Grotto of the Redemption at West Bend. 18 view folder by Curt Teich, copyright 1935
from https://www.westbendgrotto.com/history/: Father Paul Matthias Dobberstein was born in Rosenfeld, Germany on September 21, 1872. He received part of his early education at the University of Deitsche-Krone in Germany. When Paul was 20 years old he immigrated to America. On coming to America he entered the Seminary of St. Francis near Milwaukee to prepare for the Priesthood. It was there that he began to show signs of unusual artistic ability… [read much more at the website above]
August 1, 2015, the Grotto was raised to the status of a diocesan shrine by R. Walker Nickless, Bishop of Sioux City, becoming the diocese’s first designated religious shrine.
Keokuk 18 view Curt Teich folder copyright 1937
The city founded in 1832 was named after Sauk chief Keokuk. It’s in the southeast corner of the state where the Des Moines River meets the Mississippi. Numerous websites describe historic sites and the community outlook through the years. The powerhouse when completed in 1913 was the biggest monolithic concrete dam in the world and was a pioneering effort in large-scale, low-head hydroelectric power. The 1913 YMCA building is now Keokuk’s YWCA building and is on the National Register of Historic places, as are Historic Hotel Iowa, the Depot, Lock & Dam !9 Historic District, and numerous private residences. Rand Park is noted for gorgeous views of the Mississippi.
St. Anthony of Padua Chapel, World’s Smallest Church 8 view Bloom Bros. folder ca. 1930s
A short distance southwest of Festina, an unincorporated community in Winneshiek County. Johann Gaertner (later changed name to John Gartner)’s mother in France prayed to God that if her son returned from fighting in Napoleon’s army, she would build a chapel. But lack of money and time prevented her. Eventually John and his family and neighbors got the small church built with local lumber and stone. It’s got four tiny pews, an altar, a belfry and a vestibule. There is a small family cemetery on the grounds. The structure is still used occasionally.
Individual Iowa Postcards
Boat regatta under bridge
from https://www.chieftain.com/story/news/2017/03/26/macarthur-bridge-would-have-turned/20230522007/
It was up to local businessman John A. MacArthur to convince city leaders the need for a wagon bridge over the Mississippi River. A bridge that could hold wagons, automobiles, and of course, people…Prior to 1868 — when the CB&Q (Chicago, Burlington and Quincy) railroad bridge was built — the only way to cross the river at Burlington was by boat, ferry or ice bridge in the winter. The nearest vehicular crossings were 60 miles north of Burlington in Muscatine and 20 miles south in Fort Madison. Nicknamed the “Golden Goose,” the MacArthur Bridge was constructed between 1916 and 1917, and stayed active until Oct. 4, 1993, when the Great River Bridge opened to take its place. For a short while, they existed side-by-side. It connected Burlington, Iowa (Des Moines County) with Gulfport, Illinois. (Henderson County) on US Route 34…demolished around 1993…
Butter Cow
https://www.iowastatefair.org/about/butter-cow
The Butter Cow starts with a wood, metal, wire and steel mesh frame and about 600 lbs. of low moisture, pure cream Iowa butter. Once inside the 40-degree cooler, layers of butter are applied until a life-size butter cow emerges – measuring about 5-1/2-ft high and 8-ft long. Each year, much of the butter is recycled and can be reused for up to 10 years…A real dairy cow weighs more than 1,000 pounds, but the butter version comes in at around 600 pounds.
Crapo Park, Burlington
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crapo_Park
Reputed to be the site where the American flag was first raised on Iowa’s soil, by Zebulon Pike in 1805.[2]: 3 ..The park includes an arboretum containing more than 200 varieties of trees and shrubs, as well as botanical gardens of annuals and perennials…established in 1895 by Philip Crapo, a local businessman and philanthropist, in time for the Iowa semi-centennial (1896), with landscape engineering by Earnshaw and Punshon of Cincinnati, Ohio. The park includes walking paths and four shelters, as well as Lake Starker (constructed 1905, 1.5 acres (6,100 m2), 0.6 hectares), the Hawkeye Natives Log Cabin (replica constructed 1910), Zebulon Pike Memorial, and Foehlinger Fountain. It also includes the Black Hawk Spring and Cave
Julien Dubuque grave monument
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julien_Dubuque
Julien Dubuque (January 1762 – 24 March 1810) was a Canadian of Norman origin[1][2] from the area of Champlain, Quebec who arrived near what now is known as Dubuque, Iowa, which was named after him. He was one of the first European men to settle in the area. He initially received permission from the Meskwaki people to mine the lead in 1788,[3] which was confirmed by the Spanish, who gave him a land grant in 1796.[4…Dubuque is remembered as the first person of European origin to settle in what would become the state of Iowa. He is remembered as a friend of the Native Americans in the area and a champion of their cause. Dubuque was also a generous man who spent lavishly on many friends, which had the unfortunate effect of keeping him in debt during the later part of his life.
Fenelon Elevator, Dubuque
https://www.fenelonplaceelevator.com/
Historic cable car. Also known as the Fourth Street Elevator, this funicular railway has been called “the world’s steepest, shortest scenic railway.” 296 feet in length, elevating passengers 189 feed from Fourth Street up to Fenelon Place. Magnificent view of downtown Dubuque business district, the Mississippi River and three states.
Hotel Mealey, Oelwein
https://grokipedia.com/page/hotel_mealey
Hotel Mealey is a historic four-story brick building in Oelwein, Iowa, originally constructed as a luxury hotel to serve railroad travelers and officials during the town’s late-19th-century boom as a rail hub. Built between 1896 and 1898 by Chicago architects Marvel & DeMoney at a cost of $35,000, it featured 70 guest rooms arranged around an open courtyard, modern amenities like electricity and an elevator, and ground-floor commercial spaces…Subsequently renamed the Hotel Iowan, the structure was converted into a mix of commercial and residential spaces, including luxury apartments known as Mealey Apartments, which remain in use today despite challenges like a structural failure in 2023 and a fourth-floor fire in February 2024. Ongoing renovations, including a 2024 façade update, continue to preserve its historic features amid its adaptation to modern needs…The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, recognizing its architectural and historical significance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oelwein,_Iowa
The town of Oelwein was laid out in a corn field purchased from pioneer settler Gustav Oelwein on the coming of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad (later called the Rock Island) in 1872. Some years later the two dividing streets of Oelwein were named after his sons, Frederick and Charles.
IOOF Homes (Independent Order of Odd Fellows), Mason City
I can’t find any information about these stone pillars framing the way to the building, but the appearance of the building made me believe it was in Mason City, Iowa. At different times, the complex housed orphans and the elderly. Now its replacement structures and staff provide care for senior citizens who need residential services.
Niagara Cave waterfall
https://tripexplorersguide.com/niagara-cave/
Gravity drops and geological time don’t usually mix—but they do at this underground marvel just beyond Harmony Minnesota [near Ft. Atkinson Iowa]. A mile‑long tour sweeps you nearly 200 feet below the surface into a world of dripping stalactites, glacial‑free limestone, and one of the Midwest’s only subterranean waterfalls…Since its official public debut in June 1934—ten years after local spelunkers first spotted the sinkhole—the cave has been welcoming visitors through guided tours that weave past fossils, a hidden wedding chapel, and the thunderous 60‑foot falls inside… Open seasonally from April through early November.
