Museums

Parker Museum celebrates 50 years (01/09/10)
For Cindy McGranahan and many others associated with the Parker Museum, the recent signing of paperwork securing the purchase of the former Johnston Automotive building on Grand Avenue is a wonderful 50th anniversary gift. The local museum, which houses many significant artifacts, historical information and stories associated with the history of Spencer and Clay County, turns 50 years old on Jan. ...

Parker Historical Society to gain downtown presence (10/02/09)
It seems very appropriate that a business with long ties to the Spencer community has helped to pave the way to a new home for a local organization dedicated to preserving the county's history. A purchase agreement was signed this week between the Parker Historical Society and the owners of Johnston Automotive, which will allow the society to move its offices and exhibition area to the company's Grand Avenue location...

Store, museum celebrate Everly's 125 years (07/09/09)
With its big Quasquicentennial celebration right around the corner, volunteers in Everly are gearing up for the event. Committees have been meeting for months to prepare the dozens of events and activities which will draw thousands to the small town located just west of Spencer. Everly school alumni will return, and families will open their homes to relatives back to celebrate the big event...

2004 'Citizen of the Year' Veitch passes (07/02/09)
Just a month before he was named the 2004 Spencer "Citizen of the Year," Don Veitch was interviewed and shared a philosophy that identified the kind of person he was: "There are no bad days. Some days are just better than others." Wednesday, Spencer lost one of its icons. Veitch, 91, passed away at Spencer Hospital. Funeral arrangements are pending at Warner Funeral Home of Spencer...

More on Don Veitch (07/01/09)
The Greenville native, with expressive eyes and a subtle smile, can paint a rosy picture for even the grimmest of tales. Don Veitch's long-held philosophy is: "There are no bad days. Some days are just better than others." The 86-year-old Spencer resident was handed a "real low number" over six decades ago, which meant he didn't have very long to wait before being drafted...

Headin' out west?: Spencer artifact (03/12/09)
Your assistance is being requested in making sure the 15 sections to a stained, leaded glass sign that once graced a downtown Spencer business find their way home. Free Brothers, the former clothing store estimated to have been in operation from 1907 until 1939, was owned by the late brothers Roston B. Free and C. Ralph Free. The historic sign displayed inside their Main Street business hung 10-15 feet from the entryway from a large beam running across the building's then- 18-foot-high ceiling...

New exhibits open at Parker Museum (03/07/09)
Parker Museum will be hosting an opening reception, from 1-4 p.m., Sunday, March 15 for two new exhibits: "Reliving the 1920s in Clay County" and "Photography by Art Bates" created by Assistant Director Holly Kellogg. The exhibits opened March 4 and will be in place through Nov. 30, 2009...

Amis inducted into Iowa Fair Hall of Fame (12/17/08)
The Board of Directors of the Association of Iowa Fairs inducted Everett Amis of Greenville in Clay County into the Association of Iowa Fair's "Hall of Fame". The honor was presented to the Everett at the Awards Banquet during the Association's 2008 Conference and Annual Meeting, which was held Dec. 5-7 at the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines...

Four days of holiday activities begin tonight (12/04/08)
Begin the holiday season by attending an Evening Gala Premier at Parker Museum, 300 E. Third St., from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4, where you're invited for a first look at 11 holiday-decorated rooms; and wrap up the weekend with the Festival of Choirs on Sunday afternoon at Sacred Heart Catholic Church...

Briefs 10-1-08 (10/01/08)
Join us at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 2 at Hope Reformed Church in the Fellowship Hall. This year's theme "Adventure" will be featured at the meeting. Come find out what it is all about. There will be an abundance of fun and fellowship, with food and drinks provided by the Steering Committee. If you have any questions, please contact one of the MOPS co-coordinators, Cassie McCreary 240-0298 or Andrea Crew. Childcare is provided starting at 8:45 a.m...

Clay County Fair Museum celebrates fair's 90th year (09/12/08)
Ninety years ago, the Clay County Fair Association hosted the first Clay County Fair on the new fairgrounds located on Grove Street. While the CCFA was incorporated in 1917, it was too late in the year to construct buildings and present a high-quality exposition. By the following year, a grandstand, woman's building, speed barns and the east entrance gate had sprouted up where corn had once grown...

Hessman honored by the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame (08/21/08)
Dave Hessman, former Clay County Extension Education Director, was inducted into the 2008 Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the 4-H Exhibits Building at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 17. Eighty-two Iowa counties have participated this year and selected inductees for their outstanding service and dedication to 4-H...

Area's Pettits are 'Hall of Fame' singers (08/20/08)
The children of Claude and Marie Pettit of Emmetsburg have been referred to as "The Pettit Family," "The Kids Next Door," "The Singing Pettits," and "The Petites" over the past 50 years. While all seven sang at one time or another, the five primary singing siblings will be recognized for their state and national successes next weekend in Arnolds Park as they're inducted into the 2008 class of the Iowa Rock 'n' Roll Music Association's Hall of Fame...

Living History Farms sells plot to developer (08/14/08)
DES MOINES (AP) -- Living History Farms has sold 40 acres of its land to create an endowment that would help finance the museum's operations. Polk County Recorder records show the sale was finalized at the end of July to S&S Heritage Park LLC, which paid nearly $7.2 million for the property...

PALS take part in Heritage Workshop (07/26/08)
Clay County PALS recently participated in a Heritage Workshop at Parker Museum designed to be an opportunity for hands-on learning of the art of baking bread and pies and to experience wash day with a wringer washer. Museum volunteers, Marilyn Meyer and Barb Chenhall shared their knowledge of bread baking with the attendees who mixed up bowls of bread dough and shaped it into a variety of rolls and loaves. While those baked it was time to move on to wash day with a wringer washer...

Rare Boeing 40C crashed in Oregon in 1928 (07/26/08)
By Jim Camden Spokesman-Review staff writer When the big Boeing biplane lifts off from Felts Field this afternoon, its open cockpit and wood-paneled passenger cabin will carry the history of American aviation back into the skies. It will fly again after nearly 70 years on a mountainside, a few years in a horse trailer, and nine years in a hangar at Felts, where some 61 volunteers spent about 18,000 hours meticulously restoring it to life...

Spencer nets grant for Freeman Schoolhouse project (07/18/08)
The State Historical Society of Iowa (SHSI) announced Thursday it awarded 32 Historical Resource Development Program (HRDP) grants totaling $626,275 to 30 organizations and individuals across Iowa for historic preservation, museum and documentary collections projects...

Briefs 06-21 (06/21/08)
Farmer's Market Wednesdays and Saturdays The Spencer Area Farmer's Market will be held every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Southpark Mall parking lot. Come see the homegrown, fresh produce for sale. Mercy Me to headline northwest Iowa's RiseFest...

Rock 'n' roll legends highlight Tuesday's fair (06/20/08)
Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famers, The Diamonds, are set to perform in front of the Clay County Fair Grandstand twice on Tuesday, Sept. 9 - at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Joining The Diamonds for the two shows, will be Iowa Rock' N Roll Music Association Hall-of-Famers, The Fabulous Traidmarx...

Rock the Roof concert season to begin June 12 in Arnolds Park (06/05/08)
A salute to volunteers opens the 2008 Rock the Roof concert season in Arnolds Park on Thursday, June 12. For 10 consecutive Thursday nights, free concerts will be presented in the Roof Garden from 6-8:30 p.m. This family entertainment highlight of the summer is a gift from the Iowa RockNRoll Music Museum and its supporters to the public...

Living History Day to highlight Father's Day events at Parker (06/03/08)
Bring the family to Parker Museum from 1-4 p.m., on Father's Day, June 15 for an afternoon of family fun at Living History Day. The afternoon will feature displays and hands on activities about the Amazing Grain--Corn. Admission to the museum grounds will be $5 for adults and $3 for children 5-12 years, 4 and under are free or a family admission of $15...

SPACE announces regional convention for cultural workers (05/16/08)
The organizations and cultural non-profits that make up the Spencer Alliance for a Creative Economy (SPACE) are hosting a regional gathering for cultural workers and other creative types in the northwest Iowa region. The Clay County Cultural Convention will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, at the new Middle School in Spencer...

Gates at Arnolds Park open this weekend (05/15/08)
The gates of Arnolds Park Amusement Park will open at 11 a.m. this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18 for the season. Enjoy the ups and downs of the famous Northwest Bank Legend roller coaster and the spectacular view from the Bank Midwest Ferris Wheel. New bumper cars are one of the many new features of the park, while the new addition of double go-karts complete the go-cart renovations at Arnolds Park Raceway...

Airshow features high-flying talent (05/14/08)
Spencer Airshow Coord-inator for 2008, Gayle Brandt, announced the airshow entertainment line-up for the June 15 annual Flight Show and Flight Breakfast. This year's event, which helps conclude the community's Flagfest activities and also falls on Father's Day, will feature high flying performers Chandy Clanton in her Edge 540, Doug Rozendaal with the "Gunfighter" P51 Mustang, and Kyle Franklin in his "Mystery Ship" Waco...

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