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 Preservation in Progress May 13-14
Sessions include "Preservation 101," "Grant Writing," "History Threatened and What to Do About It," "Making Small Rehabilitation Tax Credit Deals Work" and more. Wednesday evening, participants are invited to take a walking/bus tour of 5th St. Bluff and Court Hill Residential Neighborhood in Ottumwa, followed by a reception.
A complete schedule can be found at www.mainstreetiowa.org. Registration is $25 if postmarked by May 1 or $35 after May 1. Payment may be received at the door. Visit the Web site for more information.
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State Historical Society, Inc., Donates Clarke Records
 State Historical Society, Inc. Board members will donate rare, original documents relating to President James K. Polk's appointment of Iowa Territorial Governor James Clarke.
A special presentation and celebration will be held April 21 at 1:30 p.m. at the Centennial Building, 402 Iowa Avenue in Iowa City. The event is free and open to the public.
One of the original velum documents is the official appointment of Clarke as governor by President Polk and is dated Nov. 8, 1845. On the reverse side of the document is the handwritten oath of office signed by Clarke and sworn to by Charles Mason, Chief Justice of the Iowa Territory. Two other documents, dated Nov. 27, 1839 and Feb. 19, 1840, establish Clarke as the "Secretary in and for the Territory of Iowa" by President Martin Van Buren.
Historians rely on the evidence offered in documents like these to unravel the stories of Iowa's past, and these appointment papers are particularly valuable given the scarcity of manuscripts from this early period in Iowa history. James Clarke played a pivotal role in the development of Iowa, helping to define our boundaries and forming the first constitutional conventions. Only four weeks after Clarke delivered his last official message as governor in December 1846, Iowa became the 29th state to join the union.
State Historical Society, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that supports projects related to Iowa history. The organization has helped fund the National History Day program sponsored by the State Historical Society of Iowa.
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Celebrate Earth Day at Western Historic Trails Center
Celebrate Earth Day Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Avenue in Council Bluffs.
Earth Day is an opportunity for you to evaluate your impact on the environment and learn how to reduce your carbon footprint. Western Historic Trails Center will host Earth Day activities from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Educational displays from the Council Bluffs Recycling Center will demonstrate how a recycling center works and Union Pacific Railroad will show how our water is treated when it becomes polluted.
Visitors can also learn how to make inexpensive crafts with everyday, household materials. At 5 p.m. until dark, Keep Council Bluffs Beautiful will hold a trash pick-up around the Madison Avenue area. Bags, gloves and safety vests will be provided.
Call Western Historic Trails Center at (712) 366-4900 for more information.
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Historical Resource Grant Applications Due May 15
The deadline for submitting applications to the State Historical Society of Iowa for Historical Resource Development Program grants is Friday, May 15, 2009.
Applications are available at www.iowahistory.org and must be downloaded and sent to: Grants Manager, State Historical Society of Iowa, 600 E. Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50319 by Friday, May 15, 2009. They must be either delivered in person by 4:30 p.m. or postmarked Friday, May 15 in order to be eligible.
HRDP is funded by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP), passed by the Iowa General Assembly in 1989. Through REAP, local government units, various organizations and private individuals can receive funding for eligible projects.
REAP/HRDP provides grants to preserve, conserve, interpret and educate the public about historical resources in categories related to historic preservation of the built environment, museum collections and documentary materials such as diaries, letters, photographs and newspapers.
Projects funded in this grant cycle will begin July 1, 2009 and must be completed by Nov. 30, 2011. Projects are evaluated based on the significance of the historical resource; the proposed scope of work; the project's impact on the local community; and the degree to which the budget is reasonable, appropriate to the project, complete and mathematically correct.
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SHSI Presents Petersen/Harlan Award to Tom Morain
 The State Historical Society of Iowa has presented Graceland University's Tom Morain the 2008 Petersen/Harlan Award for his lifelong work in preserving and sharing the history of Iowa.
Named in honor of historic SHSI leaders William J. Petersen and Edgar R. Harlan, the award recognizes an individual, group or organization that has made significant long-term and continuing contributions to Iowa history. Morain, director of government relations for Graceland University, received the award during the 2009 Iowa Studies Forum April 3 at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny.
Morain is a former SHSI administrator and Living History Farms director of Interpretation, and has been involved with Iowa history for about 30 years. He has taught courses at Graceland and Iowa State University, and serves on the Humanities Iowa board of directors.
An accomplished researcher and writer, Morain authored "Prairie Grass Roots: An Iowa Small Town in the Early Twentieth Century," which won SHSI's Shambaugh Award in 1988 for the best book in Iowa history. He has also co-authored "Iowa Past to Present," an Iowa history book for elementary students now in its third edition.
William J. Petersen, long-time curator of the State Historical Society in Iowa City, was known for his book, "Steamboating on the Mississippi," thus earning the nickname "Steamboat Bill."
Edgar Ruby Harlan, who served as the second director and curator of the Historical Department of Iowa for nearly 30 years, played a key role in acquiring many of the State Historical Museum's most important collections.
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Legislative Update
By Cyndi Pederson, director, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
It was my hope that the legislature would be wrapped up by now but there is some major unfinished business that will keep them here until next week. We made a little progress since our last update and I hope to have more news after next week!
1) Legislative Update Historic Tax Credits: HF819/SF 481
This bill raises the cap on historic tax credits from a $20 million cap to a $50 million cap.
The department received over $57 million of requested tax credits last year. With the anticipated increase of applications this year due to the enormous damage to many historic properties it is imperative this cap is raised so much needed preservation work can begin.
This bill was caught in a procedural issue that prevented it from going to the floor Thursday (April 16). There was an amendment to HF 819 about Data Centers. It was decided to run that amendment through a Ways and Means committee. This happened on Wednesday (April 15). The data center bill will now run on its own Monday (April 20).
I have been told our HF 819 will run on Monday at approx 10:15 a.m. The Senate did run the bill (SF 481) last Thursday with great results! It passed unanimously 48-0.
We have two more hurdles to jump before we can start celebrating: passing the House and getting signed by the Governor. I will keep my conversations flowing on both accounts.
2) HF 777- open records and public meetings bill.
This bill was brought to the house floor and passed 99-0.It deals primarily with transparency of records and meeting procedures.
3) SF 114/HF 373 HSPG
The HSPG grant program was not funded in the Governor's budget last January. We do have language in SF 114/HF 373 to allow more than two grants to be given to one county as long as we don't spend more that the $200,000 per county. This bill was presented on the floor by Rep Steckman and passed. The bill is on its way to the Governor.
4) SF 389 HealthCare Bill
We are concerned about this bill as it currently has a clause in there allowing nonprofit groups to buy into the state healthcare plan. This bill is laden with amendments and has been debated but is still on unfinished business status.
5) SF 344/HF 656 Iowa Values Fund/Cultural Trust
This is an Economic Development bill but our Cultural Trust money comes from this fund. We had an issue with the language of how decisions would be made and those issues were resolved and this bill passed the House 90-8.
I will be preparing a more complete legislative report as soon as the session wraps up next week. We are still waiting for final budget numbers for our department so we can get a handle on our budget situation for the next fiscal year.
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Read About Bily Clocks, Marshal J in Latest Annals of Iowa
The Spring 2009 issue of the Annals of Iowa will be available soon.
In one feature article, "This World of Ours": The Bily Clocks and Cosmopolitan Regionalism, 1913-1948, Barbara Ching, associate professor of English at the University of Memphis, describes and analyzes the clocks brothers Frank and Joseph Bily carved in northeastern Iowa between 1913 and 1948. She shows how the Bilys and their work, usually seen as parochial and bucolic, actually engaged the modern world, bridging the regional and cosmopolitan and the timeless and timely.
 In the other article, "The Lost World of Marshal J: History, Memory, and Iowa's Forgotten Broadcast Legend," Phillip J. Hutchison,assistant professor of communications at the University of Kentucky, narrates the career of the popular Iowa and California children's television personality Jay Alexander, better known as television cowboy Marshal J. Hutchison recovers Alexander's lost history, assesses his impact on Iowans, and tries to explain why such a highly visible popular culture icon could disappear from Iowa's social consciousness as Alexander did.
The usual set of book reviews and notices includes reviews of books on Inkpaduta, family farming in Indiana before 1880, women in the Civil War, the Civil War Battle of Shiloh, the Civil War in fiction and film, Norwegian immigrants, Uncle Henry Wallace's letters to farm families, Frank Gotch, women in World War I, Grant Wood and Christian Petersen murals, among others.
You can receive every issue of The Annals of Iowa by upgrading your membership to the Heritage Circle level. To do so, contact Joan Kiernan at (515) 281-8741 or e-mail Joan.Kiernan@iowa.gov. To order a single copy of the Fall 2008 issue of the Annals of Iowa or any other previous issue, call Deb Pedersen at (319) 335-3916 or e-mail deb-pedersen@uiowa.edu.
PHOTO: Alexander greets some of his young fans, ca. 1963. Photo courtesy of Kate Yoemans.
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News from the State Historical Library
 Patrons find that the Historical Library's online database of newspapers aids their research. More than 120 people attended five introductory Newspaper Archives workshops held in February and March. Since holding those workshops there are many times when all the public access computers are being used to access this onsite tool. The next Newspaper Archive workshop will be in July, exact date yet to be determined. People do not have to attend a workshop to come to the Library and use this newspaper search service; librarians can help get you going.
 Gene Henderson donated a copy of his life story, Gene Henderson: Looking Forward to the State Historical Library in Des Moines March 28. The book was written by Sherry Borzo of Storied Gifts and tells Henderson's life story, including his time as a prisoner of war. Henderson's children, pictured, also came to the Historical Library to donate their books and to tour the facility.
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Union Pacific Railroad Foundation Grant Supports Lincoln Bicentennial
Iowa's two-year celebration of President Lincoln's life and legacy received a boost with support from the Union Pacific Railroad Foundation.
The Iowa Historical Foundation received a $25,000 Union Pacific Railroad grant on behalf of the Iowa Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, which is partnering with the State Historical Society of Iowa to create a traveling museum exhibit called "History on the Move." The exhibit is still in the planning stages.
The exhibit will focus on Lincoln's ties to Iowa and will visit Iowa communities and schools. In addition, an anonymous donor is contributing $25,000 to the exhibit over the next three years.
More information about events in Iowa commemorating Lincoln's life and legacy can be found online at www.iowalincoln200.org. More information about the ALBC is available at www.lincolnbicentennial.gov.
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Des Moines Historical Society Formation Meeting April 25
Anyone interested in helping form the Des Moines Historical Society is invited to attend a formation meeting Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m.-Noon at the Northside Des Moines Library, 3512 5th Ave., Des Moines.
More information can be found at www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/pchs or by contacting Pat Meiners, (515) 278-1234, a1hawkeye@juno.com.
Photo: Locust Street, looking east from 6th Avenue, downtown Des Moines. Courtesy of Kent Carlson.
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SHSI Awards Preservation Grants
The State Historical Society of Iowa April 9 awarded REAP/HRDP grants totaling $58,748 to nine organizations for the preservation of historic documentary collections.
The Historical Resource Development Program (HRDP) is funded by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP), passed by the Iowa General Assembly in 1989.
Through REAP, local government units, various organizations and private individuals can receive funding for eligible projects. REAP/HRDP provides grants to preserve, conserve, interpret and educate the public about historical resources. The grant awards require organizations to supply matching funds.
For a complete list of awards, visit www.iowahistory.org.
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Dubuque Man Sings Songs of the Civil War
 Some historians refer to the Civil War as "the musical war" because a great deal of music was created during those years. More than 2,000 new songs were written and published in the first year of the war alone.
Through music, historical facts and storytelling, Bob Welch of Dubuque presents Songs of the Civil War/Lincoln and Liberty Too. The program brings the legacy of Lincoln into focus, increasing awareness of Lincoln's accomplishments, his steadfast goal to preserve the Union and his desire to heal the wounds the war had left on all while helping the audience understand Lincoln's unique ability to motivate, inspire and lead the country.
Welch's program is endorsed by the Civil War Preservation Trust. More information can be found at www.civilwar.org.
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Silos & Smokestacks Offers Thematic Writing Workshop May 19
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area will host "Telling Your Story: Interpretation and Planning" Tuesday, May 19 from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Farm House Gathering Room in Fredericksburg.
This workshop will teach participants how to better prepare interpretive text for exhibits, signage, brochures and presentations by telling their story through thematic writing. The morning session focuses on writing with a purpose to create a meaningful experience for visitors. The afternoon session will focus on specific interpretive applications.
Dr. Dave Smaldone, assistant professor in Recreation, Parks & Tourism at West Virginia University, will lead the workshop. Smaldone has held a variety of positions within the National Park Service where he worked with interpretive employees and coordinated visitor center exhibit design teams.
Registration is $49 for SSNHA affiliates, or $69 and is due May 12, 2009. Fee includes lunch and materials. Workshop is limited to 35 participants. For more information, visit www.silosandsmokestacks.org.
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PHOTO NOTE: The image appearing at the top of this newsletter is one that was conserved by Barry Bauman and is in the collection of the State Historical Society of Iowa. "Leaving the Arctic Ice Fields Under the Midnight Sun" is an oil on canvas work ca. 1885 by William Bradford (1823-1892).
"It was a rare scene of ever-changing beauty, assuming new shapes as we glided slowly by, and one long to be remembered." - William Bradford. In 1885, soon-to-be Governor William Larrabee purchased this and another painting from the artist, William Bradford. The two paintings have since hung in the parlor of the Larrabee home at Montauk, near Clermont, Iowa. Montauk is a state of Iowa historic site. This painting expresses the fascination artists and art lovers had with the beauty, danger, and overwhelming power of the polar landscape during the 19th century.
Artist: As an artist, William Bradford was supreme in his ability to capture the stark beauty and omnipresent peril of the Polar Regions in his paintings. Bradford was raised in an area famous for whaling and other marine activities. He was born and raised in New Bedford, Mass. In the early 1850s, he launched his career by painting portraits of ships for $25 apiece. In the mid-1850s, he was joined by Dutch immigrant painter, Albert Van Beest. Van Beest became Bradford's teacher and partner until Van Beest's untimely death in 1860. In the 1860s, Bradford made many trips to Nova Scotia, Greenland, and Iceland to paint and photograph arctic ice. He continued his travels in the 1870s and 1880s. He established a studio in San Francisco and traveled and painted extensively in the West. While never copying photographs, he would use them in his work and this is reflected in the realist style his work possesses.
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SHSI Calendar of Events
April 21: Donation presentation of James Clarke documents, 1:30 p.m., Centennial Building, 402 Iowa Ave., Iowa City. Board members representing State Historical Society, Inc., will donate original records of Iowa territorial Governor James Clarke in a special ceremony. Free and open to the public. Call (319) 335-3911.
April 22: "The Girls from Ames: The Story of Women & A Forty-Year Friendship" with author Jeffrey Zaslow, 7 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines. Wall Street Journal columnist and author Jeffrey Zaslow will discuss his latest book about 11 childhood friends from Ames who forged a special bond that has endured more than 40 years. Free and open to the public.
April 22: Earth Day Celebration, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave., Council Bluffs.
April 27: National History Day in Iowa - Sr. Division State Competition, State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines.
April 30: "20 Years/20 Stories" with photographer David Thoreson, 7 p.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust. David Thoreson is an explorer, adventurer, sailor, photographer, writer and educator from Arnolds Park who has spent the past 20 years documenting his world travels. His work is featured in the new Historical Museum exhibit "20 Years/20 Stories: An Intermedia Storytelling Project of Adventure and Environment." Free and open to the public.
May 4: National History Day in Iowa - Jr. Division State Competition, State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines.
May 6: History for Lunch lecture by Dr. Robert Engel, who will reflect on events relating to student unrest on the University of Iowa campus in the 1970s and its effect on university culture and governance, State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City.
May 10: May Day History & Traditions, 2 p.m., Western Historic Trails Center, 3434 Richard Downing Ave., Council Bluffs. Enjoy this historical presentation about why we celebrate May Day.
May 15: HRDP Grant Deadline.
May 20: Book Discovery Discussion: The Rise of Jonas Olsen: A Norwegian Immigrant's Saga by Johannes B. Wist, 11:45 a.m., State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust, Des Moines. Originally published serially in the Norwegian language newspaper, Decorah Posten, in the 1920s, The Rise of Jonas Olsen illustrates an immigrant's struggle to preserve his identity and heritage while striving to become fully accepted as an American.
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