Jack's Journal: June 18
CBS News producer Jack Halsbond is behind the wheel of one of two Early Show Winnebagos traveling the country in June and July as part of the "Great American Vacation" giveaway. Read his Web-exclusive road diary.
The first thing that you realize about river towns is that they are populated by really great people. Burlington, Iowa, is no exception.
View my photosEverywhere I went I was met with smiles, hellos and "how do"s. The folks at the Steamboat Days Festival all volunteer their time and effort — only the acts get paid. It's truly a labor of love from the heart.
Russ Brown, VP of Grounds for Steamboat Days, could not have done enough to help with positioning our Winnebago right in front of the main gate. We were seen and in turn saw the huge turnout on Friday night for Montgomery Gentry and Bo Bice, of "American Idol" fame on Saturday night. They were the main attractions on the north stage. The south stage was where the up-and-coming hopefuls performed their hearts out. To say that Solace, a local group from Burlington, practically stole the show Saturday night is not too much of a stretch.
Burlington dates back to 1805. The Sac and Fox Indians called this area "Shoquoquon," meaning Flint Hills, because of the abundance of flint gathering sites. After the Black Hawk War of 1832, Iowa was open for settlement and Burlington became the first Iowa Territorial capital in 1838.
In January 1852, the Burlington and Missouri River Rail Road Company was incorporated in Burlington. A single-track railroad bridge was opened in 1868; it was replaced by the current double-track bridge in 1892. A walk back in time is what this city is all about.
As I strolled Jefferson St. before the Steamboat Days Parade began, it was easy to imagine the sounds and sights of 19th-century America. The stately homes that still stand in all their glory along Heritage Hill pay homage to those that were razed to make way for the interstate of the 20th century.
Perhaps the lasting monument to a way of life long gone may be Snake Alley. Named the "crookedest street in the world" by Robert Ripley of Ripley's Believe It or Not, Snake Alley rivals Lombard Street in San Francisco for that honor. It was constructed in 1894 to address a major problem for the Burlington citizens of the day. With the majority of all commerce situated in the river valley, transportation up and down the steep hillsides was extremely difficult. Realizing that a new and improved road system was needed, this experimental street was designed and built by three Germans from the models of vineyards paths in France and Germany.
The brick paving in use today is still the original that was used in construction more than 100 years ago. This unique road rises 58.3 feet from Washington Street to Columbia Street and covers a distance of 275 feet with five half curves and two quarter curves. It literally can take your breath away as you walk crookedly up it.
Now, where do you think that Burlington took its name from? Well, according to local historian Sam Jennison — who along with his wife, Mo, owns the
Drake, a renowned eating establishment in these parts — the first settlers descended from Burlington, Vt.
Jennison should know. His family descends directly from the pilgrims of the 1600s, members of his family served in the Revolutionary War, the Indian Wars and the Civil War — and settled as homesteaders in 1859 in northern Iowa's Howard County. He also makes a pretty mean New York strip.
The Steamboat Days final act is the parade on Jefferson Street down to the river, sort of like a Neil Young stanza. All the townspeople turn out as the Grand Marshal leads the way. The Sweethearts, dressed in red, are the main attraction as everyone celebrates this great land of ours and the Steamboat Days of Burlington, Iowa.