Wed 1. Ruth, Daddy & I were the only ones at prayer meeting except the preacher. Did an ironing today. Canned 6 qts of kraut & made 8½ qts of apple pickles.
Thu 2. Ruth & I went out to Pilithory for some strawberry plants. Got 35 Mastodon plants for $1.00. Got them set out after supper & Tell & I picked a bushel of beans.
Fri 3. Canned succotash today. Had Gerald & family over for supper. Gerald is 27 years old today. We kept the kiddies while he & Miriam went after Katharine.
Succotash is a combination of sweet corn kernels and lima beans or other shell beans—definitely plentiful in Iowa in August! There are lots of ways to vary the recipe. Here’s one that looks tasty.
Sat 4. It has been a splendid time for my strawberry plants. Has turned so cool today. Rained all day yesterday. Planted my perennial flower bed today—poppies, delphinium, Regal lilies, etc. Also planted some Japanese iris.
Sun 5. Katharine went to a SS class picnic for Mrs. Atkinson Sunday after church at Salome Springs. Went from there to Cedar Falls. Tell, Ruth & I went to Eldora in PM. Alice gave me some California ferns.
Mon 6. Did a big washing today. Sewed awhile. Planted my ferns. Also planted the water lily that came from Trickers. It is a white one named Hopatcong.
The weekly washing and ironing schedule continues! Here’s a fun blog post about “day of the week” towels.
Tue 7. Ironed today. Ruth took her lesson. We all went to a Sunday School Board meeting at night.
Wed 8. Canned 13½ qts of succotash today. Picked beans & got corn at Rinsers. Got some cucumbers at Bakers in the evening.
Thu 9. Mr. Baker was very sick so I had to take Mrs. B’s place at KH’s picnic today. Had it at church basement. It was very hot. Peeled some apples to can. Picked a bushel for Will’s.
Fri 10. We left Hubbard about 11 AM. Took dinner with Will & Daisey at Eldora. Picked up Katharine at Cedar Falls & drove on to McGregor by evening. Had a fish supper at the Heights Inn. Then went to the evening session of The American School of Wildlife. Heard Prof. O. M. Schang & Dr. O. A. Thomas. Stopped in Hazleton—Bonds were gone.
This was a fun series of entries to explore! Emma, Tell, Ruth, and Katharine took a road trip. They headed to McGregor Heights, IA, on the western side of the Mississippi River and across from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. This was the home of theAmerican School of Wildlife Protection, established to promote conservation through education and activism. It was in operation from 1919 to 1941 as a summer program1, and is now a national historic district.
Sat 11. Today Ruth, Katharine & I went on a Bird Trip. Then we all got in the car and crossed over to Prairie du Chien on a Ferry. Had dinner there; came back and rested. Katharine was pretty sick. I got a birthday supper. Ruth gave me a handkerchief holder, and Katharine a pair of silk hose—and Tell, a lovely trip.
The trip continues. Happy birthday to Emma! She was born in 1879, so this was her 49th birthday.It sounds like this trip was Tell’s present to her.
Sun 12. Breakfasted at the cottage (Miss Reece’s) then drove to Pike’s Peak. Walked around & drove to the Pictured Rock & Waterfall. Then had a lovely dinner at the Franklin Hotel at Strawberry Point. Drove south 3 miles to the Devil’s Back Bone State Park. Saw the Fish Hatcheries & the wonderful formations of rock. Got to Eldora for 8 o’clock lunch. Left Katharine at Cedar Falls. Betty’s [5th] birthday!
There were quite a few cottages in McGregor Heights…I am guessing their friend Miss Reece had one of them, and that this is where they stayed.
Pike’s Peak is a natural area near McGregor that became a state park in 1935. The Franklin Hotel was opened in 1902 and is rumored to be haunted.
Backbone State Parkis the oldest state park in Iowa, named after a bedrock ridge called the Devil’s Backbone.2
Mon 13. We had such lovely cool weather for our trip. Got an announcement of Harry’s wedding—Aug. 6th. Went to Eldora for blackberries this AM. Got 15 qts.
Harry Muilenberg was Emma’s nephew, the son of her sister Linnie.
Tue 14. It has been a nice wash day. Am always glad to get it done. Finished my blackberry jam. Made 27 pints. It is good. Got a long letter from Elizabeth Houck.
I found a distant cousin of Emma’s named Elizabeth Houck, but don’t know anything about her.
Wed 15. Garnet Short, Frances, Jennie, Ruth & I went to Pine Lake this PM for a swim. Had a good time.
Pine Lake State Park is outside of Eldora.
Thu 16. Ironed, canned tomatoes, made apple butter etc. today. Went over to Lottie’s in the evening to help pack the Christmas box to send to China.
Fri 17. Have been cleaning up the house today. Ruth is to help decorate the truck for a Campfire float for Hubbard Day.
Sat 18. Hubbard Day! Helped to decorate a truck for the Campfire girls & a tractor for Katharine to drive in the parade. Heard Knutson of Ellsworth speak & the band play.
Sun 19. Attended Mr. Willis Daggett’s funeral today. Just 6 weeks ago Friday he was operated—died on Friday. Took Katharine with us. She will go to Cedar Falls with Naomi & Margaret Ralston. Stopped in Eldora both going & coming.
Mon 20. We just got back from seeing the devastation wrought by a cyclone north of town. Carl Engleking’s place is ruined—house, barn, everything. Several other places had their barns & out buildings taken. The cloud was very long & narrow. Took a strip about 200 feet wide.
Tue 21. We found the cyclone covered a much greater area than we thought. Several people were killed. A babe was snatched from its mother’s arms. Found this AM, dead in a haystack. One house was turned upside down. Wrote Jennie Jones today. Found we have a lot of baby fish in the pool.
Wed 22. Twenty eight years ago Tell & I were married. We are wondering if there will be twenty eight more together. Ruth & I went to Iowa Falls in the AM. Dr. Brubaker brought my Chinkapins which by the Dictionary are American Lotus.
Thu 23. We are getting ready to go to Beresford Sat. Have been mending & cleaning etc. Have just been at a Steward Board meeting.
Fri 24. Daddy went after Katharine today. I had to stay at the shop. We are getting ready to go to Beresford.
Sat 25. The girls and I started at five AM going by way of Ft. Dodge, Pomeroy, Emmetsburg, Canton, to Beresford. Got here a little after four PM. Ate dinner at Hartley. We are tired.
Beresford, SD, was where Emma’s brother Luther (Troutman) and her sister Linnie (Muilenberg) and family were living in 1928. Here’s the route they took. These days it would be a shorter trip, but the interstate highways were not there yet.
Sun 26. Found Luther & Lucile at Linnie’s. Went to church & SS in the AM. Gertie, John & family came just as we were finishing dinner.
Emma’s sister Gertrude (Schieferstein)and her family were living in Spearfish, SD as of the 1920 census, so I am guessing they had driven across the state to visit.
Mon 27. Katharine has been sick today. Fainted away on the PM. She seems to have a fever & some bowel trouble.
Tue 28. Was up with Katharine last night. She seems to be some better this AM. I need a good supporting text. “When I am afraid I will trust in Thee” helps some. Luther & Gerrit are going to Pipestone, Minn. today. Katharine had such a high fever we got the doctor this PM. It was up to 104° Down to 103° now.
This verse is from Psalms 56:3. Gerrit Muilenberg was Emma’s brother-in-law. Pipestone, MN, is a little under 100 miles from Beresford. It is known for its quarries from which Native Americans have acquired the red pipestone used to craft pipe bowls for their sacred ceremonial pipes.
Wed 29. Was up every hour until 1 AM and every two hours afterward with Katharine. Her temperature is down to 100° so she is much better. We—Gertie, Lucile, Linnie & I —drove to Sioux Falls in PM. Went to hear Dr. Martin in evening.
Thu 30. Katharine has been up & dressed today. Feels much better. We—Linnie, Gerrit, Ruth & I—went to hear Dr. Martin this evening. Had word from Luther that he had accepted a position in Mirend City, Nev.
Fri 31. We plan to go home tomorrow. Got a tonic for Katharine today.
Extra Treat: A List of Flowers
In the Memoranda section of her journal, Emma listed “Flower bouquets we have had—Summer 1928”.
The park underwent a lot of construction in 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps; this visit would have been before that. Here’s an article on some of the hidden features of the park.
