Clarinda museum tells area's story

CLARINDA, Iowa — The birthplace of Glen Miller and 4-H are often considered Clarinda's claims to fame. But many people do not know that Clarinda had a World War II prison camp.

The Nodaway Valley Museum, 1600 S. 16th St., preserves and displays artifacts, pictures and articles from the 180-building prison camp.

“Not many are aware of it,” said curator Christy Taylor. “It was a huge complex.”

The prison camp held 3,000 prisoners of war — mostly German soldiers. Toward the end of the war, Japanese and a few Italian soldiers inhabited the area that is now the airport.

Prisoners worked with farmers, worked at a nursery in Shenandoah and helped repair flood damage in Hamburg.

“We've had some come back and visit the farmers they worked with and share family photos,” Taylor said.

The museum also has a collection of the prisoners' artwork.

The Nodaway Valley Historical Society operates the museum with almost all volunteer hours and donations. More than 400 people visit it each year, and area 4-H groups come to learn about the organization's history.

In the museum is a collection of 4-H history, but outside stands Goldenrod Schoolhouse, the cradle of the national organization.

In 1901, Jessie Field Shambaugh, a teacher at Goldenrod, planted the seeds for 4-H.

“She's known as the mother of 4-H because all the other people starting similar clubs were men,” Taylor said.

Along with the schoolhouse, Nodaway Valley Museum has a barbershop from Hawleyville, a doctor's office from Northboro, a blacksmith's shop from Page Center and the Brokaw House (formerly the Future Farmers of America house) for meetings and gatherings.

The little town sometimes comes alive for living history demonstrations.

As a depository for Page County history, the museum has naturally outgrown its genealogy department.

“We have family history, obituaries, microfilm of newspapers, reference materials and scrapbooks,” said Jan Price, a volunteer. “Anyone can come and research for free, but our chief researcher, Phyllis Fulk, can do it for a charge.”

Taylor said that the museum is in the process of moving its genealogy department into a bigger space. The facility is always a work in progress, she said, as exhibits and collections are added, rotated or improved.

The museum also holds special events the first Sunday of each month except for January and July. In December, more than 30 Christmas trees will be on display.

Clarinda also became a stop on the Orphan Train route from 1881 until the 1920s. Nearly 10,000 children were brought to Iowa homes in that time.

A plaque remembering the orphans stands in front of the museum.

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