Friday, January 23, 2015

Lots of History

     Chick Fellingham, Marie Ross, Karl Knodle, Ruth Duncan, Vince Baldus, Jean Adams, Jimmy Rader, Peg Hohanshelt, Cleo Johnston, Helen Hlavacek, Jack McCaskey, Mae Blaess, George Hlavacek, Ruth Dutton, JoAnn Olney.
     The Kornerman is looking for a one-word connection. How bout it?
     Yup, it's bowling. All those listed, plus many more of our klan, contributed to Boone's great bowling history, many as state champions and even national participants. But alas........could that era, possibly, come to an end?
     Rumors have been circulating about the closing, via a sale, of Boone's only remaining bowling lanes, Imperial Lanes. The rumor continues that the adjacent Westhaven Community Nursing Home, Assisted Living and Rehab Center could have an interest in the area.
     Boone's long bowling history began in 1898 when William R. "Bill" Matt assembled some lanes, himself, using boards two or four inches wide and covered with shellac, which eventually became grooved in a pocket........making it fairly easy to "strike." Games of 300 were fairly common in those days.
     After being located, initially, on north Story between 10th and 11th Street, the lanes were moved to an Eighth Street location.
     Many bowling lanes at various locations have followed through the years. The Kornerman remembers when there were two establishments, Imperial and Bowl-mor, operating. Through the years, there may have been even more than two operating at one time.
     In 1959, "Doc" Witcraft opened a bowling lanes in Ogden and in 1969, Wayne Novotny and Gene Williams opened a bowling establishment in Madrid. Troy Brower now owns and operates the Tiger Bowl in Madrid, which may, eventually, become the only such establishment in the county.
     Leagues are underway at Imperial and a portion of the February Boone County Bowling Association tournament is scheduled there so...........
     Sometimes, rumors are just that and nothing beyond develops. For sure, Imperial Lanes is for sale. It is listed as an available commercial property by Flynn Real Estate of Boone.
     One other business note: It's reported that the new structure appearing on the east side of Airport Road behind the USDA building will be an indoor gun shooting range.
     Does the old cliche, "out with the old, in with the new" apply here?
K-----K
     Heavens!
     The Kornerman never knows what will "trip you're trigger." There we go again and my good buddy Dick Shenary scolds, "a good speechwriter will steer clear of cliches." Oh well, so I'm not a good speechwriter.
     Anyway, the Senator Ericson/Ericson Library/Mineral Ridge mention brought responses from no less than half-a-dozen (sounds more impressive than six) Korner viewers.
      Dean Hoffman wrote from Lubbock TX, "I've lived in Texas for 43 years but my connection to Boone County runs deep. I have a book of Boone County history published in 1880 and in it, is a map of Boone County. It shows the Ridgeport/Mineral Ridge post offices at the same location in Dodge township. My great grandfather, Mathais Hoffman, filed the first homestead claim in 1849 on land southeast of Boone just south of the Squire Boone cemetery. But he was not one of the first to come to the county. P.S. I always check the deaths you list each week. Thanks for everything."
     Classmate Richard Longworth wrote from that "toddlin' town", "yes, Mineral Ridge and Ridgeport are the same place. Both are officially listed as ghost towns now." Richard sent an attachment that lists county ghost towns. However, as he mentioned, "are all these really ghost towns? I think of a ghost town as a place with no people left at all." The Kornerman wonders too since there are lots of folks we know, Dennis Garland and others, that live in Ridgeport. Don't think there's any ghosts there.
    World traveler Mark Tompkins wrote from "somewhere", "your intuition is right. Mineral Ridge was the name of the post office in Ridgeport, 1854-1903. I can't find anything that indicates why it had that name, although having different names for the post office in cities is common, i.e. the main post office and then named ones throughout the city like Benson, Millard, etc. in Omaha. Today, the Mineral Ridge name remains affixed to a cemetery there."
     Excited to hear from old friends we haven't heard from before.......Harry and Lenny Bloomquist from down in southern Missouri. They wrote, "I know you never hear from us, but we do check your blog and enjoy all you do. We thank you for keeping "ole Booneites" connected. According to the Atlas of Boone County IA, dated 1918, Mineral Ridge and Ridgeport were listed sort of as one located in Dodge township. In my old mind, I seem to remember a Mineral Ridge cemetery and a Mineral Ridge Baptist Church. May still be there in Ridgeport. Thank you Jo for sharing Mo with the "world.""
     We have more......but we're running out of space this time so we'll return to the subject and additional responses in the next edition.
     P.S. If you are viewing this edition and haven't viewed us in the past, check back to the issue before this so you can determine what first got us started talking about Mineral Ridge.
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Jesse Anderson, 33, Fairfield/Ankeny. Formerly of Boone. BHS-2000. An artist and an employee for a time at Deery Brothers in Pleasant Hill. Boone area survivors include his wife, Jessica, and his parents, Kevin and Nancy Anderson of Ankeny and Ginger Jones of Pilot Mound. Also, a sister, Tina Campbell of Boxholm, and his grandparents, Gladys Anderson of Madrid and Jim and Sue Phipps of Pilot Mound.............Michael Howard, 62, Boone. BHS-70. Owned two restaurants in Minnesota before moving to Ames in 2004 and Boone in 2011. A furniture salesman, entertainer and minister. Boone area survivors include his mother, Alma Howard, and his sister, Susan Herrick.........Maxine Hartung, 97, Davenport. Formerly of Boone. A nurse, Maxine's Boone area survivor is a brother, Richard Pestotnik of Boone..........Neva Kathman, 90, Boone. Worked at Stratford Care Center. Boone area survivors include daughters, Arlys Udelhoven and Valerie Williams, son, Randy Kathman, and daughters-in-law, Linda and Debbie Kathman all of Boone.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    

    
    
    

    

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