NEW BEGINNINGS POTGETER’S On September 19, 1950, George Potgeter held an open house in celebration of the 61st anniversary of the grain elevator his father Henry had founded October 15, 1889.    In addition to the anniversary, the business had just undergone a major renovation which made it one of […]

NEW BEGINNINGS A NEW DOCTOR In early April 1949, less than two weeks after Dr. Caldwell’s death, the community welcomed Dr. Paul F. Temple.    The community had remodeled the old post office location on Market Street into a doctor’s office. It included; a private office, two examining rooms, a […]

NEW BEGINNINGS 70 YEARS OF CALDWELL DOCTORS The Doctor’s office used by J.W. Caldwell adjacent to his house on the corner of Fourth and Market Streets. When his son J. Willard built his home on Main Street, the he had the office building moved to a new location on Market […]

NEW BEGINNINGS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS The Steamboat Rock squad: Seated in the front, left to right- Captain Frances Gast, Co-Captain Lucille Green, Middle Row- Jean Folkerts, Vivian Taylor, Marjorie Bolar, Louise Finger, Irene Kruse, Back row- Pauline Snapp (manager), Anna Freese, Marjorie Gast, Iva Mae Gast, Verdelle Shuneman, Mildred Jutting, Coach […]

NEW BEGINNINGS THE BEAUTY SHOP Perhaps one of the first signs of change in the lives of women was the coming of the beauty parlor. Women’s first move toward getting out of the house was her move toward changing her appearance.  Lucille “Dolly” Folkerts  The changes from then to now […]

NEW BEGINNINGS GETTING MODERN In 1939, the town had a city water system installed. The entire system, water tower, water mains and well cost less than $25,000.    In the 1940’s Market Street was brought up to date with curb and gutter, and many of the other streets were black […]

NEW BEGINNINGS ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE At the end of the decade of depression an article appeared in the Hardin County Index on March 30, 1939, entitled “Old Boys” of Steamboat. It was written by L.J. Tjernagel and gives his insights and reflects the attitude of the older men of the day. […]

NEW BEGINNINGS RURAL ELECTRICITY Electricity was now lighting most towns, and Steamboat Rock was no exception. Passage of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, provided fund allotments for each state to use for building a rural electric network. The depression made it possible for REA to attract and employ “the […]

NEW BEGINNINGS THE MODERN HOME In the 1930’s the depression was on and still homes began to modernize. In his book Harold Luiken who married in 1934 describes the first home that he and his bride moved into.    “By the standards in those days we had a fairly modern […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION THERE WERE FUN TIMES TOO! All was not gloom and doom during the depression years. In the early years of the depression Steamboat Rock had a ball team that consisted of Harold Luiken, Harry Luiken, John Eilers, John Cramer, Tony Luiken, Ernie Eckhoff, Carl Sentman, […]