There's no place like home!

Unbelievable charcuterie boards by The Hangry Lady, Cedar Rapids.

After we left Wakarusa we spent a few days in Iowa while we were somewhat close. Our first stop was supposed to be Cedar Rapids but no sites over the weekend at any campground. We went past Cedar Rapids to Ottumwa where we parked our RV in Pat's Mom's driveway, our next stop. 

On Friday we headed back to Cedar Rapids to attend BrewNost with Chris and some of his friends. It is a yearly fundraiser for the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids. It was spectacular! There was entertainment, lots of delicious food, great company, and if you couldn't tell by the name BEER. Actually, lots of beer tents with a lot of different kinds of beer. There was also hard cider, wine, spirits, a silent and live auction. If you were in need they even provided LIFT rides after.

Amber, Kelley and Chris were high bidders at the live auction for a beer-cave tour in Iowa City.  Kelley is founder of Gia's Italian Kitchen. Check out on-line cooking.

I can't wait to hear about the beer caves. During the mid to late 1800's various breweries in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids made man-made tunnels, some as far as 30' underground, to age and store their beer casks. Some were multi stories and others just single. Not many people get to go down there so this will be quite a treat!

Fill 'em up!

Wine and spirits by Cedar Ridge Winery.

The hill in the background is Mt. Trashmore.

Amber, Kelley, and Chris were high bidders for the beer-cave tour for 16 people in Iowa City.  Two photo bombers in the back, Peter and Tyler.

Saturday we went to Cedar Ridge Winery for pizza.  

On our way back to Ottumwa we passed through the town of What Cheer. A coal mining town with a population of nearly 3,200 in the 1890's and a current population of  607. Built in a Romanesque Style in 1893 by the Masonic lodge, the What Cheer Opera House has served as a clubhouse, auditorium, music facility and cinema. Notable performers over the years have included Porter Wagner, Hank Williams Jr., Guy Lombardo, and John Philip Sousa.

What Cheer Opera House

It can seat 560.

It was wonderful to go home and spend time with Pat's Mom Mary, his sisters, and one brother who all still live there. No trip would be complete without a Happy Joe's special (ham and sauerkraut) and a trip to the famous Canteen. They have the best loose-meat sandwiches!  People come for miles and even have them shipped.

The Canteen was such an icon that when they built the downtown parking garage they built it over the Canteen rather than demolish it. 

Where are the Piepers now? Carlock, IL

Why I deserved this beautiful B & B!

Coppes Home Bed and Breakfast in Nappanee, IN. It is sheathed in clapboard with fish scale shingles. There is a beautiful round corner tower with a second story balcony.

Thor had the water tank out on Mon. and not enough water pressure for hot water, so we went nuts and stayed at a B & B in Nappanee. The Coppes (pronounced  Cop•pes, with the accent on the first syllable) House was fabulous. I can't imagine how grand this must have seemed back in the 1800's!

Frank and Katherine Coppes had this 6,000 sq. ft., 2 1/2 story Queen Anne style home built between 1887 and 1893. It has amazingly remained quite true to its origins, retaining the original woodwork, glass pocket doors and includes an original painting. It was added to the National Register of Historic Homes in 1990. Check it out: Coppes House Bed and Breakfast.

Several of Frank's siblings also had large homes but none preserved as well as this one. His brother John's house is just across the street. In terrible disrepair and is being restored to its grandeur by the Masts, current cabinet company owners.

Frank Coppes, along with his brothers and various brother-in-laws and other family members throughout the years, started what is known today as the Coppes Napanee Cabinet Co. It has gone through various name changes since the late 1800's. Notice that "Napanee" in the company name only has one "p" whereas the town's name has two. The town's name could not be used in a trademark. They began with a box company, sawmill and planing company, adding cabinets and furniture to their line layer. In 1889 they began making "Hoosier" cabinets as well as the Napanee Dutch Kitchenet. They became well-known for Hoosiers and were one of many companies that made them through the 1930's, when their popularity declined. They were the first company to incorporate a lazy susan into a corner cabinet. The company, currently owned by the Mast family, was owned by the Coppes family until 1960 and is still known today for their quality kitchen cabinets and furniture.

Coppes Commons is located across the street from the Coppes House and housed the original cabinet company. The current cabinet/furniture operations is just down the street. Coppes Commons is in the process of being renovated to house local small businesses and shops. Several have already moved there. The second floor is dedicated to a museum for the Coppes Cabinet Co.

There are 6 guest rooms with private bathrooms.

Bessie's room. Bessie was one of Frank and Katherine Coppes' children.

A basket on our bed was filled with local goodies.

Our bathroom was originally a closet.

 

Stained glass above the stairs.

I loved how the same wood paneling was on the entry walls, under the steps, and then it continued up the stairwell.

One of several sets of original glass pocket doors.

A massive living room. On this end, window seating in the round corner tower.

The other endof the living room. 

We enjoyed a bountiful breakfast presented by Dorothy, including poached eggs in ham, potatoe casserole, fruit parfait, cinnamon roll, and toast with strawberry jam.

Notice the old intercom built into the wall.

An artist from Chicago stayed in the attic for 6 months around 1900 to paint this picture for Frank Coppes. Several items in the picture including the table, knife and wall paper were in the house.

Bessie, our room's namesake.

A Hoosier cabinet held staples, equipment, and even a work surface to complete your task in one spot.

A Coppes Hoosier cabinet

These buildings, built between 1883 and 1955, about 15 buildings total, were originally used by the cabinet company.

Wood slabs for purchase in Coppes Commons.

Why did I get the nice B & B? Well, I was owed it. 2 years ago we weren't allowed to stay in our RV overnight at Thor due to Covid so Pat got us a less than desirable motel. To top it off we were on the 2nd floor and had to carry Krikkit (35 pounds) down a flight of stairs to go the bathroom. Being in a strange place, limited walking, as well as suffering from dementia, she thought she had to go out almost as soon as we brought her in each time. 

Where are the Piepers now? Cedar Rapids, IA

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." -- Edgar Degas

Celebrating 15 years of Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail (Wakarusa and 5 other nearby towns). Above is Wakarusa's 2022 Quilt Garden.

Liemon got a new basement floor at Thor in Wakarusa. They began taking the old one out Mon. and finished up around 2:00 Weds. The old floor was plywood and was sagging because of water damage from rain and running through puddles. The new one is made from styrofoam sandwiched between 2 sheets of metal. It shouldn't soak up water and hopefully won't sag.

There is a new floor under there.

They had to take the water tank out so Pat sanitized and refilled it before we left.

Nappanee is the cutest little town of 7,000+ residents. Whenever we go to Thor I love to go there. One of the things I look for is their street art. I've shared it before. Businesses or groups sponsor local artists and the art is displayed around town. The neat part is that they have a new theme every couple of years and the art changes. They "retire" the previous sculptures to The Art Path in the local park. The apples from The Apple Orchard were on display one year, The Flower Garden displays the flower-themed art from another year, and the last time we were there the theme was Junkyard Dogs. I'm guessing they were in the part of the path that was closed because we didn't see them.

This year's theme: A Touch of a Butterfly.  The theme was incorporated with "Turn the Towns Teal," a campaign to promote the awareness of Ovarian Cancer and it's symptoms. We found lots of teal in Nappanee and Wakarusa. In our walk we saw some other interesting things.

Bailey Hochstetler, Flutter

Jenny Shaw and Nate Baum, Morning by Morning

D & M Welding, Tree of Life

Kathy Hershberger, Lucy: Bringer of Light

Sunday Mahaja, Black Feet Dancer

Nick & Joey Hochstetler, Shine

Sunday Mahaja, Better Together

Kiley Price & Friends, The Enchanted Forest

Sunday Mahaja, Raising Sun

Amish store in Shipshewana that had EVERYTHING.

Weds. morning we noticed the teal ribbons and butterflies in Wakarusa, a town of only 2,000. I ventured into the Wakarusa Dime Store, home of the world famous Giant Jelly Bean, and found some sponge candy just like my Mom made. The store is all candy and offers new and nostalgic candies.

A couple of blocks away I thought oh great, a guy is going to get in the way of my picture, lol!

Sunday Mahaja, Silvery Tree

Daniel Ningle & Nate Baum, The Anatomy of Energy 

Thank you to Cracker Barrel of Ottawa, IL for providing us a place to park our RV Weds. night and for their meatloaf!

Where are the Piepers now? Ottawa, IL