Monthly Archives: January 2011

City Halls

City Hall (Plymouth, Iowa)

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City Hall (Plymouth, Iowa)

In 1994, the Plymouth City Council sponsored a logo and slogan contest to coincide with the Cerro Gordo County community’s 125th anniversary the following year. The winning slogan, Where Neighbors Are Friends, was submitted by resident Deb Perry, while the winning logo was submitted by resident Wendy Wood. A large version of the logo was then painted by a Mason City artist and remains today on the front of the Plymouth City Hall.

The City Hall dates to 1925 when it was built to house the city’s two water pressure storage tanks for the city’s upgraded water system. The building was converted to a City Hall facility when a separate fire barn was constructed in 1958. The conversion included remodeling to add restrooms and a kitchen, and later upgrades provided space for a library and council chambers. Plymouth contracts with nearby Manly to provide the library service to its residents.

In addition to rental for family gatherings and meetings, seniors gather at the City Hall each Monday for card games, and a community coffee is held each Tuesday morning.

Courthouses

Page County Courthouse (Clarinda, Iowa)

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Page County Courthouse (Clarinda, Iowa)

Tragedy struck the Page County seat of Clarinda on December 11, 1991, when a fire caused considerable damage to the 1885 courthouse. The fire caused county government to move to temporary headquarters in a former department store building while next steps were determined. In August 1992, county residents overwhelmingly passed an $875,000 bond issue to rebuild and restore the historic building, while an additional $175,000 was raised privately to replace the clock tower. Work begun in January 1993 and county offices were officially moved back to the Courthouse by March 1994.

Post Offices

Former Post Office 52164 (Randalia, Iowa)

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Former Post Office 52164 (Randalia, Iowa)

The 88 citizens in the community of Randalia in Fayette County, Iowa, were ecstatic in 1998 when a new modular post office was installed at the edge of the community. Constructed at the cost of $100,000, the trailer-like facility featured handicap-accessible entrances and a 24-hour lobby. The post office had previously been located in an old bank building that presented accessibility challenges for box-holders and an inefficient layout for customers and staff.

The new office was opened for less than 10 years before service was suspended in 2007. During that time, the number of post office boxes rented had dropped from 41 to 26, and according to a U.S. Postal Service spokesperson quoted in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, “revenues and deliveries [had] continually declined.” Once a final decision was made to permanently close the Randalia office, the modular post office was removed entirely. Only the gravel parking lot and concrete foundation remain.

Movie Theatres

Theatre (Boone, Iowa)

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Boone Theatre (Boone, Iowa)

The Rialto Theatre in downtown Boone was completely destroyed in September 1966, when a large fire engulfed the building, damaged two adjacent businesses, and required help from firefighters from the nearby communities of Ames and Ogden. Less than a year later, in August 1967, the fully rebuilt Boone Theatre made its debut in the same location. The 470-seat theatre was considered one of the finest in the midwest, featuring a large screen and colorful red, black, and white interior design.

At time of construction the theatre was locally owned by the Boone Theatre Corporation; the single-screen movie house was sold to Iowa chain Fridley Theatres before changing hands again in 2008. The theatre, which has up to four shows daily, is now owned by Big Time Cinema.

Carnegie Libraries, Public Libraries

Public Library (Colfax, Iowa)

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Public Library (Colfax, Iowa)

On November 5, 1892, the Colfax City Council voted to allow the west room of the second story of the new City Hall building to be used for a public library. On December 16 that year, a meeting was called and the public library association was officially organized. By July 21, 1893, the Library was formally dedicated, and in 1902, the library board began correspondence with Andrew Carnegie to receive money for a new library building. In 1904, a $6,500 grant for a new library was approved and the community began deliberation before work was started.

Lots were purchased for $2,300 on January 12, 1912, and the cornerstone was officially laid October 15, 1912. The new library was completed on March 24, 1913, and dedication ceremonies were held May 14, 1913. The historic building has been well-preserved, with only a handful of changes made since the library opened. In 1915, the library’s annual budget was $1,152.