Our Iowa Heritage: An Introduction. We might suggest you start here! Here’s how & why I got started collecting stamps, coins, and other Iowa memorabilia.
Irving Weber & Iowa City’s Rock Island Railroad. On March 31, 1980, a 125-year Iowa City tradition came to an end when the last Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific (CRI&P) Railroad freight train rolled through town. Nine days later, Iowa City historian Irving Weber published his classic article: Requiem for the Rock Island Line in Iowa City. Come re-visit Weber’s love of Iowa City’s long-standing Rock Island Railroad heritage.
Greetings From Iowa – Goldfinches, Wild Roses & Oak Trees. In the 1980’s, the USPS issued one of its most popular commemorative series – a sheet of 50 stamps featuring the official state bird and flower of each state. The Iowa stamp featured a beautiful watercolor version of the Eastern Goldfinch and the Wild Rose and the stamp was wildly popular – stirring a variety of colorful “Greetings From Iowa” postcards.
Meet Iowa City’s Mayors – 1982-Present. After fourteen years as an independent community with no ties to Territorial or State government, in 1853, the people of Iowa City voted to officially become an incorporated city. With that decision, came city government and our first city mayor and city council. Join us – over six pages – as we take a deeper look at the 60+ men and women who have led our city over the last 170+ years. Here’s Volume VI (1982-present).
Political Cartooning – Iowa’s Own Frank Miller. In 1953, The Des Moines Register invited a young artist from Kansas City to follow in the illustrious footsteps of their Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist, Jay “Ding” Darling. Over the next 30 years (1953-1983) Frank Miller did just that, creating 10,000 panels for the front page of The Register while endearing himself to Iowans all across the state.
May 1989 – Iowa City Celebrates 150 Years! On May 4-5-6, 1989, Iowa City celebrated its 150th birthday and the Iowa City Press Citizen publishes a special 27-page section that offers us a historical overview of our fine community. Come join the celebration.
Iowa City 1989 – A 150 Year Chronology. Throughout 1989, Iowa City celebrated its 150th birthday – with the biggest celebration coming on May 4-5-6. But earlier, the Iowa City Press-Citizen published another sesquicentennial article – an intriguing 8-page overview entitled Chronology: A chronological listing of area businesses complete with trivia questions spanning Iowa City’s 150-year history.
Irving Weber – Mr. Iowa City. Named the “official historian” of Iowa City, Irving Weber was an ice cream salesman for most of his career. But when he retired in 1966, he began writing down his Iowa City memories which, over the next twenty-five years, produced more than 800 newspaper articles and eight historic books, all treasures for those who want to relive the rich heritage of Iowa City and Johnson County.
Welcome To Irving Weber’s Writings – The Index. Without a doubt, Irving B. Weber’s writings from the 1970’s to the 1990’s are vitally important to the preservation of Johnson County, Iowa history. Thus, here at Our Iowa Heritage, we’ve taken the liberty to INDEX the material from Weber’s eight classic books. It’s our hope that this resource – which provides indexing links to the contents of Weber’s books – will help historians, both today and in the future, access these valuable resources!
Weber’s Winners – Iowa City’s Finest. In 1979, The Iowa City Press Citizen ran a special section called Chronology – 1841/1979. It featured the famed Iowa City historian, Irving Weber, writing a short blurb on the top 25 people who “left their stamp on Iowa City.” Join us as we pick up where Weber left off, writing a post on each of those 25 Iowa City history-makers.
Weber’s Fun Facts – The Old Stone Capitol. In 1976, the Iowa City Lion’s Club published Irving Weber’s Iowa City: 102 short historical stories that had originally been published by the Iowa City Press Citizen. Here is the first article from Weber’s first book, written in a quiz format, focusing on the most prominent landmark in Iowa City.
A Memory Walk With Irving Weber – 1985. On Memorial Day 1985, Iowa City historian – Irving B. Weber – took his readers on a walking tour of Johnson County’s six major cemeteries – Oakland, St. Joseph (Old & New), Memory Gardens, Oak Hill in Coralville, and Agudas Achim. So, here we are, four decades later, and we thought we’d revisit Irving Weber’s walk, adding in some pictures, links, and few stories along the way. Join us!
W.P. Kinsella – Write It and They Will Come. In the spring of 1978, a graduate student from Canada, who came to Iowa City to attend the world-renowned Writers Workshop, started working on a 20-page short story that envisioned a discredited baseball player from 1919 being restored back to life through the sacrificial work of a young Iowa farmer who had “father issues.” W.P. Kinsella’s writings went on to become a 300-page novel and, in 1989, a blockbuster movie that many believe to be the best baseball movie ever. Welcome to IOWA – is this heaven? You decide.
The Field of Dreams Game. In 1978, W.P. Kinsella wrote it. In 1989, Hollywood produced it. On August 12, 2021 – the world came to see it. A perfect evening provided for a perfect game of catch – and on this magical night, it all ended with a walk-off homer. I’m sure W.P. Kinsella was looking down from above and smiling. Come look at some great pics from heaven – IOWA.
Iowa Celebrates Three Sesquicentennials. It’s time to celebrate the 150th anniversaries of Iowa Territory (1838-1988), Iowa City (1839-1989) and Iowa Statehood (1846-1996). Grant Wood’s Young Corn was chosen to grace the USPS commemorative celebrating this year-long Iowa Statehood party (1995-1996).
Hubbard Park – Diversity Down By The Riverside. In 1991, The University of Iowa renamed the green space south of the Iowa Memorial Union for Philip G. Hubbard – the first African-American professor at SUI. The park was opened in the 1920’s – replacing a unique Iowa City neighborhood located on Lots 96-99 – a diverse community of hard-working blue-collar European immigrants, Euro-Americans and African-Americans – all living together alongside the Iowa River.