SRHS
Steamboat Rock Historical Society
100 YEARS OLD
CENTENNIAL 1855-1955
The Eldora Herald-Index wrote the following about the Centennial Celebration. “Steamboat Rock was a proud little town Saturday night,” the Eldora newspaper wrote in a collum following Steamboat Rock’s 1955 Centennial Celebration;“…and justly so, for they had successfully produced one of the finest old fashioned Centennial Celebrations ever recorded.”
“It was a great birthday party from start to finish.”
“Citizens were pleased and highly appreciative of the cooperation they had received from neighboring towns. They were happy with the thousands of visitors who had come to enjoy the activities. As many said, “we hardly expected this.”
“The parade moved off on schedule at 6 p.m. Cars were lined bumper to bumper from Pine Lake to Steamboat Rock from 5:15 to 6 p.m. In all there were 71 entries in the parade which was better than a mile long. Bands from a half dozen neighboring towns took part.”
“Officials estimated the parade crowd all the way from 6 to 10,000 or about 25 times the towns population. For the two days, it is believed that over 15,000 persons attended the celebration.”
“A reviewing stand was erected on the south side of the school and all persons in the community 75 years of age and older were given seats from which they could view the ceremonies.”
All the ladies dressed up for celebration of Steamboat Rock’s 100th Birthday. A party like this only happens once every century. Back Row: Maxine Holmes, Margaret Eckel, Jurrena Luiken, Wilma Blosch Luiken, Marie Gast, Lillian Cervetti. Front Row: Anna Marie Pixler, Evola Harberts, Betty Asher, Mrs. Jim Harris, Grace Frerichs, Frieda Boll, Edna Kruse.
Back Row: Arlene Stull, Lydia Potgeter, Marie Eilers, Ruth Frerichs, Dolly Folkerts, Harriet Luiken, Mrs. George, Workman, Doris Ruppelt. Front Row: Polly Stull, Emma Williams, Meta Mae Havens, Ivadell Knight, Helen Allison, Genevive Heffelmeier, Janice Kramer.
This is the reviewing stand at the Steamboat Rock Centenial located on the south side of the school. Here all residents of the area 75 years of age or older were given the honor seat to view the paradeand program. Front Row left to right: E.L. Ruby, S.A. Luiken, John Neihaus. Andrew Hendrichs, W.O. Chaney, F.A. Frederickson, Angie Gellhorn, Mrs. Emeila Cable, Emma Bear, J.A. Luiken, Mrs. J.A. Luiken, Dela Klatt, F.G. Klatt, Mrs. H.E. Mason, H.E. Mason, H.M. Schwitters, Enno Okken, Bert Penelerick, Mrs. Bert Peneleridk. Standing Left to Right: Neil Hoekstra, H.A. Eckhoff, M. Longnecker, of Grossman Entertainment Co., J.G. Cervetti all assisting with the program and Ed Christians, H.A. Gellhorn, and Cecil Rooks announcer. In the second row but not shown were: Mr. & Mrs. John Kramer, Bertha Johnson, Bob Todd, Rena VanLoh, Mrs. John Folkerts, Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Eckhoff, J.A. Holmes and Fred Baker.
Leading the Kiddies’ centennial parade was Eddy Bear, riding Silver Sparkle Supreme, National Champion western pony and the American Legion Color Guard, composed of Sylvester O’Reilly, Frank McMartin, Roland Newby, and Maurice Gast.