NO RAIN, SUNSHINE.
HIGH OF 78.
BACK TO RAIN TOMORROW.
SINCE 1973 MAQUOKETA HAS BEEN SERVED BY THE SUNSHINE PRE-SCHOOL
AND DAY CARE CENTER. BEGINNING TODAY, THE FACILITY HAS A NEW
NAME. HEATHER MOORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ANNOUNCED ON KMAQ'S
"JUST TALK" SHOW THAT THE NEW NAME IS "SUNSHINE LEARNING CENTER".
THE CENTER WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM AGES 6- WEEKS TO 12 YEARS. MOORE SAID THE NEW NAME BETTER ILLUSTRATES
WHAT SUNSHINE OFFERS. SUNSHINE LEARNING CENTER WILL HAVE A NEW LOGO AND A REVISED WEBSITE.
AND...SUNSHINE IS SPOSORING THE FLY-IN BREAKFAST AT THE MAQUUOKETA AIRPORT THIS SUNDAY, FATHERS DAY, FROM 7 A.M. UNTIL
12 NOON. ADULTS, $8 AND KIDS 12 AND UNDER, FREE.
A BIG TURNOUT TODAY FOR THE BROWN BAG LUNCH AT THE CLINTON ENGINES MUSEUM MEETING ROOM. IT IS SPONSORED BY THE JACKSON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND IS HELD EVERY TUESDAY NOON
AND OPEN FREE TO ANYONE. THOSE ATTENDING BRING THEIR OWN SALAD OR SANDWICH AND A BEVERAGE AND SWEET ITEM IS FURNISHED.
TODAY, THE PROGRAM WAS HOSTED BY FORMER MAQUOKETAN ANN
(WILCOX) EDLEMAN (MCHS 1954) OF DUBUQUE. IT WAS ABOUT THE BIGGEST HOME EVER BUILDT IN MAQUOKETA.
IT WAS LOCATED ON A LARGE LOT JUST OFF WEST SUMMIT STREET.
A RICH RESIDENT JOB REYNOLDS BUILDT IT IN 1880 AND HE HAD IT FOR 20 YEARS. THEN IT BECAME A SANITARIUM (HOSPITAL) IN 1900, WITH THE
OPERATING ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR. THERE WAS AN ELEVATOR.
IN 1920 W.P. BOWERS, A CHICAGO CAPITALIST BOUGHT IT AND CONVERTED
IT INTO A SUMMER HOME AND IT BECAME KNOWN AS THE BOWER MANSION.
BOWER SOLD IT TO GEORGE LARKEY WHO KEPT IT 2 YEARS AND THEN
SOLD IT TO ANN'S FATHER, A MAQUOKETA PAINT STORE OWNER. BY NOW IT HAD BEEN COVERTED INTO SEVERAL APARTMENTS AND THE WILCOX FAMILY LIVED IN ONE OF THEM.
A PHOTO OF THE HOUSE BEING TORN DOWN IN 1949. HER DAD
DECIDED TO TAKE IT DOWN, USE PART OF THE FOUNDATION AND
BUILD A SMALLER MODERN HOME ON THE SITE. QUITE A STORY ABOUT MAQUOKETA'S ONLY MANSION. TOO BAD IT IS GONE. IT WAS BUILDT FOR $14,000 AND TODAY IT WOULD BE WORTH NEARLY $400,000 AND WOULD PROBABLY BE A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
ANN READ AN ARTICLE WRITTEN BACK THEN THAT SAID MAQUOKETA WAS
THE BEST SMALL TOWN IN IOWA.
NO SURPRISE .. IT STILL IS!
PHOTO BELOW OF THE CLUBHOUSE AT PRAIRIE CREEK GOLF COURSE
IN MAQUOKETA. BUSY PLACE. THERE IS ANOTHER ROW OF GOLF CARTS BEHIND THIS ONE.
BACKYARD VIEW .....OF THE GOLF COURSE AND ALL THOSE TREES. NOPE..DON'T KNOW WHO OWNS THE HOUSE.
PHOTO BELOW TAKEN SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE OPEN HOUSE OF THE
NEWLY RE-NAMED "ERGON PENNINGROTH MACHINE SHED" AT THE FAIRGROUNDS AND THE CORNELIUS FAMILY LOG CABIN INSIDE. WANDA
CORNELIUS WAS THERE AND SHE IS IN THE PHOTO. NO...SHE NEVER LIVED THIS. A LITTLE BEFORE HER TIME...A LOT BEFORE HER TIME.
CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR MORE NEWS, PHOTOS AND FEATURES.
DENNIS VOY
