Muscatine Tours Podcast

Dan Clark's topic is "Iowa and Russia: A Half Century of Citizen Diplomacy," starting from memories of Nikita Khrushchev's visit to Iowa in 1959. He tells of welcoming visitors from the former Soviet Union and helping many Iowans with their exchange efforts, having traveled in Russia eight times, 1984-1998, especially Iowa's sister state Stavropol and Muscatine's sister city Kislovodsk. He asks listeners, "What difference has Russia—or the former USSR—made in your life?" and invites calls during Part 2 scheduled for Sept. 22, the actual 50th anniversary of Khrushchev's arrival in Iowa. Links related to the topic: "Khrushchev in Iowa" http://www.creatinggreatplaces.org/khrushchev.aspx; "Dan's Russia Experiences" http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=105312&id=802136391&l=fd3f441222; "Chechen war: We know these folks" http://friendlywork.com/chechen.html; early history of Kislovodsk-Muscatine relations (1996) http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=269536050226.

Dan Clark says, "It's Time for School—Preservation School!" The Muscatine (city) and Louisa (county) preservation commissions will be hosting a lot of history horsepower at a workshop on historic preservation that will be presented in Mucatine Sept. 17-18 by experts from Iowa's State Historic Preservation Office. Everyone is invited, and the first day is free. Details at http://muscatinepreservation.org/preservationworkshop2009sept.pdf. Dan reads and discusses a news story: "Make a deal on the Jayne House: Only caveat - You have to move it later" http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/08/21/news/doc4a8ebca7b59c2579322163.txt and callers respond.

Dan Clark called this show "A Half Hour for Billy Baladeer" in memory of William "Bill" Duval who died last week at age 86. With recorded hymns as background (Bill playing in his "primitive piano" style), Dan reads stories from Bill's life as salesman and musician from the book Bill published about a year ago. Caller Kent Sissel tells about the operetta Bill wrote that was performed in the 1980s and later published on CD, and the show ends with several minutes from that recording, "The Great State of Trinity." Bill was Dan's guest on July 1, 2008, archived at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=374752. Read his obituary at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/08/14/obituaries/doc4a85532fe07c8171612206.txt.

A demolition reprieve is running out for the 110-year-old Henry Jayne house acquired last fall by the Muscatine Art Center. The center's trustees say they need the land at 1402 Mulberry Ave. for "future expansion" and insist that letting the house remain at its historic location is out of the question. However, after objections by the city's Historic Preservation Commission and the nonprofit Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation, they voted in February to allow the commission 180 days to find a way to remove the house for preservation elsewhere. Several hundred people have gone on record expressing opposition to demolition since then, and commission volunteers have used the time to study and document the home's historic significance. Now only a few days remain, but nobody has stepped forward with the dollars needed to save the house. The Art Center building and grounds committee has decided to proceed with "general bid letting" for removal by any buyer who might come forward (probably during September).

Dan Clark and guest Kent Sissel, resident restorer of the Alexander G. Clark House, discuss steps involved in gaining recognition for the area surrounding the West Third Street residence of Muscatine's famous 19th century citizen. Muscatine has two "national" historic districts, but the Clark district would be locally designated. Learn about Clark at http://alexanderclark.org/ and local districts at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/workingonthepast/index.htm.

Back from a two-week "family history and US history" vacation in the eastern US, host Dan Clark chats with producer Ron Edwin, catching up on local happenings and weaving together his travel report with praise for the "heritage tourism" that can be enjoyed right here at Muscatine.

Guest host Tom Savage, co-owner of Muscatine Books and More, speaks with Duffy DeFrance, "renaissance woman" storyteller and director of the Muscatine Literacy Coalition. The retired children’s librarian was recently recognized by the Bi-State Literacy Council with an exemplary service award. Duffy tells of the 56-year history of the Muscatine Masquers Community Theatre, focusing on founder and longtime leader Virginia Schauland. She promotes an upcoming Masquers dinner-theater show, and she and Tom discuss local performing arts and artists along with caller Shirley Calvert. Tom reads from J.P. Walton's address at an 1891 Old Settlers Reunion in which the local historian describes amazing changes in communication and transportation he'd witnessed. And Tom tells about the history storybook he and wife Sharon Savage are writing.

Guest host Tom Savage, co-owner of Muscatine Books and More, speaks with local Civil War authors Lee Miller (Crocker's Brigade) and Jeff Shay (book in progress). Dan Clark is on vacation.

Dan Clark and guest Ann Meeker talk about the third annual "PatriArt" events June 27-July 4, organized by the Muscatine Cultural Alliance. Discussing concerts and July 4 parade and more, they chat mostly about trolley rides, horse-drawn carriage rides, and the first-ever Pearl Button paddlewheel boat cruises http://thepearlbuttonpaddlewheel.com/special-events.html. See the complete PatriArt schedule at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/06/29/news/doc4a44db74c101b777429326.txt.

Sermon by J. Glen Widmer at Sugar Creek Mennonite Church, Wayland, Iowa • Sunday, June 28, 2009 "Several weeks ago, one of the elders said, 'Maybe we should have some stories told over the pulpit.' And I said, 'Well, I've got some stories. I think I can do that.' And so this morning I want to talk a little bit about God's faithfulness in my spiritual pilgrimage."

Dan Clark talks on "Historic Markers and Rest Area Tourism" after he attended the June 19-20 "Underground Railroad in Iowa 2009 Symposium" http://muscatine-tours.com/cedar-county/UGRR-Iowa2009Symposium.pdf. It was a moving feast, from the Hoover museum at West Branch to an old Cedar County cemetery to the Wilton Rest Area on I-80. Just before the conference, several took part in erecting a John Brown Freedom Trail marker here in Muscatine County at the historic West Liberty depot. See some of Dan's photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=87201&id=802136391&l=cda347e39b along with John C. Yoder's comment on holding court last week in the room where Brown was sentenced for treason in 1859.

Dan Clark's guest is Frank Kelly, retired from the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine http://www.muscatinecommunityfoundation.org/. Now he is serving on the Muscatine County Extension Council http://www.extension.iastate.edu/muscatine/ and helping start a consulting company called Diamond Towns of America http://www.diamondtownsofamerica.com. Frank says we have diamonds beneath our feet, right here in the Pearl City. As the former resident restorer of the historic Henry Jayne House, he is campaigning to save it from demolition http://www.facebook.com/frankanddiane. His previous TTT show is at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=395120.

Dan Clark's guests are Al Brotherton, Chris Clark, and Duffy De France. Chris and Duffy talk about the free summer concerts sponsored by the Muscatine County Arts Council http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org. Every "Second Sunday Summer Concert" will start at 6:00 p.m. on the Pearl Plaza patio outside Elly's Tea and Coffee: June 14 - Cruisin' (60s rock-n-roll); July 12 - Fry Daddies (country, rock, blues, folk); August 9 - River City Big Band; September 13 - Sarah Snydacker, classical vocalist. Al tells about the River City Big Band and its history since 1986. Producer Ron Edwin plays selections from a RCBB CD.

Dan Clark describes his past week of visits in Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and chats with Muscatine native Rob/Bob Fiedler calling from Grand Junction, CO. Dan praises Grand Junction's downtown "Art on the Corner" and invites listeners to see his photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82133&id=802136391&l=818929779e. He also tells about visiting Iowa places where John Brown stopped with fellow abolitionists and escaping slaves in 1859 (photos at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82607&id=802136391) and announces the June 19-20 "Underground Railroad in Iowa 2009 Symposium" http://muscatine-tours.com/cedar-county/UGRR-Iowa2009Symposium.pdf.

Guest host Tom Savage (co-proprietor of Muscatine Books and More http://muscatinebooks.com) chats with storyteller-author Dan "Danny" Titus and radio journalist Kristin McHugh. Dan's latest book is "Muscatine Businesses of the 1940s and 1950s: Long Gone But Well Remembered." Kristin is writing a book with the working title "Muscatine" based on the archives of the Muscatine Art Center.

Dan Clark's guest is downtown redevelopment advocate Tom Bankhead, a Muscatine native who has enjoyed a view of Second Street from his architecture firm for the past 37 years. They discuss new uses for old buildings in Historic Downtown. Tom says he preaches "feet on the street" and wants to bring in a bakery soon and maybe a food co-op type of grocery. Callers Michael Maharry and Shirley Calvert praise historic preservation efforts.

Dan Clark's guest is Melanie Alexander, director of the Muscatine History and Industry Center http://www.muscatinehistory.org/. She tells about the museum's newest exhibits (Monsanto and Muscatine Power & Water), and they discuss upcoming events in Historic Downtown Muscatine. Caller Max Churchill tells about a group of Midwest Riverboat Buffs visiting here later this week.

May is Historic Preservation Month. "Scoffing at History?" asks Dan Clark, then tells about Muscatine's historic buildings and districts. (And repeatedly says "Chestnut" when telling about a new plaque on Pine Street—oops!) He urges everyone to come out for the first Mothers Day historic-homes tour "House Calls: Muscatine Doctors Then and Now." (See poster at http://muscatinepreservation.org/housecalls-poster.jpg and Quad-City Times feature at http://www.qctimes.com/lifestyles/home-and-garden/article_1ba9dbe2-3689-11de-bc44-001cc4c03286.html and http://www.qctimes.com/article_e0c1c536-3687-11de-852f-001cc4c03286.html ). Dan reads from the Muscatine Historic Preservation ordinance at http://muscatinepreservation.org/mhpc-ordinance.pdf and district survey files at http://www.musserpubliclibrary.org/Reference-Desk/Local-History.aspx. Caller John Elshoff talks about local Civil War history.

Dan Clark's guest is Michael Maharry, MD, president of Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation (http://muscatinepreservation.org and http://apps.facebook.com/causes/179427/35994298). They discuss local events and activities observing Historic Preservation Month, especially a first Mothers Day historic homes tour called "House Calls: Muscatine Doctors Then and Now." See http://muscatinepreservation.org/housecalls-poster.jpg.

Dan Clark's guest is Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House. Kent tells about a recent flurry of recognition for Muscatine's black statesman, and reports on efforts to nominate the house as a National Historic Landmark plus his own proposal for creating a local historic district centered at West Third and Chestnut Streets. An 1868 Iowa Supreme Court decision, Clark v. Board of Education, established equal rights for all Iowa children—86 years before the US Supreme Court established educational equality as the law of the land. Learn more about Alexander Clark at http://alexanderclark.org . Hear other conversations with Kent at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=434366 (Feb. 17, 2009) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=429539 (Feb. 3, 2009).