Dr. Jesse Dean Cline pictured in front of his veterinary office in York, Nebraska. Cline was an alumnus of Iowa State College.
This mystery photo has recently been identified by Becky Jordan, Library Assistant in Special Collections Department at Parks Library. Local antique car collector, Grant Quam, had previously determined that the vehicle pictured was of about 1908 vintage. Using this date and the J.D. Cline, DVM on the store front window as clues, Ms. Jordan searched old alumni records and discovered that a Jesse Dean Cline had graduated from Iowa State College with a degree in Veterinary Medicine in 1910. Consulting old ISU yearbooks, she found that Dr. Cline had participated in track, glee club, and literary society while on campus. Further research showed that Cline practiced veterinary medicine in York, Nebraska (note the word York on the door) from 1910 to 1912, returned to Ames as an extension lecturer for a year, then practiced in Clarion from 1913 to 1918, when he switched to real estate.
David Weiss, a former Ames resident now living in Hubbard, identified the car as a Reo. He added that it can be dated as 1906, the last year that wood-spoked wheels were used by this company. Thanks are also extended to Carol Cummings for her research of Iowa-based Cline families.