Name: Spring Speaker Series
Start: 2026-03-10T16:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-10T17:00:00-05:00
Location: 503 South St, Waterloo, IA, United States, Iowa 50701

Join us for our Spring Speaker Series, second Tuesday of the month March-May.
MARCH 10th • Chad Todd - Through My Father’s Eyes: A Personal Story from Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War: Join us for a powerful personal history as Chad Todd shares the story of his father, Cedric W. Todd — an aircraft mechanic stationed at Wheeler Field during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Drawing from Cedric’s own written memories and wartime experiences in the Pacific Theater from 1940–1944, this presentation blends family storytelling with Iowa’s broader connection to World War II. Through photographs, archival materials, and firsthand accounts, audiences will gain a deeply human perspective on one of history’s most defining moments and the legacy carried forward through generations.
APRIL 14th • Kevin Mason - Retracing the Dragoon Trail in Iowa: Environmental Transformation along the Des Moines River: Historian Kevin T. Mason explores Iowa’s changing landscape through the story of the 1835 First U.S. Dragoon expedition along the Des Moines River. Blending environmental history, Indigenous perspectives, and firsthand travel, Mason retraces the original 371-mile route to examine how prairies and wetlands transformed into farms, towns, and transportation networks. Drawing from his upcoming book, this presentation connects past and present to reveal how Iowa’s land still carries the memory of its history.
MAY 12th • Tom Hockey
Preregister here or at the door on the day of the event.
Admission is $5 for non-members and free for museum members.
A delicious soup supper fundraiser held by Friends of the Grout Historic Houses will be available with all proceeds going to support our historic homes.
In case of bad weather, programs will be rescheduled for the following Tuesday—so mark your calendars for this winter tradition of history, learning, and community.