The Okoboji Project

Latest Episodes:

The Last Days of Summer, 1911 Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

In the Iowa Great Lakes, the end of August is a special time of year.
Explore photos of the last days of summer in 1911 on our blog.

Support The Okoboji Project with a one-time contribution or become a monthly supporter at okobojiproject.com — monthly supporters are thanked by name in every episode.

Grab an Okoboji Project hat in our new shop — available in White, Navy, and Cardinal.

Leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — it helps more people find the show.

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The Raebel Murder Aug 15, 2026

Show notes

The gruesome case that's been passed down through three generations of Dickinson County lawyers.

Explore photos of the Raebel Resort, evidence from case files, and more on our blog.

Support The Okoboji Project with a one-time contribution or become a monthly supporter at okobojiproject.com — monthly supporters are thanked by name in every episode.

Grab an Okoboji Project hat in our new shop — available in White, Navy, and Cardinal.

Leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — it helps more people find the show.

Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook.

Guests: John M. Sandy, Judge for Iowa Court of Appeals

The Seemann Chateau Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

The house on Givens Point everyone has a theory about.

Explore photos of the folks who have called the Chateau home, photos of the cottage's current interior, and lots of historic Des Moines Beach photos on our blog.

Support The Okoboji Project with a one-time contribution or become a monthly supporter at okobojiproject.com — monthly supporters are thanked by name in every episode.

Grab an Okoboji Project hat in our new shop — available in White, Navy, and Cardinal.

Leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts — it helps more people find the show.

Follow The Okoboji Project on Instagram and Facebook.

Guests: Debbie Parks, owner of Parks Marina

David Foxhoven, owner of Okoboji Antique Mall

Meet the Arnolds Jul 17, 2026

Show notes

The family who built Arnolds Park and the surprising path across the country that led them here.

Explore portraits of the Arnold family, original land deeds, and shots the Arnold family home evolving decade by decade on our blog.

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The Okoboji Summer Theatre Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

An old airplane hangar, a dairy farmer, and a women's college from Missouri.

Explore every decade of OST's history, pre-theatre airplane hangar shots, and more on our blog.

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Visit The Okoboji Summer Theatre

Explore Stephens College

Thank you to Gary and Joleen Koch for sponsoring this episode!

Guests: Rob Doyen, resident actor at OST

Michael Burke, Director of Production and Operations at OST

Ruth Ann Burke, Executive Director at OST

A Night Out in 1976 Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Put on your American flag t-shirts and bell bottoms! We're setting the clock to July 1976 to see how Okoboji celebrated the bicentennial summer.

Explore Dickinson County’s wild bicentennial history on our website with photos from the Spirit Lake parade, wild commemorative merch, and videos from the national celebration on our blog.

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Visit The Dickinson County Museum and give to sustain their invaluable community resources.

Guests: Tom Wilson, Michelle Henneberg Miller, and Sally Benit Morkovsky

The Railroads of the Iowa Great Lakes Jun 03, 2026

Show notes

Before the bike trails, there were the railroads. The story of the lines that brought Gilded Age battles, built towns overnight, and connected the Iowa Great Lakes to the rest of the world.

Explore every depot in Dickinson County, decades of railroad maps, and how the railroads are still visible in the Iowa Great Lakes on our blog.

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Visit The Dickinson County Museum and give to sustain their invaluable community resources.

Check out the Dickinson County Trails System and make a gift to help the trails grow.

Guests: Erin Reed, Executive Director of the Dickinson County Trails Association

Frank Christanson, Research Manager at the Dickinson County Museum

Jean Ann Myhre, Executive Director of the Dickinson County Museum

Mary Dreier, former Executive Director of the Dickinson County Museum

A Night Out in 1926 Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

We'll pick you up at the train station, old sport!

Explore photos from Arnolds Park, Prohibition in Okoboji and these incredible party destinations on our blog.

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Explore The Dickinson County Museum and support their incredible work.

Guests: Cole Clawson, Director of The Dickinson County Museum

Jonathan Reed, Author and Historian

Love Stories from Okoboji Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

In Okoboji, romance is always in the air. For five couples, it’s where something lasting began.

Check out heart-melting shots from our guest's photo albums on our blog -- and some bonus pictures of backdrops from these beautiful love stories.

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Thank you to Bank Midwest for sponsoring this episode!

Guests: Kenz Lode

Dennis and Dori Lippon

Brad and Sarah Bourret

Nancy Payne

Mark and Sheila Reed

Wake Sports Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

From homemade skis to world championships, we trace the homegrown history of wake sports in Okoboji -- and the lake rats who made it legendary.

Check out more videos, maps, and illustrations about The Iowa Great Lakes' glacial history on our blog.

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Follow Tyler on Instagram and TikTok. Follow Mia on Performance Stand Up Paddle and Vail Mountain Bike Camps.

Guest: Tyler Stewart, Pro Wake Surfer

Mia Stockdale, Okoboji Ski Club alumni

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The Iowa Great Lakes story is a vibrant quilt woven from the threads of American history: railroad tycoons and boat builders, the U.S.-Dakota War, every beat of American music culture, evolutions in biology, and countless summer memories.

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The Okoboji Project

The Iowa Great Lakes story is a vibrant quilt woven from the threads of American history: railroad tycoons and boat builders, the U.S.-Dakota War, every beat of American music culture, evolutions in biology, and countless summer memories.

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