Muscatine County, Iowa During World War I

Submitted by Eleanor B. McCleary
April 21, 2001

Source: Muscatine Journal & News Tribune, 16 Nov 1918
Special Section on Muscatine County Sons in Service in WW I

How Peace Came to Muscatine

       Muscatine County soldiers in service only missed only one real event in Muscatine during their absence. that was the peace celebration.

        For twenty-four hours after the word of the signing of the armistice was received the lid was off and Muscatine went wild. For five minutes after word was received by the Journal and News-Tribune, all factory whistles, church bells and school bells in the city were sounded.

        By 2:30 a.m. last Monday morning crowds had already started to gather in the downtown district. One old mother with a boy in service was among the first to hear the alarm. She grabbed a revolver, rushed down stairs into Second street, and fire it five times.

After three o'clock, a celebration resembling the Fourth of July, New Year's Eve, Thanksgiving and a wild night in a strange town, was in full swing.

        Automobiles by the hundreds with klaxons sounding, pans and extra rims clanging, on the pavement speeded through the streets with the occupants yelling, shooting firearms, and generally giving vent to their enthusiasm.

        For more than two hours the three fire trucks with every noise making device working to its limit, raced through all parts of the city.

        The old cannon from the court house was taken to the river front and barked until those firing it were afraid to again load the piece. The guns of the firing squad of the high school cadet corps were used in firing volley after volley.

        Daylight brought even more noise and more people. The celebration lasted throughout the day and was concluded Monday night with a big parade, fireworks and a monstrous bonfire on the river and a street dance in the downtown district.

        Thousands of persons with every know noise making device to be used after they had shouted until hoarse, thronged the streets from the time word was received until late Monday night.

        After the first enthusiasm of the celebration was over this is the question that was asked by everyone: " How soon will the boys be home?"