A delightful description of early days in Iowa by a witty teller. The text is unedited from a 1936 reprinting of a speech given in 1876 in Strawberry Point, Iowa, regarding the early history of Cass Township and Strawberry Point, Clayton County, Iowa, and giving a sense of the experience of being an early settler in untamed territory. “In those …

The Edgewood JayCees competed in early 1976 on the KWWL-TV “Community Quiz” game show hosted by Jim Ganahl. The JayCees were represented by Jim Forkenbrock, Steve Brady, and Art Johnson. Enjoy this flashback to the Bicentennial year. Click here to view a video of the show.

By Irene Gleason, Gazette Correspondent   (Printed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette 1952) EDGEWOOD —As town marshal here, Francis Schultz has many duties other than law enforcement.  He cuts the grass in the town park, shovels snow from sidewalks and crossings, digs ditches and puts in city water lines, drives the tractor and road grader, maintains the town pump, serves …

Des Moines Register, Sunday, March 1, 1942 EDGEWOOD, IA.—The war soon will roll closer to the home of Mrs. Eva Walters, 59, Edgewood widow, when the sixth of her nine sons will enter Uncle Sam’s armed services. The three others registered in the new draft Feb. 16. “But,” says Mrs. Walters, “I would not have it otherwise. Ev­ery one of …

In December 1856, two young men, Charles Walker and Byron Packard, both from Allegany County, New York, were visiting relatives and friends in this vicinity when they lost their way on the prairie during a blizzard and froze to death. Unknowingly, they were within a short distance of a house. They were buried in the cemetery and a stone was …

The M&O Railroad ran eight miles between Manchester and Oneida from 1901 to 1951, and billed itself as the shortest rail line in the country. There is a story of the history of the line in the June 21, 1981 Cedar Rapids Gazette. Oneida was a significant railroad junction of the era with two lines crossing there, the main line …

Newspaper clipping April 1937—source unknown Successfully Sells Home Product For 5 Years KEITH SHERMAN, seventeen-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Sherman living one and a half miles northeast of Edgewood, has been in the horseradish business for the last five years and has increased his sales nine times in volume since the first year’s business. His teacher in the …

John Stalnaker Never Gave a Beating; Ran His Class Room Like a Republic. John E. Stalnaker (1853-1920) was the father of well-known Edgewood veterinarian and entrepreneur F.H. Stalnaker (1887-1948), and grandfather of his well-known son, and Edgewood veterinarian, Howard B. Stalnaker (1911-1979) From the Des Moines Register, June 15, 1919 M’GREGOR,Ia. June 14. Retired after forty-six years of continuous teaching …

(from the Edgewood Reminder–March 1956) EDGEWOOD — Three ardent anglers are anxiously awaiting a chance to use a 75 year-old fishing lure found in a partition of a house being remodeled. Earl W. Gleason, Edgewood builder, and Bert Schultz, Edgewood electrician, (L to R) found the lure in a partition in the house on the Paul Funk farm near here. …

Buffalo Bill was a friend of Iowan, 90 Edgewood. Ia. (1949)— William (Buffalo Bill) Cody’s colorful past attracted straight shooting, hard riding men, but prospects of traveling with the famous westerner faded when an Iowan felt the call of the soil. The Iowa youth was Allen Hansel. now of Edgewood, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday. Hansel. a youth of …