Coming to the EV History Center…

Rod Stanley is a retired school teacher who taught for 35 years, mostly history classes. He worked at Dallas County Conservation as an assistant curator for five years after he retired from teaching. He started doing programs about Dallas County history on various subjects. He grew up in Dexter and had heard about Bonnie and Clyde and the shootout at the Dexfield Park. He researched this subject extensively and gives an accurate account of the event that took place on July 24, 1933.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were two criminals who struck fear in the lawmen of the Midwest. They were ruthless killers who were responsible for the deaths of 13 people including nine lawmen. They went to Dexter, IA and hid at an abandoned amusement park three miles north of town. Historians think they stayed there for around five days after being involved in another shootout at Platte City, Missouri.

They started making trips into town and went to several stores, buying food, medicines, and clothes. Their campsite was discovered by a farmhand hunting blackberries and was reported to the local constable, who in turn contacted the county sheriff. A posse was organized, and on the morning of July 24, 1933, the Barrow gang was ambushed by that posse. It was the biggest shootout in Dallas County history!

Come to this program on Sunday, April 23, at 2:00 to learn all the details of this historical event in Iowa History. Rod Stanley, Dexter and Dallas County historian, will be presenting.

The English Valleys History Center is located at 108 N. Main Street in North English, Iowa, and all are invited to attend this event at no charge. Donations are accepted.