Name: Iowans You Should Know: Stories from the Iowa Almanac
Start: 2026-03-19T17:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-19T18:30:00-05:00
Location: Terrace Hill

Terrace Hill to Present Humanities Iowa Program titled Iowans You Should Know: Stories from the Iowa Almanac, presented by Jeff Stein.
About this Event

Terrace Hill, Iowa Governor’s Residence and National Historic Landmark, has received funding from Humanities Iowa, a private, non-profit organization to host a free, educational presentation entitled Iowans You Should Know: Stories from the Iowa Almanac presented by Jeff Stein, Thursday, March 19 at 5:00 pm in the Terrace Hill Drawing Room.

Did you know that the Eskimo Pie® was invented in Iowa? So was the electric razor, the clip-on bow tie, and the self-filling fountain pen. Iowa was also the childhood home of four Academy Award®-winning performers, and three different Iowa-born musical acts had national #1 pop songs in the 1950s alone. In his presentation “Iowans You Should Know: Stories from the Iowa Almanac”, broadcaster, historian and author Jeff Stein tells the stories of the famous and not-so-famous. From elected officials who prevented presidential impeachment, to record-setting athletes…from famous firsts to displays of strength and grace under pressure…these biographical stories are as inspirational as they are informative. Stories are culled from Stein’s daily “Iowa Almanac” radio segments, which air on 30 stations across Iowa. The presentation is also specifically tailored for different geographic areas of the state, to enhance the connection with audiences.

Jeff Stein is an author, historian and broadcaster. A 2011 recipient of The National Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History, he is recognized as the foremost broadcast historian in Iowa. His daily radio feature on Iowa history, “Iowa Almanac”, airs on 30 stations statewide. A past member of the State Historical Society of Iowa board of trustees, Stein taught at the college level for 25 years, including at Iowa State University, Buena Vista University-Marshalltown Center, William Penn University and Wartburg College. His book Making Waves: The People and Places of Iowa Broadcasting is the only comprehensive history ever published of radio and television and their impact on the state of Iowa, while One Week in June: The Iowa Floods of 2008 was a Barnes & Noble #1 best seller. His latest book is The Floppy Show, telling the story of the iconic Iowa children’s television program. Stein has also produced a number of award-winning radio and television documentaries, including “From the Battlefront to the Homefront: Iowa Broadcasters Go To War,” which was produced with HI support. His daily interview program can be heard weekday mornings on News/Talk 1540 KXEL, a legendary 50,000-watt radio station based in Waterloo, where he serves as news and program director.

This is a free program, but advance registration is required as space is limited. Please register through Eventbrite or contact Allison Wergeland, Terrace Hill Communications & Events Coordinator, at 515-281-7205 to make a reservation.