Story City Historical Society

06/19/2026

Missed our Where History Sings concert? Or want to experience it again?

The full performance is now available on YouTube! Enjoy Jarod Hart's City of Stories song cycle, along with historic Story City music performed by Milianna Carlson and Ethan Peter.

🎶 Watch here: https://youtu.be/QGPyyEumzhU?si=iA-InSHEHLk4s1h8

Thank you to everyone who helped make this special celebration of Story City's history and music possible!

Enjoy the full performance of Where History Sings, presented by the...

06/15/2026

Happy 138th Birthday to Bertha Bartlett! 🎉🇺🇸

Born on June 14, 1888, Bertha Olson Bartlett was a teacher, musician, librarian, community leader, and lifelong advocate for education and the arts in Story City.

As a child, Bertha's daughter, Frances "Fran" Bartlett Kinne, believed the flags flying around town on Flag Day were put up in honor of her mother's birthday. 😊

Known for her sunny disposition and encouragement of others, Bertha left a lasting impact on our community through her service on the school board, at the Story City Public Library, and in countless civic organizations. Today, we remember her many contributions and celebrate the legacy she left for future generations of Story Citians.

06/09/2026

Check out these photos from our Where History Sings event!

Photos: Photos of Jarod Hart performing historic Story City songs he composed at Bertha Bartlett Public Library in Story City, Iowa See link below ⬇️

📸 Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune

06/07/2026

Congrats to our quilt raffle winner!

06/06/2026

Stop by and see us on the lawn at the Sheldall Schoolhouse. Get a selfie and help us create an America 250 artwork! Museums are open 1-4pm.

06/04/2026

Make plans to stop by the Story City Museums this Saturday during Scandinavian Days! The museums will be open from 1:00–4:00 p.m.

While you're here, snap a photo in our selfie tent on the Sheldall Schoolhouse lawn, help us create a special America 250 community artwork that will be displayed at the museum, and purchase raffle tickets for our beautiful log cabin quilt, with proceeds supporting the 1859 Log Cabin Restoration Project.

We look forward to seeing you and sharing a fun afternoon of local history and community creativity!

05/26/2026

Today, the Story City community gathered to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Memorial Day parade and cemetery service, helping continue this meaningful tradition of remembrance. 🇺🇸

05/21/2026

We always enjoy our annual visit from the R-S 1st graders! The classes visited the Sheldall Schoolhouse Museum and the Story City Museum. Students stepped back in time as they explored local history, learned about life in a one-room schoolhouse, and discovered artifacts from Story City’s past. Thank you to the students, teachers, and volunteers for a fun day at the museums!

05/19/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday for Where History Sings at the Bertha Bartlett Public Library! It was a wonderful afternoon celebrating Story City’s history through music and storytelling.

A special thank you to composer Jarod Hart, along with performers Milianna Carlson and Ethan Peter, for sharing their incredible talents with our community. We’re also grateful to our volunteers who helped with refreshments and setup, and to all who attended and supported the event.

It was exciting to hear the premiere of City of Stories and celebrate the 100th anniversary year of the Story City Song together.

Support for this event was provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

05/18/2026

Today we celebrated Story City’s rich heritage through music and storytelling with “Where History Sings.” This video clip features the “Town Fair” movement from City of Stories, an original song cycle composed by local musician and composer Jarod Hart, and captures the excitement of a Syttende Mai celebration in Story City.