The Annual Holiday to Iowa

May 2017

 

My Bride and I traveled to Iowa for the Funeral of My Brother-In-Law Ronnie.  Because we usually visit my Siblings in Iowa in July each year we decided to also include our Holiday in the Holy Land (a.k.a. Iowa) in May.

 

The is the sign near the Country School that My Dad attended on Clayton Ridge near Guttenberg, Iowa.

This home constructed in the 1918 - 1919 period was the Home of My Dad's Family.
I was born here in February 1940.

 These three pictures were taken near French Town, just North of Guttenberg, Iowa.  This shows a strip mine!!!!

Several of My Siblings met at Maggie's Café on Highway 18 near Girard, Iowa.
My Sister Thelma is a dedicated Iowa State Fan and this is the Flag she has on her Car.

These are the corn storage bins near Garnavillo, Iowa.  They belong to the Family
of a High School Class Mate.  Most Farmers store their corn and sell on the futures market to
receive a higher price

This is the six bay Fire Station that houses the Garnavillo, Iowa Volunteer Fire Department.  In addition to serving the town of Garnavillo, population 711, they serve the surrounding farms.

This is just one of the lovely flowers near My Sister-In-Law's Home in Guttenberg, Iowa.
She hosted us during our stay in Northeast Iowa.

This is the interior of "Trinity Lutheran Church" in Guttenberg, Iowa.  I was confirmed here in 1954.

The Fire Hydrants in Guttenberg, Iowa are painted by the citizens.  Some very interesting paint schemes.

This is the entrance to the Ceres Cemetery near the Farm where I grew up on.  My parents and My Brother are buried here.

This is known as the Pioneer Rock Church at Ceres.  It is on the National Historic Register.  It is lovingly maintained by the local Citizens.  It is not an active church and has never been during my life; but it is a monument to the past.

The Mississippi River as seen from Pikes Peak State Park McGregor, Iowa.

This is Lock and Dam Number 10 on the Mississippi River in Guttenberg, Iowa.  The gates are all open to allow the river to flow without causing any flooding up river.  My Dad was an employee of the Army Corps of Engineers when this was constructed in the 1930s.

My Brother John Paul retired from the Crops a few years ago.  Our Nephew, Eric, a Navy Veteran currently works at Lock and Dam Number 10.

This design of wrapped mints welcomed us to the Bed and Breakfast of our USS Ranger Friends in Altoona, Iowa.

Every time we visit Altoona, Iowa we travel to "The Freedom Rock" near Greenfield, Iowa.  It is painted each May to honor our Nation's Heroes.  The painter started doing this project in 1999 to Honor our Veterans after he had seen the epic movie "Saving Private Ryan."  To learn more about the Freedom Rock please perform an internet search.

This year's rock places emphasis on the movie "Hacksaw Ridge." 

When we visited the rock on May 22nd it was not complete.

Our Host in Altoona, Iowa

My Bride and I.  It was cool on the day we visited.

 After our visit to the Freedom Rock we toured the Iowa Gold Star Museum at Camp Dodge near Des Moines, Iowa.  My Bride captured these pictures for historic purposes because she is the Coordinator for the Blue Star Memorial Marker Program in Georgia.  In addition she is also the Coordinator for the Gold Star Marker Program for Georgia.

On May 23rd we were tourist in the Altoona, Iowa area.  We traveled to Ames and other places to enjoy the day.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Hickory Park eating establishment.  If I recall correctly they can seat over 400 at a time.

Mills Farm Fleet is a retail chain in the Midwest that serves the needs of all.

This is only one of the Face Book Buildings in Altoona, Iowa.  Face Book selected Central Iowa because of the trained and responsible labor force available. 

 Later that day our Host and I visited a Cruise In in Altoona.  Because of the threat of rain only two cars were on display.

This 1929 Lincoln captured my eye.

This Buick was on display, but the owner was not around when I took the pictures so I could not determine the year of the car.

 

 On May 25 we revisited the Freedom Rock to hopefully see the artist at work.  He was not, but there was additional painting completed. 

 

 Also on May 25 our Host and I attended a cruise in in Bondurant, Iowa.  This time the weather was most pleasant and many cars were on display.

This is the front garden of our Host at the Griffin Bed and Breakfast in Altoona, Iowa.

We next traveled to Saint Louis to visit our Youngest Son and His Family over the Memoral Day Weekend. 

Members of Boy Scout Troop 677 await their turn to join the procession to the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery to place U. S. Flags at the tombs of over 200,000 Heroes.

Prior to the Flag Placement there was a Ceremony for over 4000 Scouts and their Leaders.  This was in the center of the Cemetery of over 300 acres on the bank of the Mississippi River.

As Troop 677 walked to their designated area I took the opportunity to take this picture of a Blue Star Memorial Marker.

Each Scout, including Our Son's "Gus" placed a flag and saluted the Hero and went to the next grave marker. 

It was a very emotional experience to see these Scouts perform this worthwhile task as this Cemetery prepared for Memorial Day 2017.

This concludes our May Holiday Post for our Travels to Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri.  We traveled over 2500 miles on this trip.