Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 16, 1917, Frank Gotch of Humboldt, one of the greatest early American wrestlers, died. The first American to claim the world heavyweight free-style belt, Gotch’s career helped to popularize professional wrestling in the United States. Born on a small farm three miles south of Humboldt near the confluence of the east and west forks of the Des Moines River, Gotch started wrestling locally during his teenage years. Perfecting his trademark toe-ho

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 16, 1939, Beryl Franklin Carroll, Iowa’s 20th Governor and a person critical to conservation efforts focused on saving Iowa’s natural resources, died. Carroll’s life and career focused on conservation, education, and improving the quality of Iowa’s roads. Born in Davis County as the second youngest in a thirteen-child farm family, Beryl Carroll attended schools in rural southern Iowa before eventually graduating from Northern Missouri State No

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 16, 2011, representatives from the University of Iowa arrived in Mahaska County to examine mammoth remains uncovered by a local man. Known as the “Mahaska County Mammoths,” the find eventually uncovered parts of at least three woolly mammoths and provided a glimpse into Iowa's deep past. During the previous year, a man from Oskaloosa and his sons went out to hunt for berries but found something much more interesting instead. "I got down on my

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 15, 1944, legendary big-band leader Glenn Miller disappeared over the English Channel while serving in WW2. With more top-ten hits than Elvis or the Beatles, Miller left an enduring musical legacy. The Clarinda, Iowa, born American big band trombonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and general hepcat, went on to become the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942. Popular hits, including “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Chatt

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 15, 2006, Bill Riley Sr. passed away. Known as “Mr. State Fair,” Riley left a legacy of entertainment embodied in the annual Bill Riley Iowa State Fair Talent Search competition. Born and raised in Iowa Falls, Riley attended Ellsworth College before finishing his studies at Loras College in Dubuque. After a stint in the army, Riley started working for KRNT radio in Des Moines. Branching out into television early in his career, Riley first broa

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 15, 2010, Bob “The Heater from Van Meter” Feller passed away. A 1962 Baseball Hall of Fame inductee and 18-year MLB pitcher who led the American League in wins six times and won the 1948 World Series, Feller stands as one of the greatest Iowa athletes of all time. Born in Van Meter to a farmer and a schoolteacher, Feller’s father started rolling baby Bob a baseball before the child could walk. Implementing a routine featuring daily father-son

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 15, 1797, interpreter, author and diplomat Antoine LeClaire was born. A key figure in the negotiation of treaties with Indigenous peoples throughout the upper-Midwest, LeClaire’s most enduring legacy rests with his recording and translation of Black Hawk’s (Mahkatêwe-meshi-kêhkêhkwa) autobiography. Born to a French Canadian fur-trading father and a woman of Potawatomi ancestry, LeClaire grew up in St. Joseph at the heart of the Great Lakes fur

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 14, 1965, principals in Des Moines created a policy that mandated suspension for any student refusing to remove an armband worn to protest the Vietnam War. When suspensions were imposed on five students, the stage was set for a US Supreme Court Case, Tinker vs. Des Moines, which continues to resonate today. In late 1965, Senator Robert F. Kennedy called for a Christmas Truce in the Vietnam War. To show support, students in Des Moines, includin

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 14, 1935, the first ad for a Fair-Play Scoreboard appeared in a Des Moines newspaper. Created by Elmer Foster after a last-second shot forced overtime between Nile Kinnick’s Adel HS and rival Dallas Center, Fair-Play Scoreboards grew to become one of the world’s leading scoreboard manufacturers. Foster, a physics teacher and Dallas Center superintendent, found himself surrounded after a hotly contested rivalry game with Adel in January 1934. T

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On December 14, 1942, guitarist Dick Wagner was born in Oelwein. Best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and Kiss. He also fronted his own Michigan-based bands, the Frost and the Bossmen. Born in Oelwein, Iowa, Wagner grew up in the Owosso, Michigan, area and graduated from Waterford Township High School in 1961. His first band, the Bossmen, was a favorite in the Detroit area and scored radio play with the Wagner-penned compositions "Baby Boy

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