This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Checkers Champion Draws Players to Marble Rock Home
James A. McNeilus, 91, posted a sign outside his Marble Rock house inviting players for checkers matches. Enthusiasts from Mason City, Osage, Parkersburg and Waterloo travel about 85 miles for a game, drawn by his friendly nature and a practice that began in childhood. He recalls a life spent moving across the country during the Depression and later settling in Iowa, where he ran a masonry business and wrote several books.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
McNeilus
Main Street
Marble Rock
Iowa
Mason City
Osage
Parkersburg
Waterloo
Cedar Rapids
United States
Oklahoma
Dakotas
Gates Business College
Greene
James A. McNeilus