Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 13, 1966, legendary Hawkeye men's basketball player Roy Marble was born. Marble left Iowa as the all-time leading scorer while cementing his status as one of the greatest Hawkeyes of all time. Marble and his fellow Michigander, B.J. Armstrong, arrived in Iowa City as part of George Raveling's 1985 recruiting class, which also included Ed Horton, Les Jepsen, and Kevin Gamble. All five players went on to significant careers at Iowa before ultima

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 13, 1930, Charles Hyde and David Vredenburg opened their first co-owned store in Beaconsfield, Iowa. Familiar to Iowans today as Hy-Vee, the partnership began in Beaconsfield and grew into one of Iowa’s most iconic brands. In 1917, David Vredenburg entered the grocery business by operating a store for the Lamoni-based General Supply Company. In 1921, Charles Hyde started working at a store operated by Vredenberg and his partner, Lewis, in Wood

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 13, 1928, Joseph W. Less of Clinton, Iowa’s One-In-Hand Tie Company, introduced the world to a new invention: the one-handed tie (forerunner to his later clip-on tie). Starting with the company’s initial ‘self-tying tie’ in the 1920s and moving toward the more familiar metal-clasp clip-on of today, the invention makes up for its lack of sophistication with a story of Iowa innovation. Less, a native son of Clinton and a gifted violinist, spent

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 13, 1953, Iowa State legend Jim Doran switched from defense to offense in the NFL Championship game and caught a game-winning touchdown for the Detroit Lions. A two-way star for the Cyclones, Doran went on to an eight-year NFL career with the Detroit Lions. While attending Beaver High School, Doran starred in baseball and basketball. The school didn’t have a football team, but the future NFL wide receiver’s athletic ability shone through. He o

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 12, 1863, Kate Shelley, the heroine of the high bridge, was born. At seventeen, Kate Shelley braved a massive storm to crawl across a bridge spanning the Des Moines River to alert the depot at Moingona to stop the oncoming Omaha passenger train. An incredible moment of courage in the history of Iowa, Shelley’s memory soars on two bridges spanning the Des Moines River near Boone today. Born in Ireland, Kate Shelley immigrated with her family in

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 12, 1887, the Farmers Cooperative Elevator of Marcus, Iowa, in Cherokee County, started operations. The oldest active elevator in the United States, originally chartered as the Marcus Shipping Association, the co-op sought to give farmers a fairer shake on shipping the fruits of their harvests. As railroads spread across the state to link Iowa’s farmers to far-off markets, early freight rates frequently proved unfair. The railroads often built

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 12, 1926, Hawkeye basketball legend Murray “The Rampaging Redhead” Wier was born in Grandview. A first-team All-American who once held the NCAA record for points per game, Wier went on to play for the forerunner to the Atlanta Hawks, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. Born and raised in the small Louisa County town of Grandview, Wier went to the local high school until he transferred to Muscatine High School for his senior year. He led Muscatine High

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 12, 1988, the first ad for the original “B-Bops” on East Euclid in Des Moines appeared in a Des Moines newspaper. Voted the best burger in Des Moines for more than two straight decades, B-Bops represents one of Iowa’s most iconic fast food restaurants. During the 1970s, B-Bops founder Bob Johnson started working at a “Mr. Quick” in Illinois before opening a franchise of his own in Newton. After expanding to open additional “Mr. Quick” location

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 11, 1929, the University of Iowa disqualified 27 players, presumably due to compensation issues, to seek reinstatement in the Big Ten. Expelled from the conference in May 1929, Iowa leadership never admitted wrongdoing, and the Big Ten faculty committee voted to reinstate the Hawkeyes following the 1929 season. Trouble started brewing in the spring of ‘29 when the Big Ten announced a suspension of all athletic relations with the State Universi

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 11, 1885, influential Iowa author Jay G. Sigmund was born on the bank of the Wapsipinicon in Waubeek, Iowa. Known for his poems and short stories focused on the Wapsi Valley, Sigmund influenced the later work of artist Grant Wood and Iowa Writers’ Workshop founder Peter Engle. After growing up northeast of Cedar Rapids and attending Central City High School, Sigmund relocated to the seat of Linn County to take a job in the insurance business.

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 10, 1919, Santa first visited the newly built Children’s Hospital of Iowa (now University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital) in Iowa City to hear the children's wishes. A beacon of hope for Iowa families with children facing medical issues, the Children’s Hospital of Iowa offered a little extra holiday cheer to those in need during its first holiday season. After the construction and founding of the Iowa Children’s Hospital in 1919, San

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 10, 1996, legendary Davenport basketball coach Paul “Spats” Moon passed away. Moon’s teams captured a record seven state titles during his 26-year run at Davenport High School while posting a 541-111 record. Arriving as head coach at Davenport after serving as a cavalry captain during World War I, Moon first coached under the legendary Adolph Rupp in Freeport, Illinois. When Moon crossed the Mississippi to take the job at Davenport in 1928, he

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 10, 1958, “Bart’s Clubhouse” first went live on Iowa’s airwaves. The popular children’s television program, hosted by Bartly Curren, aired on Mason City’s KGLO-TV from 1958 to 1976. A flagship program for the fledgling KGLO-TV shortly after the station first went on the air, Curren opened the show by pulling off his Popeye sailor hat and taking a seat in an easy chair before welcoming the local children lucky enough to get a spot in the studio

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 10, 2000, MarTay Jenkins closed out a season that included the NFL records for kickoff returns in a season, kickoff return yardage in a season, and combined kickoff and punt return yardage in a season. A standout on the gridiron at Des Moines North and North Iowa Area Community College, Jenkins went on to a successful NFL career. Born in Waterloo, Jenkins spent his adolescent years in Des Moines. Jenkins spent his freshman and sophomore years

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 9, 2005, UNI advanced to the FCS championship game with a 40-37 overtime win over Texas State. The deepest playoff run in school history, fifth-year Head Coach Mark Farley put together a season that Panther fans continue to remember today. The Panthers started the season with a pair of dominant wins over Drake and Minnesota-Duluth before stumbling on the road at Kinnick Stadium. Entering the conference schedule, the Panthers' up-and-down camp

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 9, 1961, actor David Anthony Higgins was born in Des Moines. Known for roles on television’s “Malcolm in the Middle,” “Ellen,” and “Mike & Molly,” Higgins got his start performing at the Des Moines Playhouse. Growing up in Iowa’s capital city as one of five children, Higgins won a scholarship to the Des Moines Playhouse after receiving encouragement from his fourth-grade teacher. While developing his acting skills in local productions, he grad

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 9, 1935, Dubuque Senior standout Jay Berwanger received the first-ever Heisman Trophy as an all-around standout at the University of Chicago. An incredible talent, Berwanger shone on the gridiron to earn one of college football’s most prestigious honors. Berwanger attended Marshall Elementary, Jefferson Junior High, and Dubuque Senior while starring in wrestling, track, and football. The all-state halfback garnered recruitment from the Univers

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 9, 2018, Tyrese Haliburton set the Iowa State single-game assist record by dishing out 17 dimes during a win over Southern. A Steve Prohm-era Cyclone standout, Haliburton broke the record set by Eric Heft in a 1974 game against Nebraska. Born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Haliburton was a consensus three-star recruit from Oshkosh North High School, whom he led to a state championship in his senior season. After breaking the single-game Cyclone assist

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 8, 1916, Kurvin C. “KC” Fish, co-founder and namesake of Iowa-based Casey’s General Store, was born. Perhaps the most consistently recognizable Iowa business, the chain grew from a single store to over 2,400 stores spread across sixteen states. In 1959, Fish convinced his friend Donald Lamberti to purchase the Square Deal Oil Company station in Boone. After remodeling his new business into a convenience store, Lamberti renamed the business aft

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 8, 1951, journalist and author Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines. A critically acclaimed writer of a range of works, in 2006, Bryson recounted his Iowa childhood in the book The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: Travels Through My Childhood . Raised in Des Moines by Agnes Mary and Bill Bryson Sr., the younger Bill grew up surrounded by writing. Bill Sr., a native of Winfield, Iowa, spent his career primarily as a sportswriter for the Des

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 8, 1947, Nobel Prize-winning chemist Thomas Cech was born. Credited as the co-discoverer of the catalytic properties of RNA, Cech discovered RNA can itself cut strands of RNA, suggesting life might have started as RNA. Growing up in Iowa City, Cech showed an intense interest in science at a young age. In junior high school, he knocked on the doors of geology professors at the University of Iowa. He asked them to discuss crystal structures, met

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 7, 1941, 2,390 American armed forces personnel died in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Of the Iowans killed in the attack, two came home in 2022 for burial in Iowa cemeteries thanks to advances in DNA testing. Petty Officer Harry Nichols grew up in Sioux City and attended East High School. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy and initially served as a Storekeeper Third Class. Aboard the USS Oklahoma on the infamous morn

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 7, 1974, the Central College football team captured the NCAA Division III National Championship. Led by legendary head coach Ron Schipper and linebacker Al Dorenkamp, the Dutch posted a perfect 11-0 record on the run to the title. Starting the season with a dominant win in a Dutch duel with Northwestern College 19-0, Central rolled through the Iowa Conference to enter the postseason with a perfect 9-0 record. The Dutch defense allowed only 6.9

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 7, 2019, legendary Iowa football athletic director Bump Elliott passed away. Under Elliott, the Hawkeyes won 11 NCAA titles, 34 Big Ten championships, played in three Rose Bowls, and made the Final Four in men’s basketball. Born Chalmers William Elliott in Detroit, Michigan, no one remembers how “Bump” got his nickname as an infant. Raised in Bloomington, Illinois, Elliott enrolled at Purdue while enlisting in the Marine Corps and participated

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 6, 1968, Elkhorn-Kimballton 6-on-6 and Drake University basketball star Jan Jensen was born. In 1990-1991, Jensen led NCAA Division I in scoring while starring for the Drake Bulldogs, and continues to shape basketball in Iowa as the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes. From an early age, basketball was in Jensen’s blood. Her grandmother, Dorcas “Lottie” Andersen, helped her high school team to the state championship in 1921. The local newspaper du

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 6, 1876, the elder of Iowa’s automotive innovating Duesenberg brothers was born. Friedrich (Fred) and his young brother August (Augie) got their start building automobiles in Des Moines before going on to found an essential American manufacturer of racing and luxury cars. Born in Germany, the boys immigrated to Rockford, North Iowa, with their mother following the death of their father. As the bicycle craze took America by storm in the 1890s,

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 6, 1993, Oscar-winning actor Dom Ameche passed away. Long before Ameche found his way onto the silver screen, he spent significant time on the streets and stages of Iowa. Ameche’s path to stardom began far from Hollywood. Born Dominic Felix Amici in Kenosha, Wisconsin, in 1908, he moved through a string of Catholic schools as his family sought opportunity in the Upper Midwest, including a period at St. Berchman’s Seminary in Marion and later C

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 6, 2005, UNI upset twelfth-ranked Iowa in men’s basketball in the UNI-Dome in a 67-63 overtime victory. Erik Crawford sunk a go-ahead 3-pointer with under :45 to play, helping lift Greg McDermott’s Panthers over Steve Alford’s Hawkeyes. Both the Hawkeyes and Panthers entered the season with high expectations. Alford’s team boasted a trio of notable Iowa standouts: Jeff Horner, Greg Brunner, and Adam Haluska. The team eventually posted a 25-9 r

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 5, 1939, Adel Iowa’s favorite son, Nile Kinnick, hoisted the Heisman Trophy as an Iowa Hawkeye. An outstanding athlete who perished during World War II, Kinnick remains one of Iowa’s greatest athletes. Born in Adel in July of 1919, the grandson of Iowa’s 21st Governor George W. Clark, Kinnick grew up in a Christian Science household focused on developing discipline, hard work, and strong morals. As a child, Kinnick excelled in athletics, first

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 5, 1999, the Central College volleyball team returned to Pella after completing a perfect 41-0 season to capture a second consecutive national championship. The Dutch captured three straight championships while led on the court by Abbie Brown and Candace Wilson. Coach Megan Clayberg’s Dutch only dropped nine sets on the entire season, and the 41-match win streak stood as a part of an NCAA Division III record 60-match streak spanning 1998-2000.