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Spring Tour
"Crime Scene Iowa: CSI TOUR"
Ironically we will visit Villisca, Iowa 100 years to the week after six members of the Moore family and two young houseguests were found bludgeoned to death in their beds with the Moore's own axe. The murders, never solved, spawned nearly ten years of investigations, repeated grand jury hearings, a spectacular slander suit, and murder trial ending in an acquittal. Prior to visiting the murder site, we'll spend time with Dr. Edgar Epperly, a retired Professor of Education from Luther College. Dr. Epperly has devoted over 50 years to meticulous research on the crime and qualifies as the foremost authority on the 1912 Villisca, Iowa Axe Murders. Next we'll visit Templeton, Iowa. When Prohibition outlawed the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in 1920 many enterprising residents of Templeton chose to become outlaws- producing a high caliber and much sought-after whiskey known as Templeton Rye, or "The Good Stuff". It was Al Capone's favorite, knowing these Western Iowa farmers continued to make their product with a lot of pride and a lot of care. Legend has it there were 10 truckloads a week heading from Templeton to Chicago. We'll get to the bottom of that legend and maybe sample a wee bit of the "Good Stuff" ourselves! We'll finish our tour traveling the White Pole Road, one of Iowa's earliest highways; learning some of its lore from a local historian . . . Jesse James in Adair and the world's first train robbery . . . Bonnie & Clyde robbing the bank in Stuart and the Dexfield Park shoot-out where his brother Buck was mortally wounded. Among the tales some have hilarious consequences and one has a surprising connection to Iowa's revered football hero, Nile Kinnick. Our presenting sponsor, CWG Insurance is hosting our opening event at their West Des Moines campus, plus inviting area car clubs to join us on the evening of Wednesday, June 13. Here's the rest of our schedule:
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Our June tour will take a closer look at some of
the better, as well as lesser known crime stories in Iowa. Crimes
and criminals fascinate us, even though they are tragic events
full of sadness and evil. They are a mainstay of popular culture
and criminals like Jesse James are sometimes seen to have Robin
Hood qualities; robbing the rich-paying the poor.