I wrote this volume as a gift back to the Stockman House, and all sales go to its upkeep. I lead tours at this charming house every other week during the summer season.
A REVIEW: “The new book about the Stockman House (1908) in Mason City, IA is comprehensive and beautifully done. It’s a handy size and the paper feels good to the touch and reproduces its many illustrations well, which include drawings, correspondence, vintage photos and contemporary photos. The content of the book covers the entire history of the house, including the original clients and of course its rescue, eventual move to its current site and thorough restoration there. I believe that Dr. Robert McCoy, who was instrumental in saving the house, would be very pleased with this publication! I highly recommend it.” — Anthony Thompson
My article “A Trip to Dakota,” revives the narrative of an 1880 journey into Dakota Territory along the Missouri River, as told by two adventurous young women, Lizzie and Ruth Irish. At the time, their father, Charles Wood Irish, was working as the lead surveyor for the Dakota Central Railroad, which paved the way for the Ingalls family to move to Dakota Territory. The issue wraps up with a Dakota Images profile of surveyor Charles Wood Irish. Nancy Tystad Koupal’s article lluminates the little-known history behind the writing and publication of Wilder’s posthumously released The First Four Years, and SDHS Press director Dedra McDonald Birzer presents a “Historical Musings” about Rose Wilder Lane’s contributions to twentieth-century intellectual discourse.
During research about the construction of the Winona & St. Peter line from Winona MN to Watertown Dakota Territory, many fascinating stories were found. Among them was the construction and collapse of the first RR bridge across the Mississippi River to Winona. This article includes background information for the importance of this line, the excitement as the bridge was built, the temporary winter bridge that was constructed in days, and the collapse of the newly-opened permanent bridge.
This volume of South Dakota History, the quarterly journal of the South Dakota State Historical Society, includes an article about photography and art from the Hard Winter of 1880-81, and how it helps our understanding of what happened that season. It is available for purchase through the South Dakota Historical Society Press via the button below.
I was one of twenty participants in a week-long trip to Colorado sites featured in James Michener’s book Centennial (and the subsequent mini-series). Afterwards, a magazine was created using photos and written reflections of the trip, and I wrote several of the vignettes as well as a feature-length article that was published in a Colorado newspaper. We were also joined by actor Gregory Harrison for the last two of the five days. This is the resulting 116-page magazine about the trip.