Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On January 12, 1888, a faithful dog saved Gerritt Draayom of Hospers during a blizzard.
Draayom, a native of the Netherlands, immigrated to America shortly after turning eighteen years old. After first settling in Alto, Wisconsin, he later moved on to start a farm on a watering stop for the Sioux City and St. Paul Railroad in northwestern Iowa called Hospers. Married in 1874 and widowed just a year later after the birth of the union’s only son, Draayom attempted to scratch a living off the land. After remarrying, Draayom soon started working as a grain buyer for H.B. Wyman in 1884 to support a quickly growing family. Working at the local elevator, Draayom settled into his role of manager.
Taking advantage of unseasonable weather on January 12, 1888, Draayom worked to patch up holes in the stable attached to the elevator. Draayom finished his repairs and started to work on his daily reports despite buzzing warnings of an incoming storm clicking off the telegraph line with his faithful dogs Hector and Watch sitting at his feet. Finally, Draayom finished his work and prepared for the ten-minute walk home. Hector raced ahead as Watch stayed at the owner’s side. With winds whipping at more than 60 miles per hour, the Dutchman soon grew disoriented as he wandered into the forbidding storm.
Losing his way, Draayom walked for several hours before collapsing into a snow bank. Watch whined and barked, nudging at Draayom. The dog refused to let his owner slip into a deathly slumber. Eventually, Draayom gave in to the dog and sought to get up, only to find his legs too numb to stand. Draayom followed the dog on his hands and knees and soon found himself safely back at the elevator and adjacent depot. After the dog saved his life, Draayom built a concrete monument for the dog that stands outside the Hospers Public Library today. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
