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You are here: Home / Esther Miller Stories / Esther Hasting Miller’s Stories

Esther Hasting Miller’s Stories

Posted on: 03.24.20 | by Mary

 

Esther Hastings Miller shares 11 stories capturing her precious memories growing up in Clive, Iowa, during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Please find all 11 stories listed in the right sidebar and join Esther on her trip down memory lane…

About Esther Miller:

My parents, younger brother David, and I moved to the old house at the end of what is now Swanson Blvd just before Christmas in 1957. The address was University Avenue and the house may have been the “Kurtz Hill” mentioned in Mildred Swanson’s story about sledding. That yard was outstanding for sledding!

I was in fifth grade at Clive School and David was in third. We lived in that house until June of 1960 when the property was sold and we had to move. We moved to the Johnston area where we went to school for a year. In September of that year, my father was severely injured at work and was never able to work again. We moved to Des Moines, since Mother didn’t drive and Dad couldn’t anymore. And then, in December of 1961 we moved to California. Mother had gone to school in a small town in Southern California in the 40s, so she had friends there and she knew the climate would be a lot easier on all of us.

Both David and I finished high school in California, then I attended two small colleges nearby and graduated, first in my family, in 1970. I worked as an occupational therapist with severely handicapped children, then took several years off to raise my own two children. I eventually returned to work until my husband took early retirement. We traveled around the country in an RV, a long-time dream of ours, until we found some place we wanted to move to.

We sold our home in California and settled into an old farmhouse in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where we lived for several more years. I returned to California a few years ago and now live way out in the country. Do you see a trend? I love living in the country and over the years I’ve built on the skills I first learned in that old house in Clive.

 



*** Samples of old recipe books shared by Esther Hastings Miller.***

Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cook Book

Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cook Book


Betty Crocker's Bisquick Cook Book

Betty Crocker's Bisquick - inside pages.


Jello Cook Book

Jello Cook Book

Cakes Men Like Cook Book

Cakes Men Like Cook Book


Categories: Esther Miller Map, Esther Miller Stories

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Can you answer these questions?

1. When did the store open?
2. How many children did Scennia Swanson raise in the store?
3. What did children like the most about Swanson General store?

Find in the General Store!

Clive Historical Socieity Tapestry

Clive Historical Society Tapestry

Swanson’s General Store

  • General-Store-scales
    Swanson's General Store
  • CHS—Holiday-2003–4
    Swanson's General Store
  • CHS—Holiday-2003–5
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store-2
    Swanson's General Store
  • Grampy-&-babies-in-General-
    Swanson's General Store
  • Inside-General-Store
    Swanson's General Store
  • Jonathan-&-Tammy
    Swanson's General Store
  • Kitchen
    Swanson's General Store
  • Kitchen (1)
    Swanson's General Store
  • Wide-shot—Kitchen
    Swanson's General Store
  • Mombaby—Mary-with-baby-Ro
    Swanson's General Store
  • Store-keeper
    Swanson's General Store
  • Store-keeper-with-Christmas
    Swanson's General Store
  • strkprcntr–winter-2003
    Swanson's General Store
  • Basket-of-Apples
    Swanson's General Store
  • Candy-Jars
    Swanson's General Store
  • Clock
    Swanson's General Store
  • Ice-skates
    Swanson's General Store
  • Lanterns (1)
    Swanson's General Store
  • CHS-Fall-2004
    Swanson's General Store
  • flag-spring-2003
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store-decorated-for
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store-with-ramp-and
    Swanson's General Store
  • Linda-Shanks-outside-of-Gen
    Swanson's General Store
  • Side-angle-General-Store-wi
    Swanson's General Store
  • Swanson-General-Store-with-
    Swanson's General Store
  • Swanson-House-sign
    Swanson's General Store
  • Swanson-House-sign—2004
    Swanson's General Store

Swanson House Restoration

  • Swanson-House-Restoration-1
    General Store Renovation
  • Swanson-House-Restoration-2
    General Store Renovation
  • Swanson-House-Restoration-4
    General Store Renovation
  • Swanson-House-Restoration-3
    General Store Renovation

Can you answer these questions?

1. What is a nearby city that people would ride to on the train?
2. How did they send messages between train depots?
3. What did the train carry to Clive?

Clive Depot

  • Old-Depot
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Milwaukee-Depot—Clive-1965
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Southern-Train
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Original-depot-with-train
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Original-inside-of-Depot
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Milwaukee-Depot—Clive-Iow
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Depot-burned-west
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Depot—burned
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • depotburntfront
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Inside-Depot
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Inside-view-of-burned-Depot
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Depot-being-moved-1993
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Moving-Depot—April-1993
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Moving-Depot-into-position
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Inside-Depot—2x4s
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Inside-Depot-under-construction
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Depot—first-winter-1995-
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Depot-in-Winter-unpainted
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Caboose—Depot
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Red-Caboose-&-Depot-2004
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Depot—framed-with-trees
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Fall-2004-Depot
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Red-Caboose—2004
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Red-Caboose-with-logo
    Clive Railroad Depot
  • Caboose-with-red-&-yellow-m
    Clive Railroad Depot - Track sign properly painted

Can you answer these questions?

1. From what word was “Caboose” derived?
2. Who was in charge of the train?
3. Can only men be Train Engineers?

Seasons

  • Mildreds-Garden
    Mildred's Garden
  • Outhouse-unpainted-2004
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Park-bench
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Depot-&-Caboose-in-winter
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Clive-General-Store
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Rock-with-snow
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Outhouse-in-winter
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Clive-sign-on-Depot
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Clive-Founding-rock
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Red-caboose-in-winter
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Wagon-wheels (1)
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Clive-Historical-Society-Bo
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Swanson-Memorial-Park-rock
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Swanson-House-sign-with-geraniums
    Changing of the Seasons - New siding and new signage, 2009
  • Clive-Depot-in-winter
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Swing
    Changing of the Seasons - Park Swing - Donated in memory of Wes Franklin
  • Swanson-Memorial-Park-sign-
    Changing of the Seasons
  • The-Clive-Depot-in-Fall
    Changing of the Seasons - Clive Depot as it looks today
  • Holiday-decorations
    Changing of the Seasons
  • Park-Benches
    Changing of the Seasons - Park Bench - Donated by the Clive Good Idea Club
  • CHS-Holiday-lights-2003
    Changing of the Seasons
Swanson-family

1940's picture of the Swanson Family.
Left to right: Charles, Scennia, Mildred, Ester, Eileen, Agnes

Mildred Swanson Stories

  • Across the Street
  • Ben Shepherd
  • The Neighborhood
  • Fourth of July in Clive around 1917
  • Government Housing In the 1930s
  • Looking Glass
  • Robert Anderson Family
  • A Sledding Experience
  • Swanson General Store
  • Thank You, Uncle Ben

Photo Galleries

  • CHS Events
  • Depot Artifacts
  • Depot Renovation
  • General Store Artifacts
  • General Store Renovation
  • Railroad Diorama
  • School Events
  • Yesterday & Today

Swanson General Store

  • General-Store-scales
    Swanson's General Store
  • CHS—Holiday-2003–4
    Swanson's General Store
  • CHS—Holiday-2003–5
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store-2
    Swanson's General Store
  • Grampy-&-babies-in-General-
    Swanson's General Store
  • Inside-General-Store
    Swanson's General Store
  • Jonathan-&-Tammy
    Swanson's General Store
  • Kitchen
    Swanson's General Store
  • Kitchen (1)
    Swanson's General Store
  • Wide-shot—Kitchen
    Swanson's General Store
  • Mombaby—Mary-with-baby-Ro
    Swanson's General Store
  • Store-keeper
    Swanson's General Store
  • Store-keeper-with-Christmas
    Swanson's General Store
  • strkprcntr–winter-2003
    Swanson's General Store
  • Basket-of-Apples
    Swanson's General Store
  • Candy-Jars
    Swanson's General Store
  • Clock
    Swanson's General Store
  • Ice-skates
    Swanson's General Store
  • Lanterns (1)
    Swanson's General Store
  • CHS-Fall-2004
    Swanson's General Store
  • flag-spring-2003
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store-decorated-for
    Swanson's General Store
  • General-Store-with-ramp-and
    Swanson's General Store
  • Linda-Shanks-outside-of-Gen
    Swanson's General Store
  • Side-angle-General-Store-wi
    Swanson's General Store
  • Swanson-General-Store-with-
    Swanson's General Store
  • Swanson-House-sign
    Swanson's General Store
  • Swanson-House-sign—2004
    Swanson's General Store
  • <strong>Railroad Diorama</strong>
    Railroad Diorama
  • Railroad-dirt
    Railroad Diorama
  • railroad-with-buildings
    Railroad Diorama
  • CliveModelRRArrivalsideview
    Railroad Diorama
  • MarilynFamilyStore
    Railroad Diorama
  • Clive Cultural Festival – June 2016
    Maddie Zweibohmer and her mom, Krista, view the diorama of "Clive Corner circa 1930." Maddie's grandfather, Chuck Leibold of Clive, created the realistic HO scale model.
  • CliveModelRRArrivalDaytime
    Railroad Diorama
  • Fields-with-grass
    Railroad Diorama
  • NorthCliveRoad
    Railroad Diorama

Labor Day Picnic – 2016

  • old-time-string-pickers
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Old-time string pickers.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • fun-and-conversation
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Fun and conversation.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • railroad-man-waving-good-by
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Railroad man waving good-bye.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • community-gathering
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Community gathering.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • linda-joan
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Linda & Joan.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • old-time-sack-race
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Old-time sack race.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • everyone-loved-the-food_mod
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Everyone loved the food!
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • bouncing-house-modern
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Modern bouncing house.
    Photo by: Bo Photography
  • registration-for-prize
    Clive Labor Day Picnic - 2016
    Registration for prize.
    Photo by: Bo Photography

Our Goals:

» Preserve Clive's History for Posterity
» Preserve its Historical Artifacts
» Serve as the Society's Headquarters
» Provide Community Events
» Open for Public Special Events
» Offer tours for schools and groups


Esther Hasting Miller Stories

  • The Old House in Clive
  • Our First Winter in Clive
  • Miracle of the Well – Part 1
  • Miracle of the Well – Part 2
  • Radio in the Winter
  • Winter in the Old House
  • Memories of the Railroad
  • Visitors – Some Welcome, Some Not
  • School Days in Clive – 1957 to 1960
  • Living off the Land
  • Summer Time and the Livin’ Was…

Esther-Hastings-6th-Grade - 1958

Esther Hastings
6th Grade – 1958

 

Esther Hastings
7th Grade – 1959

 

 

Approximate location of Hastings’ house in the late ’50s from Swanson Blvd.

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Clive History Museum
Congratulations!Jeff May, Clive’s public works director, has been named one of the American Public Works Associations’ 2022 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year. businessrecord.com/Content/Default/All-Latest-News/Article/Clive-s-May-honored-as-a-top-public-wo... ... See MoreSee Less

Clive’s May honored as a top public works leader

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Jeff May, Clive’s public works director, has been named one of the American Public Works Associations’ 2022 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year
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"My kids love playing in the park and exploring the Caboose. Great fun!"
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"This a fun, hidden jewel of a park. Picnic tables in the shade of a walnut tree. Free Wi-Fi. And several sandwich places nearby to get a quick picnic lunch."
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"This a fun, hidden jewel of a park. Picnic tables in the shade of a walnut tree. Free Wi-Fi. And several sandwich places nearby to get a quick picnic lunch."
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"My professional group can meet here for an out-of-the-ordinary venue. And, it’s free!"
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"Our 3rd grade class toured the Museum, General Store and Caboose. What a great educational experience! Thank you, Clive Historical Society!"
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"Our 3rd grade class toured the Museum, General Store and Caboose. What a great educational experience! Thank you, Clive Historical Society!"
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"My 6th grade daughter is working on a railroad history project and I just wanted to say thanks for making your website railroad page available. We've been looking for resources to cite and include, and your page has been a big help!"
Clive Historical Society
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2017-10-29T06:17:12-05:00
"My 6th grade daughter is working on a railroad history project and I just wanted to say thanks for making your website railroad page available. We've been looking for resources to cite and include, and your page has been a big help!"
https://clivehistoricalsociety.org/testimonials/testimonial-5/
"Our school really enjoyed visiting the Clive Depot this spring. We had 8 children and 8 adults visit. The children talked about the toys they saw in the general store and the adults enjoyed learning some great history about Clive and the area surrounding the depot."
Clive Historical Society
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2017-12-11T06:53:51-06:00
"Our school really enjoyed visiting the Clive Depot this spring. We had 8 children and 8 adults visit. The children talked about the toys they saw in the general store and the adults enjoyed learning some great history about Clive and the area surrounding the depot."
https://clivehistoricalsociety.org/testimonials/testimonial-6/
"It was very easy to communicate with members of the Historical Society in putting our visit together. They were ready for us when we arrived and the tour was informative and organized. I hope to make this field trip a tradition for my class!”
Clive Historical Society
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2017-12-11T06:54:33-06:00
"It was very easy to communicate with members of the Historical Society in putting our visit together. They were ready for us when we arrived and the tour was informative and organized. I hope to make this field trip a tradition for my class!”
https://clivehistoricalsociety.org/testimonials/testimonial-7/
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