SRHS
Steamboat Rock Historical Society
A CENTURY DRAWS TO A CLOSE
A GRAND CELEBRATION
There was a grand celebration held in Steamboat Rock for the Fourth of July in 1898, which by all descriptions had never been equaled before or since.
It seems that the reason for such a celebration being held on this particular Fourth of July was to celebrate the end of the Spanish American War.
The whole event was described in the July 5, issue of the Steamboat Rock Echo. Many of the photographs of the celebration don’t do it justice when one reads the word description.
Tuesday July 5, 1898: “Outdone ‘Em All…Steamboat Rock has the best celebration in Hardin County… Crowds of people in attendance… Decorations were beautiful.”
These are all individual headlines that appeared in the Steamboat Rock Echo, a twice weekly feature in the Eldora Herald, On July 5, 1898. They all describe the Fourth of July celebration that had been held in Steamboat Rock the day before.
The article went on to say, “Not excelled by any other town, the Churches and all nationalities participate- Oration by Dr. Magee par Excellent- the sports, all unequaled.”
“The towns of Hardin county or central Iowa for that matter, that ever expect to celebrate should have sent a special delegation to Steamboat Rock yesterday and secured pointers as to how to run an ol’ fashioned Fourth of July celebration and especially how to decorate.”
