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I remember when...
(your stories here)
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 p |
