Echoes from the Valley -- Stories from Clermont and Elgin

"I was about five, going on six, [when my parents died of the flu]. I remember when my father died. I was in the bed and they took me out of his bed, kicking and screaming, because I didn't want to leave him. Then the next morning they took me in their arms somehow, and some lady and she said, `Your mother died too.' I still remember that." -- Hilda Wolf

"The Swiss people seldom married Norwegians when I was young. People marrying from different churches was a very, very big decision. That was not what people wanted."-- Leo Falb

1911 Map of Clermont/Elgin Area

Echoes from the Valley is filled with the oral histories of people presently living in the Turkey River Valley area of Northeast Iowa. The above excerpts and dozens more stories have been selected from interviews recorded on video and audiotape by members of the Clermont and Elgin Historical Societies. The period covered in the collection is from 1900 through the 1960s. Often poignant and always informative, this ethnographic collection is a great gift for history buffs and a welcome addition to any story lover's library.

The book was published by Country Heritage Community with a grant from the McElroy Trust. It is 111 pages long and features 32 black & white photos. Copyright 1999 by Country Heritage Community.

Order Echoes from the Valley for $10 plus $3 shipping and handling by writing to Ardie Kuhse, UERPC, PO Box 219, Postville, IA 52162.  For additional information, call Ardie at (877) 4NE-IOWA or email her.