The current Chariton Public Library building was dedicated with a grand celebration on October 28, 1904, a year after Andrew Carnegie pledged $10,000 for the library’s construction and just six years after a public library was first established in the Lucas county community. Designed by Chicago-based architects Patton & Miller, the library featured an interior layout unlike others being constructed at the time, with an arrangement so the librarian could oversee both main reading rooms from a single desk. The unique floor plan became known as the Chariton plan and was used throughout the country in the following years. A new addition was added in the 1990s; it doubled the library’s space, while retaining the architectural style of the historic building.
In June 1882, the town council in the Tama County town of Gladbrook began discussing digging a well and constructing a water tower for use for municipal water supply and fire protection. After a six-plus month hiatus, the issue was brought to an election, with voters overwhelmingly approving. In 1916, the town bought a Ford car and equipped it with chemical to fight fires. Construction began on the current fire station in the fall of 1962, with work completed by June 1963. The station was built entirely by donated labor at a cost of $12,000.
Named for the original proprietor Daniel Martin, the Keokuk County community of Martinsburg was platted in 1855. With a population of 112, the resident count has been in a continual decline since its peak at 332 in 1900. The pictured City Hall was erected in 1968 in the park where the first school had been located. In addition to city meetings, the hall serves as a polling place for town residents.
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