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About the Book
During the 1830s, a path appeared where Indian Creek flowed out of the
loess hills at Caldwells Potawatomi village and led west across the
Eight-Mile Prairie. A decade later, that path became Broadway through
Mormon Kanesville where California-bound 49ers found anything for sale.
Kanesville became Council Bluffs after 1852 as Broadway spread from Mud
Hollow and Old Town past the Fourth Street Angle across a sea of prairie
grass and sun-flowers to the ferries on the Big Muddy, the Missouri River.
More changes came with the Northwestern, Union Pacific, and Illinois
Central Railroads as Broadway evolved into the route of four U.S.
highways. People went to work at World Radio, Woodwards, and Omaha
Standard, and notorious mobster Meyer Lansky ran greyhounds where stock
cars later raced at Playland Park while teenagers cruised for hamburgers
and entertainment.
These images from the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County, the
Council Bluffs Public Library, and a number of private individuals show
Broadway's transformation from dirt and wagons to automobiles and pavement
as western trails grew into transcontinental highways. A street made for
parades with more than its share of fires, floods, and car wrecks. These
portraits of Broadway, Council Bluffs, not only document the history of a
community but also the crossroads of a nation.
See SAMPLE PHOTOS from the
book, below.
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About the Authors
Ryan L. Roenfeld is a
fifth generation resident of Mills County whose great-great grandfather
was a German immigrant who drove the stagecoach out of Council Bluffs
before the Civil War. Mr. Roenfeld has served on the Board of Directors
of the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County since 2002 and is
currently its president, and is
presently employed by Flatbed Express of La Platte, Nebraska.
Richard Warner is a lifelong resident of Council Bluffs. His
awakening moment to local history came when as a young radio reporter he
was assigned to cover a presentation by veteran historian R.H. Fanders.
The history bug bit, and he’s had an avid interest ever since. Today
Dr. Warner practices general dentistry in Council Bluffs and is a
long-time member of the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County. He has been
editor of the Society’s Member Journal for over twenty years. |
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An Interview with the Authors of
Council Bluffs, Broadway
What was your inspiration for writing the book?
A love of the unique history of Council Bluffs. Because of its
location right in between places a great many people have wanted to go
over the years the city has had more than its fair share of history. Lewis
and Clark, the Mormon trek to the Utah, the gold rush, transcontinental
railroad, first transcontinental highway... there we were, right in the
middle of it all.
How did you research the information for the book?
Many, many hours were spent utilizing the wide array of material
available at the Council Bluffs Public Library and through the Historical
Society of Pottawattamie County.
What will readers find interesting about the book?
Many of the photographs in the book have never been published before.
By making our focus Broadway, the city's main thoroughfare, we gave
ourselves the latitude to depart a little from the traditional citywide
scenes that are important but always covered in every local history.
We've given some space to portions of Broadway that we all drove past
thousands of times and remember but aren't usually pictured. The
nostalgic feel ones gets looking as these is immense. The
accompanying text should have some information of interest to everyone,
whether they are serious history buff or casual reader.
What writing advice would you give to aspiring authors and historians?
Learn to love staring at microfilm and stock up on plenty of notebooks and
pencils. Seriously, the secret is a sincere interest or love of your
subject. That way the research isn't work, it's an exciting adventure.
What lasting impact do you hope your book will leave?
Hopefully a greater appreciation for the rich history of the
community. Ideally someone who may not ever have given our local lore
much thought will thumb through and get bitten by the history bug. Maybe
they'll be the ones to help carry the Historical Society and its mission
to the next generation. |
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Click here
to view additional archival photos of Council Bluffs!
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Sample Photos from Council Bluffs: Broadway
click on a photo to see it
enlarged |
BROADWAY METHODIST CHURCH
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