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Strawberry Point
Vignettes of an Iowa childood at the turn of century.
In this appealing story of a gracious way of living that is almost forgotten today, the sturdy qualities exemplified in the lives of the men and women of Yesterday have been recalled and recorded with grace and warmth. The author has seen the Victorian age with its charm as well as its hardships give way before the fast moving twentieth century.
In this appealing story of a gracious way of living that is almost forgotten today, the sturdy qualities exemplified in the lives of the men and women of Yesterday have been recalled and recorded with grace and warmth. The author has seen the Victorian age with its charm as well as its hardships give way before the fast moving twentieth century.
- GenresMemoir
185 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 30, 2024
An endearing collection of yesteryear memories from the author’s childhood growing up in Strawberry Point, Iowa, at the turn of the century. Also included are stories of her ancestors moving to and settling the area.
It’s a cozy read, full of small town charm and a large, loving extended family.
Content Considerations: nothing to note.
It’s a cozy read, full of small town charm and a large, loving extended family.
Content Considerations: nothing to note.
August 4, 2024
This was a charming and heart warming "slice of life" as it was referred to in their description. Such sweet tales of typical happenings within families around the turn of the century; cars and washing machines coming the scene, how friends and neighbours related to one another and their loving relationships etc. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this old treasure I discovered here and then managed to order through Thriftbooks. (Written in 1967 or 57 I think)...The many spiritual and faith elements were sprinkled throughout which I was impressed with and dearly loved. Oh the hidden gems of old books!
September 22, 2022
Strawberry Point is an actual town in Iowa, and I have driven through it many times. I have also had breakfast in the historic Franklin Hotel referenced in this book. It is even more impressive than the description indicates.
This is the story of a girl that grew up in Strawberry Point during the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. At the start, indoor plumbing was generally nonexistent, and transportation was by horse or on foot. There were no paved roads in Iowa at the time, so what roads that existed were either dusty or muddy. When traveling, people specifically wore outwear for the sole purpose of collecting the dust and keeping it off their clothing.
It was a time of great self-sufficiency, people made most of their own clothing, baked their own bread, churned their own butter and grew much of their own food. Home canning was generally a necessity if a family was to be fed over the winter. Entertainment was local, people played music and sang together, serving an essential social purpose.
The people worked hard, yet they always found time for the social necessities of attending church services and having other large gatherings for socializing. The narrator’s father was a photographer and did business deals on the side. Therefore, her family was generally better off than most of the other people in town.
This is a fun book to read, for it captures what life was like in numerous small towns in the Midwest a few years fore and aft of 1900. While many did not have a lot, few truly wanted for the necessities of life. Towards the end of the narration, the automobile and telephone arrive in town, harbingers of major changes that would soon take place.
This is the story of a girl that grew up in Strawberry Point during the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries. At the start, indoor plumbing was generally nonexistent, and transportation was by horse or on foot. There were no paved roads in Iowa at the time, so what roads that existed were either dusty or muddy. When traveling, people specifically wore outwear for the sole purpose of collecting the dust and keeping it off their clothing.
It was a time of great self-sufficiency, people made most of their own clothing, baked their own bread, churned their own butter and grew much of their own food. Home canning was generally a necessity if a family was to be fed over the winter. Entertainment was local, people played music and sang together, serving an essential social purpose.
The people worked hard, yet they always found time for the social necessities of attending church services and having other large gatherings for socializing. The narrator’s father was a photographer and did business deals on the side. Therefore, her family was generally better off than most of the other people in town.
This is a fun book to read, for it captures what life was like in numerous small towns in the Midwest a few years fore and aft of 1900. While many did not have a lot, few truly wanted for the necessities of life. Towards the end of the narration, the automobile and telephone arrive in town, harbingers of major changes that would soon take place.
October 31, 2022
Sweet little find at the library book sale — very reminiscent of the Little House books
February 17, 2023
A tale from an era long gone. It was really intriguing to read about life in the late 1800's to the early 1900''s. So much has changed since then.
April 8, 2023
A beautiful read about a small town and the changing times!
April 12, 2024
A memoir of life in late 19th/early 20th century Iowa. Highly recommend for those interested in that specific time period. Personally, I was enthralled. My great grandma, whom I was blessed to know as a little girl, was born in the early 20th century, so picturing her living in similar fashion to this author was fascinating. The author had several insightful passages that encourages reader reflection.
December 31, 2025
A charming collection of short stories from the early 1900s
March 7, 2017
Memorable vignettes of small town life at the turn of the century in Strawberry Point, Iowa.
August 10, 2014
A delightfully quaint collection of memoir vignettes celebrating old-fashioned America. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews