- 1972 to 1977 - The Old House
Lived in an old farmhouse on 5 acres. We had a horse, colt, cow, calf, chickens, pigs, and a couple goats over the years. - Used to ride my bike over here a lot. I was in grade school at the time.
- Moved to 12 acres here, spent the winter in a mobile home while the house got built. Moved into the new house on Mothersday 1978.
- Junior High
I hated riding the bus so much that I rode my bike 3 miles to town almost every day of the school year. - High School
Graduated 1984 - Best friend lived here. We still chat on AIM at least a few times per week.
- "Downtown"
- Returned to Iowa in 1992. Built a timber frame house overlooking the pond. Moved away in 2000 with no intentions of coming back.
- Hoefle-Dulin Park
We did a lot of cat fishing here. Also some bike riding along the river bluffs. - The other place with Christmas lights. The real show was about 5 miles north of town off the Mt Auburn blacktop.
- One of the rock quarries we used to swim in. The water was cold and deep. On sunny days there would be a respectable undertow on the shaded side of the quarry.
- The guy who lived here flew RC airplanes. He had a huge collection of planes and helicopters. I'd sometimes ride my bike up there and watch him fly them.
- There used to be an unkept lone horse in this pasture. Today the owner would be a guest on Animal Cops. I don't think it was malnourished, but it could have used a good hoof trimming and brushing.
- Dead man's hill. A very steep gravel road ending in a T intersection and a creek at the bottom. I think I only managed to climb it on my bicycle a few times w/o walking. Down this hill on a bike with bad brakes wasn't quite as much fun as going up.
- The top and right sides of this block are the "strip" where everyone cruised on Friday and Saturday nights. The skating rink was/is near the bottom right corner.
- The Viking Galley.
Just another mediocre restaurant. It was vacant last time I drove through town. - The Fairgrounds
- Near the railroad, tucked in along a fencerow is a very old cemetary. The few dates we could read were before Iowa became a state. Last time I was there was around 1980 and the limestone grave markers were all but disintegrated.
- One of the largest, ugliest hate fences I've ever seen was in here. I think both parties have since died, the fence was gone last time I drove by. At one time the fence was an about 20' tall topped with orange plastic mesh.
- Mud Creek.
Dad and I trapped muskrat and mink here in the 70s. - The County Home (now known as The Cedar Valley Ranch). I rolled my first car, a 1968 Dodge window van just east of the home. My first and last ambulance ride. I got 9 stiches in my head and my sister got 15 or so in her knee. No other injuries.
- Mexican camp corner. This is where the migrant workers camped while building the cobble stone streets in town (around the turn of the last century). This corner claimed more than a few vehicles, including my brother-in-laws new Grand Prix.
- This farm pond was built in the early 80s. My best friend and I swam here nearly every day the summer before my senior year.
- HOME OF THE VIKINGS! - jdurchen
- This farm had a huge "Hogs are Beautiful" sign on their barn. The smell was far from beautiful. If the wind was from the south I'd hold my breath as I biked past.
- The county humane society. This is where all the bad dogs and cats went.
- When I was in grade school, the county sheriff lived in here. He totaled his police cruiser one night by hitting a hog. Most of the roads out here are gravel and it's not always easy to stop.
- Our 4H meetings were held in this building. It was an old one room school house converted to use as a polling place for the township.
- There used to be a farm house and outbuildings here. When we first moved to "The Old House" in 1972 we shared a party phone line with them.
- I think this is the farm where we had a lot of marshmallow roasts and hay rides for 4H. Might have been a mile south.
- Used to seine minnows for fishing from the creek that passed under the road here. There was a nice swimming hole on one side of the bridge that was always cool and inviting on hot summer days.
- (Right edge of map)
When we built our house by the pond, the house at this intersection was the only other light we could see at night. - Jolly Roger's Pizza
We would go almost every Thursday night for "76" prices. $8 for a large pepperoni mushroom and we could help ourselves to the fountain drinks. They made their own sauce and bought all the meats and cheeses from a local store. - Fareway (Grocery Store)
My after school and summer job. I went in every Saturday afternoon after my 16th birthday and asked if they were hiring. Didn't take long for the manager to hire just so I'd quit bugging him. - The Cedar River
- Theisen's
One of the better farm supply stores I've shopped. - Grain Elevator
Ready Mix Concrete
Alco Department Store.
The town voted out Walmart and opted for an Alco instead. At the time I thought Walmart was better, but after seeing what they've done to other small towns I think Alco was a better choice. - Highway 218
- Dullin's Campgrounds. I went to school with the owners son.
Vinton, Iowa - Surrounding Area
Feel free to add comments if you have any memories of this area.
Most the the places I've indicated here are in the center of the comment. The smallest comment blocks are about a third of a mile per side.
Comments and faves
tsackett (87 months ago | reply)
I liked your comment about the hating the junior high school bus so much that you started biking. I went through the same thing, at the same age. When I started biking every day, I didn't know how to pace myself; I would, more or less, sprint the 3 1/2 miles to school. I had always been the 90lb weakling-type of kid, but one day I found out that other kids were calling me elephant legs because of the muscles I had built up.
AntonOlsen (87 months ago | reply)
Regarding the bus...
To make matter worse, my house was the last one dropped off at night. It could frequently take an hour, maybe two if weather was bad.
I could usually ride the 3 miles in under 10 minutes going home, and a little faster going into town. I didn't have any clue about pacing myself either and just kept pushing.
drewzhrodague (87 months ago | reply)
I haven't ever spent too much time in one area, but I like seeing what other people are doing with maps -- keep up the good work!
mzrascoff added this photo to their favorites. (87 months ago)
Brenda Anderson (87 months ago | reply)
Your photo has been linked to from
Wired magazine, so expect lots of hits!
AntonOlsen (87 months ago | reply)
Thanks, both for the heads up and positive comments! I have a few more images I'm going to upload and start annotating this weekend. Just waiting for payday so I can get a pro account. 10MB doesn't go very far.
UF Behavior Analysis and nazoking added this photo to their favorites.
DerekAlfonso [deleted] (86 months ago | reply)
Yep, came from Wired link, neat stuff.
why_knot (86 months ago | reply)
so?
AntonOlsen (86 months ago | reply)
To: why_knot
Why so?
Why not.
Kathleen_ added this photo to her favorites. (85 months ago)
dirtnapdesigns (72 months ago | reply)
Anton,its really cool to see this and yet makes me feel sick at the same time. I dont have contact with anyone from that time or place.It is really interesting to me that I find one of the few people who I dont have bad memories about here on flickr.Glad to see you!!!
Removethatnow, hedczech0, boxercircle@sbcglobal.net, I am hello, and myoldjeans20 added this photo to their favorites.
sugarcoma (52 months ago | reply)
i had the pleasure of meeting ron gray at the modern motel a couple of years ago. he was selling the landmark sign for the motel. i drove from ohio to get it...he told so many great stories about the people of vinton. sounds like a great place to grow up and call home. please take a look at my journey... www.flickr.com/photos/sugarcoma/sets/1162216/
philharmonik added this photo to his favorites. (52 months ago)
gocyclones (51 months ago | reply)
I remember going to Berry's Lanes on Friday nights for red pin bowling, having to walk my bike up the hill to the swimming pool and never thinking I was going to make it, the downtown "Rest Station" eeww, Dog & Cat Day sidewalk sale, delivering the Livewire to around 200 people for way to long...I could keep going all day. It was a great place to grow up!
sandwich face added this photo to her favorites. (43 months ago)