My ancesteral homeland, Troy Mills, Iowa. (Cedar Rapids: home, movies, college)

[Senor Boogie Woogie]

Howdy!

I have family in Iowa, in Linn County. Most of my family comes from north of Cedar Rapids. My father's family lived in Troy Mills Iowa, and there are still distant cousins and whatnot who live there.

I showed my aged nearly 80 year old parents "Google Earth" and were amazed at the "Street View" aspect of it. Because of that, one could walk down the main street of the tiny community and see all the buildings and whatnot. Troy Mills, Iowa has never changed. Really. The only thing that has changed since the 1930's are the cars on the road, technology and probably crystal meth.

My father was amazed and was pointing out the building he saw movies in the 30's and 40's. The garage that he worked in 60 years ago is still there and is still a garage. There is one tavern in the town. Nothing has been built on that land in ages either. It looks exactly the same.

You rural Iowan people are very lucky. No matter how long you have been away, you can always come home again and know that it has not changed, or changed just a little.

I loved the ruralness of Iowa, the oceans of corn and other vegetables. I really enjoyed the Amish people, who are basically people 400 years behind the times. I wish now I went to college there and got to know my family more.