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O.D. Collis started this
business in Clinton after coming from Wisconsin. Chrome was used for many
applications, especially wire refrigerator racks.
 The trolley car turn around on South 14th Street. So the story goes, an Irish conductor would jump off at a bar, late at night, and let the trolley car turn around on its own!
 The
Boy Scout movement was
at its peak, and the Clinton group decided to go to Yellowstone National
Park in 1920. There were no paved highways. 50 adults took 200 boys
to the park in borrowed cars. Some never returned....the cars, that
is. It was a great experience and is recorded on one of the first
Clinton moving pictures of an event. The U.S. Army contacted the
scouts to find out the logistics of how they did it. It was a great
feat!
THE HERRITY
BAKERY
In 1904, a 38-year-old railroad
worker died of "apoplexy" while on duty. His widow had to start a
business, because there was no social security. Ten years later we
see Mary Herrity, her two sons and a salesman. The son with the
rolling pin is John "Uetter" Herrity, who played football under that
assumed name with George Halas in the Quad Cities. Next to him is
Tom, who was home from dental school at the University of Iowa. This
is how people survived.
The Second St. Mary's Church. The first one was
where Roosevelt School is. Poor immigrants always built
their churches. It is unimaginable how they were able to afford this.
Note, no bell tower.
Fred "Duke" Slater was a CHS lineman circa
1917-1919. He became an All-American at Iowa and later a lawyer, then a judge in
Chicago. He played pro football with the likes of Red
Grange and Jim Thorpe in Rock Island. Fred came to town when his dad became
pastor of the A.M.E. Bethel Church. He had to sneak out and play football,
because his dad didn't want him to play that deadly sport. His dad finally
relented and Duke became the best tackle of his day. He went to Iowa and
graduated in 1921, and became one of the first All-Americans and later a lawyer.
He played pro football and became a judge in Chicago, where he died in 1966.
 The second Clinton High School was built in
1921 and can be seen in this early football
picture.
Karl Nelson ran the 100 - yard dash in 9.6 seconds in
1933, and still is tied as Clinton's fastest human being with Jeremy Glasgow. He
later ran against the great Jessie Owens in the ball park and stayed right with
him before being edged out by the great Olympian!
 Kenny Ploen was a fast ball
carrier at CHS in 1952-53 for coach Max Lynn. They both made it to
Iowa Halls of Fame in several categories. Kenny Ploen went to the University of
Iowa on a Nile Kinnick Academic Scholarship in the fall of 1953. He
played quarterback for the famous Forrest Evasheski, and was the most
valuable player in the 1957 Rose Bowl. Iowa won on its first Rose Bowl
visit, and Kenny raced 60 yards for a touchdown. He had been a four
sports star in Clinton and could easily have played basketball at
Iowa. He was voted into both the State of Iowa and University of Iowa
Halls of Fame. He became a civil engineer and played pro football for
the Winnipeg Bluebombers of the CFL; he now lives in Winnipeg.
 The second Clinton High
School, 1921. (Roosevelt Bldg. was the first,
1888.) This beautiful building had a
sunken garden out front and special ornate brickwork.
Tragically, CHS was the
object of an arsonist in 1968.
 The fire was started by a
young man who was identified in a picture of the crowd watching one of the
many fires which he started that winter. The building was not totally
destroyed, but was rebuilt quickly while students did double sessions at
Washington Junior High School for 6 months.
Kids at old Kirkwood School on
4th St. The building across the street is still
there.
 Wartburg College was part of
the Clinton scene, circa 1895-1935. This was the main building and it
was high on the bluff west of So. 18th St. and College Ave. The gym
was remodeled into a house just east of it.
 The 1890's could be
referred to as the Age of Chatauquas. These were summer camps devoted
to special interests like literature, politics, philosophy, or even
spiritualism. Clinton's Mt. Pleasant Park was part of the latter interest
and still is somewhat active. It had the first outdoor swimming
pool and is located on Bluff and 2nd Ave. So. Séances were held
regularly by mediums.
  
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