McHaffey Opera House

09/04/2024

Ever hear of an Anton Pieck handbag or a Codd bottle? Stop by McHaffey Opera House thrift sale and have a look. Monday thru Saturday, 8 to noon.

08/31/2024

What was going on at the end of August in 1897? Let's check out the Courier. Aug. 26, Eldon--Curtis Grinstead, who lives over on Chequest Creek, near Floris, killed a blowing adder, four feet long and about 7" in circumference yesterday afternoon.
The city council gave Ray Bros. the contract for putting in the heating apparatus for the school building on the west side.
Someone took the pains to break the pump handle of the pump in front of the post office yesterday. Mr. Houghland had placed two tin cups there for the use of the public and they were carried off.

08/28/2024

This honker is growing in our back yard. Waddaya think it is?

08/24/2024

Ottumwa Courier, Aug. 23, 1922.--"GAVE LAD RIDE--$3 "BACKFIRE". Bud Martin, Local Driver Has Q***r Experience At Eldon.--"Bud" Martin, driver with the Foster "Rent a Ford" garage here, tells of an interesting experience he had yesterday while driving to the county fairgrounds at Eldon. A short distance beyond Agency he caught up with a boy about 12 years old who was walking along the road toward Eldon. The lad was given a "lift". When they reached the railroad station in Eldon, Martin stopped to get some packages. Soon after the car halted, a man and a woman approached. The lad said, according to Martin, "That is my mother". When she approached, the boy said, "What's the matter, you told me I could come to the fair today." The man who was with the woman came up to Martin, and according to the latter's story, told him he was under arrest for kidnapping the child. After a few moments' argument, the man, according to Martin, said to him, "This will cost you $3 if you don't want to go up to Agency for trial." Martin said he paid it and went on his way. When he returned from the grounds, he saw nothing of the trio."

08/21/2024

McHaffey Opera House thrift sale recently received a donation of lots of super nice Disney items. If you have a Mickey & Minnie fan, you ought to check these out!

08/17/2024

Ottumwa Courier, Aug. 15, 1955. "D. R. Cartwright Retiring At Eldon--D. R. Cartwright retired today after 51 years of work in Eldon. For the past 13 years he was manager of the state liquor store. Previously he and Mrs. Cartwright operated a grocery store. He was born and reared in Oskaloosa and has been in Eldon since 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright will continue to live in Eldon. They have one son, Max, living in Moline, Illinois and two grandchildren. W. H. (Hollis) Moore will replace Cartwright as manager of the liquor store."
The liquor store in 1955 was in the building where the present post office is located. That building was badly damaged in the devastating fire that destroyed many Eldon businesses in 1957. The liquor store relocated into the building next door after the fire and that is where the accompanying photo was taken. Frosty Finney, Rudolph Osing, Clyde McClure, and ? are relaxing out front.

08/14/2024

School will be starting soon. McHaffey Opera House has gently worn Cardinal apparel for sale. You can also pick up affordable insulated lunch bags, back packs, binders and a variety of shoe styles and sizes. Monday thru Saturday 8 a.m. noon.

08/10/2024

Ottumwa Courier, Aug. 30, 1954. "HEARING SET FOR ELDON STATION MOVE. The Iowa Commerce Commission said Tuesday it has set for September 23 at the Eldon city hall a hearing into the Rock Island Railroad's request for permission to change the location of its depot at Eldon. The railroad wants to move the depot from the north to the south side of the Des Moines River. The commission said the Rock Island explained the move is intended to "better facilitate the operations of the railroad company by avoidance of a second stop for trains." " One stop is made in the yards west of the river for service of trains and with the depot at this location only one stop would be necessary," the commission notice said. Residents of Eldon and vicinity already have given notice they will oppose the plan. Petitions bearing several hundred names in opposition to the change have been filed. To reach the proposed station, they say, it would be necessary to cross a wagon bridge with no walkway and travel a considerable distance over a road that is subject to flooding by the river.

08/08/2024

Found: Zippered pouch in front of McHaffey Opera House. Identify & claim at Eldon City Hall.

08/07/2024

Got another truckload in! Better come and see what you need! Monday thru Saturday 8 to noon.

08/03/2024

Ottumwa Courier, Aug. 30, 1957. "BILL CAMPBELL OF ELDON SIGNS FOR KC FARM CLUB. Kansas City--Bill Campbell of Eldon, Iowa, has been signed to a Pocatello, Idaho, contract of the class C Pioneer League. Ellsworth Brown, scout for the Kansa City Athletics, brought the young third baseman and shortstop into the Athletics organization. Campbell was a four letterman in both basketball and baseball during his high school career. He is just 18 years old, weighs 160, throws righthanded but bats from the left side of the plate. Campbell will not start his professional baseball career until next spring when he reports to the Athletics minor league camp.

07/31/2024

Whew! Mother Nature is letting us have it! Hope everyone is staying safe. But did you see the show she was putting on yesterday afternoon? The cloud formations, though formidable looking, were spectacular and ever-changing. She threw in some sound effects to add to the drama. Hope she calms down soon!

07/27/2024

Ottumwa Courier, July 8, 1897. Eldon--"There are two things that the mayor should look into and stop right away. One is that bicyclists monopolize the sidewalks along Norton street and Des Moines street. The other is that boys and young men are in the habit of going to the river at Water and Norton streets to bathe and the water there, being shallow, they show no respect for themselves nor anybody else. This should be suppressed at once."
Photo courtesy of Fortepan Iowa.

07/24/2024

MISSION STATEMENT. Wapello County's McHaffey Opera House is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing live entertainment in a historic setting. We strive to provide contemporary events while at the same time preserving the integrity of the architecture of the 1891 structure and the simplicity of an old-time venue.

07/20/2024

Ottumwa Courier, Sept, 6, 1894. "Friday is bicycle day at the Eldon fair. There will be four races: novice, quarter and half mile open and the mile handicap. The entries are made up, in the majority, of Ottumw bicycle boys, and our winners will be sent down there with a huge delegation to cheer them. The whole town, or at least that part of it which is interested in the "bike", will be in attendance. They will go by train, by tally-ho, by bicycle, and by carriage; walk down; fall down, any way to get down to Eldon. This eagerness is in part explained by an advertisement inserted in the Courier by Secretary Henry Baker, of the Big Four Association, that all wheelmen would be admitted to the grounds on wheelmen's day free of charge."

07/17/2024

You guys are so-o-o generous when donating items for McHaffey Opera House's thrift sale. But--MAN!--we're FULL UP and we've got company coming--RAGBRAI! We'd sure appreciate it if you could hold onto your items until after July 26th so that we can tidy up a bit.

07/13/2024

Ottumwa Courier, July 15, 1897. Eldon--"The city council, his honor, Mayor H. R. Baker, and the new electric light men drove down to the water works and looked over the ground for the location for the building in which to place the dynamos for the electric light plant. They concluded to build an addition to the water works. There will be an electric light at every street crossing in the city and the work will be commenced at once. A great many private houses will use it in place of oil and all the business houses will use it. It will be much cheaper than oil and it saves the cleaning and breaking of lamps and flues. Another thing, it shows that Eldon has a little push, and it is a good advertisement for the town. Let the good work go on. We will have something else to locate here and Eldon will have a start at last."

07/10/2024

Got a favorite color that you like to decorate with? Come into McHaffey Opera House thrift sale. Bet you'll find something in your favorite color.

07/06/2024

Ottumwa Weekly Democrat, July 10, 1903--CUTTING AFFRAY AT ELDON. Democrat Learns of a Cutting Scrape in Eldon on the Night of the Fourth.
The Democrat learns rather tardily of quite a cutting affray which occurred at Eldon on the night of the Fourth of July, in which one man was quite seriously injured. It is said that the affray started over a girl. The man who was seriously cut was named Carter. The parties who did the cutting claimed that he made insulting remarks to a lady in their company, and they resented the insult, and trouble begun. It was on the depot platform, and the fight was a running one, from the depot to the saloon across the way. Carter was severely cut on one side and in the face, and the parties who did the cutting got away. It is said the affray was quite a serious one while it lasted.
(The illustration is a painting by N.C. Wyeth)

07/03/2024

We were told a "cautionary tale" this week about the dangers of 4th of July fireworks. It seems that sometime in the late 1950's or early 1960's, a carload of teenage boys were out joyriding and throwing fireworks out of the car window. As they were crossing the old Selma bridge, one of the guys lit a fuse and threw the firecracker out of the car window. Somehow it bounced back into the car and lighted the bag containing the rest of the arsenal. A sudden stop and a mad scramble to get out of the car! Some hearing loss was the result to at least one of the celebrators. So--have fun on the 4th but be careful!
Does anyone else remember this event?

06/29/2024

There were BIG things happening around Eldon in June of 1905. The Ottumwa Courier published this account: "A molar tooth of some prehistoric animal, presumably a mastodon, was found four miles south of Eldon on Vesser Creek after the receding of the recent high waters. It was bought by Joseph Hunnell, Sr., of Eldon, who now owns it. It is a monster in size, measuring 8" long, 4" thick, and 8" from face to the top of the root. The tooth is, of course, petrified and the lower portion looks as if it were carved out of a dark marble or granite. It weighs seven pounds."
The photo shows a similar tooth.

06/26/2024

It's HOT out! Too hot to be doing yard work. Pass away the time by visiting McHaffey Opera House thrift sale. Lots of stuff see.

06/22/2024

We hear that the CHS class of 1974 is having their 50th class reunion this weekend. Welcome back! Hope you have a fun and safe event while reminiscing with old friends and classmates.

06/19/2024

Down on your luck? Maybe these Lucky Asian Babies will help. Even if they don't, they sure are cute! Available at McHaffey Opera House thrift sale.

06/15/2024

06/12/2024

McHaffey Opera House thrift sale won't be open this Friday and Saturday so that we can spend time with our families at the Wapello County Fair. Maybe we'll see you there!
You can still shop today and tomorrow from 8 to noon. Maybe we'll see you there!

06/08/2024

How was Eldon celebrating Gothic Days back in 1972? It was a jam-packed weekend! Bob Thompson was chairman for the festivities and Conley Slutts headed up the Gothic Trail committee. The June harness races at the fairgrounds kicked off the weekend events Friday evening. On Saturday there was an 8-mile canoe race on the river, starting off at Cliffland and ending at the fairgrounds. The Eldon girl's softball team played Fairfield at the ball field and the Ottumwa Saddle Club gave a demonstration at the fairgrounds. The afternoon featured the parade at 4:30, headed up by Cardinal High School band and drill team. Special Air Force flyovers took place throughout the day and a helicopter was on display. A flag-raising ceremony was held at the fairgrounds in the evening, followed up by the Mitigwa & Wah-Tonga group performing an Indian dance routine. Congressman John Kyl presented the trophies for the various contests held during the day. Saturday ended with Super Stock car races. The weekend wrapped up on Sunday with a two-hour marathon motorcycle race on the half-mile oval at the fairgrounds.
Pictured is the crowd watching the parade in 2015.

06/05/2024

We've been busy at McHaffey Opera House thrift sale, getting out the swimsuits for the summer. Pretty sure we don't have any of the styles shown in the photo, but we have lots of other styles, colors and sizes available. Photo is from the Syd Crow collection.

06/01/2024

Ottumwa Courier, June 12, 1900--"Thursday morning John Beard, an employe at the Eldon handle factory, met with a very painful and serious accident. Mr. Beard works on what is termed the "blocking out" machine, and while at work, a short piece of wood got fastened in some manner and was thrown back by the machine, striking Beard in the abdomen, making a very bad bruise."
How many of you knew that Eldon had a handle factory? There seems to have been a lot of these around, making mostly ax handles, I think. It wasn't here a long time, and I don't know where it was located. The accompanying unidentified photo is courtesy of Fortepan Iowa.

05/29/2024

McHaffey Opera House thrift sale has these vintage Union Pacific railroad calendars for sale--$5 each. Come see! Monday thru Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon.