Muscatine Tours Podcast
Podcasts by Daniel G. Clark, hosted by LibSyn.com. Most shows were editions of "Trolleys, Tales & Talk" aired weekly on KWPC radio from January 2006 until May 2010.
info_outline
Live from Kislovodsk on KWPC-AM860
01/27/2024
Live from Kislovodsk on KWPC-AM860
July 24, 1998 • John Schwandke reported live from Muscatine's sister city in Russia, Kislovodsk.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225281
info_outline
Easter in Moscow USSR
04/12/2020
Easter in Moscow USSR
Dr. Bruce Rigdon addressing an orientation session for participants in the 1984 Iowa Christian Friendship Study Tour of the USSR.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/13954904
info_outline
"Dan Clark on 'City Talk' with Mayor DeWayne Hopkins"
03/29/2012
"Dan Clark on 'City Talk' with Mayor DeWayne Hopkins"
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1901441
info_outline
"Antislavery Ancestors"
10/28/2010
"Antislavery Ancestors"
"So, I keep gathering the pieces, and one of these days I think it'll flow out." Dan Clark tells about family history discoveries and says he is writing a book. The readings on this podcast began as two Facebook "notes" which may be read at and .
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1307054
info_outline
Iowa Peacemaker Stories: Robert A. Fiedler II • Sept. 30, 2010
09/30/2010
Iowa Peacemaker Stories: Robert A. Fiedler II • Sept. 30, 2010
Robert A. Fiedler II realized he couldn't answer when his 10-year-old daughter asked, "Daddy, why do you do what you do?" He quit his job rather than prepare for nuclear war.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225284
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" May 4, 2010
05/04/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" May 4, 2010
[Distributed via e-mail and Facebook on May 3, 2010]
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225280
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 27, 2010
04/27/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 27, 2010
"Civil War 150 Years Later" • Dan Clark read William D. Randall's story, "Muscatine's Heroic General," and guests Pam Knott and Lee Miller of the Civil War Memorial Committee told about a fundraising campaign to replace the 1875 monument at the Muscatine County Courthouse. As sesquicentennial observances approach, there's much local and national history to recall and much work to be done. Hear the previous show about the Civil War memorial (March 2 with Sandy Lee and Lee Miller) at http://www.muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=588480 ("Renewing Muscatine's Civil War monument"). See the Facebook album "The Civil War remembered at Muscatine County Courthouse" at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79743&id=802136391&l=dfe417bd5b. FREE PUBLIC PROGRAM THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 7:00-9:00 P.M.: "Recent Research on the Underground Railroad in Eastern Iowa" presented by Douglas W. Jones, Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office, State Historical Society of Iowa • Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence (MME) Center, 129 West Second Street (former Marie Lindsay Interiors) • Doug has served as archaeological advisor and historical researcher on the Iowa Freedom Trail project, documenting the people, places, and events associated with Abolitionist and Underground Railroad activities in Iowa. Historically those activities were better known and documented in Cedar, Johnson, and Clinton counties. However, this week he will tell about activities in adjacent counties, including Muscatine County.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225278
info_outline
Proposal to create a Muscatine County Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
04/26/2010
Proposal to create a Muscatine County Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
Dan Clark and Lee Miller address the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors on April 26, 2010 • Photo: Lee Miller with soldier removed from 1875 monument • Duration 04:36 min
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225279
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 20, 2010
04/20/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 20, 2010
"Too Much Local History?" • Dan Clark's guest is Kent Sissel, restorer and resident of the Alexander G. Clark House. The Muscatine City Council recently recognized a two-square-block area as the "Alexander Clark Heritage District." They discuss what's next for our latest district as it relates to other local history efforts and as a destination for heritage tourists. They speak about the effort to replace the 1875 Civil War monument at the courthouse and identifying other sites with Civil War significance. They urge a good turnout next week for a presentation on "Recent Research on the Underground Railroad in Eastern Iowa" by Doug Jones, archaeologist with the State Historical Society of Iowa. (Thursday, April 26, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Mobilizing Muscatine Excellence Center, 129 West Second Street—former Marie Lindsay Interiors.) Doug has served as archaeological advisor and historical researcher on the Iowa Freedom Trail project, documenting the people, places, and events associated with Abolitionist and Underground Railroad activities in Iowa. Historically those activities were better known and documented in Cedar, Johnson, and Clinton counties. However, on April 29 he will present information that is turning up about activities in adjacent counties, including Muscatine County.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225277
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 13, 2010
04/13/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 13, 2010
"Crawfordsville Connections" Dan Clark tells of attending the 51st annual meeting of the Washington County Historical Society the previous evening in the little Iowa town that's still bragging it was the birthplace of the national Republican Party in 1854. He continues from last week about the Underground Railroad line from Crawfordsville to Muscatine, and he says he wishes for a Muscatine County Historical Society.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225276
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 6, 2010
04/06/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Apr. 6, 2010
"The traffic...to Muscatine was very heavy," according to O.A. Garretson, along the important Underground Railroad line from Crawfordsville in Washington County. Dan Clark reads several Muscatine references from Garretson's 1924 article which you can read at http://www.garretson.us/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=6. Mark your calendar for "Recent Research on the Underground Railroad in Eastern Iowa" which will be presented in Muscatine on Thursday, April 29, by archaeologist Douglas W. Jones of the State Historical Society of Iowa. Doug has served as archaeological advisor and historical researcher on the Iowa Freedom Trail project, documenting the people, places, and events associated with Abolitionist and Underground Railroad activities in Iowa. Historically those activities were better known and documented in Cedar, Johnson, and Clinton counties. However, Doug will present information that is turning up about activities in adjacent counties, including Muscatine County. Doug has been on the show twice: http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=555079 (Nov. 24, 2009) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=439389 (Mar. 3, 2009).
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225275
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 30, 2010
03/30/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 30, 2010
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225274
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 23, 2010
03/24/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 23, 2010
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225273
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 16, 2010
03/16/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 16, 2010
"Muscatine Downtown—Maybe Down But Far From Out" • Dan Clark's guests are Chris Clark and Dawnese Openshaw. Dawnese co-chairs the Downtown Action Alliance http://www.muscatinedowntown.com and tells what's coming up including "It's A Spring Thing Girls Getaway Weekend," March 26-27. Chris tells about the Muscatine Melon Patchers quilt show, March 19-20, and all discuss the challenge of attracting tourists and reviving a historic commercial district.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225272
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 9, 2010
03/09/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 9, 2010
"Historic Preservation Turns 10" Dan Clark talks about his experience serving on the Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission, created 10 years ago in response to citizens who were asking for the city to take better care of preserving Muscatine's unique collection of historic buildings and neighborhoods. He invites listeners to get involved via Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation http://muscatinepreservation.org/ and tells about the "Heavy Haulers" cable-TV show that might feature the move of the historic Henry Jayne House. Related: "Who's Afraid of the Paint Police?" (September 15, 2009) Dan compares Muscatine's Historic Preservation Commission (educational and advisory only), which he chairs, with other communities' more robust protections for historic properties. http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=526587
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225271
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 2, 2010
03/02/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Mar. 2, 2010
"Renewing Muscatine's Civil War monument" Dan Clark's guests are Sandy Lee and Lee Miller. Lee chairs the committee to restore the 1875 Civil War monument on the grounds of the Muscatine County Courthouse; Sandy is local commander of the American Legion and treasurer of the Civil War Memorial Fund. Yesterday, the soldier who has stood watch for 135 years came down from atop his column in the gentle hands and equipment of county workers and Muscatine Power & Water. The plan is to replace the monument and to add names that were left off originally. Lee (pictured) is author of Crocker's Brigade, a 2009 book telling the story of four Iowa infantry regiments combined after the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh. Hear Dan's first show with him at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=426836 (Jan. 27, 2009) and the most recent at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=560428 (Dec. 15, 2009). See photo album "The Civil War remembered at Muscatine County Courthouse" at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=79743&id=802136391&l=dfe417bd5b.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225270
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 23, 2010
02/23/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 23, 2010
"African American life in 19th century Iowa" Dan Clark's guest is David Brodnax, Sr., a leading expert on black life in early Iowa and Muscatine in particular. A law graduate of the University of Iowa with a PhD from Northwestern, David has taught history at Trinity Christian College (Palos Heights, IL) since 2005. More about him at http://www.trnty.edu/faculty/brodnax.html. Last week, David was quoted at length in the Muscatine Journal: http://www.muscatinejournal.com/news/local/article_dafa5f1a-1de4-11df-aeb0-001cc4c002e0.html. And also six years ago: http://www.muscatinejournal.com/news/local/article_8b40551e-7bf4-5d79-8484-9c059e22e967.html. Earlier conversations with David: http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=577985 (Feb. 2, 2010) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=585449 (Jan. 2, 2007). Alexander G. Clark Week, Feb. 21-27, honors the legacy of Muscatine's equal-rights pioneer, born Feb. 25, 1826, in Washington, PA. http://alexanderclark.org
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225269
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 16, 2010
02/16/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 16, 2010
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225267
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 9, 2010
02/09/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 9, 2010
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225266
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 2, 2010
02/02/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Feb. 2, 2010
"Muscatine's Black History" Did you know Muscatine was Iowa's center of African American life in the 1850s? Dan Clark says there's a lot happening in Muscatine during Black History Month, a time for us all to learn about race relations and equal rights. Then historian David Brodnax calls from Chicago and tells about Muscatine's black population before the Civil War and the far reaching influence of the local A.M.E. Church (African Methodist Episcopal) and members such as the first pastor who was later a congressman, Richard H. Cain, and equal-rights pioneer Alexander G. Clark. David wrote a not-yet-published dissertation, “'Breathing the Freedom's Air': The African American Struggle for Equal Citizenship in Iowa, 1830-1900." Learn more about Clark at http://alexanderclark.org/.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225265
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 26, 2010
01/26/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 26, 2010
"Builders to the World" Dan Clark's guest is Richard H. Stanley, chair emeritus and past president of the Stanley Group which includes the Muscatine-based Stanley Consultants, Inc., a member-owned worldwide provider of engineering, environmental, and construction services. Dick tells about the firm's international work in some 98 countries over the years since it opened an office in Liberia in 1957. http://www.stanleyconsultants.com/about_us_history.php Dick also chairs the board of the Stanley Foundation, a private-operating international-affairs organization that is separate from SCI and its charitable foundation. http://www.stanleyfoundation.org/richard-stanley-bio.cfm Last week SCI announced a $50,000 donation from the Stanley Consultants Charitable Foundation to the International Red Cross for Haiti-earthquake relief.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225264
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 19, 2010
01/19/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 19, 2010
"It's Time for Ragtime!" The 16th Annual Eagles and Ivories Ragtime Weekend is January 29-30-31. Dan Clark's guests are Chris Clark and Duffy DeFrance representing the Muscatine County Arts Council which co-sponsors the festival along with the Muscatine Art Center. See schedule and program and links to performers' sites at http://www.muscatineartscouncil.org/eagles&Ivories.htm.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225263
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 12, 2010
01/12/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 12, 2010
Dan Clark called this show "Who's got a better idea for Muscatine (better than tourism)?" [more soon]
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225262
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 5, 2010
01/05/2010
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Jan. 5, 2010
Dan Clark asked his next-door neighbor Frank Kelly to take the lead for this first show of Year 5. A former executive of the local community foundation, Frank says Muscatine is "close to greatness" as an award-winning city for many attributes and attractions, e.g., health care and river front and trails and historic preservation. Caller Kent Sissel calls for a "summit" on cultural tourism. Hear past shows with Frank at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=492461 (June 16, 2009 about the Diamond Towns initiative) and http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=395120 (May 13, 2008 about Historic Downtown).
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225261
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 29, 2009
12/29/2009
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 29, 2009
Dan Clark called this show "Isn't it time for a REAL trolley in Muscatine (again)?" We had 'em from the 1880s through the 1920s, unless you count the electric interurban which ran through 1938. What would it take, he asks, to run a real streetcar in Muscatine, maybe between historic Downtown/Riverfront and Southend sports complex? He says the USA's premier heritage-trolley restorer and replica-maker is Gomaco Trolley Co. of Ida Grove, Iowa (http://www.gomacotrolley.com), but their only car in Iowa is at Old Threshers in Mt. Pleasant (http://www.oldthreshers.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.midwestElectricRailway). He reads a description of Muscatine's eight streetcars ordered in 1913 and proposes commissioning Gomaco to construct a replica. He also reads from and comments on Facebook discussion with skeptics. He calls this show Part 2 of his "rant" from September 2008 (http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=383570).
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225260
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 22, 2009
12/23/2009
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 22, 2009
Dan Clark reads "First Christmas Tree" by William D. Randall (Little Known Stories of Muscatine, Vol. 4) and then takes a call from Randall's daughter, Shirley Calvert. Guest author Tom Savage says his research has turned up more information about early settlers than was known when the historical marker was placed in the 1960s at the foot of Iowa Avenue ("This granite stone marks the site of the first log cabin...." http://muscatine-tours.com/vanater1.jpg). He tells of the trading post started by Mr. Farnham before the Black Hawk War and mentions other early settlers who will appear in the local-history storybook he and wife Sharon are writing. They own Muscatine Books and More (http://muscatinebooks.com) and have sponsored TTT "from the git-go." Finally, Dan reads an excerpt from a Christmas-tree tale by Steve Hanken, about a pine his parents in Iowa sent him in Vietnam in 1969.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225259
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 15, 2009
12/15/2009
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 15, 2009
Dan Clark called this show "It's Our People on that Monument." His guest is Lee Miller, who is leading an effort by local veterans groups and others to restore the 1875 Civil War monument on the grounds of the Muscatine County Courthouse. They propose to replace the soldier atop the column and the four plaques at the base, and they would add names that were left off originally. Lee is author of Crocker's Brigade, a 2009 book telling the story of four Iowa infantry regiments combined under command of Marcellus M. Crocker after the April 1862 Battle of Shiloh, and he says he is working on his second book. Hear our first show with Lee (Jan. 27, 2009) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=426836 and another (with host Tom Savage)at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=508792 (July 7, 2009).
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225254
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 8, 2009
12/08/2009
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 8, 2009
Dan Clark called this show "Old Barn 'Acorn Fund' Saves the Day." His guests are John Haskins, founder and president of Friends of the Old Barn, and Judi Holdorf, executive director of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. Two weeks ago the Muscatine County supervisors reversed an earlier vote and approved a request from Friends of the Old Barn to use a nearby "cottage" for a public restroom for programs at their restored barn at the former county farm site. Haskins credited a community foundation "acorn fund" for helping make the winning case and called the decision "democracy in action." The story is told at http://www.muscatinejournal.com/articles/2009/11/24/news/doc4b0c074310602718088662.txt; the Old Barn fund and others are described at this CFGM page: http://www.muscatinecommunityfoundation.org/staticpages/index.php?page=20060107130217954&tab=2. Hear Dan's first show with John (Jan. 17, 2006) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=399731 and his Old Barn (Nov. 2008) update with Dave Casstevens and Dave Metz (Nov. 4, 2008) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=399823.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225253
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 1, 2009
12/01/2009
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Dec. 1, 2009
Dan Clark called this show "No, the Muscatine Trolley is NOT for sale..." but hurried on to say he is getting ready for some changes in the coming year. December concludes eight years of MT&T and four years of TTT. "In the coming year, I will pass the age of 'Old' John Brown when he died December 2, 1859, on the Virginia gallows," Dan said. All year the show has tracked the story of the Brown band's 1859 slave-liberating trek across Iowa and their dramatic departure from Muscatine County. "The more I dig and learn from others who share this interest, the more connections I'm seeing between here and Harpers Ferry," Dan said. "Plus the abolitionists who were active here and all the Iowans who took part in the Civil War that soon followed. Opportunities for so-called heritage tourism are all around us, neighbors." He invited listeners to come out Friday evening for Muscatine's 25th annual Holiday Stroll with a new the parade up Second Street and free trolley rides throughout the evening.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225252
info_outline
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Nov. 24, 2009
11/24/2009
"Trolleys, Tales & Talk" Nov. 24, 2009
Dan Clark calls this show "What else can we learn about the Underground Railroad around Muscatine?" His guest is Doug Jones, staff archaeologist for the State Historical Society of Iowa whose job includes Underground Railroad research. Doug is visiting the Muscatine area to learn about Alexander G. Clark and other black residents and also their white neighbors who opposed slavery. He gives an update on the project marking the route of John Brown's last trip across Iowa in 1859. Hear Doug's previous show (March 2009) at http://muscatinetours.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=439389. Learn about Alexander G. Clark at http://alexanderclark.org. Photo: November 20, the day Kent Sissel (left) and I (right) helped erect the John Brown Freedom Trail marker at the Springdale Friends Cemetery. Also shown are Doug Jones and Lowell Soike, the main staff on the SHSI project. Photo by Mike Boyle. NOTE: For some reason, only the last five minutes of the show was recorded.
/episode/index/show/muscatinetours/id/1225251