Frank Livers transports us to Mason City in north central Iowa, where in January the conditions are sometimes too cold for snow! Frank’s highlights include farmlands, a town square dedicated to the musical Music Man, and the last venue to showcase Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper before their tragic plane crash.

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"This first picture is of the sky outside my backdoor. I love the deep blue sky."

“This first picture is of the sky outside my backdoor. I love the deep blue sky.”

"Here are a couple pictures of a farm and an empty field. This is pretty much what all of Iowa looks like. If you notice we don't have any snow, at least in my area. Just cold."

“Here are a couple pictures of a farm and an empty field. This is pretty much what all of Iowa looks like. If you notice we don’t have any snow, at least in my area. Just cold.”

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"This is a picture of a building on main street in Hampton, Iowa that burned the other night. It was around 6 below zero at the time of the fire."

“This is a picture of a building on main street in Hampton, Iowa that burned the other night. It was around 6 below zero at the time of the fire.”

"Here we are following a tractor pulling a grain wagon down the highway."

“Here we are following a tractor pulling a grain wagon down the highway.”

"We went to a used furniture store in Sheffield, Iowa, a very small town. I stopped and took this picture of the gazebo in their park."

“We went to a used furniture store in Sheffield, Iowa, a very small town. I stopped and took this picture of the gazebo in their park.”

"The last place Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper played was at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. After the concert their plane crashed shortly after leaving the Mason City airport. In honor of Buddy Holly, Clear Lake named a street after him."

“The last place Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper played was at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. After the concert their plane crashed shortly after leaving the Mason City airport. In honor of Buddy Holly, Clear Lake named a street after him.”

"These are of the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The last place Buddy Holly played."

“These are of the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The last place Buddy Holly played.”

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"It was a bright sunny day and very cold, around 26 below zero. I took these pictures of the steam rolling off Clear Lake."

“It was a bright sunny day and very cold, around 26 below zero. I took these pictures of the steam rolling off Clear Lake.”

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"This is a picture of Meredith Wilson's childhood home in Mason City, Iowa. Meredith Wilson is best know for writing the Music Man."

“This is a picture of Meredith Wilson’s childhood home in Mason City, Iowa. Meredith Wilson is best know for writing the Music Man.”

"These are pictures of Marjorie's Teahouse right next door to Meredith Wilson's home."

“These are pictures of Marjorie’s Teahouse right next door to Meredith Wilson’s home.”

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"These are pictures of, The Music Man Square. Also next door to Meredith Wilson's home in Mason City, Iowa."

“These are pictures of, The Music Man Square. Also next door to Meredith Wilson’s home in Mason City, Iowa.”

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"Here is a close up of the Music Man statue."

“Here is a close up of the Music Man statue.”

"This picture is of windmills in the middle of a field near Ventura, Iowa. Wind farms are popping up around the area."

“This picture is of windmills in the middle of a field near Ventura, Iowa. Wind farms are popping up around the area.”

 

A few days later it snowed quite a bit in Mason City. Frank wrote, “These are pictures I took walking around East Park in Mason City, Iowa. It was the first snow in a long time and I couldn’t wait to get outside and enjoy the winter day.”

 

“Here is the Iowa Minnesota border along highway 65, just north of Northwood, Iowa. One side of the marker says Iowa, the other says Minn. If you read the plaque you see highway 65 was first called the Jefferson Highway. And of course a picture of the more modern Minnesota sign.”

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