I meant to post this earlier, but, you know how it goes.

On Saturday, June 5, I will be signing books at The Paper Moon in McGregor, Iowa. McGregor is one of my favorite places along the river. Below is an excerpt from my Lansing to LeClaire travel guide that explains part of the reason.

Impressions
McGregor is a rare 21st century river town, one in which the past feels connected to the present. Don’t rush yourself here. Take time to stroll Main Street, chat with locals, eat a meal, hike at Pikes Peak State Park, and grab some z’s at one of the cozy guesthouses in town.

History
The future town of McGregor began in 1837 when Alexander MacGregor, born in New York to Scottish immigrants, started ferry service to Prairie du Chien. For the next 20 years, few Europeans lived here, even after Alexander’s brother, James, bought land in the same vicinity. Steamboat commerce ignited a population explosion in the mid-1850s, sending the town’s population from 280 in 1856 to 5,500 just ten years later. The village of McGregor incorporated in 1857 without the “a” in the name found in the town’s namesake (but with Alexander’s approval for the spelling change). Many early businesses grew in response to the abundant supply of wood coming downriver—a sawmill, steam planing mill, a door and sash factory—as well as many businesses catering to the transient worker population: seven hotels, six restaurants, seven taverns.

Further development in McGregor was hampered by an unfortunate feud between the MacGregor brothers. For 20 years beginning in 1853, the MacGregor brothers and their heirs fought in court over land ownership, and, in the process, obscured titles for many properties in town. At one point, Alexander’s corpse had to be removed from his grave when the property where he was buried was awarded to James; Alexander now rests in Prairie du Chien. To this day, many parcels do not have a clear title, although, if the ownership can be traced back to a MacGregor, the titles are honored.

McGregor has been home to more than its share of people who attained fame. The Ringling family lived in McGregor for a few years in the 1860s. The brothers who went on to found one of the world’s best known circuses apparently saw their first circus while living in McGregor. (Their former house still stands, but it is a private residence.) Diamond Jo Reynolds, one of the most successful river men of the 19th century, lived in McGregor in the building across from Triangle Park.

One of the more colorful residents in more contemporary times was Mildred Quimby, creator of Quimby’s Harbor Guide (now Quimby’s Cruising Guide), the bible for thousands of pleasure boaters in the Midwest. A journalist by training, Ms. Quimby lived in a trailer near the Mississippi River just north of town from 1962 until her death in 1983. She personally researched every navigable inch of the Mississippi River in producing her guide. I can respect that.

You can read more about McGregor here.

Bad Decision of the Day: Buying a digital picture frame for booking signings without checking if it had a battery. So I bought this very cool digital picture frame that was marked down 60%, thinking it would be a great prop for book signings. Then I got to my first event with it and realized that I was a long way from an electrical outlet and the darn thing doesn’t have the option of running on batteries. Doh! Lucky for me, I have more events coming up soon, so I’ll get to try this thing out, yet.

© Dean Klinkenberg, 2010