Grant Wood's Indian Creek

Sometime between 1924 and 1928 renowned 42N artist, Grant Wood painted an oil portrait of nearby Indian Creek. Two blocks from the 42N Observations blog origination site is this same creek which runs from the north in Linn county, Iowa generally southward before joining the Cedar River. Somewhere along that path Wood painted the scene and titled the work, Iowa Autumn, Indian Creek. The painting is currently displayed at the Dubuque Museum of Art. Photo of the Grant Wood work is courtesy of the museum web site.

You can see Wood's work at many locations in the Midwest including Cedar Rapids, Iowa which houses many public and private collections of his work - including his restored studio at 5 Turner Alley. If you walk the Sac and Fox trail from the East Post Road terminus you might get a glimpse of the portion of the creek where Wood painted this scene. Much of his work is held by the Cedar Rapids school district in various locations around the city.

I do recall seeing a Grant Wood pencil sketch of Indian Creek at Franklin Middle School. That drawing may have been the working model for the eventual color oil featured above. Someone at the Dubuque Art Museum may know for sure. My photo of the creek was taken last fall near Thanksgiving. When exploring 42N country (especially around the 91.66W longitude) you also discover Grant Wood country.

Terry Shelswell, Military Vehicle Convoy Director: Patriotism is Alive and Well

The Military Vehicle Preservation Association concluded their reenactment of the 1919 Lincoln Highway transverse of the USA four days ago. The 60-some military vehicle convoy is made up of privately owned jeeps, trucks, cars, and motorcycles which are about 40 to 60 years old. Some vehicles are much older. The convoy began in Washington D.C. on June 13th and ended at the San Francisco terminus of the Lincoln Highway 26 days later on July 8th. From time to time local enthusiasts joined the convoy by riding in their own military vehicle for a few hours, a day or longer.

When the column stopped in 42N country's locale, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (an actual stop location during the 1919 trek,) Convoy director Terry Shelswell talked to the local media. He was interviewed following the debriefing of the convoy participates at the Clarion Hotel parking lot - located not too far from the original Lincoln Highway route through these parts.

Terry's June 21st media interview with 42N and KGAN (CBS 2) can be heard here. Though obviously tired from a long day on the road he expressed a few major themes of the trip. One is the outpouring of community support for the convoy especially among the smaller towns along the route. Another theme is the unique reason why each convoy member is on the trip. "Patriotism in this country is alive and well and is a wonderful experience," says Terry.

Fairfax, Iowa Celebrates USA's 233 Years of Freedom. Recalls Ronald Reagan Visit.

Independence Day 2009 is celebrated in many ways throughout the USA from parades to speeches to family gatherings and of course fireworks. One of the traditions around 42N country is the display of American flags. This arrangement of Old Glory is located at Saint Patrick's Cemetery (41.895N, 91.794W) near Fairfax, Iowa.

Twenty-five years ago, then President Reagan spoke at the Fairfax Saint Patrick's Catholic Church located a couple of miles north of this cemetery. Below are his concluding remarks from that day, September 20, 1984. The Great Communicator knew his audience. His full speech can be found here. Know that.

"How many of you weren't at the [Cedar Rapids] airport rally today? Then, I'm going to tell you. Those who were there are going to have to hear something again. I hadn't told it, I just thought about it for the first time in many, many years, a little personal experience I had in 1948. I'd gone to England to make a picture called ``The Hasty Heart.'' And on the weekends, never having been there before, I'd hire a driver and a car and have him show me the countryside outside of London. And -- --

[At this point, the President was briefly interrupted by a train whistle.]

Quiet! [Laughter]

Is that his campaign train? [Laughter]

But he stopped one evening, as the Sun was going down on one of those weekends, a pub that he said was 400 years old. And we went in, and a matronly woman, a very nice lady, was serving us. And down, some tables down, was an elderly gentleman, and he was -- they were the only two, evidently, running this place.

And when she heard us talk for awhile, she said, ``You're Americans, aren't you?'' And I said, ``Yes, we are.'' And then she said, ``Oh, there were a great number of your chaps stationed just down the road from here during the war.'' And she said, ``They used to come in every evening, and they'd have a songfest.'' And she said, ``They called me `Mom' and they called the old man `Pop'.''

And by this time, she's not looking at me anymore. She's looking kind of out into the distance with memory, and there's a tear on her cheek. She said, ``It was a Christmas Eve. We were here all alone.'' And she said, ``The door burst open and in they come, and they had presents for us.'' And then she said -- and this is why I'm telling you the story -- she said, ``Big strapping lads they was, from a place called Iowa.'' [Laughter] And then I had a tear on my cheek.

Well, I thank you so much for your very wonderful hospitality and for the warmth and kindness that comes so naturally to Iowans. And I want you to know that I enjoyed both the beef and the pork for lunch. [Laughter] No argument about that.

Thank you all, and God bless you."

President Ronald Reagan
Remarks at a Community Picnic
Fairfax, Iowa
September 20, 1984

Note: The President spoke at 12:15 p.m. on the lawn of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Following his remarks, the President traveled to Grand Rapids, MI.

Nature's Fireworks - Canadian Thistle

The State of Illinois calls it a noxious weed. Look around 42N country and you will find Canadian thistle in full bloom. This miniature fireworks was found at the Amana, Iowa train depot. Know that.

New Amish Arrivals in Wisconsin

A lone Amish buggy trots near Platteville, Wisconsin on Father's Day 2009. Since the year 2000 hundreds of Amish families have moved from Pennsylvania to southwest Wisconsin. The main reasons seem to be the much lower price of farm land and the lure of rural settings of the Midwest - away from the growing metro centers in the East. On this day a young man in black, duster-like rain gear navigates the rolling prairie, passing other wet Amish-worked fields. Know that.

Military Convoy Retraces Historic Route through Cedar Rapids

On Sunday, June 21, a convoy retracing the 1919 transit of military vehicles on the Lincoln Highway pulled into Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the night. Some 60 registered military jeeps, trucks, staff cars, and assorted other vehicles, and their support units, filed into the Clarion Hotel parking lot in 42N country. The convoy left Washington D.C. on June 13 and will finish the transit in San Francisco on July 8th while riding on much of the original Lincoln Highway as possible. In addition to the registered convoy vehicles a number of other military surface tracks and cars join the procession along the way for a short period to show off their historical vehicle.

The convoy is part of the Military Vehicle Preservation Association (MVPA.) As part of its mission to honor our country's military vehicle history, the MVPA decided to recreate the famous 1919 Convoy in 2009 as a 90th Anniversary celebration of the achievement and in conjunction with the nation's President Lincoln Bicentennial celebration. The original convoy in 1919, was part of the US Army's Military Transportation Corps idea to demonstrate the need for a mechanized Army. The plan to modernize America's fighting force involved the idea of a convoy parading the Army's military might from coast-to-coast along the then new Lincoln Highway.

In 1919 the Convoy stopped in Cedar Rapids and was treated to a huge meal in the city's Greene Square Park. Among the original participants of the convoy was Lt. Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower. As a result of the 1919 Convoy he reportedly saw the value of a mechanized land army and the need for better roadway infrastructure to move vehicles across the nation. As President Eisenhower in the 1950s he approved federal legislation to build the country's interstate system - called the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Eisenhower Interstate System for short.) Know that.

Climbing Platteville, Wisconsin's Mighty M

Just to the east of Platteville, Wisconsin is a rise of land off the prairie with a gigantic white "M" on it, facing to the west. You can see it for miles, in fact you can see it from Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. After several trips past the 241 foot tall M over the years we decided to get closer and snap a few photos.

At the base of the whitewashed stone and concrete M completed by students in 1937 from the nearby University of Wisconsin-Platteville, School of Mines (mining is no longer offered at the school) is a picnic table and a set of stairs leading to the top of the hill. After climbing 266 named-stairs by financial donors you can see the midwestern prairie stretching for miles. If you take your time - and an oxygen tank - you can climb the stairs stopping at three lookout posts along the way. Consider the lookouts as basecamps. At the top of the climb is a large platform for scenery viewing including a freestanding set of binoculars (no charge to view through it.)

The best part of the journey up is the outstanding view of the rolling country side. To the south is Amish country where you can see horse and buggies and well-kept farms. To the west is Platteville. Ironically you cannot readily see the M once you are on top of the hill (see photo above.) The other best part of the journey up is the much easier descent. Know that.

Trucking Fleets Idle in Eastern Iowa

A visible sign of the nation's economic health can be seen within a city block of each other in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For several months two large trucking firms based in 42N country, CRST International and Westside Transport Systems have parked a large number of semi-trailer truck fleets at their respective corporate headquarters. At no time in recent memory have these two regional icons been so concentrated in their idle behavior. At CRST, the maintenance garage is completely filled with trucks being tuned. A positive sign in recent weeks is a few less trucks parked in these lots. Perhaps the freight transportation industry is turning around. Know that.

Ultralights Fly in Marion, Iowa

Update from December 30, 2008 post: Each year around Independence Day the small private airport located in Marion, Iowa hosts the fly-in/drive-in breakfast. Highlights of the one day event include plane rides (always a crowd pleaser) and static displays of small aircraft sometimes including ultralights. The event in 2009 will be held rain or shine on June 28 from 6:00 am to 11:30 am. This video was taken at the 2005 event and remains my number one most watched YouTube posted video - currently at 17, 735 views to date. Who would have guessed? Apparently there is enormous interest in ultralights worldwide. Know that.

Ford Model T Battery / Coil Survives into 21st Century

Placed in a lot box of old mason jars at a recent auction in Raymond, Iowa was this ancient-looking battery or coil housing. Clearly the Ford logo is still recognizable on the hardwood case that had metal parts on one end. I don't know if this is a battery or a coil housing. A search of the Internet provides that use of these objects were in Ford's Model T roadsters back in the day. While I was not present when the item (and the jars) sold, one can find examples for sale on eBay for about $15 to $35. Know that.

JOB 38:11 Stop Right Here

Basically the translation of verse 11 of chapter 38 is 'stop right here and go no further.' Silas did not accept that notion but Sister the guardian did. Each edition is different depending on the translation. The Priory used it to throw off those who sought the sangreal. You decide. Know that.

BNSF Moves Coal Through Raymond, Iowa

A fast moving line of freight cars trekked through Raymond, Iowa on Sunday, afternoon June 7th. Led by two locomotives from the BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) the dominant item of transport was eastbound coal in open cars. Following up the long train was an attached locomotive (bottom photo) pushing the line. I have been told that the coal is mined in Wyoming. America at work. Know that.

Statue of Liberty on a Dry May's Island

About a year ago this miniature Statue of Liberty was up to her heels in Cedar River flood water on May's Island in Cedar Rapids, Iowa - the heart of 42N country. Today she oversees a much more normal Cedar River, an abandoned City Hall, and a vibrant Quaker Oats plant. City officials are still deciding how to proceed with the Veterans' Coliseum building as it relates to housing the city's government offices. Here's a view of the flooded river from last year. Note the statue's location in the flood waters to the far right. Know that.

(Photo courtesy of sbphotoblog.com)

Demon's Hole in 42N Country

Though not quite an ossuary annex, this fixture located at the heart of 42N country certainly holds one of its Renaissance church counterpart's features - stench. A year ago this fixture was covered by a historic river flood. Now the likely manhole cover is visited by more than one Angels and Demons clue finders. But unlike the movie where the demon's hole held a victim branded with "Earth," this oculus holds no more than water - another of the infamous four brands. Know that.