Month: April 2016

Diary

Old Man River

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Monday, April 30, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Warm day & windy.  Shower in the afternoon.  Sent Marie a birthday card.  Went to the top of the elevator at work to see the flood.  Helen washed.”  Dale’s sister Marie would be 33 years old the next day.
Diary

One Fine Day

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Sunday, April 29, 1951, Dale wrote, “Dalene, Ringer and I walked down to the river in the morning.  Levee broke on Illinois side.  Fine day.  Dalene and Smith kids went to a show in the afternoon.  Chicken for dinner.  TV at night and to bed early.”  Ringer was our dog, and the Smith family lived a couple houses up the street from us; their children were Janet and Jimmy.  Above: Dalene and Dale in 1951.
Diary

Another Flood

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Saturday, April 28, 1951, Dale wrote that the Mississippi River was holding at 20.9 feet.  The next day, a levee broke on the Illinois side of the river.
Diary

Shopping At Batterson’s

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Friday, April 27, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Bought new brown summer suit at Batterson’s for $20.  Also new belt, 4 glass trays and cups.  Card from Mother.  Arth here at night for TV.”  Arth was a co-worker.  Above: Batterson’s department store.
Diary

Red Bicycle

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Thursday, April 26, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Bright warm day.  2nd Street open to traffic to Mulberry Street.  Bought Stan a new bike, this is his 14th birthday.  Got Dalene a new spring coat.  TV at night.”  I loved that bike!
Diary

What’s On TV Tonight?

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Wednesday, April 25, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  River higher, 20.5 feet.  Cavanaugh, Arth, Arms and I working.  Warm & cloudy.  Pay day.  Arth and Cavanaugh here in evening for television.”  Those were co-workers.  Above: television stations would show a ‘test pattern’ when not broadcasting programs – this was black and white TV, of course.
Diary

Rising River

by Editorial Team
After work in Muscatine on Tuesday, April 24, 1951, Dale took the family to see the river.  The Mississippi (above) was still rising, near 20.5 feet.
Diary

Quiet Day

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Monday, April 23, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Very quiet day.  River over 20 feet.  No mail today.  Warmer in afternoon & evening.”
Diary

15 Years And Whaddya Get?

by Editorial Team
(Apologies to Tennessee Ernie Ford.)  In Muscatine on Sunday, April 22, 1951, Dale noted fifteen years in the Civil Service.  The Mississippi River was over 20 feet and steadily rising, and Dale wrote, “Levee broke at Port Louise.  No danger to Muscatine yet.”
Diary

Steak Supper

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Saturday, April 21, 1951, Dale wrote, “Levee still holding.  No danger where we live.  Rain all forenoon.  I have a catch in the back of my neck.  Took a nap in the afternoon.  Had steak for supper.  TV at night, at home.”
Diary

Old Man River Rising

by Editorial Team
On Friday, April 20, 1951, South Muscatine residents were advised to move out because of flooding possibility along the Mississippi.  Above: the riverfront in 1951.
Diary

MacArthur Speaks

by Editorial Team

In Muscatine on Thursday, April 19, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Frank Arth arrived for duty.  Warm day.  Card from Mother.  TV at night.  MacArthur spoke to Congress.”  You can watch the black and white broadcast above.
Diary

Cemetery Lot

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Wednesday, April 18, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Warm today.  Hemerson at plant all day.  I came home after my glasses.  To library & river front in the evening.  Boxing on TV at night.  Got deed for cemetery lot.”  Above: their cemetery lot several decades later.
Diary

Warehouse Inspection

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Tuesday, April 17, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  River still coming up.  Work started on paving highway 61, on Grandview Avenue.  Eubanks called Mast regarding IRBW inspection.  Cool morning but warmed up.”  IRBW: Internal Revenue Bonded Warehouse.
Diary

Good TV

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Monday, April 16, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  No new Gaugers yet.  Very cool today & the river is rising.  Home by the store.  Home all evening with family & TV.  Good programs.”  He was expecting new employees?
Diary

Cloudy Day

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Sunday, April 15, 1951, Dale wrote, “Mother and Marie went home at 1:30.  Kids went to a show in the afternoon.  Helen & I stayed home.  Chilly today & cloudy.  TV at night.”  Above: Muscatine’s Front Street in 1951; the Mississippi is out of view to the left.
Diary

Flooding Rivers

by Editorial Team
On Saturday, April 14, 1951, Dale’s mother Jettie, his sister Marie and her daughter Susan, and his brother Lloyd’s daughter Carol arrived in Muscatine in the afternoon to stay all night.  Dale took them for a ride around town in Marie’s car the next day, and to see the Cedar River.  The diary doesn’t say the Cedar River was flooding, but why else would they go?  The Mississippi was rising, as seen above several years earlier when Wilma (Helen’s sister), her husband George Casey and their son Larry were visiting.
Diary

Car $$ Repairs

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Friday, April 13, 1951, Dale wrote, “Brakes adjusted & bled, new fluid added, lights fixed, etc., $12.29 at M&S.  Rainy & chilly.  To store after work.  Helen called Mother.  TV at home at night.”  Those car expenses would be $112 today.
Diary

Fix The Car

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Thursday, April 12, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Took car to M&S Garage to have lights fixed & brakes adjusted.  Went to the store after work.  TV at night at home.”  Our car was a 1939 Mercury similar to the one above.
Diary

Truman Fires MacArthur

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Wednesday, April 11, 1951, Dale wrote, “President Truman fired General MacArthur.”  U.S. President Harry S. Truman relieved General of the Army Douglas MacArthur of his commands for making public statements that contradicted the administration’s policies. MacArthur was a popular hero of World War II who was then the commander of United Nations forces fighting in the Korean War.  Above: Truman and MacArthur six months earlier.
Back To Top