Our collection item this week is a $10.00 National Bank Note from the First National Bank of Story City.  This note is a Series 1929 note which is the first year that notes were printed in the smaller size of today's money.  The new notes were about 25% smaller than previous issues.

Prior to the American Civil War, state banks issued their own banknotes. During the Civil War, in 1863, the National Banking Act established a system of National Banks which were empowered to issue National Bank Notes subject to federal oversight. From 1863 to 1935, National Bank Notes were issued by banks throughout the country and in U.S. territories. Banks with a federal charter would deposit bonds in the U.S. Treasury. The banks then could print banknotes worth up to 90% of the value of the bonds. The federal government would back the value of the notes - the issuance of which created a demand for the government bonds needed to back them.

National banks were authorized to issue federal currency under their own names and bearing the signatures of local bank officers.  Over 500 national banks in Iowa issued almost $300,000,000 worth of notes between 1863-1935. The Higgins Museum of National Bank Notes is located in Okoboji, Iowa.  For more information, please visit http://www.thehigginsmuseum.org/

This note, along with a variety of other Story City related items, is a recent donation from Scott Hansen.  We would like to thank Scott for his donation to the Historical Society.

In case you missed it, our Sheldall Schoolhouse museum was featured in the Iowa Life section of the Des Moines Register on July 20th, 2014.  The article featured country schoolhouses that have received grant funding through the State Historical Society of Iowa's Country School Grant Program. To read the article online and see a video about the Sheldall, please visit: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/life/2014/07/18/schoolhouse-sheldall-hamilton-county/12838003/

Our collection item this week is a unique hand painted commemorative sheepskin scroll.  This scroll was given to Ole Andreas Tjernagel on his 80th birthday in 1916.  Ole came to the U.S. in 1856 and lived in Illinois.  In 1859 he bought land in Scott Township, Hamilton County, Iowa.  After which Ole returned to Illinois and married Martha Karina Anderson Follinglo.  In 1864 Ole and Martha and their son Lewis moved to Iowa and began farming the land Ole had purchased.  Several of Ole and Martha's children attended the Sheldall School, and Lewis was also a teacher at the Sheldall.  

The second page of the scroll shows the descendants of Ole and Martha up until 1916.  For more information on the Tjernagel family, please visit http://tjernagel.org/.

Our collection item this week is a cardboard fan featuring Story City businesses on the back and an image of the holy family on the front.  "Attend Church Regularly" is printed on the back.  I wonder if these fans were given out in all of the churches in town or if they were made for one specific church.  Or perhaps the businesses handed them out to customers.  

This fan is currently on display in our new exhibit on the weather extremes in Story City.  Visit the Carriage House Museum to see a variety of vintage swimming suits, coats, thermometers, and photos.  Photos show flooding and blizzards over the years in Story City.  

Our collection item this week is a program from the July 4, 1894 celebration that took place in Story City.  It was an all day affair with a parade, music, speeches, races, baseball, and fireworks.  I found it interesting to see how the town celebrated 120 years ago.  

The parade sounds like it would have been an interesting sight to see.  I'm intrigued by the "Fat man's race" and what that would have entailed.  Were there weight requirements?  I'd love to know more about it and if these races were a tradition.  Baseball was very popular in Story City, I'm sure the Story City v. Boone game that afternoon was well attended.  What part of the program would you have attended?