Are you familiar with the Cedar Rapids sisters who gained national fame by allowing audiences to throw food at them during their performances? How well do you know Iowa history? An Iowa history trivia challenge will be part of a program titled “Iowa’s Rogues & Heroes” on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 5:30 pm at the Milwaukee Depot located next to the fairgrounds.
Iowa’s history is filled with remarkable, eccentric, heroic, and sometimes infamous individuals whose stories have largely been forgotten. Join Iowa historical fiction author Ann Hanigan Kotz as she uncovers these fascinating tales and brings Iowa’s past to life through engaging storytelling and historical research.
Audience members will also have the opportunity to test their knowledge in an Iowa trivia challenge and perhaps walk away with a prize for their expertise. This entertaining and interactive presentation offers a unique glimpse into the people who helped shape Iowa’s history.
“Patrons of other libraries have had a lot of fun playing the trivia game, and they admitted they had little knowledge of the rogues and heroes who have woven themselves into Iowa’s history,” Hanigan Kotz said. “I’m looking forward to my visit to Jefferson.”
Ann Hanigan Kotz was born in Denison and lived on a farm southwest of town with her parents and five siblings. Reading became a passion early in her life when she spent her childhood summers at the library.
She earned her degree from the University of Northern Iowa and began her teaching career in 1988, teaching high school English for 33 years.
She has published four historical fiction novels. Three are a series about the Olsen family’s immigration from Norway to the Loess Hills of western Iowa, inspired by Hannigan Kotz’s own family story. Her fourth book is the fictional story of the legacy of Carroll County’s underground whiskey industry during Prohibition in the 1920s. Her next book, which will be published in March 2027, is a novel of the courage and endurance of Irish immigrants who remade themselves in the new world, eventually settling in Iowa.
As a teacher, Hannigan Kotz was passionate about making her students better writers and readers. She credits her writing ability to studying and teaching the craft. Later in her profession, she taught college-level classes to high school students who themselves wanted to become teachers. She considers teaching one of the most honorable professions.
Retired from teaching, Kotz currently resides in Adel with her husband John. This free program is open to the public and refreshments will be served. Persons who want more information can call the Jefferson public library at 515-386-2835 or check the Library’s Facebook page and website.
