Thanks to the nudges and efforts of Debbie Menning and Vanessa Branson, autographed copies of the Leora books are available in Art on State, right in the town where Grandma Leora lived for decades, Guthrie Center, Iowa, population 1574 souls!
Thanks also to my sister Gloria for delivering them.
This 1911 map shows places Leora lived from her girlhood. She was born in the county in 1890. Her family also lived in Audubon County, just west of Guthrie, near Larland. She rode a horse to piano lessons in Audubon, attended sewing school in Exira, just south of Audubon.
Leora Goff married Clabe Wilson at her folks’ home at Wichita, above the T in Guthrie. They first met and also lived near Monteith when they were first married.
There are several stories in Leora’s Early Years set in Stuart, in the SE corner, along the Rock Island railroad. You can see where the branch train, affectionately called the Liza Jane, between Menlo and Guthrie Center.
Leora Goff Wilson lived in Guthrie Center for four decades after the war. I have a soft spot for that town, for the whole county after visiting my cheerful and tenacious grandma there dozens of times and learning the stories of her growing up years and early years of marriage.
I’m grateful that her stories are more easily available in her own home town.
It is terrific that the hometown girl is remembered in Guthrie Center!!
There are folks in Guthrie Center who still remember her, probably because she didn’t drive and did her errands on foot! Thank you, GP!
It must make you swell with pride when you hear that!
I’m very grateful!
Love this, Joy! 🥰❤️🥰
I’d given up on having a connection there, but just recently Vanessa and Debbie and my sister made it possible! Thanks, Vicki!
Leora is smiling! Me, too! 🥰
Guthrie Center will always have a home in my heart! Love that little town with all the charm of rural iowa!
You bet, Lori! Guthrie Center will soon have a mural by artist and singer Chad Elliott, who grew up there!
Guthrie Center should take a lot of pride in knowing they have a celebrity in Leora.
Thank you, Pete. think she was such an unassuming little woman, even though she was involved in so much of life there when she retired. I’m so thankful she’s being remembered.
You’ve seen to it that Leora will never be forgotten! What a gift to your beloved grandma.
Your comment blesses me so, dear Liz!
😊
I looked up images of Guthrie Center and was surprised at all the buildings that were shown for such a small population. The pics must have been taken on a Sunday, because the streets were empty. The open fields outside of the town were rolling and beautiful. Interesting! 🙂
Oh, thank you, Nancy. I sure can see why Leora and Clabe’s grandparents settled is such a beautiful area. Guthrie Center has a population of only 1500 and they suffered a devastating fire along that main street a few years ago. No one was hurt, but recovery of the shops was difficult. It’s wonderful to see the town coming back and thriving! They will soon have a new mural by artist and singer Chad Elliott, who grew up there.
Hopefully, they’ll post images of the new mural upon its completion along with the town’s other interesting sites. 🙂
I hope so as well! It’s hard for us to get there anymore, even though its only an hour away.
Outstanding.
I’m just so amazed and humbled by all of this, so grateful.
I agree with Liz…what a gift to your grandmother! Wonderful photo of her!
Thank you, Linda. The photo is how I remember her most, even before the years her daughters talked her into wearing slacks!