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, […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION THE QUARRY CLOSES Another casualty of the new era was the quarry outside Steamboat Rock. Newer better building materiel such as bricks and concrete blocks were reducing the need for stone, and more decorative stone from far distances could now be brought in by rail. […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION BANK ROBERY “BANDIT TAKEN BY VIGILANTES” “Iowa Youth Captured After Being Slightly Wounded by Captors.” Were among the headlines in newspapers in and out of the State of Iowa, after some Iowa Falls boys planned and attempted a daylight bank robbery of the Farmers Savings […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION A NEW CREAMERY The farmers organization continued to operate the Farmer’s Creamery Company for several years, and was then sold to a private owner, John J. Eilers. It was operated under his ownership until it was again sold to a Farmer’s Cooperative Association and was […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION THE CRASH…DEPRESSION When the great depression swept across all of America with devastating force in the early thirties, rural Iowa already knew its effects that now gripped the rest of the country. Droughts were worse in states west and south of us, poor harvests, and […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION CHURCHES Christmas was an exciting time ….especially Christmas Eve. Children were almost too excited to eat supper. Everyone of Sunday School age was a part of the church Christmas program, and had a piece to speak. In the early years, German Christmas Carols were sung, […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION DRUGSTORE AND SODA FOUNTAIN At the turn of the century Steamboat Rock’s drug store was owned by Chet Reed. Mr. Reed, moved to Eldora, and Jim Coler became the manager of the business until he moved to Ackley. In 1915, M.F. Baker then managed the […]

WORLD WAR…AND THE GREAT DEPRESSION FIRE DEPARTMENT In 1929, after the new school was built, the two-wheeled carts that had been used for fire fighting purposes were replaced by a four-wheel trailer and both of the 30 gallon tanks were mounted on this single trailer. Now the fire rig was […]