Bring on the Holidays!!

I really don't mean 'bring on the holiday', but it made a nice headline..Thanksgiving has come and gone, and December is in the headlights. My experience with December over the years has been mixed. I have played catch on X-Mas day, I have had pipes freeze on X-Mas Day..I prefer to the former anytime! Remember, we have had a pretty nice and calm Fall. The sun makes a U turn and starts heading NORTH on December 21 or 22. Alright!
Had to laugh when someone said 'they opened up the intersection of 5th street and 1st avenue today', 'that is HUGE".....Well yes it is, HOWEVER this is not the first time this intersection 'opening' has been HUGE......Seems 5th street was U.S. Highway #6. Yep, the same U.S. Hwy #6 that goes thru Durant, Wilton, West Liberty, Iowa City, Coralville, (now the Strip) and on to Des Moines, and on to the West Coast, originating on the east coast.. RIGHT THRU Coralville! Now you know 'why' we had motels along 5th street over the years.. Blue Top, Pine Edge etc. Opening the 1st Ave(HaydenFryWay) and 5th street corner is nice and we sure were ready, but in 1921 this corner was 'opened' for the first time, as a PAVED intersection! Woohoo! Right on that corner, NW corner that is, stood Koser's Store. This was DOWNTOWN Coralville! When paving came from Iowa City to this corner, it extended on west to roughly the site of Lowe's in Coralville. THAT was a BIG deal.. Paving...imagine,, no mud, clean streets etc...The rest of the story is that Mayor Ed Koser (owner of Koser's Store on the corner) thought that this was such a big deal that he had 5 street closed from 1st ave, west to his house (about 100yds) and the citizens had a BIG street dance! Ha! Sounds like fun! Next time you drive thru this intersection remembe that in 1921, this WAS a BIG deal!! .........Now you know.....IF you have any questions about Coralville history, or thoughts on this subject, or need to know 'who' or 'what' or 'why' things happened here, OR if you have a question about 'why is that house there' or 'who built this building' ,, let me know and I will try my best to find out!! Till later,, "NO SNOW" !!