Later a dance hosted by the fire department was held at the Boat Club. 

On Sunday, June 20, a community church service was then held a the cemetery with Rev Bruce Baillie of the Presbyterian church, and Rev. Allan Steier of the Baptist church officiating.

After the release of the video on the Rainsbargers there was a great deal of renewed interest in the story and it’s connection to Steamboat Rock. It was decided to frame a yearly celebration for the town around the Rainsbarger story. Rainsbarger Daze were born. 

The first Rainsbarger Daze celebration was held in July of 1998. a tractor pull, a rodeo, open houses and the like were part of the weekend events. 

One of the most successful parts of that celebration was a Cemetery Walk in the cemetery. It was called “A Walk Through History” and featured actors depicting the lives of various persons buried in the local cemetery who had made a mark in the town’s history. The premier performance featured the lives of: Martha Rainsbarger Johns, Henry Johns, Henry Potgeter, Pastor Stephen Woodruff, Coach Kenneth Amsberry, Bessie B, Jaspers, Ben Jaspers, Henry Luiken, Zachary Smith, Marie Eilers, and Leo Knight. 

The first Cemetery Theater was organized by Kay Roelfsema, with assistance from Harold Eiten, Mildred Janssen and Susan Bear. 

The first Cemetery Walk was so successful that an encore performance was done in September of that year. In following years the performances were given on two nights. 

A Cemetery Theater has been done each year since the first in 1998 featuring more citizens in the community. Others who have been instrumental in keeping this new tradition going include: Jane Kramer, Jim Karmer, Dennise Smith, Mary Jo Gast, Kitty Hemmen, Bob Finger, Arlene Finger, and many more.

he most recent scenario of the Rainsbarger story came in 1997 when a video, The Rainsbargers: A Lynching in Hardin County, was produced by the Iowa River Greenbelt Resource Trust. This documentary by Joe E. Heitland puts many of the myths of the whole sordid affair to rest once and for all. 

Mildred Janssen wrote of these recent events as an afterthought to her book on the Rainsbarger and Johns families: 

“When I began writing this Rainsbarger Story in 1989, my resources were several newspaper articles and various documents listed in the Bibliography of the book. Since then much more information has been found.” 

“Through the years, many, many people interested in history of the Hardin County area and curious to learn the truth have studied, explored, investigated and researched the entire Rainsbarger case. It is interesting to read some results of these pursuits.” 

“Most prominent is a chapter Herbert Quick wrote about the Rainsbargers in his book, The Hawkeye. In this book he called them the “Bushyagers” and portrayed them as a family of outlaws.” 

“In 1989, Glenn Paul of Eldora made the following observation on the Rainsbarger lynching: “The murder of the Rainsbargers, no matter in what light this foul murder is viewed, it should be regarded with a horror born of knowledge that it was a lawless act committed under the cloak of meting out justice. It was not justice, nothing can ever make it so, and the hands of the lynchers are stained with blood, the possibility of the guilt of their victims serving nothing to wash away the stain. The murder of the Rainsbargers was committed by the people of Hardin County. The active participants and all those who tacitly abetted the crime by their presence are not only lawbreakers but murderers. They should be regarded with horror and their conduct should meet with the severe punishment that it justly deserves.” 

“A noted Iowa Falls historian, Ira A. Nichols, wrote in his book PIONEER DAYS IN IOWA FALLS: “It is too tangled a web for us to untangle and it has never been quite safe to try to untangle it, as I long ago learned from personal experience … Where life, death and imprisonment are involved in so many lives, it is not safe to delve too deeply. The truth will never be known except by those who played the cards and their lips have been sealed by fear and death.” 

“What actually was “sealed” was the truth hidden in a mountain of documents and newspaper articles that Nate had collected before he died in 1940.” 

“In 1991 I became acquainted with Raymond Tinnian from Iowa City who participated in a State of Iowa Historical Archaeological Survey of our area. He became intrigued by the Rainsbarger story that unfolded during this survey. Following a lead from some documents I had collected Ray was able to locate Nate’s collection. Using this with the many other articles and materials that he uncovered, Ray put pieces together and discovered the truth about what really happened in the 1880’s in Hardin County. In the fall of 1992 his meticulously documented article was published in THE PALIPSEST*. Complicated myths that have persisted through these many years have been unraveled, and the real criminals exposed.” 

“Finally, after all this time, the treasure of a dedicated old gentleman has been sorted and documented by an innovative and resourceful young man. Truth has surfaced, questions have been answered and the Rainsbarger name once held in contempt has been exonerated.” 

*THE PALIPSEST, State Historical Society of Iowa, Volume 73, Number 3 Fall 1992

One of the greatest downfalls of our small towns in the 80’s and 90’s is the fact that people no longer have confidence to establish and build businesses in them. Everyone believes they have to build a business in a large town for it to succeed. 

Darlene Meints is an example of one person who has proven that to be a false premise. 

In May of 1978, Darlene Meints, purchased the Green Door Restaurant from Stan and Sherry Caldwell. 

Warren and Kate Booth had remodeled the former drug store building into a restaurant, The Green Door. 

They operated the business for one year and sold it to Stan and Sherry Caldwell, and they operated it for two-anda-half years. 

Darlene recalled some of the changes that she made in the business over its 21 years of her ownership. “In 1980, I purchased a walk-in cooler. Before the walk-in I had 6 refrigerators in the basement, and every night we had to carry up salads, the dressings and etc. and at the end of the evening they all had to be carried down again.” 

“We also had an old pop bottle cooler in the restaurant that had to be refilled every night. An automatic pop dispenser later replaced that. I had an ice cream chest for out hand dipped cones and sundaes, but later bought a Taylor soft ice cream machine, for around $4,000.” 

In 1991, Darlene, purchased the building on the west side of the Green Door that had been built after the 1926 fire and had served as post office, doctor’s office, school classrooms, plumbing and heating store, American Legion hall, and the grocery store of John and Harriet Burns. Darlene continued, “I purchased it and made it into a dining room putting 2 doors from the original Green Door to the newly acquired building.” 

“Lots of changes have taken place. When I purchased the business beer was 35 cents a glass…now it’s $2 a bottle.” 

Darlene finds her restaurant business rewarding and enjoys serving all of Hardin county and many of the surrounding counties. It proves that a small town can have successful and profitable businesses. 

She was so confident in her ability and in what kind of business Steamboat Rock can produce, that in 1991 when Pronto decided to build a convenience store in Steamboat Rock, Darlene became involved with the project. Burn’s grocery had closed, and there wasn’t anywhere in town to buy even a loaf of bread or gallon of milk. 

The store was built at the 4 way stop on land that had been owned by John Frerichs Sr. and his wife Emily. The house had been built originally by banker A.A. Noyse in the 1870’s it later housed the family of L.G. Johnson, and John and Emily Frerichs in their retirement years. 

The Pronto was built and Darlene was able to purchase the franchise and run the business. After three years Darlene dropped the franchise and renamed it “The Rock Stop.” 

Once again Darlene built a very successful business that depends not only on the community of Steamboat, but serves many campers, truckers, businessmen, and travelers of all types. Two RAGBRI bike rides have come through giving the business a real boost. 

With so many businesses closed in Steamboat, the towns people can be grateful to people like Darlene who have had the foresight to see the potential and count on their own ability. It is much like the early pioneers who came and produced something out of nothing. 

Darlene sold the Green Door, and several tried unsuccessfully to maintain it’s success. 

The Rock Stop is now for sale as Darlene would like to retire. It is hoped that it’s success can continue, because without the Rock Stop Steamboat would be without a grocery, gas station.

In early 1977 Darrell Bleeker formed a company in partnership with Bob Havens called United Solar. 

They set up shop in the former Burns Grocery building that had burned earlier. 

They wanted to make people aware of the fact that solar heating had been around for a long time. It was an efficient and low cost form of energy, and the government was encouraging it’s expansion. This coupled with the fact that energy costs were rising rapidly in the 1970’s made them feel that it was the right time to open a business. 

Their intent was building and manufacturing solar panels and solar equipment for heating homes and water. 

The company did install some of their equipment, but did not do well enough to continue. 

Energy conservation and energy creation were the goal that they had, and while they were successful in creating products that met that goal, the company did not succeed in getting others to share their views.

Potgeter’s Elevator and Lumber was continued after George Potgeter passed away with his sons Jim and Ed at the helm. Three generations were now involved with the business. Jim ran the plant in Wellsburg, and Ed ran grain and lumber business in Steamboat. 

At the time the Potgeter boys retired Paul Eckhoff purchased the Steamboat Rock portion of the Potgeter company. Ed Potgeter opened a Lumber business in Eldora Paul continued the companies success. He constructed a new office south of the original structure and updated and added new equipment. 

Paul sold out to United Suppliers in the late 1980’s, and they continue to operate the business today. 

On August 13, 1989 the last landmark on the west side of the river where Isaac Lesh first settled was burned to the ground. On this day the Steamboat Rock Fire Department set the Potgeter elevator plant on fire maintained a watchful eye as the structure was destroyed. 

The major business structures that had stood west of the river as landmarks for so many years are now gone. The mill, in 1910 and the Potgeter plant in 1989.

The post office remained where it had been since 1949 and where it still remains today. 

Next door was the cafe owned by the Daleske’s. 

Around town successful businesses were still being operated in and out of homes. 

Struck’s Service and Welding, opened in April 1971, when they leased the Sinclair station from Darrell Bleeker. They continued to lease for 15 months, when they purchased the building and business from Bleeker. 

After another year the existing building proved too small for the business being done so a 40 ft. square building was added to the complex to handle repair work. 

Duane Steinfeldt had worked in the painting business for Jim Riggins in Eldora for seven years before going into business for himself in Steamboat Rock in 1972 as Duane Steinfeldt Painting and Decorating. 

Duane did business in Steamboat, Ackley, Wellsburg, Iowa Falls, Eldora, and through Hardin county. 

Hollis Havens established his Electric Service the year after the centennial in 1956. He started the business after retiring from 20 years with the U.S. Navy. 

The business opened in what was last the cafe next door to the Post Office. The principle business was radio and television sales and repair, farm and home wiring and appliance repair. 

Later electric heating and air conditioning was added. At that time the radio and television was dropped. 

In May, 1967, Larry Havens, after being discharged from the Navy, joined the business and in 1971 took over the business. Radio and television repair were once again added to the services offered. The electric heat and air conditioning were retained by Hollis Havens. 

In 1976, there were two businesses, Havens Electric operated by Larry Havens, and Havens Electric Heating and Air Conditioning operated by Hollis Havens. 

Dave Folkerts owner of Dave’s Electronics attended Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls following high school. He majored in radio and television electronics. 

After graduation, he attended Iowa State University for one year taking a course for electronics technicians. 

Dave then began a repair business on a part time basis while farming with his father. 

In 1975 he opened a full time shop for the repair of CB radios, radios and televisions. 

Other businesses that had a long history in Steamboat Rock that were still in operation in 1976 included Potgeter’s Elevator and Lumber, Cervetti Construction, Ruppelt Insurance Agency, Lee’s Pump Repair, Ralph Gast Construction, Carl L. Luiken-Advertising Specialties, and General Telephone GTE.