Odebolt history from the internet

Once in a while I run a search of the Internet, looking for items that are connected to Odebolt. Here is something I ran across lately.

Howard P. Johnson, 1943 

Howard P. Johnson donates World War II letters, from a blogpost dated June 6, 2017, by Brad Kuennen, an archivist at The University of Iowa, Ames, IA.

I quote - "Howard P. Johnson, three-time graduate of Iowa State University ... and former Professor and Head of ISU’s Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, was contacting me regarding some World War II letters that he had. Dr. Johnson explained that he grew up on a farm near Odebolt, Iowa, and in 1943 was inducted into the military like many young men at that time. .... All during his military training and his service in Europe, young Pfc. Johnson wrote to his family back home in western Iowa–often several times a week–and his family wrote back. Howard would describe his daily routine, the duties he was assigned during training, and his experiences in Europe. His parents and siblings would respond with stories of family and community events, activities on the farm, and, of course, the weather.

The Johnson family World War II letters are part of the Howard P. Johnson papers, RS 9/7/15, located in the Iowa State University Library Special Collections and University Archives. The department is open to researchers from 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday."

It would be interesting to see what was going on in Odebolt from those letters!

"The Cherry Sisters Worst Act Ever?" from the NPR History Department

"In the early 20th century, the Cherry Sisters — a family of performers from Marion, Iowa — were like a meme.  Simply invoking the name — the Cherry Sisters — was shorthand for anything awful."

... they were lambasted in Odebolt. The editor of the local Chronicle (Billy Hamilton) wrote in February of 1898: "Their long skinny arms equipped with talons at the extremities, swung mechanically, and soon were waved frantically at the suffering audience. Their mouths opened like caverns, and sounds like the wailing of damned souls issued therefrom."

This last vicious appraisal was reprinted in the Des Moines Leader and the Cherry Sisters, who had exhibited litigiousness over the years, sued both newspapers for defamation. In a landmark case, the Iowa Supreme Court eventually ruled in favor of a newspaper's right to freely criticize public performances.

There are also several pages on The Odebolt History Pages devoted to the Cherry Sisters.

1967 Christmas in Odebolt

Merry Christmas from
the Odebolt History Pages

A look back to Christmas in Odebolt fifty years ago.

The Odebolt Chronicle,
Thursday December 21, 1967.  (36 pages)
 

CHRISTMAS GREETING ADS

The pages were full of ads from businesses.  

Great Plains, Odebolt Body Shop, The Chronicle, Home Appliance Service (Tillman McFarland), Sac County Mutual Telephone Co., Sac County Rural Coop, Howard Plumbing and Heating, Ida County State Bank, Bill's Standard Service, Darene's Launderette, Ross Sweeden, Sorensen Electric (Murl Sorensen), Bankers Life Insurance Co. (John Taphorn).

Einspahr & Janssen Implement, Fran's Beauty Nook, Odebolt Drug Co., Singers, Johnson Jewelry, Ed Wolterman & family, Krusenstjerna Hardware, Dorene's Beauty Shop, The Clothes Shop, Darrell's DX, Odebolt Cleaners, The Fashion Shoppe, Einsphar Furniture, Robert Tiefenthaler Hog Buying Station, Odebolt Coop Elevator Co., Farber & Otteman Funeral Home, The Glass Tap, Standard Oil Tankwagon, Dwight Meyer Agency, Grassland Co., Odebolt Transfer (Larry Koster), Bridie's Variety, Iowa Public Service.

Mandernach Motors, Babcock & Son, Arthur Lumber Co., Kiron State Bank, Keller Barb Shop, Harden Oil Co., Swanson Insurance, Korneisel Cleaners, Jesse Purdy Plumbing & Heating, The Cracker Jack Co., Johnson Produce (Maurice & Leona Johnson), Friday Motors, Wm. Kies Dekalb Dealer, Skelly Bulk Tank (Ike McGonigle), Tiny's Teeny's & Sons, Stylist Beauty Salon, Odebolt Bakery, Noyd Oil Co., Paul's Repair, Reynolds DX, A. Lea Waggoner Insurance-Arthur, Wallace Soft Water Service, Dinges Hotel, Odebolt State Bank, Odebolt Super Valu, Henry Hausman Radio, TV & Electric.

Herm's Modern Upholstery, Ritz Paint & Glass, Duffy & Einspahr, Nelson Farm Supply, Wunschel Service and Wunschel Store, Gamble Store, Odebolt Hatchery, Adam Roeder American Family Insurance-Arthur, Odebowl Lanes, Don's Skelly, Eastlawn Nursing Home, Robert Tiefenthaler, Odebolt Chamber of Commerce, Arthur Elevator Co., Colonial Manors Nursing Home, Modern Inn, Rex Chevrolet Gulf Station, Rex Chevrolet Company, Jim's TV & Appliance, Gus Noyd, Gronemeyer Construction and Bill's IGA.

Full-page ad by P.E. Treman, DVM; Wm M. Schoeberl, DC; George W. Dresselhuis, Attorney; R.R. Landry, DO; John Hubiak, MD; C.L. Page, DVM.  

Full page ad by The Chronicle staff
Richard & Gwen Wagner, Viola Wagner, Thelma Sonksen, Fred Stork, Irene Wardrip, Dean Hauser, Lois Ziegmann, Irene Wessling, Bill Lyons, Bob Miller, Corinne Down, Joann Roeder, Mark and Matthew Wagner, Mavis Benson-Kiron, Mrs. Ed Leeds-Boyer, Mrs. Ted Miller-Early, Delores Rabe-Arthur.

Full-page ad sponsored by Odebolt, Arthur, Kiron and Boyer churches.

We hope you enjoyed visiting 1967.
All the best for a happy & healthy 2018~
- Barb & Bonnie, editors

1952 Skelly Station

Recently posted on the Odebolt History Pages:

THE ODEBOLT CHRONICLE, SEPTEMBER 25, 1952

Car Washing Bee Nets $173

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iaohms/1952-car-wash.html

See the names of all the below men and read about their fund-raising project.

The Linden Collection

Some time ago Norman Linden, formerly of Odebolt, contacted me to see if  I would like images of postcards he had collected over the years of Odebolt and of the Adams Ranch.  Of course I said yes!

So Norman scanned all the postcards and transferred them to me.  Due to problems the web host for the Odebolt History Pages was having, I was unable to access or edit it for some time and I apologize to Norman for the long delay.  However, here they are, finally, and we hope you enjoy them.  Thank you Norman for sharing this wonderful peek into the past.

Please allow time for the large images to load.
Postcards of Odebolt
Postcards of Fairview Farm (Adams Ranch)

See more historic photos at the Odebolt History Pages Photo Gallery.