Iowa History Journal

09/11/2026

Iowa History Journal visited Gray’s Lake Park in Des Moines yesterday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

For the 15th year, volunteers placed 2,977 U.S. flags on the park’s west side to honor those who died on that tragic day … a day none of us who are old enough will forget.

Today, we are thinking of the 9/11 victims and their families, including eight Iowans who were killed that day. Among them was Jim Cleere of Newton who died at the site of the World Trade Center Twin Towers in NYC.

Read IHJ Publisher Michael Swanger’s 2021 column on our FB page about his work as a reporter for the Newton Daily News on 9/11 and his coverage of Jim and his family on 9/11 and in the months afterwards.

Never forget. 🇺🇸

09/11/2026

25 years later we remember and we honor those who were killed in the terrorist attacks against our nation on Sept. 11, 2001.

There were eight Iowans among the 2,977 U.S. citizens who died on that tragic day. Among them was Jim Cleere from Newton. IHJ Publisher Michael Swanger was a reporter for the Newton Daily News and began reporting on Jim and his family that day. Five years ago he wrote a column for IHJ about his memories of that day and his experience telling Jim's story in the months ahead. We are sharing it again today with the hope that we never forget.

Where were you on Sept. 11, 2001?If you are old enough to remember the horrific events of that infamous day, most likely you will never forget it. Nor will I.

09/08/2026

OTD Sept. 8, 1966: NBC aired the first episode of Star Trek

Sixty years ago the first episode of “Star Trek” aired on television and launched a pop culture phenomenon. The original series starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, who led his diverse crew of humans and at least one alien, on adventures in space. The fictional Kirk, according to the “Star Trek” franchise, was born on March 22, 2233, in Riverside, Iowa.

Each spring Riverside hosts Trekfest to celebrate Kirk's birthday. (Riverside claims his birthday to be March 22, 2228.) The weekend event hosted by Riverside Area Community Club - Trekfest features cast members of Star Trek franchise movies and television shows, as well as several family activities.

Our March/April 2026 issue features a story about the annual Trekfest celebration. Copies remain. Follow the link to read it. 🖖
https://iowahistoryjournal.com/riversides-trekfest.../ See less

  March/April 2026 (Volume 18, Issue 2)   By Jerry Harrington   “I’m from Iowa. I only work in outer space,” said the fictional character Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise in the 1986 movie “Star Trek: The … Continue reading →

09/08/2026

All previous issues 50% off through Oct. 31
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09/07/2026

IHJ 2026 Quiz, Week 36: University of Northern Iowa was founded 150 years ago on Sept. 6, 1876, in Cedar Falls when the state transformed an orphanage into a college to train teachers. What was the school’s name when it was founded?

Read our story about UNI’s 150 years on UNI’s website: https://insideuni.uni.edu/campus-community/true-spirit-strong-knowledge-150-years-university-northern-iowa

Find the answer in the Sept/Oct issue of Iowa History Journal sold at Barnes & Noble, Hy-Vee, Beaverdale Books, Books-A-Million and select Walmart, Fleet Farm, Walgreens and Hy-Vee Drug stores. To subscribe, visit iowahistoryjournal.com and add $2.50 to start with the current issue.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day!

Today we recognize the contributions of the American labor movement that helped to develop our nation. Beginning in the late 19th century trade unionists proposed that a day be set aside to celebrate labor. A September holiday called “Labor Day” was first proposed in the early 1880s before it became a federal holiday in 1894.

See the gallery of historic photos of Iowans at work courtesy of the State Historical Society of Iowa and follow their page.

09/06/2026

OTD: Sept. 6, 1876: University of Northern Iowa was founded in Cedar Falls.

Follow UNI's link to read Assistant Professor of History Kevin Mason's excellent feature story about UNI's 150 years that appears in the Sept/Oct issue of IHJ! Go Panthers! 💜💜

Iowa State Normal School central campus, 1891 Editor’s note: This article was written for the September/October 2026 issue of Iowa History Journal. An excerpt is republished here with permission.‌‌Those first 27 students enrolled in the newly established Iowa State Normal School hoped to help ...

09/05/2026

Happy Labor Day weekend!
50% off sale! 🔥 Sept/Oct issue on newsstands now! 👀
iowahistoryjournal.com/store/