6/4/2009 Coon Rapids to mark 50th anniversary of Khrushchev visit in August
Nikita Khrushchev gleams at an ear of corn, an image captured during his visit to Coon Rapids made famous by its appearance on the cover of Life magazine. At right is Roswell “Bob” Garst, who hosted the Soviet premier. Life described Khrushchev’s revelry as “A cornball act down on the farm.”
Times Herald headlines about the Khrushchev visit.
"The interchange between Iowans and Soviet agricultural managers that began in 1959 led to years of profitable sales of seed and agricultural equipment. In fact,, quite a few Coon Rapids residents traveled to Russia and other Iron Curtain countries to set up and provide training on tractors and planting and harvesting equipment." -- Doug Carpenter, president, Coon Rapids Development Group
Coon Rapids will hold a day of activities as part of Iowa's celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev's visit to the state.
"Agricultural Progress Day" will be Saturday, Aug. 29, according to Doug Carpenter, president of Coon Rapids Development Group, which is coordinating local festivities with Whiterock Conservancy and local organizations.
Many national, state and Russian dignitaries are expected to attend.
A conference and banquet will be held the previous two days in Des Moines.
It was Sept. 23, 1959, when Khrushchev fulfilled his promise to Elizabeth Garst, wife of hybrid corn promoter and entrepreneur Roswell "Bob" Garst, and visited their Coon Rapids farm.
The visit helped open U.S. trade with the Soviet Union, resulting in huge exports of grain and equipment.
"The interchange between Iowans and Soviet agricultural managers that began in 1959 led to years of profitable sales of seed and agricultural equipment," Carpenter said. "In fact,, quite a few Coon Rapids residents traveled to Russia and other Iron Curtain countries to set up and provide training on tractors and planting and harvesting equipment."
The Garst farm that hosted Khrushchev, as well as his son Sergei in 1995, is now part of Whiterock Conservancy, a large gift of land along the Middle Raccoon River from the Garst family.
Anniversary events at the farm will include dedication as a national historic site and presentations on the historical and present-day significance of Iowa-Russia relations.
City activities will celebrate 50 years of agricultural progress.
Farm machinery will be paraded on the streets of Coon Rapids from 10:30 a.m. to noon, followed by speeches on Main Street.
The Garst farmstead commemoration, including speeches by visiting dignitaries, takes place at 2 p.m.
A play about the relationship between Garst and Khrushchev will be presented at 3 p.m.
Displays of equipment and Iowa products, demonstrations, and food and fun stands will be on Main Street throughout the afternoon.
The Coon Rapids fire and ambulance departments will hold a dance on Main Street that night.
The Garst family will be hosting a private lunch and reception for the dignitaries.
"Russian leaders were impressed with our technology in 1959," said Carpenter. "They will be more impressed today seeing 50 years of advances in seed, chemical and equipment and product production technology."
Garst's granddaughter Rachel Garst is among those planning the statewide celebration, which kicks off Aug. 26 with arrival of the Russian delegation.
A tour of Iowa State University's Bio-Century Research Farm will be conducted Aug. 27. That night, Drake University in Des Moines will host "Khrushchev in Iowa," with featured speaker William Taubman, author of "Khrushchev: The Man and His Era." The Des Moines Public Library, Simpson College and the Iowa Council for International Understanding are also organizing that event.
After tours of Pioneer Hi-Bred on Aug. 28, a "Khrushchev in Iowa" conference will be held at Hotel Fort Des Moines. World hunger, agricultural progress, productivity and sustainability and citizen diplomacy in U.S.-Russia relations will be covered. Sergei Khrushchev will be among the officials speaking at a public banquet that night.
Those wanting to participate in the parade, product displays, demonstrations or stands at Coon Rapids can e-mail crdg@crmu.net.
