Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

Coffee Club Swamps “Grill”
To Each His Own - Cup, That Is
Cups are presenting a “housing problem" to l.C.
"Skinny" Musgrove and Treva Musgrove at the Grill
Cafe in Anamosa.
A few weeks ago they conceived the idea of adding a
bit of color to the coffee break by getting a bunch of
gaily decorated coffee cups for use of coffee patrons and
to fill up a shelf along the wall behind the counters.
“We thought we might get 30 or 40 members," Treva
said, "but it's kinda got away from us and now we have
1 14. We don't know where it's going to end."
Cups have filled the shelf to running over, and the
problem now is where to put the remainder. Hooks on
the bottom of the shelfmay solve the problem.
Artistic talents of Mrs. Harold Rumple. proprietor of
Mae Amelia's gift shop were enlisted in the project. Mrs.
Rumple has decorated the cups with cartoons and
quips, with an eye towards the owner's business.
profession or hobby.
Most of the ideas are her own, even though some of
the owners have come up with their own ideas which
she has executed. Cups were sold to the coffee club
members for $1.00 each, which included the cost of the
painting.
Cups will be initiated Monday, August 3, with free
coffee being served to all of the members.
Eli Shada. Anamosa auctioneer, is the possessor of
one of the most unusual cups. On the mug is a cartoon.
from a 1953 article in the Anamosa Eureka
not especially a good likeness, which has a huge mouth
with one lone tooth and very little of the head showing.
A play on words, ‘mayor’ and ‘mare’ was used in
Mayor Marion Platner's cup. A cup with a battered old
horse and “The Mare Marion Platner" inscribed on it
belongs to “hizzoner".
Tony Shada's cup has a pretty red fox on it symbolic
of Tony's hobby of fox hunting. Rev. John Hosmer's
cup has a pipe-smoking angel, a picture of the
Congregational Church and is inscribed,“The Sky Pilot
Johnny Hosmer".
“Good Wood Goods" and a privy are emblazoned on
the cup of George Watters, Anamosa lumberman.
Harry Newiin, long-time staunchRepublican, has a cup
sporting his party's symbol, an elephant.
Glen “Koppy" Koppenhaver, a carpenter, has his
nickname spelled out by his carpenter tools. Lawrence
"Spook" LaBarge, deputy sheriff, appropriately has a
ghost on his cup, recalling days when he was
“spooklng" Anamosa gridiron opponents with his
touchdown runs.
Trademarks of the products they sell, such as
gasoline and automobiles, are painted on the balance of
the colorful display.
The first five charter members are Stan Minegar. Bud
Downing, Marion Platner. Charles J . Tyler and William
Folkerts.
Coffee Club at the Grill Cafe. Pictured, from left to
right, are: Bud Robertson, Treva Musgrove, Edgar D.
Beach. (Photo submitted by Mildred Brown)
Otten's Harness Shop
Coffee Club at the Grill Cafe. Pictured, left to right
are: Mae Amelia Rumple. I.C. "Skinny" Musgrove
Treva Musgrove. (Photo submitted by Mildred Brown)
December 31.1957. marked the closing of the old
harness shop at 104 North Huber Street in Anamosa.
Sixty-seven year old Fred Otten closed the doors of the
small, old, unpainted board building after 30 years in
that location.
Mr. Otten was bom in Germany in 1890, immigrated
to America in 1899, and settled with his family in
Langworthy, Iowa. He left home to start his leather
career in 1913. After one year of working at Rock
island, he moved to Davenport where he accepted a
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