Muscatine Tours Podcast

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 Br...

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, ri...

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,...

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...

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...

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/house...

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://muscatinepreservat...

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...

Great River Days 2009 will be July 29-August 2, 2009. Dan Clark's guest is GRD co-chair Kerry Keller. This 51st edition of the "family-friendly and affordable" riverfront celebration promises "the best music entertainment seen in many years." Kerry plays music from headliners LoCash Cowboys http://locashcowboys.com/ and Su DeBaco & Wise Fools http://www.wise-fools.com/. Learn more about the newly...

Dan Clark chats with Ron Edwin (KWPC producer) about his announced topic "Muscatine's (Gay) Wedding Trolley?" posed by last Friday's Iowa Supreme Court ruling. Dan reads from a New York Times editorial ("Iowa Decency" http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/05/opinion/05sun3.html?_r=2&ref=opinion ) and asks for listener feedback on the prospect of Muscatine as a wedding destination for gay couples. A solit...

Dan Clark and Shirley Calvert speak with Sheila Chaudoin about her work at Musser Public Library. Sheila specializes in local history including genealogy, oral history and photo archives, and online history resources. See http://www.musserpubliclibrary.org/Reference-Desk/Local-History.aspx and Oscar Grossheim Photo Collection Index at http://iagenweb.org/muscatine/Grossheim/grossheimintro.htm . He...

Dan Clark speaks with Ann Meeker, the new president of Muscatine's Downtown Action Alliance http://www.muscatinedowntown.com/, about what's happening in the historic heart of our town, upcoming events, and the latest plans for the new excursion boat, The Pearl Button. Hear a past show about the paddleboat at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=391849 (Oct. 14, 2008).

Dan Clark discusses "Treasures or Eyesores," the cause of historic preservation in old Muscatine. Visit the National Trust for Historic Preservation page on "Teardowns and McMansions" at http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/teardowns/. Learn more about Muscatine's two historic districts at http://www.musserpubliclibrary.org/Reference-Desk/Local-History/History-of-Buildings-and-Neighborhoods-in...

March 10 is the anniversary of abolitionist John Brown's last departure from Iowa in 1859, 150 years ago. With a group of armed followers and a dozen freed slaves they had brought across Iowa and hidden in a boxcar at West Liberty, Brown boarded a train for Chicago and then on to Canada. Dan Clark speaks with Lowell Soike, staff historian at the State Historical Society of Iowa and leader of the S...

Dan Clark speaks with Doug Jones, staff archaeologist for the State Historical Society of Iowa whose job includes Underground Railroad research. Dan reads another episode in the tale of John Brown's last trip across Iowa exactly 150 years ago, and Doug tells about the project to place markers along the John Brown route. Read a description of the Freedom Trails project at http://gazetteonline.com/a...

Dan Clark and Shirley Calvert discuss various happenings as Muscatine's "colored orator of the West" is remembered during Black History Month. We hear the voice of Shirley's father, William D. Randall, recorded in 1949 reading his story, "Jimmy White Finds Freedom: Slavery and Alexander Clark." Clark's 183rd birthday is Feb. 25 (born 1826). He died in 1891 in Monrovia, Liberia, while serving as U....

Dan Clark and Kent Sissel discuss heritage tourism and Black History for the second time this month. (See http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=429539 Feb. 3.) Kent is restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House. Dan reads another episode in the tale of John Brown's last trip across Iowa exactly 150 years ago. Caller Frank Best, Louisa County historian, shares an Underg...

Dan Clark and guest Steve Hanken, archaeologist from Cedar Rapids, chat about "Uncovering Iowa's Underground Railroad." Another "White Folks Talking Black History" topic for Black History Month. Join the conversation at "Iowa's Underground Railroad" http://iowa-ugrr.blogspot.com/ and "Underground Railroad (West)" http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46633975447.

Dan Clark and guest Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the 1878 Alexander G. Clark House, discuss Black History Month events including a Feb. 22 observance and other recognitions of Clark's birthday and legacy. Dan describes the show's month-long special emphasis as "White Folks Talking Black History." More on A.G. Clark at http://alexanderclark.org.

Dan Clark's guest Lee Miller is author of Crocker's Brigade, a new book telling the story of four Iowa infantry regiments combined under command of Marcellus M. Crocker after the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh. Many of the men were from the Muscatine area. Dan and Lee are joined by another local Civil War author and previous TTT guest, Jeff Shay. Learn more about Lee Miller and his book at http://www...

Dan Clark's guests are Dave Ales and Al Brotherton, talking and playing music to get us in the mood for the 15th annual Eagles and Ivories Ragtime festival coming January 23-24-25. Al leads the local band Mad Creek Mud Cats, and Dave is the festival organizer for the Muscatine County Arts Council http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org/eagles%20&%20Ivories.htm. Hear the previous pre-festival show at h...

Dan Clark's guest is Jay Logel who started his 42-year career at Muscatine Power & Water as a power plant maintenance helper and is retiring this month after serving in nine positions, the last 11 years as general manager at Iowa's largest municipal electric utility http://www.mpw.org/.

Dan Clark's guests Chris Clark and Duffy DeFrance represent Muscatine County Arts Council http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org/ which sponsors the 15th annual Eagles and Ivories Ragtime Weekend coming up January 23-24-25. More about John Brown's last trip across Iowa 150 years ago and an acclaimed puppet show based on that real-life saga, "FREEDOM STAR: Gertie's Journey on the Underground Railroad"...