6th grade at Wells Carey. The first
teacher strike in Iowa was in Keokuk. Reporters from all over were
in town.
Tip n Bud had the best tenderloins, A&W the best soda, Dairy Queen
the best ice cream.
Driving across the old bridge and having picnics along River Road
between Hamilton and Nauvoo at the roadside parks.
I lived in Keokuk from '63 to 70 or '71. If anyone remembers the
Fuller's, drop me a note.
Jeff Fuller
O'Fallon. Mo
liver915@yahoo.com
I remember when I was
a teenager going to Keokuk to the teen dances at the Eagles, the Y,
the Palace. It was a great place to hang out on the weekends for
everyone. I remember fishing on the Des Moines with my grandpa
Bryant and staying at their house on South 7th St. I remember the
Woolsworths in the mall, supper at Tippenbuds with my parents,
icecream and rootbeer at A&W, sitting down on the wall at the river
watching the boats go by. I spent a lot of time visiting my Aunt
Alice and Aunt MaryLou. I remember my Grandpa Haydens on Sth, 7th .
I believe it used to be a restaurant. I remember going to Sammy's
Market for homemade weiners and candy, the street fair every year
and all the parades. One year my sister and I rode the Duck from
Steel Castings. I remember going to take my dad supper at the little
guard house down by the river at the old steel castings.
I didn't live in Keokuk, but I wouldn't trade the memories for
anything. Its thanks to my cousin that I found this site. And I
thank this site for letting me get in touch with her again. I hadn't
seen her since she was a small girl. Families have really
grown apart thru the years.
Tammy
Kahoka, MO
E_Mail:
tamstaxidermy@hotmail.com
I remember when I used
to play "Indian" ball at Rees park for hours on end with my friends
and classmates. I remember my first job at the Street Fair on
the river, selling corn dogs when I was 14 yrs. old. The guy
who ran the stand kept taking off to go fishing. I finally had
enough of that and quit. There were stores there that are long
gone. Kresge's Irwin Phillips, Woolworth's used to be on Main,
I believe. Oh yeah, Mindy. I remember when Hardee's was
Sandy's. Going to A&W was a treat, it's a shame it closed a
few years back. I remember hiking up and down the hills behind
my house on Park St. Spent countless hours doing that.
Eric Deck
Prior Lake, MN
E_Mail: decker165@mchsi.com
I lived in Keokuk for
about five years during my childhood. We lived at 27 Mohawk
Terrace in a subdivision which I think was called Indian Hills.
My father used to manage the Sherwin Williams store from 1959-1964.
I attended Washington Central till midway through the third grade,
when my family moved to Quincy, IL. My teachers were Miss McRobert, Mrs. Combs, Miss Kurth, and Mrs. Inskeep. I hear
that the school is no longer there. I would be interested in
knowing about the history of that school. It seemed ancient to
me then...was it?
Vanessa Morris Ferrara
Plano, TX
E_Mail: vaferrara@aol.com
I remember when my
Dad, Ray Ritter, was in the Air Force and deposited myself, my four
siblings and my Mom at my Grandparents house while he went on
assignment for a year in Alaska. My Mom, Peggy Koch, was born and
raised on Concert Street in Keokuk by her parents, Gentry and
Delores Koch. Since Dad was in the Military, every couple of years
we would head back to Keokuk for a few weeks in between assignments.
In 1962, that assignment was a year long. Grammie and Grandfather
took us all in, I was the oldest at just 7, and I can still smell
the sweet aroma of sticky watermelon on warm summer nights as we
played barefoot on fresh cut grass and caught fireflies in their
pussywillow covered backyard.
I remember walking to school and the big emergency exit slide that
ran the length of the building. I remember the Fair on Main street,
the bust of Chief Keokuk in the park where we had countless picnics,
and the tenderlion sandwiches at the A&W. I remember my friend Sandy
Kay, a girl who lived across the street, and spending hours playing
in her cool, dank basement.
I remember the steel plant where Grandfather worked as a draftsman.
I remember watching the boats in the docks on the Mississippi River
and crossing the covered bridge to visit family in nearby Missouri.
I remember Grammie's "life lessons" of tolerance, faith, and love...
things that helped shape the man I am today.
Grammie and Grandfather passed on in the late 1980's, and I last
visited Keokuk at that time to speak at Grammie's memorial service.
My parents met at Pete's Soda Shop in 1953. They married in 1954,
and are celebrating their 50th anniversary this September. I am
trying to locate memorabilia from that time, particularly from
Pete's, so if anyone has an old photo they could send me, it would
be very appreciated.
As a military brat, I never really had a hometown, but to this day,
when people ask where I am from, I still say with a warm heart,
Keokuk, Iowa.
Michael Ritter
Austin, texas
E_Mail: Bratz@aol.com
I remember when Higgins was the neighborhood
store on the corner where I often went to buy candy, after returning
the pop bottles to get the money of course. Remember the S&H
green stamps? It was fun deciding what to save up for next. Keaslings
was a favorite place to go & sit at the counter drinking
our favorite Phosphate. By the way, what was a Phosphate? A&W
Tenderloins & Rootbeer, yum! The Grand Theatre was always
a fun time. I remember Girl Scout Camp, Rand Park & sitting
upon our "sit-up-ons", Hobo stew, too. I went to Washington Central,
what a cool school. Mr. Murphy had the best jump ropers in the
area. I remember Mrs. Sears my 2nd grade teacher. Later in HMS & KHS
I remember Mr. Dawkins, art, Mr. Artman, English? & Mr. Helwig-????Math,
maybe? I enjoyed the Pep assemblies. anything to get out of class.
Sunday drives after church was part of our weekly routine. Usually
we drove out to the country, my dad had a farm outside of town, & that
was always fun. You always knew when it was noon, the whistle
could be heard no matter where you were. Church bells rang every
Sunday. 12th St. Hall Dances. The Street Fair was always an exciting
thing. I even considered running away with them one year, but
they wouldn't let me. :) We cruised Main St. until curfew, in
our parent's car, of course. Does anyone remember the talking
parrot at the Daily Gate City? My hero was Toots Delahoyde,
the most popular man in town, I think. Also had an abundant supply
of Tootsie-Rolls to throw out for all the kids. It's a wonder
none of us got hit by a car trying to get them. :) He was our
Andy of Mayberry kind of Sheriff. Then there was the Coca Cola
Bottling Plant, always exciting to see the process. The Ice cream
socials were a good time. The cakes & pies
were actually homemade. Peter's Dairy had the greatest ice cream. There were
picnics on Labor Day, at Peter's Grove before school started up again, that
was always a bitter/sweet occasion. We had basket dinners at the little country
church
in New Boston, lots of good food! The Golden Rule, back to school fashion shows,
school supplies in brown wrap, Pork Chops, the guy on the bike, race cars. Ramo
Stott & Ernie Derr, the greatest in the world. Geodes-a rock that I believed
contained real diamonds. I never recall experiencing any type of racism, if
I had I am sure that I would remember, I never heard the "N" word & I never
felt that I was less of a person because of my color. I am a black woman that
is proud to have been "born & bred" in Keokuk. Keokuk, was not perfect
, we had our "Peyton Place" moments,
but I must say that it came pretty close.
Patricia McReynolds
Hannibal, Mo.
jagxj6@socket.net
I remember when I was growing up as a
kid, we had so much fun. I remember when there was a pool hall
on the corner of 9th & main and then you could walk out and go
across the street and get a really good milk shake. I can't
remember the name of the place though. I remember
how Toots Delahoyde would ride up and down main street and throw
tootsie rolls out his windows. I also remember how all
my friends and I would walk up and down main street, and end up
sitting in the Burger Chef. There used to be
dances at the 12th street hall. I can also remember the street
fairs on main street and down at the river. After school, we
would used to go over to the old Keasling's and get hamburgers (the
best in town). Does anybody remember how after the HI-Ho
closed, everyone would used to go to George's pizza our Country
Kitchen and get something to eat. There are so many memories
of Keokuk I could tell about, that I would need two or three screens
to write about.
Jennifer M Fullbright
Woodbury, MN
jennifer.m.fullbright@wellsfargo.com
I remember many of the
old big building that were torn down in the 70s and 80s. There
was on old brick YMCA building, Graham hospital, the old Washington
Central school, and of course two Catholic churches - St Mary's and
St Francis. Sadly the middle school is next. I remember
when it was a big deal when "Kindustry Park" was named via a naming
contest. I remember the new jogging trail at Tolmie Park.
I remember the hospital expanding from one building to several and
taking over the next block over. Heck, I remember when there
were TWO hospitals - amazing for a town its size.
Some random thoughts - I remember when the mall was full of thriving
businesses, and when a garbage truck fell through an alley into a
large sewer pipe. I remember watching fireworks from the big
lawn of the church down by the river. I remember the horrible
smell from Hubinger's and the clouds of river bugs. I remember
watching barges go through the locks, and when the footbridge
resurfaced there were sometimes fish flopping around on the metal
grate.
I remember when the "KEOKUK PLANT" sign on the power plant was
turned off to save electricity, and then turned back on for
nostalgia's sake. I remember ice skating on Rand Park pond,
and something like a JJ Ghost Hunt in Rand Park back in the early
70s. I remember counting stories on the Epper's hotel (is it
still the tallest building?) I remember playing PacMan at the
Paddock arcade in the mall.
Lots of good memories...
Joe Richards
Las Vegas, NV
E_Mail:
jperichards@prodigy.net
I remember when I was
growing up between 8th and 9th on Orleans. We went everywhere.
We'd go to Triangle park to ride horses. We went to Logan's to
jump on the trampoline. I remember going to Washington Central
for kindergarten and then to Garfield School thru 6th grade.
We had the best teachers there. I remember Christmas time, we
all sat on the stair cases of the school and each class sang a
Christmas song. I remember the 5th or 6th grade class always
sang 12 Days of Christmas.
I remember walking down to the river from the steps I think were at
around 2nd or 3rd street. We'd walk down to the railroad
tracks and walked up and down the tracks. Somewhere in the
middle of the hill, we had a fort. Another house on Grand
Avenue had a rope swing that we played on over the bluff.
I remember the grocery store (Higgins, I think) around Morgan and
10th or 11th. Also there was a corner store at 7th and High.
We used to by a carton of chocolate milk and drink it with licorice
for a straw.
I remember taking tennis lessons at the tennis courts at 6th and
Franklin I think.
I remember walking to Keasling's on Saturday mornings with Dad,
where Mom was working. We got to have donuts in the little
diner next door.
We moved to Decatur when I was in 6th grade. Sometimes we rode
the bus. We'd catch the bus at Hawthorne, ride to Washington
Central, change busses then go to Garfield. We were always
late. Sometimes if the weather was nice, I rode my bike to
school.
We lived at the swimming pool during the summer. I took
swimming lessons there and at the old Y on 5th street.
Remember when there was a roller skating rink (outside) on the
parking lot next to the pool? I vaguely remember the Street
Fair on Main Street, but mostly remember it on the River Front.
We rode our bikes everywhere. We would even ride them across
the bridge to Wild Cat Springs for a picnic.
Of course we had Chili at the diner on Main, and Root Beer floats at
A&W. Remember when they sold Christmas trees at the A&W.
A&W closed for the winter.
I remember Burger Chef, going to the Iowa Theater for movies.
I also remember the big fire when the Iowa Theater burned down.
Not of lot of this is in any kind of chronological order, but I had
a great childhood growing up in Keokuk.
DK
O'Fallon,MO
E_Mail:
kelley1297@hotmail.com
I remember when I lived in Keokuk I had a good time when I lived there.
I had a lot of fun. I loved to go to the pool as a kid. I moved back
a little bit ago.
Logan Bode
Keokuk ,IA
E_Mail: LOGANBODE@hotmail.com
I remember when I was
growing up in Keokuk. I was born there in 64 and lived there until
79.We moved to Luray when I was 15. I grew up on Johnson St Rd where
my Aunt owns the Little Country Store. My grandfather used to have a
small fish market and I can remember helping to clean the fish. I
can remember cruising Main St with REO cranking on the stereo. I
remember Seabold's exotic animal farm. I remember a lot of the
floods and learning to ride a skateboard down the end of Johnson St
Rd while trying to dodge the sand and gravel trucks. I still have a
lot of family and friends there. It was a great place to grow up. I
visited there this weekend and it sure has changed.
Marvin Miller
LaHarpe,IL
E_Mail:
themmillers6@hotmail.com
I remember when My
Grandfather Ollie Reuther used to take me fishing on the Mississippi
every morning back in the early 60's as we would come back almost
yearly for our family vacation. I was too young to remember much
about Keokuk as I was born there in 1953.
We are going to have a little family gathering here in my home and
going to put all of our heads together and write more about what
everyone remembers. I hope that when we do it brings a smile and a
fond memory of the GOOD PEOPLE of Keokuk.
Michael D Farnum
Cave Creek Arizona
E_Mail: CJ35079@aol.com
I remember when we
used to visit my grandparents on I think Morgan St. I think it
was 911 Morgan, but memory isn't so good. Maybe the 911 comes
from the emergency phone #. That address is a mall now.
My grandfather was a tariff attorney and his named was John Fry
also. Do a Google search on John Fry Keokuk and see what you
find. My dad John Clayton Fry Jr. is still alive at 90 now
09/23/03. Hope he goes a few more years. I remember one
of the theaters to get first air conditioning and what a treat it
was to go to the movies and get cool in the summer. My
grandparents had a big corner lot with maple and elm trees. We
also had a family farm in Montrose. The owner was Barbara
Sawyer, a local school teacher. I can remember getting
electricity at one of the family farms and what a change it made in
style of living there. My grandparents went to the
Presbyterian Church.
John Clayton Fry IV
Los Altos, CA
E_Mail: johnfryiv@yahoo.com
I remember last
summer, that is 2002 when I visited your town. It was a great
feeling because hundred years ago my great great grandfather lived
in Keokuk for a couple of years. After that he came back to Sweden,
and thanks to that I am here now!
I don't know so much about my great great grandfather, but he was a
farmer who, I guess, wanted to experience something new and exciting
and perhaps make some money too. His name was Oscar Andersson, if
there is someone over there who know who he was. One of the reasons
why he came back to Sweden was that he had his wife over here. I
believe that he came from a small town in the south east of Sweden
that is called Boxholm.
I came to Iowa as a college student, I stayed for one semester at
Coe College in Cedar Rapids. I have been at the Swedish museum in
Swedesburg. At that place I found a wooden suitcase that came from
Boxholm. I don't know who it belonged to but perhaps is that person
a friend of my Gr. Gr. Grandfather.
At home I have his suitcase and it's full of receipts and tickets
and letters and much more. He bought a suit at a store that I think
is still there in Keokuk. If the owner of that store wants to have a
copy of that receipt then just ask me! I don't remember the name of
the store right now but it's located somewhere at the central
street... like everything else by the way! I believe that it had
some kind of horse on the logotype but I'm not sure.
I would also like to thank the Logan family who took me on a ride
and showed me what a beautiful place you live at. I believe that I
will come back again. Take care dear friends and be positive! I have
noticed that some of you believe that life was more fun in the past
of Keokuk. The only people that can change it to the better is
you... where is the American spirit?
If you know something about Oscar Andersson, please write back to
me.
Christian Andersson
Boxholm
the_pier@hotmail.com
I remember when I was in the high school marching
band (94-98) with Jim DePrizio as the director. Band trips were the
highlight of the fall. Riding the bus where I was the queen of
covering up the light so everyone could make out. Mrs. Anderson did
hand checks. :)
One weekend my senior year I was dog sitting Mr. D's dogs Buffy and
Sniffles. Since I had the key to his house the seniors broke in and
had a senior photo taken for him. All of us were piled up on his
couch. You should have seen his face! It was priceless.
Then there were the band YMCA lock-ins. We had a dance contest that
had me rolling on the ground with laughter. We ate incredible
amounts of junk food and stayed up all night.
I still miss those hometown football games where you felt like you
knew everyone in the stands. Keokuk is a wonderful place to grow up
and I am thankful that I was lucky enough to experience it.
Claire Haas
Colorado Springs, CO
clairehaas@yahoo.com
The city of Keokuk, Iowa, is now and always will be
a part of my life. That was first evident in 1949 when my
grandparents and my aunt Margaret made the trip there for Decoration
Day ceremonies. They went to see the grave in the national cemetery
and honor the memory of their son, brother, and my father, Wallace
Bryce Martin Sr., killed in World War II along with the entire crew
of an Army Air Force combat plane.
Our federal
government relocated the crew at the stateside gravesite in Keokuk
after previously burying them in a mass grave on foreign soil.
My grandmother was
especially somber as she attached her Gold Star Mother’s pin just
above the heart. For the ceremonies, she had chosen a navy blue
dress, matching hat with veil, and new black dress shoes. She made
only one other trip to the cemetery in Keokuk. Each year at the
appropriate time, she would hang a gold star in our living room
window facing the street in Galena, Kan.
For my grandmother,
it was an event especially satisfying since she met parents and
other family members of all those killed in the crew of the B-29
bomber with her son. She exchanged letters and photographs with the
families for years to come.
Although it was not
a pleasure trip, there were things to see and do in the city, with
the proper perspective taken into consideration.
I did not go that
first year in 1949. I went three times after that, the last time in
1954. One thing you could not miss was the large mass of water you
had to cross to enter the city, nor the statue of Chief Keokuk and
the inscription explaining the city’s origin.
Then, there was the
Keokuk Dam, and the bridge whose span crossed over the Mississippi
River, and resembled a giant Erector Set when its drawbridge girder
mechanisms kicked into gear from the hands of an operator stationed
under the mass of steel.
One summer,
thousands and thousands of moths infiltrated the air and thousands
more lie dead on the ground. The earthy aroma of the moths was an
unforgettable smell.
There were two main
downtown hotels. We always stayed at the same one, except for one
year when it was booked full. From our room in the other hotel, we
could see far down below and the animals in the city’s small zoo. We
usually ate at the Chuck Wagon Café on the main drag.
The first time we
stayed in the hotel was a first for me. A man with an odd outfit
insisted on carrying our bags and escorting us to our room. His
outfit reminded me of the little bellhop I had seen in ads for
Phillip Morris cigarettes. Once inside, the man drew open the
curtains, showed where everything was and then kind of stood still,
still as Chief Keokuk. My grandfather grimaced, reached in his
pocket and handed the man a fifty-cent piece. “He wanted a tip,”
explained my grandfather as the man exited. I could tell he did not
like the idea of giving someone money for imposing on you for
something you could have done for yourself.
There were trips to
Joyce Park to see the Keokuk Kernels play baseball. The Kernels were
a Class B professional minor league team in the Three-I league. I
knew all this from reading the backs of my baseball cards. In
reading them, I never imagined ever actually being in any of the
many cities mentioned on those cards, except for the ones nearby my
hometown that I was already familiar with, such as Joplin,
Independence, Chanute, and some others.
The hotel we
normally stayed in housed the Kernels. The main floor held their
offices. I met the team’s manager in 1954, Jo-Jo White, when they
were a farm club for the Cleveland Indians. “Do you have anyone who
hits the long ball, like Mantle maybe?” I asked him. “No,” he said,
seemingly disinterested where the conversation was going. “Oh, yes,”
he lit up, as if he just remembered something. “Roger Maris. He can
belt them a ways.”
“I’ll remember
that,” I said. “I’ll be looking for him on a baseball card.”
A letter to my
grandmother was especially troubling. A dark-haired, handsome young
man with impeccable manners, dapper in a dark suit, who sang
impressively from the stage during wreath ceremonies in Keokuk,
impressed her. The man had died from complications quite unusual. It
seems he liked to place redskin peanuts into his soda pop bottles.
That was not all that odd, I and many of my neighborhood friends had
done the same thing. However, doctors said an accumulation of the
peanut skins had built up in the young man’s body and that is what
killed him.
For some reason,
that has always left a stronger impression than any of my other
Keokuk memories have.
Can anyone tell
me the name of the hotel that sat beside the zoo? The name of the
other hotel on the main street? The name of the movie theater that
sat on the main street? The name of the movie theater that
sat on the side street? I am pretty sure I know but I want to double
check.
Bryce Martin
havilahus@yahoo.com
I want all your memories of early Keokuk, even though I have never
been there, my dad and his brother lived there in the 40's and 50's,
They were Kenneth and Francis Moore. Their mother was Corrine, and
one of her boyfriends was a sheriff (Toots) from Keokuk. Plus my
grandmother Corrine married Charlie Marchefke who had a candy store
in Keokuk? I would love to surprise my dad with a whole bundle of
memories, any names you remember. We have pictures of the man who
one person here spoke of who yelled out things as he drove along in
his horse and buggy. Oh how I would love to hear your memories!
Please help me, with pictures or anything you can think of, I would
be eternally grateful. The reason I'm doing this is that we just
lost my mom, and dad and her were married 53 years, he is so down
and I thought I would make him smile with all the memories.....thank
you so much,
Sherrie Schulteis
Lynden, Washington
E_Mail: zena1956@yahoo.com
I remember when I would bug my cousins
(Tammy and Wendy Hayden) to take me cruising with them on Main St.
as a little girl. I also remember the first time they actually
let me go. I was born at KAH and as far as I know my family has
been in Keokuk since the dawn of time. I remember our house on S.
7th, just a couple doors down from my grandmother's house (Mary
Ellen Bryant). We lived right across the street from Sam's Meat
Market (which I understand is now gone). My father (Kenny Bryant)
hid the horrors of the world from me when my dog, Rags, got ran
over in front of Sams until he finally had to tell me. I also
remember my father and my uncle Lonnie trying to 'prove'
themselves by running the Taco John's for my Aunt Sue one night
(they did horribly!). I remember a lot of children that my brother
Jeremy and I played with, unfortunately, I don't remember most of
their names. If anyone remembers me or my family, please email
me. I'm terribly homesick :(
Barbi Mathisen (formerly Bryant)
Renton, WA
I remember when I
was growing up-Keokuk was a very special place. I remember
the A & W rootbeer stand, on Saturday evening after our baths, our
parents would take us to get rootbeer and ice cream.. we would sit
in the car and the lady would bring the tray out and it would sit
on the window. As we grew older, we got a boat and every
Sunday, we would go out to the Mississippi. Go up around the
Illinois side and turn the engine off. We would just float
down stream, sometimes falling asleep in the warm afternoon sun,
or swimming in the river. We always wore our shoes because
of the mud on the bottom.
It was a town were you knew people, I remember going through
a yellow light one morning, really early. By the time my Dad
came home for supper, he already had a police man tell him...also
you could get on your bike and go anywhere and your parents
wouldn't have to worry. Not like today, when you don't want
your child out of your sight.
Keokuk has a lot of good people, and memories. I loved going
to Calvary Baptist Church and watching the stain glass windows.
The sun shone through those old windows with so much color and
warmth.
I have not been back there for a while, but I will always love
that area of the country. I am sorry to hear that the
industries have fallen on some tough times lately. But its a
great town to grow up in.
Randy
Leesburg, VA
E_Mail: leartly@aol.com
My earliest
memories was living in a house at 608 North 9th Street between
Franklin and Orleans around 1960. The three houses on my side of
the street were built around the same time. Their floor layout
were identical except our house had a sun porch and a detached
garage off to the side. There was a big elm tree out front that
survived the Ditch Elm Disease.
The neighborhood was a mixture of families from all walks of
life.
The house toward Main Street was the
home of Jack and Doris Lally and their daughter Carol. They had a
small restaurant "Lally's Lunch" located by General Mills on
Johnson Street. I can remember sitting in Doris's kitchen with my
mom, while she was preparing chili for the restaurant. I can
remember I thought Carol was a very pretty girl for being as old
as she was. I was five and she must have been eleven or twelve. I
remember they drove a Mercury Comet. Carol wrecked their car
rolling it over turning the corner on 10th and Main when she was
older. We called her Ramo for awhile after that. Jack's brother,
Bernard, was a policeman. There are probably some stories there,
from what I heard later own in life.
In the house away from Main Street, the Geigers lived there
and then moved away. Later the Stars lived there. I can remember
they had a son named Jackie. Jackie what was called a special
child back then. He was around my sister's age, who is a year
younger then me. We didn't care back then that Jackie may of had a
problem, we still played with him.
Caddy corner from the Lally's on Franklin Street lived Mr.
Lotter and his wife Mrs. Lotter and their son, Bobby in a duplex.
Mr. Lotter had a hook on one arm. He also was the elevator
operator at the Iowa Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Lotter used to sit on the
front porch watching the kids playing 500 in the street.
Around the corner from us lived George Norman, Attorney at
Law and his family. I can remember he had a couple of daughters
and maybe a son? Ann, was one of his daughters was a year behind
me in school. I can remember Mr. Norman when he was two feet
taller then me. When I bought my house, he was my Lawyer and was
about a foot shorter then me.
Dan Peterson lived across the street from the Normans. I
think Mr. Peterson was a teacher at the High School. Dan later
played basketball and was a punter for the Keokuk Chiefs. I
remember reading he was at a tryout for a professional football
team as a punter.
On the other side
of the Petersons lived the Hanlin's Gramma. I never knew what her
last name was. The Hanlins, there was two boys, stayed there on
weekends and in the summer. At least that is my recollection. They
had a pet coon. Their Gramma always rang a dinner bell when it was
time to eat.
Across the street from us was the Donahues. I remember they
had twins. One of the twins had an operation when he was young and
wore a football helmet.
Across the alley from them was a family who had a daughter
who married Don Ameji's (spelling?)son. I never saw him, but my
mom did. My brush with fame.
I can remember my brother cutting wooden guns for the
nieghborhood boys out of scrap wood on our bandsaw. They handed
him the wood through the basement window and would hand them back
a completed genuine wooden toy gun manufactured in Keokuk. I can't
help wonder if there are any of them still lying around in
someone's attic or basement.
There were many more kids and families that lived in the
neighborhood, but I can't recall their names. Maybe this can jar
some memories and more postings can be made by others.
Harold Gittings
Keokuk, Iowa
I remember when I was
an exchange student in Keokuk. Everything was so different, but I
loved it. Keokuk is a wonderful town to live and there really are a
lot of things to do even it's not very big town! Year went too fast,
but I got a lot of happy memories. Thank you David, Debby, Deidra,
Dacia and Derek Johnson! I'll always love you and remember you!
You're on my mind every day!
Jaana Anglé
Finland
I
remember when I was a young girl growing up Keokuk.!! I will try
and write my story in alphabet order but as always I will probably
get off track, as I will think of something and can't help but
tell it.
OH!!!!
HOW I REMEMBER THE A&W ROOT BEER, MY THEN BOYFRIEND, STAN SHERRILL
AND NOW HUSBAND OF 49 YEARS ,COME JUNE; WOULD WALK OVER FROM
HAMILTON ,ILL AND MEET ME AFTER WORK AT 8 P.M. WE WOULD GO TO A&W
AND HAVE A NICKEL ROOT BEER AND THEN HE WOULD TAKE ME HOME (AND
I'D BETTER BE THERE BY 9 OR ELSE) THEN HE'D WALK BACK HOME.
I
REMEMBER, BAKERS DRUG STORE, BRIDGE TOLL, AND THE BRIDGE (MY DAD
WAS A MAINTENANCE MAN ON THE BRIDGE FOR YEARS (WILLIAM C. SAMUELS)
ALSO HAD A COUSIN BUD SAMUELS THAT WORKED THERE TOO. DADDY OPENED
AND CLOSED THE BRIDGE FOR THE BIG BARGES TO GO THROUGH. I ALSO
RECALL THE BAPTISM OF OUR 4 CHILDREN, THERESA, TINA, TRUDY AND TIM
AT THEN ST. PETERS CHURCH BY FATHER L. MURPHY.
I
REMEMBER, COZY CORNER, CARNIVAL AT THE RIVER, CHUCK WAGON, COVERED
BRIDGE, AND THE COCA COLA CO ON MAIN ST. (WHERE I WOULD STAND WITH
MY NOSE AGAINST THE WINDOW WATCHING THE MACHINE FILL THE BOTTLES.)
BUT MOST OF ALL IN THIS "C" PARAGRAPH IS MY CATHOLIC ED. THIS IS
THE ONE THING THAT I AM MOST THANKFUL TO MY PARENTS FOR. I CAN
REMEMBER MY MOTHER GOING TO THE NUN'S CONVENT AND DOING LAUNDRY
AND SOME CLEANING FOR THEM FOR OUR TUITION. I, ALONG WITH MY
SIBLINGS WENT TO ST. VINCENTS ON 7TH AND TIMEA BEFORE THEY TORE IT
DOWN. I WENT
ON TO ATTEND ST. PETERS HIGH AND GRADUATED FROM THERE IN 1954.I'AM
SURE SOME OF YOU WILL REMEMBER SOME OF THE NAMES OF THE NUN'S THAT
TAUGHT US SISTER'S
LAURENTIA (WHO I CORRESPONDED WITH UNTIL HER DEATH 2 YEARS AGO ON
DEC.12,I ALSO ATTENDED HER 50 YEAR JUBILEE AS A DAUGHTER OF
CHARITY.) PATRICIA, ANGELA, CLARE,
MARGARET, VICTORIA, MARY CLARE, BERNDETTE, AND HORTENCE. GUESS I
REMEMBER THESE NUNS AS THEY ALL LEFT ME WITH AN IMPRESSION THAT I
WILL NEVER FORGET. I WAS SURE THAT GOD HAD CALLED ME TO THE
RELIGIOUS LIFE AS A GRADE SCHOOL STUDENT, (LAURENTIA
ALWAYS TOLD ME I'D MAKE A GOOD SISTER HOWEVER, GOD HAD OTHER
PLANS FOR ME
AS STAN AND I WERE MARRIED IN JUNE ,1954 AND GOD SENT US OUR IST
CHILD THERESA, ON OUR SECOND ANNIVERSARY IN 1956.LATER TO COME WAS
TINAMARIE, TRUDY, AND TIMOTHY.
I REMEMBER DECORATION DAY (MOTHER ALWAYS CALLED IT THAT.) WE WOULD ALWAYS
GO AS A FAMILY, SOMETIMES MY AUNTS WOULD EVEN GO ALONG. WE WOULD
DECORATE THE GRAVES OF FAMILY LOVED ONES THAT HAD PASSED AWAY (AT
THE TIME I REALLY DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT NOW ,I AM SO
THANKFUL THAT I CAN KEEP THE TRADIITION ALIVE.WE ALSO WENT TO THE
CEREMONY AT THE NATIONAL CEMETERY FOR THE ALL THE FALLEN HERO'S
THAT DIED FOR OUR COUNTRY. NOW I HAVE A VERY SPECIAL REASON TO
VISIT AS MY BROTHER JERRY WAS BURIED THERE 05/08/1973. ON A
LIGHTER NOTE I CAN
REMEMBER THE DOLL HOUSE IN AN ANTIQUE STORE WINDOW ACROSS FROM THE
LIBRARY,
I CAN
REMEMBER LOOKING IN THE WINDOW AND WISHING WITH ALL MY MIGHT THAT
IT COULD BE
MINE. THAT NEVER HAPPENED BUT TODAY AT THE AGE OF 67 I DO OWN A
BEAUTIFUL HUGE DOLL HOUSE ALTHOUGH, MINE DOESN'T HAVE ELECTRIC
LIGHTS OR LOVELY VELVET
DRAPES. YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I REMEMBER ELDERS, (WHERE WE ALWAYS GOT THOSE ICE CREAM CUPS THAT
HAD WOODEN
SPOONS AND THE MOVIE STARS ON THE INSIDE OF THE LIDS, WHERE DID
THEY ALL GO??????) EWERS AND HICKEYS' GROCERY STORES BETWEEN 5TH
AND 7TH.
I REMEMBER THE FRIENDLY HOUSE ,FIRE STATION'S IN WEST K AND ACROSS
FROM THE GRAND THEATRE. AND THE FOUR CORNERS (YES, THE HI-HO WAS
ONE OF THEM) ON 5TH AND PALEAN FORD HOPKINS DRUG STORE.
I REMEMBER GRADUATION DAY FROM ST. PETER'S HIGH, THAT WAS A
SPECIAL DAY IN MY LIFE AND THE FULLFILLMENT OF A PROMISE THAT STAN
AND I HAD MADE TO MY
DADDY BEFORE HE DIED. GREDELL'S PHOTOGRAPHY WAS ACTIVE IN THE
TOWN, AND THE GOLDEN RULE.
I REMEMBER THE HOTELS IOWA, AND GRAND. AND THE HUGE TENDERLOINS AT
A CAFE ON SO.4TH ST. I THINK IT'S STILL THERE. HARRINGTON'S GRILL,
AND IRWIN PHILLIPS CLOTHING STORE.
I REMEMBER J.C.PENNEY'S OM 5TH AND MAIN AND THE CITY BUS STOPPING
THERE. THE
JUNK YARD ACROSS FROM THE BAKERY ON 4TH AND TIMEA.
I REMEMBER KRESGES, K.O.K.X., KEASLINGS (BEFORE THEY BUILT THE ONE
ON 14TH.) AND
THE KEOKUK STREET FAIR, WITH ALL THE FREE ACTS, INCLUDING THE
CHRISTY'S WHEN SYLVIA AND DAUGHTER WOULD GET INSIDE THE BIG BALL
AND THE DAD WOULD ROLL THEM DOWN THE TEETER TODDER., AND THE
GIRLIE SHOWS WOULD ALWAYS BE SET UP AT 3RD AND MAIN ST'S. (IMAGINE
THAT)
I REMEMBER LOWREY AND CONNABLE FLORIST'S (WHERE I WORKED DURING
THE HOLIDAYS TO MAKE SOME EXTRA CASH.) LINGUIST DEPT. STORE (THE
PLACE TO BUY ALL WEDDING AND SHOWER GIFTS YOU COULD AFFORD, I
STILL HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL WESTMORELAND MILK GLASS THAT CAME FROM
THERE) THE LOCK AND DAM (WHERE PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER TO SEE
THE PLACE THAT GENERATES THE ELECTRIC FOR THEIR HOMES AND CITIES.
I REMEMBER THE MOVIE THEATRES, THE IOWA AND THE GRAND. THE
MAID-RITE AND THE MULLBERRY TREES ,ALL ALONG THE EAST SIDE WALK BY
ST. VINCENTS SCHOOL.
I CAN REMEMBER HOW VERY COLD THE SEAT OF THE OUTHOUSE WAS IN THE
WINTER TIME. WE FINALLY GOT AN INSIDE BATHROOM WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR
IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I CAN REMEMBER PAUL PERRY'S BARBER SHOP BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH ON
PALEAN.
PETER'S DAIRY (WHERE ALL ST. PETE'S KIDS HUNG OUT AND STAN STILL
SAYS MADE THE LARGEST BANANA SPLITS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD FOR ONLY
.17.)PROCESSIONS AT ST.
PETERS'S CHURCH ON HOLY THURSDAY AND MAY DAY. PORK CHOPS, (A BLACK
MAN THAT RODE A BICYCLE AROUND TOWN PLAYING THE SPOONS.)
I CAN REMEMBER RACE CAR DRIVERS, ERNIE DERR AND RAMO STOTT (A
NEPHEW) THE
RUBBER PLANT, THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT (ALL I KNEW ABOUT THIS WAS
WHAT I HEARD AFTER I GREW UP) WE WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO WALK THAT
STREET, AND RAND PARK WHERE
WE HELD ALL THE FAMILY AND THE ROYAL NEIGHBOR PICNIC'S.
I CAN REMEMBER SQUARE DANCING AT THE K.C. HALL UP ABOVE ROLLINS
STATIONARY STORE ON 7TH AND MAIN. SWIFT'S PLANT ON 5TH AND TIMEA.
STREETERS LUMBER YARD ON 4TH AND DES MOINES,AND THE STAR CLEANERS
ON PALEAN, SULLIVAN & AUWERDA ON MAIN, THE SKATING RINK ON
EXCHANGE ALONG WITH THE PICKEL FACTORY ,THOMAS TRUCK AND THE ICE
HOUSE.
I CAN REMEMBER TIP AND BUD GRILL, TALLARICCO'S GROCERY AT THE
CORNER BY WELLS CAREY SCHOOL.
I CAN REMEMBER THE WAGON WHEEL CAFE, MY WEDDING AT SAINT PETERS
AND WOOLSWORTH 5&10 CENT STORE WITH THE CHERRY COKES AND
PHOSPHATES AT SODA
FOUNTAIN. WORKING AT ST JOSEPH'S AND GRAHAM HOSPITALS'
I CAN TRULY SAY THAT OF ALL MY GROWING UP YEARS IN KEOKUK
I WAS HAPPY AND HAVE MANY HAPPY MEMORIES OF THOSE YEARS.
IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW HAVE ANY POSTCARDS OR PICTURES OF ANY OF
THE PLACES OR FAMILY I'VE MENTIONED PLEASE CONTACT ME.
DONNA LEE
Donna Lee
Elizabeth Anne (Samuels ) Sherrill
West Bend ,Iowa 50597
ds2005@ncn.net
I
remember the Keokuk Baptist Temple on S. 12th St. It had beautiful
stained glass front windows. It was torn down sometime in the
1980’s, I think. My father, George Hecker, was the pastor there
from 1960 to 1970. We lived on S. 13th St and we played Football
and Baseball (Soccer wasn’t’ invented yet!) in the vacant lots by
the Police/Fire Station. (We used to talk to the inmates through
the screened windows.) In the summer, we’d take our go-karts to
the Catholic school’s playground. I went to Washington Central
Grade School in the 1960’s. My buddy and I walked 10 blocks to
school in the morning, had to come home for lunch, walked back to
school and then walked back home at the end of the day. Did anyone
own more than one car back then? I never realized how cold an
Iowa winter was until I moved away.
Speaking of wintertime, I remember when they would block off
a street on the South 9th or 10th St just off Bank St. and we
would start at the top of the hill and run our sleds for 3 blocks
till we ran out of momentum. Usually ended up in somebody’s back
yard. We used to pedal our bikes over to Ernie Derr’s shop and
watch him and his crew working on the cars. We’d stand by the
doorway of the shop and try to act like we knew what they were
doing. His people would give us STP stickers to put on our
bikes. I’m still a big local race car fan and I’ve always used
Keokuk as an ice breaker when I talk to other race fans. I tell
‘em I’m from Keokuk, IA and that I knew Ernie Derr and Ramo
Stott.
A couple of years ago, I was talking to a retired track
official at the State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, MO and he said
that some of the local guys used to leave their cars on their
trailers on race nights, waiting to see if Ernie or Ramo was going
to show up. I loved the street fair, the double Ferris wheel that
I couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t tip over, the Wall of Death
(the motorcycles that would go around and around in the cylinder
walls). The fair seemed like it was 10 miles long!!! I remember
the sheriff named “Toots?” that would throw miniature tootsie
rolls when he saw you.. We felt like we knew him, personally.
What a great guy.
I had a paper route and on Saturdays, we’d go down into the
basement of the Daily Gate City and get the papers for right off
the press. We had the greatest restaurants in the world. The Dairy
Queen, the A & W with the plate sized tenderloins and frosty mugs,
the Hamburger joint (Hi-Ho?) right down from the Dairy Queen
where you could get $0.19 hamburgers, the formal dining restaurant
in the Downtown hotel, the candy store across from the Police
station that had a taffy making machine right out front, the
Burger Chef, the KFC that had a Roast Beef sign instead of a
chicken sign, the Bakery on Main St one block West of Washington
Central, the Hero sandwiches you could buy at Woolworth’s,
George’s Pizzeria (close to the Keokuk Hotel about 1968 or 1969).
All the different grocery stores in town. Patz’s, the one just
past the High School, the one on Johnson St., the one of Blondeau
(with the cage for the Green Stamp redemption stuff) and La
Fever’s in West K. I remember the old Triumph (or BSA) motorcycle
shop on Johnson St., Jerry Sarr’s speed shop on Main, Delaynee’s
Cleaners, the mansions on the East side of town, the tough kids in
West K, the old racetrack, the new drag strip, the Chik ‘N Hutch
Volkswagen with the V-8 in the front in. My recollections might be
off a bit. I might be wrong on some of the names or streets. But I
remember my childhood in Keokuk as being great. If there were
problems back then, I didn’t see ‘em. Or maybe we did have
problems, dealt with ‘em and went on down the road. What a
concept.
My
memories are about like everyone's that I have read, the A&W down
town and then up to 16th. I remember fishing on the ole Miss without
a care in the world, building a raft and floating down the ole Miss
a ways and the hitching back home. Being able to go not on all over
town but to the towns around as well and not have a worry. I
remember that I had better watch what I was doing cause your folks
always new what you were doing. Seems like everyone in town not only
knew each other but cared about each other. Now I live in a
wonderful place but in a world where you do not know everyone around
and you need to be watchful all the time. What a sad time we live
in, if only the "Good Ole Days" could return and EVERYONE enjoy what
we had in our wonderful town of KEOKUK. I remember not wanting to
wait till I could get away from Keokuk and now I wish I were back. I
do get to visit once in a while and enjoy every visit, it is not
like it was when I was growing up but from the short visits I do
have I would still like to have raised my family there so they could
enjoy the wonderful thinks Keokuk gave me. What a wonderful place. I
hope everyone that is there take care of Keokuk it would be sad to
see it lost God bless!
I was going thru the
list of I remember when Stories and thought of a few more I
thought I would add.
Does anyone remember Cozy Corner on the corner of 7th and Palean
St? I drank many a coca cola there and made many great and
lifetime friends. Sadly to say some are gone now. Beside the Maid
Rite on 9th and Main St. Cozy corners was a favorite hangout for
the local teens then.
I also remember the
old pond in Rand Park it had a little bridge that we used to get
under and try to catch a goldfish or two by hand.
And I remember when
Rand Park had the lower level opened, there was a long staircase
that led to it and there were paths that went all thru it as well
Also there was a large rock on one path think it was called Dead
Mans Rock Legend had it that on top of it was a perfect outline of
where someone or maybe it was an Indian had died on it.
Now don't
quote me on that, It was just what I was told in my younger days.
I also remember in the evenings that it seemed everyone got out and walked about town. Main St
used to have lots of people so many you had
to dodge them to get by. Day or nite. You'd see just about
everyone you knew out on Main St. back then.
I
remember when they had diagonal parking and parking meters too.
I vaguely remember
going to an inside roller skating rink with my
sister that was on Johnson street, not the one at the old Benners
store but it was upstairs around 10th or 11th St I
can't remember the name of it . I remember a
grocery store on Main St. I believe it was where Henke
Hardware is now I am thinking it was the old A&P
grocery before they moved to Johnson
street where the gas company is now.
Like I said before I
think someone should take these stories and make it into a book
someday. I certainly have enjoyed all of the "I Remember Whens"
on here. Brings back many fond memories for me. I hope others will
add their stories too.
I remember when There
were three movie theaters in town. The Grand which was still there
4 years ago, the Iowa and there was a smaller one on the east side
on main between 5th and 6th. The third one ran double feature
westerns on Saturday and seems to me that the movie , popcorn, and
a coke came to 15 or 20 cents. Along with the theaters came the
pigeons in front of the Iowa theater awaiting the culls from the
popcorn to be thrown on the street. Seems to me that the popcorn
machine was outside. I too remember fishing the point all night
and catching poison ivy - no fish.
Summers were hot (not
quite as bad as Texas) and the Meierotto mellon farms provided
enough work and sun to keep us tired and out of trouble. Good sun
tans, sand burrs under your finger nails and some very tired
muscles. I did not realize it until I was 30 that I was a migrant
worker. There was always the O'hara strawberry patch. Early on you
could make 5 cents a quart picking strawberries. Later on it was a
place to park and listen to them grow.
Baseball games were
easy to get into and get one going. We really did not need a coach
nor an umpire nor the parents in the stands. By word of mouth
twenty guys would show up at 1:00 at the ball diamond on 14th St
and we would play for three hours or until the little league
started. Many of us just rolled over and then played little
league. There were no hard hats, no uniforms you did not really
have to have a glove some one would always let you use theirs.
Besides when you retired the side you usually left your glove in
the outfield any way.
Joe Mc's old 55 chevy
was still in town four years ago. I remember when he got it new.
He went straight to Bensons garage and had it lowered. Does anyone
remember riding on the 4 man bob sled that Bill Benson built and
he pulled us around Keokuk in the winter time. Any one remember
grabbing on the the bumper of the city bus and being pulled down
Main Street in the winter time. Yes Keokuk had a bus line.
Yeah, I remember
Smitty's , Maid Rite, A&W, Wagon Wheel the bars on third street
and the union hall on south second and the other one just up the
street. The little corner grocery store (they were literally every
where) and getting a coke for a nickel our of the cold water
cooler. How bout the Phillips 66 station next to the ball park
(where the Pirates and later the Kernels played). Had to be a
toxic waste site by today's standards.
Does anyone still
deliver ice in town? In my day you bought it by the block and if
you pestered the ice man he would chip off a piece for you. Your
could ride your bike down to Glassers pickle cannery and get your
tires caught in the railroad tracks. If you pestered the workers
they would throw you a pickle from the brine cars as they netted
them into the factory.
Take off on your bikes
and go find the underground buildings just North on river road
where the escaped slaves were housed awaiting their journey
Northward.
Or go rummage through
the old ice house on river road where they cut the ice from the
river and stored it for use in the summer. Cold and deserted.
The old police station
and fire station just across the street from the Grand theater.
Back in there (now a parking lot) also was Sinton Transfer. They
still had the draft horses pulling wagons delivering goods in
town. Sort of the edge of the old west but not quite. The old
Black man who had a mule and a wagon and traveled the alleys of
Keokuk calling out "Rags, Rubber and old iron". By today's
standards he would be called an environmentalist or an ecologist.
In my day there was a war on and all of those things had some
value. I see him as a small business man.
For Alaina and Ricky I
wish you well on you journey. For most of us, we did not know what
we had till we lost it.
I remember when Keokuk was a great
town to grow up in. I grew up on Park Lane just a few blocks from
Rand Park. We used to go sledding during the winter and ride our
bikes around in the summer. There used to be a little store in
the park that would sell candy and soda, that was pretty cool. I
loved running around in the flower garden and just having fun.
I had a friend who lived on Grand Ave and he had a treehouse that
looked over the bluff at the river. I remember sitting in the
treehouse and watching the barges go by. When I was a little kid
in the mid 70's we could ride our bikes all the way to downtown
and nobody thought it was a big deal. I would ride my bike to
little league games, to the swimming pool out by Cardinal Stritch,
to my buddies houses, it was great.
I haven't been back to
Keokuk for a few years, but I'm sure its changed quite a bit since I
lived there. I will always love the memories I made growing up, you
couldn't have asked for a better place to be a little kid. I hope
the kids living in Keokuk will appreciate it as much as I did, and
still do.
I remember when the
street fair was on main street. It started at 16th and run clear to
3rd. I remember the YMCA and the friendly house. That's when things
seemed to be care free and simple. Dixie Cream donuts at 10:30 at
night when the first batch was ready for sale and piping hot. Oh how
lucky we were as youths to grow up in a town such as Keokuk.
I remember when it was
July 4, 1976. We were living on high street and drove down to the
waterfront, in our hatchback vega I think, to see the Bicentennial
fireworks. The old steel two-lane toll-bridge was always fun, but
I think we watched the fireworks from the hillside, behind
Phillips I think it was.
I remember riding
around Rand park, especially in winter, when we tried to ice skate
on the pond. I also remember our cub scout leader lived on Grand
Avenue, and we used to tie knots and make suet balls overlooking
the river. I had piano lessons with Mrs. Goeke (sp?) too, and
played piano rehearsals in many churches. Another fun memory is
going down to the dam to watch barges go through, and fish would
get caught on the walkways.
I come back to Keokuk
every few years, and look forward to bringing my new daughter there
soon.
Now that I'm almost
forty one of the questions I've been asked all my life everywhere
I've lived is (where did you come from) without a bit of
hesitation great pride, humor and some sadness I say K E O K U K,
Iowa. I tell people all the time that I'm blessed for growing up
when and where I did. That kids these days don't have any idea of
the fun, hours outside, riding your bike, chasing lightning bugs,
the carnival down by the river. Oh, and going down to the locks to
watch the barges come and go. Oh yeah it was as close as you
could get to Tom Sawyer. I had so many relatives that I couldn't
go two blocks without someone offering me food or drink. Or
asking me if my mother new what I was doing. Somehow I always
knew not to be bad to many
Aunts. I never felt
safer then those early years spent running around Rand Park Flower
Gardens in the Spring and Summer. Making leaf mattresses in the
fall and ice skating in the winter. There will never be a more
perfect park in the world for a kid than the one Chief Keokuk
stands guard in. I got the best kiss of my life standing under
him..
But the side of K E O
K U K that no one wants to talk about is the separation between
East K and West K.. For me this was apparent because of who I am
I could freely go to either side. My Great Grandfather, passed
away in the 70's and at his funeral there were so many people that
they had to put the service on a speaker for the people flowing
out into the street. From the lowliest citizen to bank
presidents, they all attended his funeral. But my cousins and I
knew that there were certain parks or baseball diamonds we just
didn't go to. Too many times there would be a fight for racial
name calling. The stupidity ran both ways.
As an adult I moved
home to raise my own son, so he could experience a little bit of
what good things I had as a child. And once again a man in our
family passed away shortly after. Again the funeral flowed into
the street, he was loved and liked by so many people, from all
walks of life.
Many years had passed
between those two sad days for our family, some changes had taken
place in Keokuk for the better. You could still go to the A&W.
Dairy Queen was gone. Hy Vee and County Market replaced Benners
Market. The mall is the same size. The riverboat my Great Great
Uncle worked on still sits on the Mississippi. The hospital is
different. I sat on my Aunts porch and watched baseball games,
and ate some of the best food in my life. But my son still got
called names at school.
Keokuk, because of
it's magic, charm, location, it's gift, it's citizens, stands on
the brink of being the best place in the country to live. It just
needs a little help from the 60's generation, to raise their
children without the stupidity. So that the next, and the next,
and the next will weed it out. So, soon, very soon Keokuk Iowa
will not only be on the news everytime we vote for a president.
But for being the most understanding, fair, just, and color blind
town in America.
P.S. One of the most loved, admired, and well known women of
Portland Oregon came from Keokuk. People from all over the world
come here to see Pittock Mansion, it is one of America's Castles.
In the brochure it mentions Mrs. Pittock was from K E O K U K. So
in a way your already known world wide. Trust me I tell people
all the time she came from my home town.
I remember when the A&W
was on Main Street, about 1958 and my mother worked there. She
would bring us those huge tenderloin sandwiches. I attended the
Washington Central School,1960, when it was a huge sandstone
building. My mother had gone there when it was a high school. I was
very sorry to hear it was gone. It was a beautiful old building. I
remember when an arsonist set fire to the buildings that were being
torn down for the Mall area. There was a trailer park where Hy Vee
is now. We lived there for a while in the mid-50s. There were
veterans' home where the car dealer is now. The Mall was the pride
of town; with J.C. Penney at one end and Montgomery Ward at the
other and Woolworth's in the middle and the best Pizza Hut I ever
ate at. I was in 9th grade math class when JFK was shot. I still
get up there once in a while but so much has changed that I miss.
I remember when my folks
and I would go visit my aunt and uncle in Memphis (Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Rice), and would take the train from Portland OR to Ottumwa and then
take the train from there to either Keokuk or Fairfield. Not to much
to remember, but I loved to visit my dad's family. If someone from
Keokuk remembers the Wildman family or my aunt and uncle (or
anything relating to them) I'd like to hear from them. Just make the
subject Memphis MO. Thanks.
I remember when Joymart
was the only convenience store, and laser land was the only video
arcade, I remember when the new 1980 corvettes came out and me and
my friends would sit in front of the dealership (I forget the name)
and wish we could own one. What's the name of that church on the
corner of 8th and Blondeau that rings out Christmas songs during the
holidays. I remember when Jimmy Carter came down the river and
talked to the town. Does anyone remember when the water tower had
the Who spray painted on it? My dad used to take us to A&W to eat
and they would bring the food right to our car. What about sledding
down the hills in Rand Park. I remember Mr. Knapps wife when she was
Miss Dejager the second grade teacher at Keokuk Elementary. Mr and
Mrs. Fox who lived down the street from me. And mean Mrs. Van the
fifth grade teacher who refused to put up with our B.S.. (I remember
the blizzard of 78 and the following year when they tore down the
old elementary school. Keokuk has its ups and downs its share of the
bad with the good but it will endure and not become a ghost town.
I
remember…fishing at the mouth of the Des Moines and Mississippi
rivers with that gawd-awful catfish bait, 6 o’clock mass with
Father Murphy, Beatty’s soap works on second street at the top of
the hill, pullin’ devils alley in high gear, going to Hamilton
through the old covered bridge until I came home from the Navy on
leave and someone had burned it down, what a waste. The old
library on second street also with it’s musty smell and wonderful
escapes, walkin’ through the junk yard on the way there to get
ideas for a soap box racer.
Keokuk has many fond memories for me, street fair, cold dark
dreary nights in October and fresh fallen snow in December or
February that glistened like fairy lights on the ground. Main
street was of particular interest tome back then, Iowa and Grand
theaters with afternoon matinees and all for a dime. Ford Hopkins
drug store and Cahill’s jewelry along with Monky wards and never
forget SS Kresges and Woolworths 5 and dime stores. The wonders
that they held.
Memories? Draggin’ main at almost any time of the evening and
most of your buddies were there, sock hops at the YWCA basement on
Saturday nights, KOKX radio played rock and roll for only about
one hour in the evening, it’ll never last, and coney dogs and sud
at A&W when it was down on sixteenth and main. Smitty’s, where
every one knew you had been there for the cigarette and French fry
smell on your cloths.
I
remember junior high was high school and St. Vincent's school
looked like it could fall down and wouldn’t be missed, until they
tore it down to build a new one…St. Peters/Cardinal Stritch and
the Club House gym are all gone but the memories. The front door
of St. Peters church was never locked and you could get lost in
the solitude of your visit amid the grandeur of the architecture.
Larry
La Feria, TX
lfrank@rgv.rr.com
I'm only eighteen, but
I've lived in Keokuk all my life and I love it. It's not very
big, and the kids complain that there is nothing to do, but it's
peaceful. We have great schools and great people- but it has
changed a lot, even since I've been here. I remember when Rollin
on the River was fun, with lots of rides and music. Now its just
a beer tent. I remember the back to school parades and A&W
rootbeer, the ice cream truck that used to come around, and the
Mexican Fiesta at Bethel Church. I remember when Kaiser park was
fun and the rocket slide at Kilbourne was the best slide in the
world, and playing outside until night and catching lightning bugs
and shopping at our "mall," industrial league softball, taking
pennies to Kealings and leaving with bags and bags of candy, and
sledding down the hills at Rand Park. Even though it this town
sounded better back in the day way back, it's still full of fun
memories for us youngins. So young people, be happy to live in
this safe lil town on the river. I've moved to college and I miss
it so much.
I remember when my
folks and I would go visit my aunt and uncle in Memphis (Mr. and
Mrs. Paul Rice), and would take the train from Portland OR to
Ottumwa and then take the train from there to either Keokuk or
Fairfield. Not to much to remember, but I loved to visit my dad's
family. If someone from Keokuk remembers the Wildman family or my
aunt and uncle (or anything relating to them) I'd like to hear
from them. Just make the subject Memphis MO. Thanks.
I remember going with
my parents on trips there usually either to attend a funeral of
one of my father's relatives or to visit my paternal grandfather's
grave (before my grandmother moved his remains here). My
grandfather moved there to help build the locks and the park just
south of the old bridge. We would have a picnic there and watch
the bridge turn after the barges went thru the locks. And my
father telling me how he used to go to sleep at night listening to
the paddle-wheel boats that still traveled up and down the river
when he lived there as a little boy.
I also remember
visiting my Great-Uncle T (I never knew his real name) and having
the option of using either the bathroom inside or the outhouse in
the backyard. My dad's cousin was Roger Thompson, he did the
artwork for some commerative plates (in 1973 I think) and that his
portraits of Chief Keokuk where used as the town logo for the
longest time. After Roger was killed in a car accident, I
remember that Uncle T had his best paintings hanging in the living
room and would not part with them for love or money. My dad has
one of Roger's paintings of Keokuk and no matter where you stand
(even if you stand flat against the wall it's hanging on) it seems
as if his looking right at you. Also he has it hanging in a place
where he can always over look the water.
But the best part is the fact that I am a descendant of Chief
Keokuk.
I remember when my
grandmother's cousin, Barbara Sawyer, who was a Keokuk school
teacher or principal, took us to visit the Indian statue along the
river. That was in the 1950s. She also drove us all the way to
Hannibal, MO to visit the Mark Twain cave and house. Barbara lived
in a big old house overlooking the Mississippi River along River
Road north of Keokuk. Her house had a really neat staircase
banister that my sister and I liked to slide down. In back of the
house she had a real water pump in the yard. To us west coast kids,
pumping water was a lot of fun.
I remember when, you
know, I really do remember when it was a better place. At least to
me and numerous other people from these postings.
After reading Ricky
and Alaina's posts, it really makes me sad to see the things that
are going on in Keokuk. They are very right in their remarks that
most of us have left that reply to this board, I left to go in the
Army in 71 and found other directions to go, but I have always
regretted not going back!
I still have family
in the area, and enjoy going back to visit. Keokuk will always be
my home, in my heart. It holds many memories for me that at the
time were very hard to endure, but I still wouldn't trade that for
anything.
Ricky and Alaina, I hope you will have some good memories to look back on
also one of these days of Keokuk. You two seem to be aware of the
pitfalls that are happening to your peers, and you don't seem to
want to take that road. Maybe you are the pieces to change things
in Keokuk, have you thought of that? Best of luck to you both.
Since you
brought up 4 corners, I remember Mary Jumps, Wagon Wheel, Hi Ho, ??
Uh-oh here I go again!!!
I remember when my
friends and I would ride our bikes through the entire town, just
looking at things and being open to whatever came our way. For sure
I am bias (for I grew up in Keokuk), but it really is a gorgeous
river town filled with all kinds of interesting places to go and
simply see a little bit of beauty. I miss it... a lot.
All of my remember when stories pretty well
match the others. But i would like it very much if someone
could tell be about a bottle my 8 year old found. It is a clear
glass bottle that is very curvy and quite heavy. It holds one
pint and the name on it is Nu Icy. Under the label it says
"Flavors You Can't Forget". On the bottom it says Keokuk Iowa
and around the bottom it says Bottle pat'd. March 9, 1920.
Also we are trying to figure out about how old a tree was that
had to be sadly cut. If anyone remembers where Tony Cramer
lived please email me.
cccspray@interl.net
Thank-you
I was about 4 when we moved to Keokuk. lived
there on and off for a few years, the school was great. when I
was 10 years old we got to live at the saddle club, and take
care of the horses. best time of my life. i have made a lot of
friends down there. Gary Raymaker, was a good friend and a great
cop. He had horses and would let us ride them and would always
make us laugh. I remember when Elvis died we had just got off
the bus from school and was living at the saddle club then. It
is wild how things stick in your mind. I had a best friend down
there I know her first name was Jeni. and my first kiss came
from a cute little boy named chip. I am married now and I have
two children
I bring them to Keokuk every summer and I hope
to do it for a lot longer. the only thing I would get rid of is
Hubingers smell. I live in a town now where you get a big smell
of dum dum pops a lot sweet selling trust me.
Thanks for the memories Keokuk.
I remember when my husband Chris and I moved to Keokuk in 1983. My
husband was in the Coast Guard and stationed at the "base" as a
radioman. We had our first child at Keokuk Area Hospital. There
were only three babies born that week. We had three days in the
hospital with the whole maternity ward to ourselves! We used to
eat in a small Mexican restaurant outside of town. Delicious. What
was the name of it? Teenagers on mopeds drove us nuts. We were
only 20 years old at time ourselves. We both have very fond
memories of living there through 1985 (August). It could not have
been a better environment for our child. Safe, secure. I am
planning a trip (perhaps this summer) for my 18 year old son to
enjoy the place of his birth.
I remember when I was
growing up in Keokuk. The most wonderful memories I have are of
the times when my father would take me to the Saddle club to see
the horses, I always dreamt of having a horse of my own. We
couldn't afford one though so he would take me to see them and pet
them. I remember the drives on the river road from Keokuk to
Nauvoo on Sundays to go to church. The leaves were so pretty. I
loved the river. I learned how to ski on Mississippi river. My
grandfather Raymond Testman would take me to the knotty Pine
restaurant, and to the Moose Lodge for Catfish ( I hated fish).
We lived in Montrose Iowa for a little while. The old Elementary
school in Montrose would have Sock Hops. I remember the Maine
Street Cafe, and the street fair. I miss the smell of the air
after it rained and the smell of the freshly fallen snow. I do
remember riding our mopeds when we turned 14 we had some freedom.
I remember going to the old Keasling's drug store after school to
get candy. I had a wonderful childhood filled with grand memories
of growing up in a small Town. When I go back now from time to
time it just doesn't seem the same, but than again I am not the
same as I was when I was a young child. When I do go back though
I look at Keokuk a lot different then when growing up I neglected
to look at the beauty of Keokuk I sometimes wish I could go back
in time.
I lived in Keokuk
forever. Then, I was really mad because I moved to Des. Moines. I
wanted to move back to Keokuk sooooo bad! Keokuk was such a small
town. I almost knew everyone who lived there! I just wish I can
move back! I moved when I was 8 years old. I never thought that
living in Keokuk was so great. All the beauty. The nature. When I
look at the tourist attractions on this web site, I remember
seeing ALL those places! Every once in a while, I visit my friends
in the summer. I write them, too. Keokuk is such a great town. I'm
doing my whole report on it. I hope all my friends read this
letter!
P.S. Aryn, did you tell
Haley yet??
I remember Keokuk in
the 1950's and early 60's. Growing up there was really a great
experience. I remember the annual street fair - on Main Street -
with lots of rides - and lots of sideshows. I remember when
cruising Main street was a nightly happening when you were old
enough to drive - and lucky enough to borrow your parents car. I
remember ice-skating on the pond in Rand Park - before the skating
rink was built. Sailing on the upper lake of the Mississippi river
- and racing the Addie Mae Paddle Wheel excursion boat - and the
Captain - I think his name was "Potsie" trying to wave us off -
because we could often beat his boat. One of the most beautiful
views of the river was from the Country Club - and also on the
bluff in Rand Park. I remember long summer nights - and rides
along river road - picnic suppers at Indian Mounds and Seven Falls
on the Illinois side of the river - and trips across the toll
bridge with friends going to Wild Cat Springs. Do any of these
places still exist? Keokuk was a good place to have grown up in -
a good place to look back on with fond memories -
I remember when my
aunt Kate and my Mom told me all there childhood stories from
growing up there, my grandfather, Edward Marlin, the founder of
the MacNamara Band, and all my aunts and uncles growing up there,
I have been to Keokuk several times, I was baptized in the church
there on my grandmothers birthday, I enjoy seeing the locks and
being there, this year I will be performing with the band this
year, I was invited by my third cousin. Keokuk sounds like a
picture perfect dream. If only there was a major Orchestra there,
Id make it my home in 3 years.
I remember when I was a teenager in, 1983 & 1984, and was sent to
the "Helen Ellis Home for Girls" there in Keokuk. I was scared and
yet willful. I didn't know what my future held for me but I was
fairly certain that it wouldn't be good. When I first arrived to
that big yellow house, I didn't know what to think. It certainly
wasn't the "institution" that I thought it would be! My social
worker and I entered the house and I was shocked to be greeted with
the warm friendly faces of our house Mother, Rocky Gray and her
fellow staff. Then there were the girls who lived there. Penny who
was crazy, wild and sweet, Janine who loved the house cat, Merit so
much that she was allowed to take him home with her, Tracy who
swiped my winter coat when she left for home, Dottie who has a two
timing boyfiend back in Ottumwa, and Candy Redd who later became my
very best friend ever and who I let down in the end. Then there was
the boy I loved, Broc, who would do anything and did everything just
to spend time with me. Even today, these people own my soul and my
heart. In my time there I found a family. One that truly loved me
and cared about how my life went. I left there never having told
these women and girls how much they meant to me or how they changed
my life. (I did manage to tell Broc) Two women especially, Rocky who
was a Mother to me, and Pat a true beauty who was my inspiration and
wanted to see me become a writer. Today, I am a Foster Parent and
have been for almost 5 years. I am also a Photographer with my own
Studio. I have various degrees in nursing and am I am leaving
tomorrow to obtain my degree in Phlebotomy. Today I can say that to
these people, I owe my life. I only wish that they could know how
they helped me. I was truly brought to tears when I learned that the
home was closed. It seemed as if part of me had died. In the future
I hope that I can make the same kind of impact on these children
here as the women and girls of HELEN ELLIS did on me.
Shaney Jackson Troxel
Kirkville, Iowa
RaginAngell@aol.com
I was born January
31st 1989. I moved to Keokuk when I was 3. I remember when I was
in 6th grade my teacher told me that Mark Twain wrote a
newspaper article sometime in the 1800's to-1910. To me Keokuk
is a great place. We have a had a great mayor.
Darcy Johnson
236boe@Hotmail.com
I remember Keokuk
growing up in the late 50s and 60s. I spent a lot of time at my
Grandparent's house in town on Exchange St. and later when they
moved out to the Old River Road between Keokuk and Montrose. My
grandfather worked at Hubingers and I'll never forget that smell.
I remember driving to Missouri for fireworks on the 4th of July,
listening to the frogs, birds and insects at dusk along the river,
riding in my grandfather's 1956 Buick which felt as big as a
house, going to the Dairy Queen on hot summer days, fishing in the
rock quarry by the River Rd. for bass and bluegill.
The holidays where the
best, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, the family would all
gather at my grandparents for a home-cooked meal prepared by my
grandmother. Food just doesn't taste like that any more. We
would get up early on Christmas to open presents under a REAL
tree. There was a huge brick fireplace with an oak mantel where
our stockings hung. Later we would ice skate on the river using
the new skates we got. In the summer we would water ski and
explore the river bank in an old rowboat, pure Norman Rockwell.
It was a perfect Tom
Sawyer childhood and I will always carry a piece of Keokuk with me
wherever I go.
I remember story: In
my mind I can picture my Mom & Dad (Bill & Jeanne McFarland) in
the summer of 1949. Dad played first base for the Keokuk Pirates
Minor League Club in Iowa. My parents were married in February of
that year in their home town of East St. Louis, Illinois. Dad
enjoyed a good season with a very good Pirates team that finished
second in the league that year. He was in his fifth year of
organized ball, stood 6'5" and batted left handed. He began the
spring at the Club's AA organization in Waco, Texas and played the
entire season at Keokuk. Mom would work all week and make frequent
weekend trips, by bus, to see her hubby. Dad recalls playing for a
fine manager a great group of guys. He remembers this season as
one of his most enjoyable. Mom remembers the friendly folks in
town and the excitement of game nights in Keokuk. She recalls the
local farmers and families coming out to Joyce Park to enjoy a
game. One newspaper archive that we have mentions Dad's 500 foot
homerun over the park's 410 foot right field fence. I have that
ball that was given to him by Coach Hargraves. Another photo I
have shows Dad and the team in their "Pirate" script uniforms in
the dugout in August of '49. He is seated next to Keokuk's all
star catcher (Minor) and a young Don Larsen. Those days are gone
but not forgotten and help fuel my many wonderful memories of Dad.
Kevin McFarland
Belleville, IL
macfac@peaknet.net
I remember when A
SMALL BOY MY FATHER AND I WOULD GO FISHING ALMOST EVERY NIGHT AT
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT THE FOOT OF MAIN STREET. WE SPENT MANY
ENJOYABLE TIMES THERE. WE ATTENDED THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AND
THE FUN TIMES WE HAD AT THE PARK FOR THE CHURCH PICNICS EVERY
YEAR. I REMEMBER THE GOOD FRIENDS THAT I HAD IN KEOKUK. I DON'T
GET DOWN THERE VERY OFTEN BUT I TRY TO SEE CHARLIE REEVES AND
DENNIS BECKWITH. I REMEMBER THE PEOPLE OF KEOKUK BEING VERY
FRIENDLY AND ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP YOU IF YOU NEEDED IT. ALSO THE
GOOD TIMES AT KHS AND GOING TO THE FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL GAMES.
ALSO GOING TO JOYCE PARK TO SEE THE KEOKUK DODGERS PLAY. MY FATHER
WORKED FOR THE HUBINGER COMPANY BACK THEN. THESE ARE THE THINGS
THAT NOBODY CAN TAKE AWAY FROM YOU. I NOW LIVE IN OAK PARK, ILL
AND HAVE TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN. ONE BOY AND ONE GIRL. MY WIFE AND
I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 35 YEARS. IF ANYBODY REMEMBERS ME PLEASE
E-MAIL ME. THANKS AND MAY GODS BLESSINGS BE UPON YOU.
I remember when my mom (Nina Francis) would take me
shopping on Main St. and we would go to the luncheon counter in
Woolworths for a drink. I remember when the street fair was on Main
St. and it seemed so big to me. I remember my dad (Oscar Francis)
working for CB&Q and taking me for rides on the trains. He worked
at the round house down where the boat ramp is now. I also remember
my mom driving the school bus and taking me with her when she drove
the swim team and band trips. I remember watching fireworks from
the church lawn and how everyone would ooh and aah over each one. I
remember that our whole church (Bel Air Baptist) would go to A & W
on Sunday night after services. I remember cruising Main and
finding the love of my life (my husband, James) there in a cool
convertible. I remember The Brotherhood and all the pranks they
pulled while we were in High School. I have so many fond memories
of growing up in a small town. I know my kids will miss out on a
lot by being in the city.
Shari (Francis) Brookins
Wichita, Kansas
jasbrook@yahoo.com
I was sent to Keokuk Iowa to stay with an aunt.
Auntie had lots of children and as a only child I remember the
fun. The park overlooking the river the baseball field, playing
with my cousins. Looking back that was the only time I a part of a
large family. I remember playing on the school grounds in front of
a school that faced the highway and attempting to get the semi's
to honk at us as they went by. Sherking and shrilling with delight
as those drivers accommodated us children. I remember Oak Street
and the long hill and at that time a gravel road. Riding
that bicycle up and down that hill the wind in my hair and I
thought I could Fly. I remember falling out of a mulberry tree in
the woods in back of the house and climbing other trees with my
cousins and their neighbor friends. I remember my Uncle John's
funeral that was there. I remember my cousin funeral He was so
young and it was such a sad time. Happy times--sad times. Many
years have came and gone. Many cities I have seen but one thing
remains. Keokuk was where I was born. It is where I am from.
That summer in Keokuk, in my mind, remains a whole
lot of fun..
Linda Stacy
Jacksonville, FL.
Lindalstac@aol.com
I remember when the great places to eat in Keokuk
were all along Main Street and included the Grand Lunch (best chili
and best tuna salad sandwiches), the Chuck Wagon, Tipenbud's, and
two locations for A&W root beer stands. And remember when Hardee's
used to be Sandy's?
Mindy
Columbus
mindy@hotmail.com
I remember when just 15 years ago the town was soooo
different, crossing the Mississippi was like a hazard with the old
tight fitting bridge, there was no County Market, A&W was cool,
Jacks was here, next to Nieman Foods and the Liquor Store, and the
old car wash was where Burger King is today. The mall was a
real mall, and you could actually shop on Main Street. I
always wish I could of seen the high school when it was all glass,
and Keaslings was a cool little shop, but the employees would always
watch us kids pick out candy, because we might "steal".
There was a Big G, and McD's was the only fast food joint in
town......and that wasn't that long ago.
Renee Harmon
Keokuk, IA
harmonee99@hotmail.com
I remember when you could get into the movies as a kid at the Iowa
Theater for a quarter ; The Kresge's on Main Street with the counter
where you could eat. Those "chili burgers" were so good ;
J.C. Penney was on Main Street.
BACK WHEN.....the days were long and the nights even longer as the
players sat and waited for there turn to step up to bat at the old Joyce
Park.. Way back when Keokuk had their ball teams it started way back
in 1875 and finally ended success in 1962.i think that was the year.
Anyways the times that them players had was a memorable one and
brought fame and fortune to the township and the red light
specials...THANK GOD THEM DAYS ARE OVER. for those who know what I'm
talking about those were the days when you needed a good time..smiles....WELL
I can go on and on about the things that this town has shared and the
rotten smells that some of the factories produce but for now...later.
Will Rankin
cowboywil@hotmail.com
I remember when it was great growing up in Keokuk.
riding homemade carts and scooters down Bank st. all the way to the
tracks. sledding below the toll booth, and riding bikes across the
old bridge (don't look down) to the old covered bridge. What a great
ride. Ringing the crank phone at the train depot, and getting chased
out, playing in the cut, climbing the Stark's mulberry tree on First
St. and of course the Montrose watermelon festival and the Grape
festival. Shining shoes and selling the Grit at the bars on 3rd. St.
and always getting free samples of Quincy Made chips from the
delivery guy!!! The pool hall, street fair on main, lightning bugs
(sure miss them) but not the millers! Going to the best school in
the system, Washington Central and having the greatest 6th grade
teacher, Mrs. Coughlin. Come on folks, Keokuk is still a great
place, it's in your heart and soul. Who else had the best Sheriff
around, and could really throw a Tootsie Roll!!!! I grew up on
Blondeau st. also by the hatchery, I remember one year all the boys
getting baby chicks and one brother squeezing one so hard it's eye's
popped out.. oops! On that note, I think I better quit. Did I
mention going to A&W after church on Sunday's with the Varners and
having a rootbeer float, and there was this fantastic place on 7th
or 8th and main that had the best chili, served with oyster
crackers!! Did I mention the Friday night fish fries at the
bars.................
bklong@peoplepc.com
I remember when MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS
PETER VAN ANTWERPT, A GENERAL WHO SERVED IN THE AREA AROUND
KEOKUK, IOWA. HE KEPT A SCRAP BOOK OF NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS FROM
SEVERAL NEWSPAPERS THAT WERE PUBLISHED IN KEOKUK. THESE ARE ALL
VERY INTERESTING ARTICLES AND IF YOU CAN USE SOME OF THESE, I WILL
BE GLAD TO SHARE THESE WITH YOU. WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THIS
BOOK LAST NIGHT AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY KEOKUK WAS SUCH
AN IMPORTANT WESTERN TOWN. BY LOOKING AT THE MAPS AND READING THE
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES, I GATHER THAT KEOKUK WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PORT
TOWN ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF IT
LOCATION WITH THE DES MOINES RIVER AND THE RAPIDS FURTHER UP THE
MISSISSIPPI.
PETER VAN ANTWERP'S DAUGHTER MARRIED MY GREAT GREAT
GRANDFATHER AND SETTLED HERE IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND. THERE IS A
FAMILY FRAM STILL EXISTING THAT HAS THE NAME OF "KEOKUK". IT IS
STILL IN THE CLAGET FAMILY AND IS ONLY LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES FROM
THE U.S. CAPITOL.
ROBERT Y. CLAGETT
BRANDYWINE MARYLAND
E_Mail:
CBALDEAGLE@AOL.com
I remember a lot of
things of when I was a child growing up here, I don't know too much about
the famous 3rd street, Just that it wasn't
the best place to go to or be at.
Rumors had it that it was a rough
place to be. The bars there etc. I
remember the old Library, it smelled
musty and of old dusty books. I remember the
Kings store on I think 2nd or 3rd and main. That's where my mom bought most of my clothes and
at the Golden Rule.
I loved to go to the movies at
the old Iowa theater, spent many a Saturday afternoon
there. My sister worked at the shoe factory, and I can
remember the chicken hatchery as she lived in an
apt right behind it on Blondeau St the 3
boys that lived below and I used to sneak a
peek at the baby chicks from time to time. I
remember liveing in an apt on 7th and main st . It had
huge ceiling to floor windows facing main
and I loved it when the street fair came to town as when
I got tired of walking around I'd sit in the
window and watch it all from above.
I remember the old MaidRite on 9th and main,
it was a favorite hang out for the local youth
haven't had a decent MaidRite since its
been gone. Vera sure was a a good
hearted lady. I could go on and on but
I'll let someone else tell about the
good old days of Keokuk. There are
probably enough people who can remember when to
make a great book of it.
M.A.D.
MAD_5019@msn.com
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