From: walker@Ingres.COM (Lynn Walker)
Subject: TOS: KIRK'S BIRTHPLACE--IOWA
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Keywords: i'm a doctor, jim, not a mechanic
Organization: ASK Computer Systems, Ingres Product Division
Date: 31 Aug 92 18:48:07 GMT


Here's a great article I found in last week's paper.

					--lynn walker
					walker@ingres.com
								
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	"CAPTAIN KIRK'S 'BIRTH' GIVES TOURISM BOOST TO LITTLE IOWA TOWN"
	 --The Toronto Star, Aug. 22, 1992 / written by Mitchell Smyth--
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Many places build part of their tourism around a piece of history. So far as I
know, Riverside Iowa is the only place to use the FUTURE to sell itself now.

It all began when the late Gene Roddenberry, the man who originated STAR TREK,
the cult television series, made a remark to the effect that Capt. James Kirk,
the commander of the spaceship Enterprise, "was born in a small town in Iowa".

Well Riverside, pop. 826, is about as small as they come, even in Iowa, so
somebody called Roddenberry and asked him if Riverside might be the future
birthplace. "Sure", said Roddenberry.

So now you know. Capt. Kirk (played in the series and the movies by William
Shatner) will be born in Riverside in the year 2328. But the good people there
aren't waiting until then to cash in.

"We've got a 20-ft. long replica of the Enterprise in the town park," says
Dawn McCoy, who runs the Kirk Headquarters, otherwise known as the Riverside
Area Community Club.

Did we say McCoy? Surely the spaceship's faithful doctor, "Bones", (DeForrest
Kelley in the series) is Dr. Leonard McCoy. Any relation?

"Of course," says Dawn. "You could say that I'm Bones's great-great-great, etc.
grandmother."

After getting Roddenberry's okay, somebody brought the idea to city council,
which put the stamp of officialdom on the idea, formally declaring that James
Kirk will be born there.

They've even picked out the spot where he'll be born, right behind the former
barber shop on Main Street that houses the community club office.

McCoy has a bust of Kirk in her office, and the townspeople would like to put
up a statue outside, but Paramount Pictures, which somehow "owns" the
unflappable commander, won't enter into the fun unless Riverside stumps up
$25,000 for a licensing fee.

"We don't have that sort of money," says McCoy.

Statue or no, the townspeople have begun to get everything ready for 2328. The
signs at the town limits read, "Riverside: Where The Trek Begins. (They used
to say "....Where The Best Begins", so it wasn't that big a job to change them.)

The annual Riverfest has been changed to Trek Fest. Local business have names
like Flower Trek and Future Designs by Carol, although the Bar Trek saloon has
closed.

"The news is getting around," says McCoy. "We have people coming from all over,
from Canada, Australia, Japan, Europe".

There's a big parade each year, with people dressed as Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, and
of course, the pointy-eared Mr. Spock (who, as you know, is a Vulcan, but is NOT
from Vulcan, Alberta). They come to exchange trivia, to party.....and, no doubt,
to keep watch in case of a sneak attack by the Klingons.

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