Episode 56: Before MLK: Iowa’s 19th-Century Civil Rights Pioneers

In this week's episode, we uncover the surprising story of Iowa's pivotal role in African American civil rights. From the groundbreaking 1839 court case that made Iowa a free territory to the remarkable story of Charlotta Pyles—a formerly enslaved woman who raised $3,000 through East Coast speaking tours to free her family members—we explore

By |2025-02-17T18:05:39-05:00February 12th, 2025|Podcast|0 Comments

Burlington

Population (2010) 25,663 Introduction Burlington was built in a bowl-shaped depression at the end of a ravine that opens up at the Mississippi. As the city grew, folks built up, over, and around the hills, expanding into the prairies that spread out from the bluffs. Visitors will find most of the

By |2024-05-25T17:49:08-05:00November 17th, 2014|Iowa|Comments Off on Burlington

Destination of the Day: Weird Harolds

Weird Harold's; Burlington, Iowa Weird Harold's is the kind of store that reminds you of what you're missing when you shop at the mall. Spread over two floors of a century-old building in downtown Burlington, Iowa, Weird Harold's is perhaps best known for their collection of 50,000+ vinyl LPs but they also sell

By |2016-10-21T15:28:34-05:00June 17th, 2013|Destination of the Day|Comments Off on Destination of the Day: Weird Harolds

The Necessity of Listening

If you asked me what you should do if you visit Burlington, Iowa, I would say “Hang out somewhere. Talk to people.” This would also be my advice for Grand Rapids (Minnesota), Alma (Wisconsin), and Fulton (Illinois), and many other places along the river, for that matter. These places don’t have the nightlife of Chicago

By |2016-10-21T15:28:46-05:00September 11th, 2012|About the Mississippi Valley|Comments Off on The Necessity of Listening

Destination of the Day: County Fairs

Dubuque County Fair It's now county fair season all over the Midwest. Yea! Going to a fair is a good excuse to ride a Ferris wheel, eat a funnel cake, and wonder how the heck to judge which pig is more desirable than another before it becomes bacon. County fairs open this week in Dubuque

By |2016-10-21T15:28:49-05:00July 23rd, 2012|Destination of the Day|Comments Off on Destination of the Day: County Fairs
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