Monday, November 12, 2012
Visible Gas Pumps
On a private property on Sioux City's NW side are 3 visible gas pumps. They face the street and the globes light up at night.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Search for the Best Loose Meat Sandwich in Siouxland: Fall of 2012
Three more places that serve loose meat sandwiches have been discovered in late October and early November. After taste testing 2 sandwiches from each establishment here are the results:
HyVee Kitchen
HyVee is a grocery food store on Hamilton Blvd in Sioux City. HyVee has a kitchen that sells prepared food as meals to customers. Every so often they serve tavern or loose meat sandwiches.
Results of HyVee's tavern sandwich taste test:
Bun - Rating: 4 points. The bun was a bit dry.
Meat - Rating: 3 points. The meat had very good moisture. But was too salty. there was a hint of other spices in the meat but it was very subtle due to the salt content. The salt content needs to be reduced or the amount of the other spices increased.
Condiments/Toppings - Rating: 5 points. The proportion of ketchup, mustard and pickles were perfect
Total score: 12 points out of 15 possible.
The Garden Cafe
The Garden Cafe is what Gus's Family Restaurant used to be. Gus's closed and The Garden Cafe opened. It is in the same building where the tavern or loose meat sandwich was first created. The original restaurant was called Ye Old Tavern and the sandwich was named Ye Old Tavern Tavern. The proprietor of the Garden Cafe claims the original recipe used by the person who invented the original tavern sandwich is being used to make their tavern sandwiches. There is currently no proof to back this claim up. Proof of the original authentic recipe from the creator of the original tavern sandwich would have to be something that is authored and signed by that person. But the Garden Cafe's tavern sandwich did make it into a magazine called Food Network Magazine as the best in all of Iowa.
Results of The Garden Cafe's tavern sandwich taste test:
Bun - Rating: 5 points. The bun is perfect size for the amount of meat and is toasted.
Meat - Rating: 4 points. The meat had a perfect blend of spices and great flavor. But it was a little too dry.
Condiments/Toppings - Rating: 5 points. The proportion of ketchup, mustard and pickles were perfect. An interesting option that was not used was mayo. on the side.
Total score: 14 points out of 15 possible.
Bob Roe's Point After
Bob Roe's Point After, or The Point After as it is most often called was founded in 1982 and opened at its current location in 1991. During the lunch hour she service tavern sandwiches.
Results of Bob Roe's Point After tavern sandwich taste test:
Bun - Rating: 5 points. The bun is perfect size for the amount of meat.
Meat - Rating: 5 points. The meat had a perfect blend of spices and great flavor. It also has chopped onion mixed in.
Condiments/Toppings - Rating: 5 points. The proportion of ketchup, mustard and pickles were perfect.
Total score: Perfect score of 15 points!
Note: for these 3 tavern sandwich taste tests the ketchup and mustard was added by the tester.
To Date rankings of all loose meat or tavern sandwiches tested:
Tied for 1st Place - Coney Island and Bod Roe's Point After with a perfect score of 15 points.
Tied for 2nd Place - Billy Boy, Miles Inn and the Garden Cafe with 14 points.
Tied for 3rd Place - Tastee Inn and Out and Ali's Good Time Grill with 13 points.
4th Place: HyVee Kitchen on Hamilton Blvd with 12 points.
5th Place - Culver's with 9 points.
6th Place - Dairy Queen with 8 points.
Previous articles:
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Sioux City
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Sioux City: Update
History of the Loose Meat or Tavern Sandwich
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Sioux City: Update Continued
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Siouxland: 10/6/2012
HyVee Kitchen
HyVee is a grocery food store on Hamilton Blvd in Sioux City. HyVee has a kitchen that sells prepared food as meals to customers. Every so often they serve tavern or loose meat sandwiches.
Results of HyVee's tavern sandwich taste test:
Bun - Rating: 4 points. The bun was a bit dry.
Meat - Rating: 3 points. The meat had very good moisture. But was too salty. there was a hint of other spices in the meat but it was very subtle due to the salt content. The salt content needs to be reduced or the amount of the other spices increased.
Condiments/Toppings - Rating: 5 points. The proportion of ketchup, mustard and pickles were perfect
Total score: 12 points out of 15 possible.
The Garden Cafe
The Garden Cafe is what Gus's Family Restaurant used to be. Gus's closed and The Garden Cafe opened. It is in the same building where the tavern or loose meat sandwich was first created. The original restaurant was called Ye Old Tavern and the sandwich was named Ye Old Tavern Tavern. The proprietor of the Garden Cafe claims the original recipe used by the person who invented the original tavern sandwich is being used to make their tavern sandwiches. There is currently no proof to back this claim up. Proof of the original authentic recipe from the creator of the original tavern sandwich would have to be something that is authored and signed by that person. But the Garden Cafe's tavern sandwich did make it into a magazine called Food Network Magazine as the best in all of Iowa.
Results of The Garden Cafe's tavern sandwich taste test:
Bun - Rating: 5 points. The bun is perfect size for the amount of meat and is toasted.
Meat - Rating: 4 points. The meat had a perfect blend of spices and great flavor. But it was a little too dry.
Condiments/Toppings - Rating: 5 points. The proportion of ketchup, mustard and pickles were perfect. An interesting option that was not used was mayo. on the side.
Total score: 14 points out of 15 possible.
Bob Roe's Point After
Bob Roe's Point After, or The Point After as it is most often called was founded in 1982 and opened at its current location in 1991. During the lunch hour she service tavern sandwiches.
Results of Bob Roe's Point After tavern sandwich taste test:
Bun - Rating: 5 points. The bun is perfect size for the amount of meat.
Meat - Rating: 5 points. The meat had a perfect blend of spices and great flavor. It also has chopped onion mixed in.
Condiments/Toppings - Rating: 5 points. The proportion of ketchup, mustard and pickles were perfect.
Total score: Perfect score of 15 points!
Note: for these 3 tavern sandwich taste tests the ketchup and mustard was added by the tester.
To Date rankings of all loose meat or tavern sandwiches tested:
Tied for 1st Place - Coney Island and Bod Roe's Point After with a perfect score of 15 points.
Tied for 2nd Place - Billy Boy, Miles Inn and the Garden Cafe with 14 points.
Tied for 3rd Place - Tastee Inn and Out and Ali's Good Time Grill with 13 points.
4th Place: HyVee Kitchen on Hamilton Blvd with 12 points.
5th Place - Culver's with 9 points.
6th Place - Dairy Queen with 8 points.
Previous articles:
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Sioux City
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Sioux City: Update
History of the Loose Meat or Tavern Sandwich
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Sioux City: Update Continued
Search for the Best Loose Meat in Siouxland: 10/6/2012
Sioux City Fire Rescue: Sioux City Fire Chiefs
Since 1869 Sioux City has had several fire chiefs.
From 1869 to 1888 the fire department was a volunteer organization.
1869 to 1874: Charles Collins, J. P. Wall, Mike Follis, William Follis, Mr. Scanlon, Mr. Long, William Grandberg, Jack McGee
1874 to 1878: E. R. Kirk
1878 to 1880: J. Millard
1880 to 1883: James P. Wall
1886 to 1885: John E. Robson
1885 to 1886: A.J. More
1886 to 1888: H. H. Hawman
From 1888 to present the fire department has been a paid professional organization.
1888 to 1889 James Leitch
1889 to 1939: George M. Kellogg
1939 to 1940: John Yeager
1940 to 1952: Charles B. Kuhl
1952 to 1964: John Hill
1964 to 1971: Edgar S. Higman
1971 to 1979: Robert W. Arnold
1979 to 1987: John Plovass
1987 to 2006: Robert Hamilton
2006 to 2008: Gregory K. Martin
2008 to Present: Thomas Everitt
From 1869 to 1888 the fire department was a volunteer organization.
1869 to 1874: Charles Collins, J. P. Wall, Mike Follis, William Follis, Mr. Scanlon, Mr. Long, William Grandberg, Jack McGee
1874 to 1878: E. R. Kirk
1878 to 1880: J. Millard
1880 to 1883: James P. Wall
1886 to 1885: John E. Robson
1885 to 1886: A.J. More
1886 to 1888: H. H. Hawman
From 1888 to present the fire department has been a paid professional organization.
1888 to 1889 James Leitch
1889 to 1939: George M. Kellogg
1939 to 1940: John Yeager
1940 to 1952: Charles B. Kuhl
1952 to 1964: John Hill
1964 to 1971: Edgar S. Higman
1971 to 1979: Robert W. Arnold
1979 to 1987: John Plovass
1987 to 2006: Robert Hamilton
2006 to 2008: Gregory K. Martin
2008 to Present: Thomas Everitt
Sioux City Fire Rescue: Fire Stations
Since 1886 Sioux City Iowa has had several different types and styles of buildings to house the equipment, trucks, men and women so the department is always at the ready when they are needed to respond to a call. Some of these buildings were hose houses with tall towers used to dry the old style canvas material hoses, others had facilities for the care and feeding of the horses when the department used horse drawn pumpers while others were and are large garage style buildings to house the fire trucks and other vehicles needed. Today they are simply called fire stations.
Here is the timeline of Sioux City's fire stations:
Hose House:
1886 - 417 W 7th Street.
Fire Station #1:
1889 to 1922 - 408 Water Street. Formerly the Fire Department Headquarters.
1925 to 1986 - 513 Water Street. Formerly the Fire Department Headquarters. Building no longer standing.
Photo of building location on Sanborn Fire Map from Sioux City Public Museum research Center
1986 to Present - 315 9th Street. Houses the Assistant Fire Chief, Engine Co. #1, Truck Co. #1 and the Fire Department Mechanic. Also houses the police/fire command vehicle.
Fire Station #2:
1889 to 1890 - 417 W 7th Street. Building no longer standing.
1890 to 1929 - 419 W 7th Street.
1982 - 5821 Mitchell, near the airport.
Fire Station #2 is no longer in operation.
Fire Station #3:
1888 to 1929 - 1211 5th Street.
1923 to 1929 - Fire Station #3 was the Fire Department Headquarters.
2002 to Present - 2630 3rd Street. Houses Engine Co. #3 and Truck Co. #3. Also, houses the Training Officer, grass fire rig, and has state of the art training room. Has the City Emergency Management Communications Center.
Fire Station #4:
1891 to 1960 - 1414 Nebraska Street.
1981 to 1913 - Chemical Co. #2 was located in station #4.
1905 to 1924 - Hose and Ladder #2 was located in station #4.
1924 to 1969 -Hose Co. #4 was located in station #4.
1960 to 2012 - 3109 Dearborn.
2012 to Present - New Fire Station #4 building is built and former building torn down at 3109 Dearborn. Hazardous Material Emergency Response, or HAMER #13 is located in station #4.
Fire Station #5:
1894 to 1959 - 408 S. Chambers. Building no longer standing.
1894 to 1911 - Hose Co. #4 was located in station #5.
1912 to 1954 - Hose Co. #5 was located in station #5
1959 to 2002 - 200 Fairmont.
2002 to Present - 4729 Southern Hills Dr. Houses Engine Co. #5. Was built for the expansion of the City to the South.
Fire Station #6:
1902 to 1915 Peters Park. Building no longer standing.
1916 to 1918 - 4110 Morningside Ave. Building no longer standing.
1917 to Present - 4203 Morningside Ave. Houses Engine Co. #6. Building was expanded in 2002.
Fire Station #7:
1895 to 1915 - 816 Floyd Blvd. Chemical Co. #3 and Volunteer Co were located in station #7.
1915 to 1937 - 4016 Floyd Blvd. The station address became 4016 in 1915 when the new Sioux City address listings replaced the former Leeds address listings.
Photo of building location on Sanborn Fire Map from Sioux City Public Museum research Center
Photo courtesy of Sioux City Public Museum Research Center
1937 to 1980 - 4014 Floyd Blvd.
Photo of building location on Sanborn Fire Map from Sioux City Public Museum research Center
1980 to Present - 3252 Floyd Blvd. Houses Engine Co. #7.
Fire Station #8:
1925 to 1928 - 2001 Riverside Blvd. Building no longer standing.
1929 to 1985 - 1909 Riverside Blvd.
1984 to Present - 3829 W. 19th St. Houses Engine Co. #8 and HAMER 12.
Fire Station #9:
1960 to 1969 - 3109 Dearborn. substation until 1979 when it became Station #4.
1969 to 1975 - 1828 27th St.
Fire Station #9 is no longer in operation.
Fire Department Headquarters Building:
1985 to Present - 6th and Douglas Streets downtown Sioux City.
Here is the timeline of Sioux City's fire stations:
Hose House:
1886 - 417 W 7th Street.
Fire Station #1:
1889 to 1922 - 408 Water Street. Formerly the Fire Department Headquarters.
1925 to 1986 - 513 Water Street. Formerly the Fire Department Headquarters. Building no longer standing.
1986 to Present - 315 9th Street. Houses the Assistant Fire Chief, Engine Co. #1, Truck Co. #1 and the Fire Department Mechanic. Also houses the police/fire command vehicle.
Fire Station #2:
1889 to 1890 - 417 W 7th Street. Building no longer standing.
1890 to 1929 - 419 W 7th Street.
1982 - 5821 Mitchell, near the airport.
Fire Station #2 is no longer in operation.
Fire Station #3:
1888 to 1929 - 1211 5th Street.
1923 to 1929 - Fire Station #3 was the Fire Department Headquarters.
2002 to Present - 2630 3rd Street. Houses Engine Co. #3 and Truck Co. #3. Also, houses the Training Officer, grass fire rig, and has state of the art training room. Has the City Emergency Management Communications Center.
Fire Station #4:
1891 to 1960 - 1414 Nebraska Street.
1981 to 1913 - Chemical Co. #2 was located in station #4.
1905 to 1924 - Hose and Ladder #2 was located in station #4.
1924 to 1969 -Hose Co. #4 was located in station #4.
1960 to 2012 - 3109 Dearborn.
2012 to Present - New Fire Station #4 building is built and former building torn down at 3109 Dearborn. Hazardous Material Emergency Response, or HAMER #13 is located in station #4.
Fire Station #5:
1894 to 1959 - 408 S. Chambers. Building no longer standing.
1894 to 1911 - Hose Co. #4 was located in station #5.
1912 to 1954 - Hose Co. #5 was located in station #5
1959 to 2002 - 200 Fairmont.
2002 to Present - 4729 Southern Hills Dr. Houses Engine Co. #5. Was built for the expansion of the City to the South.
Fire Station #6:
1902 to 1915 Peters Park. Building no longer standing.
1916 to 1918 - 4110 Morningside Ave. Building no longer standing.
1917 to Present - 4203 Morningside Ave. Houses Engine Co. #6. Building was expanded in 2002.
Fire Station #7:
1895 to 1915 - 816 Floyd Blvd. Chemical Co. #3 and Volunteer Co were located in station #7.
1915 to 1937 - 4016 Floyd Blvd. The station address became 4016 in 1915 when the new Sioux City address listings replaced the former Leeds address listings.
1937 to 1980 - 4014 Floyd Blvd.
Photo courtesy of Sioux city Public Museum Research Center
1980 to Present - 3252 Floyd Blvd. Houses Engine Co. #7.
Fire Station #8:
1925 to 1928 - 2001 Riverside Blvd. Building no longer standing.
1929 to 1985 - 1909 Riverside Blvd.
1984 to Present - 3829 W. 19th St. Houses Engine Co. #8 and HAMER 12.
Fire Station #9:
1960 to 1969 - 3109 Dearborn. substation until 1979 when it became Station #4.
1969 to 1975 - 1828 27th St.
Fire Station #9 is no longer in operation.
Fire Department Headquarters Building:
1985 to Present - 6th and Douglas Streets downtown Sioux City.
