History at High Noon

Presenter Matt Anderson, Curator of History, traces the history of Sioux City’s largest nature preserve and public recreation area. Covering more than 800 acres, the park is also a pristine fragment of the Loess Hills.

Presenter Theresa Weaver, Curator of Education, chronicles young women’s involvement in local sports in recognition of Women’s History Month. Learn how Title IX and social movements pushed Sioux City schools into girls’ sports and how the iconic “Iowa Girl’s Basketball” story played out locally.

Presenter Haley Aguirre, Archival Records Clerk, traces how Sioux City went from having just 12 phone numbers in 1880 to over 75,000 telephones in operation by the end of the 1970s. Artifacts from the Museum’s Telephone Pioneers collection will be on display. (Rescheduled from December)

Presenter Tom Munson, Archives Manager, showcases early Sioux City images of scenery, celebrations, and disasters taken by M.W. Starks. Specializing in portraiture, Starks opened a temporary studio in 1883 that evolved into a prominent local photography studio that is still in operation today.

Presenter Matt Anderson, Curator of History, takes a look back at how battlefield medical care met the challenges of increasingly lethal weapons of war. How these wartime medical advances benefited the civilian population is also explored.

Presenter Sun Rose Iron Shell gives an in-depth look at Great Plains testimonials created on antique ledger paper printed here in Sioux City by Perkins Brothers Printing Company. FREE.

Presenter Haley Aguirre, Archival Records Clerk, looks back at the remarkable structures that promoted Sioux City across the country from 1887 to 1891.

Presenter Matt Anderson, Curator of History, will take a look back at the changes over the decade that left Sioux City a very different place in 1970 than it had been in 1959.

Presenter John Liepa explores the myths of baseball’s origins, the early history and evolution of the game, baseball’s journey to Iowa and the role of the Civil War in spreading its popularity. FREE.

Presenter Russ Gifford will trace Sioux City’s rail connections and their part in the industrial development that drove the city to lead the state in industry and commerce for decades.

Clay beds in the Sioux City area have been used for the making of brick, tile, and pottery since the 1850s. Brickyards dotted the landscape from Riverside to the Floyd River valley and from Leeds to Sergeant Bluff. Presented by Tom Munson, Archives Manager, in conjunction with Historic Preservation Week.

Presented by Matt Anderson, Curator of History, in conjunction with the exhibit, “Leeds High School 1939-1972” on display at the Sioux City Public Museum.

Dr. Bruce Forbes discussed Easter’s history, meanings, and practices, including topics such as relationships with the Jewish Passover, the changing date each year, and bunnies, eggs, Easter baskets and parades.

Nancy S. Gillis, former executive director of the John Neihardt State Historic Site, discusses the critically acclaimed book “Calling for a Blanket Dance” by Oscar Hokeah. Presented in partnership with Sioux City Reads.

*Postponed to January 26 due to weather*

Tom Munson, Archives Manager, showcases the work of the early Sioux City photographer who captured many unique images from the era.

Tom Munson, Archives Manager, showcases the architectural style of local structures such as the Federal Building.

November 2022 marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. Haley Aguirre, Archival Records Clerk, highlights the story behind one of the most important excavations in Egyptology, and how it impacted the design of many contemporary Sioux City buildings.

Located at a point where the Big Sioux River, Floyd River and Perry Creek join the Missouri; Sioux City has depended on a network of bridges to cross its waterways since its earliest days. Matt Anderson, Curator of History, provided a photographic overview of these impressive structures through the years.

Ever since 1872 public utility companies have utilized ever-changing technology to provide power for Sioux City homes and businesses. In this photographic presentation, Archival Records Clerk Haley Aguirre discusses the histories of these power companies, the power plants that they built, and how they worked to meet the energy needs of Sioux Cityans over the years.

Victorian style architecture was the dominant form of design in the United States in the last half of the 19th century. Tom Munson, Archives Manager, focuses this photographic presentation on Victorian residential design, which can be found in almost every Sioux City neighborhood.

Nancy S. Gillis, former executive director of the John Neihardt State Historic Site, provided a brief history of the Omaha, Ponca, Pawnee, Santee, and Winnebago tribes.

Presented by Matt Anderson, Curator of History, in conjunction with the exhibit, “Knoepfler Chevrolet: Celebrating 100 Years in Sioux City.” the program draws on the Museum’s extensive photographic collection to revisit the role of the automobile during the 20th century. What began as a curiosity during the late-1890s and early-1900s, had become a staple of everyday life by 1920.

Tom Munson, Archives Manager, traces the early history of one of Sioux City's oldest streets. The area's business history, buildings, homes, and stories about several notable individuals will be featured. Presented in conjunction with Sioux City Historic Preservation Week.

Haley Aguirre, Archival Records Clerk, highlights prominent Irish individuals and families who immigrated to the community during the late 19th and early 20th century, including several bishops of the Sioux City Diocese.