One of the Toughest, Smartest People I Ever Met

I met Lucille Keil when she was a spry 84-year-old museum guide. She was my docent at the Young Museum in Bellevue, Iowa, leading me around the house filled with souvenirs collected by Joe and Grace Young during their world travels. During that first tour, she scowled when we reached a glass cabinet near

By |2019-06-30T11:28:17-05:00June 30th, 2019|Characters|2 Comments

Destination of the Day: Young Museum in Bellevue, Iowa

Young Historical Museum The Young Historical Museum is a one-of-a-kind place along the Great River Road. The house and its contents were given to the City of Bellevue by Joe and Grace Young who made a small fortune in the hardware business. They were avid collectors of antique furniture, China, figurines, teapots, and just

By |2016-10-21T15:28:55-05:00June 4th, 2012|Destination of the Day|Comments Off on Destination of the Day: Young Museum in Bellevue, Iowa

Iowa’s Skuzzy River Towns

Last week, The Atlantic published an opinion piece about life in Iowa written by New Jersey-born Stephen G. Bloom, I had a hard time getting through the whole article, because I don’t generally read fiction, especially when it is cloaked as respectable reporting.

By |2016-10-21T15:29:01-05:00December 15th, 2011|About the Mississippi Valley|14 Comments

The Best Riverfronts along the Mississippi

I get around. I’ve visited every Mississippi River town from the Headwaters in northern Minnesota to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. One trend that I see is that, after a century of river towns turning their backs on their river, many are slowly pivoting back to their watery roots. But, a few towns are doing it much

By |2018-01-18T15:24:00-05:00November 8th, 2011|About the Mississippi Valley|Comments Off on The Best Riverfronts along the Mississippi

Bellevue

Population (2010) 2,191 Introduction Built on a high bank next to the Mississippi River, Bellevue enjoys great river views without the hassle of the occasional flood. Bellevue is also one of the few Mississippi River towns where the views are not disrupted by a flood wall or railroad tracks.

By |2022-06-04T16:34:58-05:00October 2nd, 2009|Iowa|Comments Off on Bellevue

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