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New Winter Activities at the
RailsWest Railroad Museum Winter Hours: Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.
- 4 p.m.; Sunday 1 - 4 p.m.
Reduced admission: $3, age five and under free.
No charge for HSPC members.
Saturday, January
9, 1 p.m.
Society
president Ryan Roenfeld kicks off the month with a presentation about
railroad builder Jay Gould, held by some to be the archetypal
unscrupulous 19th century businessman. Legal loopholes, stock
manipulation, insider trading... all in a days work for Jay Gould. But
along the way he built some mighty impressive railroads, and ensured his
position as one of the wealthiest Americans of his day. Join us as Mr.
Roenfeld separates fact from fiction, telling some fascinating tales
about big business in the 1800's.
Saturday, January 16, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Train Talk
The Greater Omaha Society of Model Engineers (GOSOME)
will be running great examples of "then and now" on their extensive HO
scale model train layout located inside the Rock Island Depot.
Livestock
was king in the days of steam and coal is the king in the days of the
diesel. See long stock and coal trains along with some of the visitor
favorites from the era of passenger travel. Come and ask your
questions about this fascinating hobby.
model trains will be
running all day long across the group's impressive layout.
Saturday, January 23, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Train Talk
"The Man Who Wrecked 146 Locomotives"
Book signing and lecture by author/publisher, Jim
Reisdorff
Between 1896 and 1932, Connolly, a resident of Des
Moines, Iowa, deliberately staged 73 head-on collisions of steam
locomotives before large thrill-seeking audiences at state fairs and
other public events nationwide. Reisdorff, a railroad buff, has had a
long-time interest in Connolly's career and the once-common public
entertainment of crashing trains together. His research into Connolly
is the subject of a new book by Reisdorff entitled "The Man Who
Wrecked 146 Locomotives."
Saturday, January 30 - To be announced
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BRAND NEW!
Tales from the Squirrel Cage Jail
The Historical Society of Pottawattamie County is proud to announce the
release of a new book that puts life into the stark bricks and steel of
the 123-year-old Pottawattamie County "Squirrel Cage" Jail.
Tales from the Squirrel Cage Jail was written by Ryan
Roenfeld, president of the Historical Society, in collaboration with
Dr. Richard Warner, editor of the Society's Member Journal.
For complete information about the book, including ordering information,
please visit its special page on our web site.
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THE LINCOLN MARKER PROJECT
The Lincoln Marker Project invites artists to submit proposals for
seven pieces of artwork for historic markers in Historic Council
Bluffs.
For details about this exciting project,
visit The Lincoln Marker Project
page.
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TOURS
Interested in a
tour of the Historic Squirrel Cage Jail or the RailsWest Railroad Museum?
Contact Us
for Tour Information
GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH
Are you looking for
genealogical information? May we recommend our friends at
the
Pottawattamie County Genealogical Society-Frontier Heritage Library
Phone: 712-325-9368
Email: pcgs@pcgs.omhcoxmail.com
Web site:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iapcgs/
JOIN THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
We always welcome new
members!
For more information, please visit our membership
page. |
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HSPC
ATTRACTIONS |
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 SQUIRREL
CAGE JAIL
Visit a truly one-of-a-kind structure on the National
Register of Historic Places Served as
the
Pottawattamie County Jail from 1885 until 1969. FREE
ADMISSION with membership. CLICK HERE for
hours and admission information.
NEW!
Tales from the Squirrel Cage Jail book
Visit the Squirrel Cage Jail
on Facebook
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 RAILSWEST
RAILROAD MUSEUM
See railroad, postal, and regional memorabilia
in a restored 1899 Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific passenger and freight
depot. FREE ADMISSION with membership.
CLICK HERE for hours and admission information.
Visit
Council Bluffs Railroads on Facebook
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 HISTORIC RAIL CAR DISPLAY
Steam engines, a Chicago, Burlington and Quincy club
car, cabooses, and a Railway Post Office car are displayed.
Admission included with visit to RailsWest Railroad Museum. FREE ADMISSION
with membership. |
 HO
SCALE MODEL RAILROAD DISPLAY
Watch model trains run over a layout styled after
Council Bluffs in the only permanent model railroad exhibit open to
the
public in the metro area. Presented by the Greater Omaha Society
of Model Engineers. Admission included with visit to RailsWest
Railroad Museum. FREE ADMISSION with membership. |
ONLINE DISPLAY GALLERY
Council Bluffs
has changed a lot over history. Take a look at some photos from the
Historical Society's archives, featuring the changing scenes of Council
Bluffs.
See these historical photos. |
HAUNTED IN
THE BLUFFS
There are feelings of paranormal goings on at the jail that are other than
mortal. Ghosts? In Council Bluffs?? IN OUR JAIL???
We dare you
to take a look... |
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HSPC HISTORY ONLINE |
RAILROAD HISTORY AND THE ROCK ISLAND DEPOT
The railroads influenced the area's history perhaps more than anything
else. Visit this page for a comprehensive review of Council
Bluffs' evolution as railroad center of the Midwest.
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SQUIRREL CAGE JAIL
Rotary jails were rare -- only 18 were ever built --
and the largest was in Council Bluffs. Our
Squirrel Cage Jail page gives visitor information and you can order a
copy of Tales from the Squirrel Cage Jail
for a more in-depth history of the world's
only three-story rotary jail. |
SAM BAYLISS ON BROADWAY
Trace the life of this early citizen through
his influential role in the building of Council Bluffs and formation of
Omaha. Reprinted by popular request from previous HSPC Newsletters. |
COUNCIL BLUFFS IMPLEMENT DISTRICT
The farm implement trade made several businessmen among the wealthiest and
most prominent residents in town. Every implement firm doing business in
Omaha today started in Council Bluffs. |
EARLY DAYS AT AVOCA
Learn about the early days of Avoca
in far northeastern Pottawattamie
County, a town created largely by the railroad and German Immigrants. |
SOME COUNCIL BLUFFS CON-MEN
Ponzi schemes and Nigerian e-mail
scams? Kid stuff compared to what was just all in a days work for a number
of our more colorful residents of days gone by. Council Bluffs helped put
the "Wild" in "Wild West." If you know anyone who thinks local history is
boring, here's an article that will change their mind! |
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HSPC MEMBER SERVICES |
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Here's more information, a
free sample of photos from the book, and how to order your own copy of
Council Bluffs: Broadway. |
