Category: Iowa
The 70th Anniversary of a Special Nativity Scene
This year in Algona, IA, residents will celebrate the 70th anniversary of a very special Nativity scene. It was a gift from prisoners far from…
A Nativity Scene On Display Year-Round
During the advent season, many families and churches will set up Nativity scenes. They figures remind us of the birth of Jesus. But here, the…
Escaping a POW Camp in the Midwest
If a soldier is taken as a prisoner of war, they may try to escape to freedom. That was the case for the Germans living…
Enemy Soldiers Working the Fields of Home
Imagine the pain of losing a son or daughter who was fighting in a war. Now imagine hiring one of the enemy soldiers to work…
A Shortage of Labor at Home During World War II
When young men went to fight in Europe and the Pacific during World War II, many communities were left with a shortage of labor. To…
Experiencing World War II In a Unique Way
During World War II, some U.S. communities experienced the conflict in a unique way. They became the homes for foreign POWs, captured abroad and sent…
Rebuilding the Pine Creek Grist Mill
Retirees are often looking for a good cause to which to devote their time. Not many take up grinding flour from a 160 old water…
The Pine Creek Mill
People near Muscatine have always known of a place called Pine Creek Mill, but for most of the 20th century, it sat idle, with a…
A POW-built Nativity
It was Christmas 1945. German POWs at Camp Algona in Algona, Iowa would be returning to Europe the next year. This was the final Christmas…
Tractors of the War
We may not think of ag equipment manufacturers having much to do with the U.S. military. However, during World War II, most of those companies…
