Storm Lake is a town of approximately 14,000 residents in northwestern Iowa. Over the last forty years, the community has undergone dramatic social change due to the local meatpacking industry’s recruitment of workers from all nations. As a result, Storm Lake has grown dynamically and is among the most diverse communities in the nation.
This website is a collaboration between the community members, the Storm Lake Community School District, and two classes at Miami University and Buena Vista University to document the people from all backgrounds who live in Storm Lake and Buena Vista County.
In the coming weeks, profiles of residents–including audio profiles, photos, and interview transcripts–will be posted. At the conclusion of the project, these will be deposited with the Buena Vista County Historical Society.
The Latest Profiles
- Candy Clough’s Memorable Homecoming
Profile Text: Piper Nicely Interview: Joey Belmonte and Andrew Offenburger For many, a parade is a way to bring a community together. Gathering to celebrate, to cheer, and to showcase the highlights of a town can do much to create a feeling of togetherness across generations. For Candy Clough this is especially true. In 2018, […] - Lori Porsch on the Shift from Equality to Equity
Profile Text: Rachel Rinehart Audio Profile: Max Olsan Lori Porsch arrived as a newlywed in Storm Lake in 1981, a turning point for her and for the town, when Iowa Beef Processors (IBP) took over the Hygrade plant. In her time in Storm Lake, then, Porsch has witnessed first-hand the town’s transformation, and throughout her […] - Everybody Knows Gracie Vrieze
Profile Text: Madeline Phaby Gracie Vrieze, an interpreter for the Storm Lake Police Department, knows just about everyone in town. But she’s known some longer than others: she estimates she witnessed the births of about 40% of the city’s current population during her time volunteering as an interpreter in the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center’s […]
