National Endowment for the Humanities Grant Application Museum Program for Five Flags Civic Center_12.19.1974blEl
o 030 97y
EXECUTIVE GOMMIT iEc
x��
Yl ��^♦ \E}�-v.
C� 1 1j I
Do. J L
t: r10
GeDe C a l d
—lid�.�A�AITT
(�-,i;
to;l,
Er.Pr r
V n E 3e^
D. My
1:.r :•/ Naafi
Dar ; J v,Fry
a T
'
P n 1 Q—d'
Ed+c'M i•±
%!aF,d J 5I-1111�-rrery
Gem c, v. r eq
\Ydl `No.d.
N J V.00ni..,
m
December 19, 1974
Ms. Paula ➢egen
Museum Program
National Endowment
for
the
Humanities
806 15th Street
N.W.
Washington, D.C.
20506
Dear Ms. Degen:
Enclosed please find 20 copies of our revised application. I think we have
covered all of the points that I discu4sed with you over the phone and with
Ms. Burnham in your absence on October 30th.
We have concentrated on the major historical display - The Upper Mississippi
Heritage Museum, the resident historian and visiting lecturers. We feel that
this will be a major attraction for all age groups during the Bicentennial
Celebration and for years to come.
Thank you for your consideration.
Very truly yo rs,
Wayne . Norman
Chairman
yownoy
r om
m
i
P.O. BOX 717 • ROOM 622 DUBUQUE BUILDING • DUBUQUE, IOWA 52001 (319) 582-1976
::IATI0. �i _:iDU.4HE T FOR TUE HUNIANIiIES FOR AGENCY LSE —
lino' 15ah Street, N.W.
:JASFI.d,TCJ, D.C. 20506
rumber
DIVISIQI OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS
GRa`T tinPLICATION---MUSEU:t PROGF 1 [
1. INSTITUTION (NAXE & ADDRESS)
FIVE FLAGS CIVIC CENTER
P.O. Box 717
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
-3. YPE OF ApPLIC.4TI0N (CHECK ONE)
NEW X
RENEWAL 11EH NUMBER
RESIUBMISSION NEU NUMBER
5. INCLUSIVE DATES FOR PROSPECTIVE
GRANT FROM (STARTING DATE): 7/1/75
indicate month -day -year
TO (CONCLUDING DATE) :_12/3I 76
Above dares dust cover period in which all
costs to be charged against prospective
grant will be incurred.
7. PROJECT
DATE RECEIVED
Affiliated with State, County
or City Government: yesJX_ no
2. PROJECT DIRECTOR (NA-E , TITLE
ADDRESS)
Richard J. Slattery, Director
Department of Recreation
Bunker Hill
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
AREA CODE 319 PHONE188-1478
4. TYPE OF INSTITUTION APPLYING
public X non-profit
G. FINANCIAL INFOTLLXTION -(ONE YEAR)
a. GRANT REQUEST (one year)
Outright funds from NEH
Gifts to NEH
i7EH funds matching gifts
Total grant request.
b. Applicant's cost share
c. Support from others
TOTAL COSTS 5176.666.
AMERICAN REVOLUTION ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI
S. PROJECT 43STRACT (Restrict to this space & to the 4 specific categories.)
OBJECTIVES: The American Revolution on the Upper Mississippi is to be a coordinated program of hi
torical awareness directed by an eminent historian in residence for.an 18-month period, working c;
the County Historical Society, the six Dubuque institutions of higher education, the public and I ochial schools and various civic groups.
PROGRAM: The resident historian will prepare an historic exhibit documenting the heritage of the
Upper Mississippi and highlighting the involvement of this area in the American Revolution. Iowa
only known casualty of this roar was a Dubuque lead miner, Jean Marie Cardinal, who escaped during
the Battle of the Lead Mines at Dubuque, Iowa, 1780, and paddleddownthe river tb warn St. Louis
the British approach. The British were defeated at St. Louis and the campaign fell apart. Cards
was killed, but historians suggest that without his warning, the Treaty of 1783 might have fixe:l
western boundary of the U.S, along the Allegheny Mountains instead of the Mississippi River. The
proposed exhibition, with visiting lecturers and traveling displays, will relate to this Revoluti
ary War heritage, the history of the lead mines and the history of transportation on the Upper
Mississippi.
AUDIENCE: This project can reach a concentrated tri-state area with a population of 500,000 and,
addition, a demonstrated 100,000-200,000 tourist potential of the Galena -Dubuque restoration area
coming primarily from the metropolitan centers of Chicago, Des Moines, Madison, Milwaukee and
Minneapolis.
PERSONNEL: The Project Director will be Richard,J. Slattery, Director, Dubuque Recreation Departm
and the Resident Historian,:' Dr. William J. Petersen, retired Superintendent, State Historical Soc
of Iowa. The Program Director, Salaried Staff, Visiting Lecturers and other personnel will be hi'
at the start of the project. (See attached complete personnel listing, pp. 1-3.)
9. HAVE FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT BEEN SOUGHT ELSEQ'HERE? YES NO 7C
9.a. IF ANSWER TO 9 IS YES, GIVE DETAILS (Sources and Amounts):
10. DETAILS OF IT_a1S 5 X;D 6 FOR LONG TEMI PROJECTS
Budget estimates for project --complete only if Endowment support,
beyond one year is requested.
FROM NEH TO
(include
g & M funds) $
COST SHARING
& OTHERS $ —
11. AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL (NAME & TITLE)
Wayne A. Norman, Chairman
Five Flags Civic Center Fund
P.O. Box 717
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
AREA CODE 319 PHONE 582-1976
PROM
TO
$
,12. PAYEE
- CHE M TO -BE MADE PAYABLE TO:
FIVE FLAGS CIVIC CENTER FUND
CHECK TO BE 11�,ILED TO:
NAIE: Wayne A. Norman
TITLE: Chairman
ADDRESS: P.O. Box 717
Dubuque, Iowa 52001
AGREEMENT: It is understood and agreed that any funds granted as a result
of this request are to be used for the purposes set forth herein. Further-
more, the undersigned agree, as to any grant awarded, to abide by the
relevant National En'
owmert for the Humanities policies as prescribed.
T
SIGNATURES PERSGN'Nk1ED IN ITEM 2 PROJECT DIRECTOR DATE
( Grit.
PERR SIGNAt^URES RiAard J.:'S�lattery,-'birector, Dubuque Department of Recreation
�./�
NOT ACCEPTABLE) PERSON 1GA fED INLTnrt 11 AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL DATE
,.Wayne Norman h
y Chairman Five Flags Civic Center" Fund
Robert C. Wei deraenders, President, Dubuque County Historical Society-
THE AMERICAti REVOLUTION ON THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI
This is a description of the program of historical awareness that the City of Dubuque,
the Dubuque County Historical Society and the Five Flags Civic Center executive com-
mittee, with broad and willing support from local cultural, educational and religious
groups, hope to conduct during the Bicentennial year.
1. Historian in Residence
The key to this program is inviting to our city an eminent historian in residence
who will be a personal focus for the historical emphasis and be responsible for the
major display and visiting lecturers. Preliminary conversations have been held with
Dr. William J. Petersen, director -emeritus of the Iowa State Historical Society, for
39 years a professor of history at the State University of Iowa, and outstanding
authority on steamboating on the upper Mississippi (see attached biography).
2. Program Director
The program director will be responsible for staffing, scheduling and coordinating
a program which will include art and music, during the Bicentennial year. Since the
historical emphasis is to be just a part of this program, part of the cost of the pro-
gram director will be carried by historical funds (40%) and the other 60% will be paid
from art and music funds.
3. Staff Personnel
A security person will be on duty during operating hours of the museum.. Clerical
assistance will be available during museum hours to the historian: in.residence and the
project director.
4. Major Historical DisDlav - The Upper Mississippi I'eritage Museum
Under the direction of the historian in residence and with the cooperation of the
Dubuque County Historical Society and other public and private collections, we propose
to create a major display which would tell the story of Dubuque and the upper Mississ—
ippi, its relation to the Revolutionary War and its development to the present time.
This would be a year -long display with a comparatively small section devoted to chang-
ing displays. The major display would be continued as a permanent museum. It would
cover the period of time from 1673 to the present, concentrating on the Revolutionary
War involvement of the Dubuque area.
A chronological series of maps and displays would show how the Dubuque area, from
earliest times, has been a lead mining area, how it has successively been under flags
of five different nations, how it became a critical chapter in the American Revolution
and how the Mississippi River became a prime artery of commerce in a growing America.
Maps might show some of the following periods:
French Period - 1673-1762
Joliet & Marquette - 1673
Aco-Hennepin - 1680
Nicholas Perrot -Miami Indians - 1690
Delisle Map - 1718
Des Noyelles Expedition - 1735
American Period - 1803-Present
Spanish Period - 1762-1803
Jonathan Carver - 1766-68
Peter Pond - 1773
Jean Marie Cardinal
- 1780
Dubuque -Fox 'Indians
- 1788
Dubuque Land Grant
-
Tesson Land Grant -'1799
Giard Land Grant -
1800
1
Dioramas would depict the Revolutionary War history of the upper Mississippi.
Diorama #1 - British decision to encircle the colonies from the west.
"...in 1779, that Spain formally declared war on England. The British military
authorities then decided to attack and destroy the settlements in the immense
Spanish territory of Louisiana, especially those along the Mississippi. St.
Louis, already an important though small village and the capital of Upper
Louisiana, was to be the objective of a rather ambitious expedition. Lieut-
enant -Governor Patrick Sinclair at Michilimackinac in the Straits of Michigan,
the organizer of this enterprise, ordered Emmanuel Hesse, a sort of soldier -
trader, to collect forces and supplies at Prairie du Chien (Wisconsin) from
where he was to start down the valley. "I
Diorama #2 - British and Indians canoeing down the Mississippi.
"It must have been a rather spectacular sight as it passed the shores of antique
Dubuque; the first great military effort under the old red banner of Britain in
the Upper Mississippi valley; a force of men numbering somewhere between a
thousand and fifteen hundred; three hundred regular troops, a number of traders
and the remainder a motley crowd of warriors from various savage tribes; some
of the chiefs wearing the scylet coats and brilliant polished gold epaulettes
of the British officers;..."
Diorama #3 - An early lead mine.
The rich mines of lead ore at Dubuque were well known from the days of earliest
exploration. Historians record that the lead mines west of the Mississippi had
been worked first by a Mr. Longe, then by his successor in the Indian trade, Jean
Marie Cardinal, and then by Julien Dubuque. Even earlier records tell of Indian
squaws working the mines while the braves sat smoking their pipes.
Diorama #4 - The Battle of the Lead Mines.
"While awaiting his various detachments here (Prairie du Chien) Captain Hesse
sent out a minor expedition. He had despatched soldiers and Indians to inter-
cept craft coming up the Mississippi with provisions and had been informed by
his scouts of the activities of the people working in the lead mines of antique
Dubuque... Under the command of Lieutenant Alexander Kay of the Indian department,
the English and their Indian auxiliaries seized in April, 1780, a large armed
boat at the mouth of the Turkey river, which is just about half -way between
Prairie du Chien and the mines of antique Dubuque... From the mouth of the Turkey
river it is only about twenty or twenty-five miles directly southeast to Dubuque
as the crow flies, although some miles farther by way of the Mississippi river;
it was thus a comparatively simple matter for the English and Indian contingent
after it had seized and plundered the barge, to slip quickly down to the mines
and surprise and capture the whites at their work." Among those captured was
Jean Marie Cardinal.
1 Rev. Matthias M. Hoffman, Antique Dubuque (Dubuque, Iowa: Dubuque Telegraph -Herald
Press, 1930), p. 66.
2 Ibid., p. 70.
3 Ibid., p. 67.
2 1
Diorama #5 - The Paul Revere of the Mississippi.
Cardinal escaped and paddled heroically down the Mississippi to warn St. Louis.
"It was learned in St. Louis through a trader from the Upper Valley that a large
body of the enemy was about to 'descend the Mississippi for an attack."4
Diorama #6 -'The Battle of St. Louis.
"During the fighting in front of the village (St. Louis), Jean Marie Cardinal,
the Indian trader at antique Dubuque, was wounded and died shortly afterwards...
The British, after the failure of their expedition against St. Louis heard
rumors of an intended counter-attack on Prairie dop Chien by the Americans and
abandoned the village in that same year of 1780." The Treaty of 1733 might
have fixed the western boundary of the U.S. along the Allegheny Mountains
instead of the Mississippi River, had it not been for Cardinal's warning.
5. Visiting. Lecturers
Many lecturers will be available during the Bicentennial year and resources will
be needed to take advantage of these. We plan on outside lecturers such as Dr. Richard
Thomas, Cornell College (Mt. Vernon, Iowa) professor who lectures with authority on
our Indian heritage; Dr. Dean Straffin, now of Carlisle University, Pennsylvania,
who spent one month in the summer of 1973, making a preliminary archaeological survey
and identifying Indian burial mounds and village sites, who could lecture on the anthro-
pology of this area; Dr. William Petersen, our proposed historian in residence, who
lectures on river transportation and the history of the area; and perhaps a faculty
member from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville (School of Mines) to lecture on
the history of lead mines.
4 Rev. Matthias M. Hoffman, Antique Dubuque (Dubuque, Iowa: Dubuque Telegraph Herald
Press, 1930), p. 72.
5 Ibid., p. 71.
3
A. FUNDS REQUESTED
1.
Historian in Residence (18 months)
2.
Program Director (40% of time for 18 months)
3.
Staff Personnel
a. Security (2,080 hrs. @ $2.70/hr. for
12 months)
$ 5,600.
b. Clerical (2,080 hrs. @ $2.70/hr. for
12 months)
5,600.
4.
Upper Mississippi Heritage Museum
(6 months preparation, 12 months
operation)
a. 6 dioramas @ $4,000. ea.
24,000.
b. 50 maps @ $100. ea.
5,000.
c. Bar1c-project map/push-button audio
5,000.
d. General displays
10,000.
5.
Visiting Lecturers (6 @ $500. ea. for 18
month period)
B. MATCHING FUNDS
1. Exhibition Space (70x80 - 5,600 ft. @ $5./sq.ft./yr.)
- (2 months preparation, 12 months operation)
2. Volunteer Help
a. Guides - 3 persons (equiv.) 6,240 hrs. @ $2.50 15,600.
(12 months)
b. Carpenters - 4 persons (equiv.) 4,160 hrs. @ $5. 20,800.
(6 months)
c. Clerical - 2 persons (equiv.) 4,160 hrs. @ $2.50 10,400.
(12 months)
3. Contributed Promotional Materials (business & industry - 18 months)
4
$ 15,000.
9,000.
11,200.
44,000.
3,000.
82,200.
32,666.
46,800.
15,000.
94,466.
Facts About Richard J. Slattery
Personal data
Name:
Address:
Phone:
Date of Birth:
Heighth:
Weight:
Health:
Physical defects:
Marital Status:
Military Status:
2. Educational data
Richard J. Slattery
1743 Lea Lane, Dubuque, Iowa 52001
Area Code 315-582-5887
June 30, 1936
Six feet
190 pounds
Excellent
None
Married 1955, four children
Honorable discharge, U.S. Navy Reserve
June 27, 1973
High School: Loras Academy 1951-52; Senior High School 1952-55, diploma
University of Dubuque 1957-61, Bachelor of Science degree,
Major: health, physical education and recreation.
Minor: sociology and education
Other special education: National Swimming Pool Institute 1965
Institute of Recreation and Park Administration 1966
Professional training course in Management Practice
for Smaller Cities 1967, University of Iowa
Executive Development Program 1970-71, Indiana University
3- Experience
Director of recreation, city of Dubuque, 1963 to present
Assistant director of recreation, city of Dubuque, 1961-1963
Pool manager, ice rink manager, athletic supervisor, recreation
leader, maintenance man, lifeguard, attendant at swimming
Pool, city of Dubuque, 1953-1961 - part-time and seasonal
4. Community involvement
Community Services Planning Committee, 1964 to present
United Fund, 1964 to present
Optimist Club, secretary -treasurer, board of directors, 1964 to 1969
Dubuque Jaycees, 1964-65
Dubuque County Red Cross, 1957 to present, watersafety committee,
board of directors, chairman of the board 1971-1973
(more)
5
Richard J. Slattery
page two
June 27, 1973
(community involvement, continued)
Catholic Charities Evaluation Committee, 1965
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Young Couples Club, 1964 to
present, vice president, president; Men's Club, 1964 to
present, secretary, vice president
Dubuque Boys' Club, board of directors, 1965 to present,
Executive Committee, 1973-1974
Five Flags Civic Center Executive Committee, 1972 to present,
chairman, planning committee
Flood 'Wall Dedication Committee, co-chairman, 1973
5• Professional involvement
.Iowa Park and Recreation Society, 1963 to present, public
relations committee chairman, president-elect 1967,
president 1968
National Recreation Association 1960-1965
American Recreation Society, 1963-1965
National Recreation and Park Association, 1966 to present
Mayors' Youth Council, 1966 to present
Dubuque To*_ Lot Association, 1965 to present
Midwest District Advisory Committee N.R.P.A. 1967-68, 1968-69
National Council, National Recreation and Park Association
Great Lakes District Council, 1969 to present, secretary 1972,
vice-chairman 1973
6. Special awards and honors
Fraternal Order of Eagles, Home Town Builder Award 1969
Iowa Park and Recreation Association, Award of Merit 1963
Iowa Park and Recreation Association, Past President Award 1972
1 p r
/ .=-
7'L
7• Present job responsibilities
Manage both recreation and some par
development of comprehensk functions, including.the
ive recreation programs and the opera-
tional and developmental phases of some parks, golf course,
recreation areas and facilities, playgrounds, and specialized
areas and structures
(more)
C
Richard J. Slattery
page two
June 27, 1973
(present job responsibilities, continued)
Prepare and justify the budget; control and supervise .
departmental expenditures
Recruit, select and employ staff personnel
Ascertain present and future needs as they relate to short
and -long term plans
Direct the acquisition, planning, construction, improvement
and maintenance of areas and facilities that are the respon-
sibility of the department
Administer a broad program of recreational activities for
all ages, groups and interests
Relate total program and operation to the citizens
7
e
L
a
o
o
F
C
�
f�
o>1
Q
o
°
°
-CA
3•�'�s
Ln
Ln
z
O
x n
rn
c
O
F
^
c
.
1:4
m
o
.¢
a
C
co 0
Aj
A
a
_
r.•
w.�eg.vy.
ucwa�w...^.-
4„� `
`�^�`�^'�e
(r
(n
C u
U'
�J�
C
cf
>
6
o .
r
''
f...`
O
•cs
.>_
`
�.
.-o
A a°
'
x
xY
xie
k
q
A a
c✓
A:
d
G
y L
U
x'
to
o
LO t- o m t.o
�
U
u
94.
- U
L
o
o
u
�o
n,
F
n
c
G
[
>
c
u
a
a
`t'. c
o- a
U
�
Ut
o
cn
o
`0ho
u
o
a
C
u
u G
u
M
u
ti. h
C
'�
�-
a `-
u '
ti
'°
q
°
3
•« \
> O' N
•�
o.
�.
�
o
u
o
o
'N
'v
tm
:..
•w
w
c
Y•
c
3
u
�,
•,
.y
..:
y'zs
ba
A
A
8
.:
.L•r
N
a
\'i
�'.
.-�i U 4 �J �
U
U
•4
`
U
U
-}
GL
V
M
M
.U+
ORGANIZATIONS, CLUBS, HONORS
PROFESSIONAL
American Historical Association
American Academy of Political and Social Science
Society of American Archivists
American Association for State and Local History
Mississippi Valley Historical Association
Southem Historical Association
State Historical Society of Iowa (Life)
Minnesota Historical Society (Life)
Kansas Historical Society (Life)
Missouri Historical Society
Iowa State Education Association
Iowa Library Association
• HONORARY - -
Pi Kappa Delta (Forensic)
PI Gamma Mu (Social Science)
Zeta Sigma Pf (Social Science)
CIVIC - - -
Rotary
• Chamber of Commerce
FRATERNAL
32' Mason, Shriner, KCCH .
- Delta Upsuon -
UNrvERsrrY
Triangle Club —University Men's Faculty (President 1941-42) '
Research Club (Secretary 1944-46)
MISCELLANEOUS - - - -
Caxton Club (Chicago)
Cliff Dweilera (Chicago)
Westerners (Chicago)
Propeller (St. Louis)
Walt Whitman (Iowa Schoolmasters)
Iowa Authors Club (Prtsident 1941-44)
Izaak Walion League
STATE.AND NATIONAL COMMITTEES ---
AIvord Historical Commission (1941)
U.S. Territorial Papers. Committee (Co -Chairman)
Herbert Hoover Birthplace Society (Trustee).
Iowa State Centennial Committee (1946)
Iowa Civil War Centennial Committee
Iowa Tourism Committee
Iowa Liaison to United States Travel Service
Ten -State Historian to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission
FoR ADDITIONAL DATA CONSULT , - -
Who's Who in America
Who s Wno in the Midwest _
Who's Who in American Education
Who's Who in Iowa
Biographical Directory of American Scholars
The Author's and Writer's Who's Who
9
9
AUTHOR
Booxs
True Tales of Iowa (Joint Author) (1932)
Two Hundred Topics in Iowa History (1932)
'Steamboatinzon the UpperMississippi (1937)
Iowa: The Rivers of Her Valleys (1941)
A Reference Guide to Iowa history (1942)
Looking Backward on Hawkeyeland (1947)
Iowa History Reference Guide (1952)
The Story of Iowa 2 Vols. (1952)
"The Pageant of the Press (1962)
The Annals of Iowa, Vol. I (1964)
Steamboating on the Upper Mississippi (1968)
BOOKS EDrrED with HisToRICAL INTROOUC ION
Rare Americana
John Plumbe, Jr., Sketches of Iowa and Wisconsin (1948)
"Isaac Galland, Galland's Iowa Emigrant; (1950)
John B. Newhall, A Glimpse of Iowa in 1846 (1951
A. T. Andreas. Illustrated Historical Atlas of Iowa 1875 (1970)
History & Biography
Earle D. Ross, Iowa Agneulture (1951)
John S. Nollen, Grinnell College (1953)
- Melvin Scholl, Arnewood (1954)
Edward$ Younger, John A. Kasson (1955)
"Leland L. Sage, William Boyd Allison (1956)
Thomas R. Ross, Jonathan. P. Dolliver (1958)
J. E. Turnbull, The Iowa Conference Story (1961)
Almanacs
Fishers Improved House -Keeper's 1860 Almanac (1960)
The Tribure Almanac-1861 (1961)
The Tribune Almanac-1862 (1962)
The Iowa State Almanac-1860 (1963)
The Farmers' Northwestern Almanac-1864 (1963)
The American Educational Series and Almanac-1867-(1964)
The Housekeepers' Almanac-1866 (1965)
The 'Qethodtst Almanac-1866 (1966)
The Tribune Almanac-1867 (1967)
Pain -Killer Almanac & Family Receipt Book-1868 (1968)
'Won Iowa Library -Association Award for best contribution to Ameri-
can Literature by an Iowan.
'OWon Award of Merit —American Association State & Local History.
- ARTCcLES
`- The Palimpsest; The Iowa Journal of History and Politics, Missis--
sippi Valley Historical Review; Minnesota History; Wisconsin Maga-
zine of History; Papers in Illinois History; Nebraska History; 1938
Yearbook of National Council of the Social Studies; Midland Schools;
'''` Waterways Magazine; The American Archivist.
• OTHER CONTRLIUTIONS-
Dictionary of American History; Atlas of American History; En-
cyclopedia Britannica Yearbook; World Book Encyclopedia; American
Educator's Encyclopedia; Nelson's Encyclopedia; American Historical
Review; Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sci-
ence; Chicago Daily News; Social Studies; Social Science Abstracts;
Chicago Sun; St. Louis Post Dispatch, etc.
n
10
c}A PROCEEDINGS AND 'D39AT23 02 TH3 93d CONGR355, FIRST SMSION
V01. 119 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1973 No. 27
H VS8
IOWA HISTORS.aa R%TLRFB.
BON. JOHN C. WL`lER
N Inwa
IN 7'8& EODFa3 OP SBPR-S3.NTA77VZ3
Wednesday, cebr7rary 21, 1973
Mr. =V-M. Mn Spec'ker. some Peo-
ple today may not aJpr'C:ate the impor-
tant role t*.a: zlme;'.ca's 3re-at rives
have played L-t our historical develop-
ment. This year, the r jc!ents who Ij,e
the fdatorical lore of the great 3ficsl!u±ppl
hope to enlarge public awaran>_•st of our
heritage b7 ceiebrat`zg the t-iceateal
of the dtseovery of the M!ssssippf River
by SJarpuette and Joitet.
one ma,n Who may Know morn about
t1ts hJstorical lore of the great Mlasis=appi
than any other is Iowa'3 Willis. J.
"steambl; t Sill" Petersen. Dr. Pe>, un
recently retired as svoerutcendent And
editor of the State HbItoricai So;lety of
Iowa.
Llte 3tarquetta and Joliet :afore him,
Bill Yaicry_rt ban been a mede.-n-day ex-
plorer ct the ?dlwWlppl P.lver. Whlle
riding up and down on the river, he
gathered Information for a doctorate de-
gree on the htstory of stea nboating on
the Upper Minr7.ssippl -River. T_'_re reev_lved
his Ph. D. from the Unlversity of Iowa in
2930. lie has served as superftntendent of
the State historical Srs_.lety of Iowa
aide 1947.
Over the yaws, Dr. Peter n has been
a gired wl lter on the hi-storical lore and
61gnlY['Qrx a of our great rivers. He is a
prolific hLatorian of Iowa subjects. No
one ban made a greater contribution In
his axe of study. He loves the rivers and
bomta about which he h-" written so
much. I hope the reenactalent of the Jo-
Uet-3daxslueUe Voyage stvr thls Year by
the MlniWppl River Tricentennial
CcWxnAtt�will enlarge others', love and.
apprmiall= of this great river.
Mr. Speaker. I know Bill peter n and
I am glad to be able to honor him upon
his retlrrnierit. I lnsert In the P"rcopb an
article frorrl the: Cedar Rapld3 Otmette
on the retirement of Dr. William J.
Peteraen:
11rvm the Cedar 9api4e Caretle)
IOWA•a STfANIOAr ll , M 13 ' oX rss 12rvta
(By Art Hough)
Iowa C.-rr--SVJmbost Bill- Petersen,
IOwsb most prolme wntr_v And expounder of
7rtatorleal lore, retired •sst 7lleeday on bis
72nd birthday_ _ -
Pstlrtd, that Ia. xs auPerin ✓nlent and
editor of the sta;a Historical 9:ciety of row
But, the rea+.,:n.31ng, a^.lting and xpeecbs_
making of this lower DuDuqua L who
e thered materdl for DL. un!sersity doc-
torate whlle bltchbl2L^.n: u0 and down the
if!aslealppi river raon taan 40 yens y_go.:s
contmuing apece Perhaps at a 'eater pa:,e,
nov that he to treed of admtnL trntive du:!ss
We clubted the Project, or prorccta he is
on norr h`n-doctersz plus - He started oa
the river and be is back on the river new.
Dr. William J. Petersen credtta Dr. Louis
peter, prorc- r of hutc7 at the IInSvc:slog
of Iows' wlth M-.-autlug his carmf from
teacbl-g and ooachlag to Incas hlator7 and
Tlver lore,
ctvxzv anvwrvz
In 39-7 he v tl'nC.w,lag his l ter a
thesis with the prcq a7r and talking about
his boyhood on t.^ie `-.I alnpl .hen pelvr
gave him the folios Lng aitimacum:
•PetereeI do 7ou mean to tell me that
your father case associated v,`th the Diamond
Jo Ltna B-xa and that a .setae: aDte
amount of nwauacript matartai 1. "AIIAble
on the aub,4ce7 Pc t<rxn, I personally wJl
Pull tba tops that bang 7eu to yon4er trx
If 3nu don't'sta w:,r Ylas on the hlrtcsy
of steamboating on the Upper M,&at»Ippl 'or
you: doctorate:'
The rent is hWa 7.
Bill got his i h.D, f, the university In
1930. Prom 1230-17 be ri rt rch aasc.:!a to
for the Btatw a1 ,or�Cal 9nciaty Of I".. be -
cane >bpazm ✓oP.r.t Ln 19 7. He bps also
teen A lacturrr and aaeoray profaswr, Dar_
t!clpated 1n M.7 aumn-sr a Ions. w 'ttcn
lO booka. one of wblch, -Bte, mbo,"Ing on Se
Upper Uts^+'ialppl-. ens publlabnl In 1937,
was reprinted and enlargW In 1?62: edited
and gl"n blstorlrsi Introduction to A soon
of hooks on rays AmerldM %. bletory and blog-
raphy. AM almanacs.
Pets --'n wrote sn rnt-n7 articlea for the
-PailmP. t." that soma odltors found It
almaat uehrllnvable In tha spacr of time he
had to Put cut the POputa- publication. For
Instance, between 19 3 and 1270 be con-
trfbutni 399 arIlcl..
Bill never bea been afraid of wort and he
r L. proud that •'lo LerludeA between sublecte
MG Iodfaas, pboeen, rellrosdr, volvice, dm-
tors, esrthquakee, Patebt medlclnee, explora-
tlom, etc.. I could always come bast and
do aomo phew of a r1 a story."
C&PAAa)
=tw
11
,. ..'.. d-.
Even before hts doctorate, he had pun.
"
..
I! hrd tLo .rticlei on "!,{lnnerota IILtory"
.--_ _.• .:...•.. a..
the "M1llawurl l.ta raxum of N Vtor7'; 21 page,. .., ...
.. ..
to the "?t:ae'sa:pyi W.I!ey Ii b!ortcel Re.
..... �.._ -...v L'
'view'. two in 6ha :'!'allmpvs:". and one In-.
... • ... ..
the "Iows Journal of- Htetor7'. . .. - . ....I , , {
The coUtrlbutlooa he has made W various .
-
perloWMI. xild the hoaon be h. won ma..ta
a Ile-, no long test this wri<r, for wait of
spew, can only refer the render to " %'hole
Who In Amerlu', "Who's `.rho In the Mid.
. .� ..
wa.t". "Who'. lVho in ".0 _ion" "Wbos
Who 1n Iown", tt:e "131 rraphlcal Directory of
Amerlon Scholen-, and "The Authors and
Venters Who's Who" for furJer data.IU.
AMINO T% alv
Petersen ''A already emba ),rd on an aabt.
tloua project -rhich has him rtding the riven
of Aroarlca on tow boate and bargee with
his wife, Beaev.
A publisher w>nta to sign him W a slnVii
'
volume on Iowa hi"Wry (the publisher wane
It La two peon. 13111 thlaka he ran do It in ...
tour, and they'll probably wmpromtse on
three) and he is %Lao commlseloned to do
a book on "Bteemboating on the Riven of
-
Amerlu".
'
ihata why I'm taking these trips. 'or joy
rides W a degtee, but, boy, you should ace
- - - ---
the stuT I write on it. ISa fun, it's dlZersn:"
.. •: 's"`- . ' y.;.
Referring to lncrevsed rivor tra c, be says, .
-
'They die. d of a gam cra.^.c back In the '
-
203 and today It's the th Lrd isrgegt. Think
..
what's bsposnad thisyear with the river aid .. ..
of a sudden ciamplag Iu jaws down there,
- -
(The Ion Dlocks;Ie.)"
"Mee nwhL'e, Beetle and 1 gat down to New
Ortean. and to aad behold a large number
of boas are ancborN In the middle of the _.
MUalsalp9l. Rusatan Wait other,, walting for
the grain to come down.
"So there we have Iowa fs: ',Wars lahlg mli-
Ilons becsuee they esa't get the soybeans
out of the .„round, compounded by refL-ozd
cars filled and bargee .`geld up by Iw.
-'I'm having my fun rlght now With the
-
beat."
-
Petersen admits he Is "veral yea,-. Dehln s
On his bock about the rives, but tbia is
tmderstand.ble. He helped build tba b_stael.
cal aoelety to over 10,000 mom :a, s, nd
highest in the mliaL-7, malal7 tbrouyh his
editing and writing for "^Ja ?aL'mpa• t",
and the "Iowa Journal of Hlatory'.
Paul Angle. co-author of a seriea of ?.amps
m "Doti:,%➢. to American Cultu.>", :.aid
tbat "atatae older tban. Iowa nuy have
larger hlalartcal lu,erstur _ but no 3+a ."-+s.
bad Its peat so thorougbly ezplot-d 0,
widely dlas ml":ed by Its owe hlzrr'WI
-octet]... -
Talking about his forthcoming book,
-
I`ste . ays+:d "It'a a tough one, oa I 52bt -
Into it. a blgal7-Illuetra4d boot nzdi'ed
-
'S-.eamboating on the Rivers or Amertt but
It may be dlvlded into two paea to 1nCIa,*
tow boating.
"'There will be t00 pictu». on a1 the
riven of Aurarica, from the Hudson W the
Becr%manto, no: only the l.tluualppi Valley,
"Itlght now I'm tr7in4 to lay the around
work by taking LIIeae ttI,, with Excels:' he
saki. nul luny at sovNtlman eeulny 00
lea. -gee or more with t J100 f nt of W r &Seal of
LIIem.
211"0r raoauxa
"YOU don't begin to appreela:e the altu,
tlona of what thee, y/lote go through, run-
hlnt brid;« and lcc]u, etc- and ctrcum-
etarlces me that. The lover rival CCyn't
hale bridge. or locks, bu: It has ptobL.ms
of Its own.
"About the only way to travel any dtatanw
w thedays U on barge.." PC.eraon polnted
out, noting that errnptfon for the Dolts
Queen. "the escunlon bat, are ail Ixal-
17,e4-13 or 30 mile., maybes. There are about
IO of them between St. mute and New
Orlsane; -
Last fall, the PTteraena went from Burling-
ton to Calm and back to St. Loula and then
had W get off because he had a date to speak
at the Iowa State Bankers wavent!oo.
Hill says "It's ntce to have been able to
write Wmeth Sng for a doctorate .. , You fake
!N out of l0O doCtoestes and they gather duet
on library eirelves, but this I've been able to
work on It all the way, I .
"If I could have 10 years of good active Ufa
I could bare the moat prCductive p ,,od of
m] ta..-eer—just tcorntn ling, no wa-r'<a
about adnalnlatrstion or getting other tbmgs
out.
"People any the stcambout is my doctorate.
Wall, a part of It 1s, but my doctorate wm 313
typavrtttten pay-" and the steaatboat book' -
was 850 typcvrltten
Add to this the Ip�A reprint which added
160 pages of pictures, plua four acts of maps,
eacou hoar,
Mr. and Mrs. pater", opcut Chrstmze
week on the 34L iceippL aboard the '3t %
Hslao," goicg uprtvar from tf o Orlra,. --
tow boate Iasi. .about two rotted trip- a
month
'These boats are ap much blvgger now;' BId
aald, "When I hitch -biked bPxv 1'YaO, wblle
I wad workhlg on my doctcrst _ you'd sloep
In a bunt ab,". the captain M out_ -bls
time we had a L. ,aL wI,A :sin brdn, ann r,
ete., with, telex Seim."
Theguest accommodstione are tvsually
used by oom. a 7 odic L+J.v.
Yew you mlyht If tbN. Bill alai Beaaefe are
flnaily frog to do t a tbi.-S, t.1%7 ii)cs br:t.
When SLg-r. Lugl Gin, :Yguttf. one -tune
esacutive aecn+.ar7 of the Ifst'.onal Catbnu,
Rursl III. Confer,,,,,, a termer Iowa print,
and now reslding in the Vatican In Some,
heard of 321'3 approaching rstlrnmeot, he
Wrote:
"You1t always ba on 'deck'. I AW sure Old
Mart Cnarcn wuI give you a reserved aat
Whoa you orbs, the rlver Btyx --
(NOT PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT E%PENSEI+rr
of
12