The First United Presbyterian Church of Hazleton was officially established in April 1880, though members had been meeting in area homes and schoolhouses since 1862. The first church building in Hazleton was dedicated in February 1882, though it was completely destroyed by fire less than 25 years later. Members moved quickly to rebuild the church, and the present building was constructed at a cost of $4,300 and dedicated on March 18, 1906.
Postal service was established in the Keokuk County community of Hedrick in January 1883. After being housed in an active bank building, former bank building and former general store, the current post office facility debuted on March 1, 1966. The building was constructed at a cost of $27,559 and featured nearly double the space of the prior location. Much more historical information about the Hedrick Post Office can be found in the community’s 1982 Centennial book, including this sad but interesting tidbit:
Kenneth A. Longaker, temporary rural carrier on Hedrick Route 1, was presented a certificate and lapel emblem from the postal department in September 1962. The award was given as a symbol of postal tradition of seeing that the mail goes through despite adverse conditions.
On September 3, 1962, Longaker started on his route, which served the [rural station in nearby Farson.] He found the office closed although it was 10 a.m., unable to deposit the mail pouch and pickup outgoing mail. Longaker went to the home of Don Meeker, clerk in charge, and found him lying unconscious on the floor. He summoned a doctor and the county sherriff.
Though Meeker sadly died later that day of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Longaker finished his rural route then returned to Farson. Despite the long day and tragic death, Kenneth Longaker distributed the mail to the Farson patrons on his own time.
On January 6, 1965, a fire destroyed the Ellington Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Hancock County. Though the congregation considered rebuilding, they ultimately decided to merge with the Lutheran Church in the nearby unincorporated community of Miller. In February 1965, after considerable debate and two ballots, members unanimously adopted a new name, Faith Lutheran Church.
Later that year, a special meeting was called to discuss remodeling the church building. A committee was created and began the process of contracting a $50,000 building upgrade. Remodeling efforts were completed the following year, with a dedication service held April 24, 1966.
Postal service was established in the Tama County town of Vining in the spring of 1882, with resident Joseph Simon appointed as the first postmaster. He setup the post office inside his mercantile business store in time for the first piece of mail to arrive on May 1, 1882. Since January 1995, the post office has operated out of a back room of a private residence.
Susie O’Bryan began her tenure as postmaster in the Monroe County town of Lovilia in 1926. When the post office moved to a a new office building a few years later, O’Bryan made her living quarters in the two back rooms. In Lovilia’s 1978 history book, the authors cite memories of picking up their mail during meal time and enjoying the delicious aromas from the postmaster’s cooking. O’Bryan served as the Lovilia postmaster through 1935.
The present brick post office building was constructed and dedicated in 1961.