What's REALLY Happening?

     Here we go again. Its up to the Korner to cover a pretty significant Boone Iowa story that, unfortunately, you haven't read about in the Ames/Boone News Republican and, perhaps, never will.
     On their website, the Boone County Historical Society has reported, "The Mamie Doud Eisenhower birthplace is closing for the regular 2018-19 touring season and COULD be CLOSED through 2020 as the Boone County Historical Society considers a variety of possible options related to the Birthplace Museum. The Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace Museum has been open to the public by guided tour for 37 years. The LAST tour will be given on October 31, 2017."
     Yes, some of the Museum's most ardent supporters, via their passing, have departed through the years but many remain viable today and fear that the "new guard" doesn't have the same passion, same loyalty to this historical project its previously maintained and these new developments could even be a forerunner to complete dismantlement.
     Communities this size have few opportunities for statewide and even national attention but the Eisenhower Museum has received some through the years. It remains one of only two Museums in the entire nation dedicated to the birthplace of ex-President's wives.
     Its true, as cited in the news release, "at the height of its popularity, there were 12,000 people going through the birthplace and over the last several years, declining visitor numbers have caused concern for the Boone County Historical Society." And in fairness, the news release also notes,"our efforts will be focused on keeping the birthplace available for tours at some level, and to keep Mamie's birthplace in the public domain. The Society is committed to finding ways to ensure long-term sustainability for the site."
     According to the news release, "at this time, the Society is making an overall assessment of the birthplace, due to the fact that significant repairs are needed at the site and funding requests have fallen far short of asking."
     The release concludes, "we hope to gain more local and state dollars to repair problems with the structure and to address other concerns that involve the collection and then, ultimately, to reopen the site with renewed interest and perhaps, with a broader base of community support for whatever the future holds in promoting the Eisenhower legacy as Boone"s First Family," MacKay said." Mara MacKay is the Director of the Boone County Historical Society and authored the news release.
     Longtime Boone resident George Eckstein, BHS-58, is one who has a special feeling for the Birthplace as well as the Boone County Historical Society. He is a former Past President and board member of the society and he's very much concerned, fearful this latest development could be the "beginning of the end" of something Boone has been well connected too and well known for.
     "I'm certainly aware of some of the concerns expressed. However, I'm wondering how much effort is really being made to sustain the birthplace. I'm aware of an individual willing to write a check to cover the repair problems and I believe there are still sufficient volunteers willing to provide assistance," he said.
     The recently completed and newly created YesterBoone, a product of the Historical Society, seemed very successful, participation wise, in, at least, some cases, but Eckstein and others have questioned the cost involved. Eckstein commented, "it seems to me quite a sum of money was involved in that and even on other new items such as huge decorative banners surrounding the society's building. The birthplace has never sought huge sums of money but, perhaps, things are being "overspent" in some areas of the Society in lieu of better maintenance of an already established national treasure our city and community have been proud to claim these many years."
     The news release stated, "the temporary closure is intended to provide time for the board to consider other possible ways to engage the public around education and programming at the Eisenhower site."
     Eckstein concluded, "I'm not in favor of the upcoming closure as stated and I, and others, anxiously await the board's consideration of those possible options and what they would be."
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     With the aid of Tony Crandell, BHS-59, we issued a Korner puzzle last time. The question was, "which of the following was  the earliest to-go pizza places in Boone?" Was it the Tic Toc, Manriquez's, Belluci's, Van Gordon's or Schwitt's Drive-In?
     According to our non-paid pizza expert Jerry Manriquez, BSH-57, "Van Gordon Pizza and Manriquez's Pizza both started the same day in 1956. I thought Belluci's later took over Van Gordon's at their current location on Story Street by the Rialto Theatre. Manriquez Pizza was "take out" only from 1704 Carroll Street. We converted our house basement to house the pizza ovens. The entry was  on 17th Street with parking for about six cars. We had a garage built next to the house and a door that led to the basement steps. We did deliver pizza but only to bars. We had signs in most of the bars and patrons would call in an order and we would deliver. My mother, who's parents were from Italy, started the business in early 1956 and closed it in 1959. The three Manriquez boys, Jerry, Jim, BHS-56, and John, BHS-56, would come home from school and start making pizza from 4 p.m. to midnight, seven days a week. After high school, the Manriquez boys joined the Army and Navy leaving my mother to run the business alone until she became too ill to continue. Schwitt's Drive In did not exist at that time and the Tic Toc started pizza in 1957 with pickup from their alley."
     Thanks to Tony and Jerry. Similar puzzles will follow.
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     We hadn't heard from Holden Stradlater, BHS-56, for some time. By the way, there's a good puzzle question, who is this Stradlater guy?
     Anyway, he commented, "the very first taste of pizza for me was from Manriquez basement kitchen. I remember the basement doors covering the outside entry. Great pizza besides being the first one in town. I like Tony's idea for the receipt of puzzle questions. You're going to be getting some good ones I hope. Keep up the great work Mo."
     Holden did offer a question that we'll come back to in a future edition.
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     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Father James Fangman, 86, Carroll, formerly of Boone. BHS-49. Was ordained a priest in 1963 and served at parishes in Estherville, Willey, Ogden, Kingsley, Marcus and elsewhere after saying his first mass at his home parish, Boone Sacred Heart. Brother Robert, a Carroll priest, survives..........Kevin Cleveland, 51, West Virginia. Formerly of Boone. Kevin's dad, Thomas Wirtz, passed away in 1971. Kevin was adopted by Judy and Paul Cleveland and his name was changed to Kevin Cleveland. Kevin lived in Arizona and Washington as well as Iowa. He and his wife, Connie, were team truck drivers........Robert Koenig, 49, Boone. Born in Boone. BHS-85. Was an auto mechanic. Boone area survivors include his wife, Elaine Banner Koenig, son, Jared Koenig, and a step-son, James Gregory, all of Boone. Also surviving are a step-daughter, Mary Johnson, of Dayton, and two other daughters.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson Street, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is still 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT......kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.