DID YOU KNOW

Post by **noreply66** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 8:10 pm

SOUTH DAKOTA

In 1935,the Army Air Corps and the National Geographics Society launched the Explorer II manned ballon from a 500-foot hollow,which became known as the Stratobowl,near Rapid City (pop. 59,607). Explorer II gathered information that paved the way for the space program.

Post by **noreply66** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:36 pm

WISCONSIN
A 1,336-pound grand champion steer raised by Brook May ,12,of Mineral Point (pop.2,617) was sold last October for a record-setting $100,000 at the American Royal Junior Premium Livestock in Kansas City.

Post by **noreply66** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:06 am

ILLINOIS

Parading in patriotic boxer shorts,undershirts,black knee socks and sandals,the Precision Lawn Chair Marching Dads keep crowds chuckling while execuring military-style drills with lawn chairs.The dads organized in 1994 in Crystal Lake (pop. 38,000)

Post by **noreply66** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 12:38 pm

INDIANA

In 1957,Bob and Joyce Newton began building racing tires by re-treading street tires in a South bend horse barn.Today,their Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. headquarters in Lakeville (pop. 567) is the world's largest manufacturrer of racing tires.

Post by **noreply66** » Wed Apr 05, 2006 3:43 pm

IOWA

No news was bad news for Lost Nation (pop.497) when the local newspaper folded.So in 1986,an entirely volunteer staff began producing and publishing "The Community Scoop," a nonprofit weekly newspaper.The homtown paper published its 1,000th issue last week.Now that's good news!

Post by **noreply66** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:28 pm

KANSAS

The most famous murals in the State Capitol in Topeka were left unsigned and unfinished in 1941 by John Steuart Curry after a public outcry that his paintings of abolitionist John brown and tornadoes reflected poorly on the state.

Post by **noreply66** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:54 pm

MICHIGAN

With a slope decending 641 feet,Porcupine Mountain Ski Area at the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Ontonagon (pop.2,954) has the highest vertical ski drop in the state.

Post by **noreply66** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:17 pm

MINNESOTA

Actor James Arness,who was born in 1923 in Minneapolis,lassoed the role of Marshal Matt Dillon for the television Western Gunsmoke from 1955 to 1975. John Wayne declined the role and recommended his 6-foot-seven -inch friend

Post by **noreply66** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:29 pm

MISSOURI

The Black Word History Museum in St. Louis documents the lives of ordinary and famous African-Americans,including scientist George Washington Carver and civil rights leader Martin Luther King.Artifacts from an archaeological excavation of a slave's cabin are showcased.

Post by **noreply66** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:40 pm

NEBRASKA

Musician Roger Williams,born in 1924 in Omaha,is America's best-selling pianist with 18 gold and platinum Albums.His 1955 hit,"Autumn Leaves,"reached No I on the Billboard charts and the song remains the best-selling piano recording of all time.

Post by **noreply66** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:05 am

NORTH DAKOTA

Arrow-Tech Inc. in Rolla (pop. 1,147) manufactures equipment to detect biological,chemical and nuclear agents and is the only manufacturer of the Federal Emergency Management Agency-designed pocket dosimeter,a device used to detect radiation.

Post by **noreply66** » Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:37 pm

OHIO

The 1868 Zoarville Station Bridge at Camp Tuscazoar in Dover (pop. 12,210) was designed by Albert Fink and is believed the last through-truss bridge of its kind.The 105-foot bridge features Phoenix columns of hollow wrought-iron for their strength.

Post by **noreply66** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 5:47 pm

SOUTH DAKOTA

Buffalo,bighorn sheep prairie dogs and begging burros may be encountered while driving along the open grasslands and rolling hills of the 18-mile Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway in Custer State park in Custer (pop. 1,860).

Post by **noreply66** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:29 pm

WISCONSIN

On Dec.31,1967,the Green Bay Packers beat the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field in Green Bay to win the NFL chamionship in minus-13-degree weather with a wind chill of minus 46.The game was dubbed the "Ice Bowl"

Post by **noreply66** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:43 pm

ILLINOIS

Famous for its elegant atmosphere,lavish Christmas displays and Frango mints,Marshall Field's department store has been a beloved landmark on State Street in Chicago since 1892.This fall,the store's name will be changed to Macy's as a result of last year's acquisition by Macy's Cincinnati-based parent company.

YOU'RE TIGER BAIT · Post by **YOU'RE TIGER BAIT** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 11:47 pm

largemouth bass can be caught on an array of artificial plugs, plastics, jerkbaits, crankbaits, spinningbaits, buzzbaits, as well as an array of live baits. practice catch and release, unless you catch a WALLHANGER. :lol:

Post by **noreply66** » Wed Apr 26, 2006 9:36 am

INDIANA

In the late 1800s,J.S. McQuinn founded Hoosier Manufacturing Co. in Albany (pop.2,368) to build the freestanding kitchen cabinet he invented to include storage and work space.The innovative cabinet style still is called a "Hoosier."

Post by **noreply66** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 8:10 am

IOWA

The nation's largest collection of national bank notes on permanet display is housed in the Higgins Museum in Okoboji (pop.820).Notes representing 278 Iowa towns showcase the history of national banking from 1863 to 1935.

Post by **noreply66** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:18 pm

KANSAS

Created by a federal charter in 1960,the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs (pop. 6,768) is the nation's tribute to the American farmer.A vast collection of historic farm machinery is displayed on the center's 172 acres.

Post by **noreply66** » Tue May 02, 2006 8:22 am

MICHIGAN

Fanciful legends surround the Paulding Light,a mysterious "ghost light" that can be seen most evenings rising from a forest near Watermeet (pop. 1,472) and hovering for several minutes.Swamp gas is one possible explanation.