Iowa Blackie

Iowa Blackie is a long-time tramp/hobo/poet that lives in New Hampton, Iowa. He publishes a calender every year, and he sells the one for next year at this year's National Hobo Convention. Blackie does research through old court records and newspapers, looking for cool events that occurred locally in Iowa "on this date." For instance, as I write this it is August 14th. His 2003 Calender reads:

14

70 new Great Northern RR freight cars were in the CGWRR yards today (that's Chicago Great Western Rail Road) on their way north--The Oelwein Reg(ister) (newspaper)--1899.

Yesterday's entry was:

13

John Hogue; residence--Detroit, Michigan, age-59; cause commitment--vagrancy; by whom commited--Justice of the Peace Tietjen; time received (in jail) 1938--10:30 a.m.--commited; discharged (20) 3:30 p.m.; 10 days County jail: 22 meals at 20 cents--$4.40, seven lodgings at 15 cents--$1.05, seven cares at 5 cents--35 cents ($5.80). Prison Calender and Ledger #4, Chickasaw County pg. 335.

This is how Iowa Blackie makes a living: selling these calenders, and also several books of poetry.

You can get one from him at his P.O. Box--send him $5 or so. It's for a good cause. He's very eccentric, in a good, bizarre, tramp kind of way.

Iowa Blackie

Post Office Box 487

New Hampton, Chickasaw County, Iowa 50659

yea...

That's pretty cool. I think I will have to get one of those.

while i get ready to order one of those calenders,

please keep posting that great stuff KaBar.

Calender Size

BTW, I'd better tell you guys that Iowa Blackie's calenders are not "full size." They are designed to fit in the hip pocket of a pair of over-alls, so they are about 5-1/2 x 8-1/2", printed on white paper with a manila colored cardboard cover. They actually look more like a booklet than your traditional calender that you pin up on the wall next to your desk or somewhere. There is only one photograph--a picture of Iowa Blackie and his brother Larry on Easter Sunday, April 18, 1954. They are all dressed for church and are wearing new Easter clothes.

I told you Blackie is kind of eccentric.....

sounds rather interesting i might have to get me a copy

in another thread some one mentioned rand mcnallys handy railroad atlas of th united states, but i have checked around and it is out of print, also my local library does not have and cant get it either, so does anyone no of any similar railroad maps still in print? I know this has nothing to do with the thread but i fiquar anyone who knows will be reading this thread thank you.

:rolleyes: Thats because I stole it from every library and em currently selling them out of my home.

shit man, whyd you have to do me like that,

Professional Railroad Atlas

$24.95 http://altamontpress.com/catalog/atlas.html

From Altamont Press--they sell & publish many books, maps, timetables, schedules, etc. for the Railfan sector.

thank you, thats exacty what i was looking for.:)