The United Methodist Church in the Wapello County community of Kirkville can trace its history to 1844, when a group was organized by Rev. T.M. Kirkpatrick, based in nearby Eddyville. After meetings in homes and a local schoolhouse, a new church building was constructed and dedicated in 1853. The present church was constructed around the turn of the century; in 1917, a basement was added and the sanctuary was reconfigured.
In the early 1900s, council members in the Tama County town of Vining held many meetings in the city jail, since the city hall building was not heated during winter months. This changed in 1962, when a 1,000-square-foot combination fire station and town hall building was dedicated. This served council members until 1972, when the old, one-stall fire station was remodeled to serve as city hall. The building remains functional today.
The Thompkins-Jenkins American Legion post in the Jackson County community of Preston was established on March 2, 1922, during a meeting held at the local Opera House. Twenty-six men were present for the meeting, which included the election of officers and the decision to name the post for two residents who lost their lives in World War I. The present Legion hall was purchased in 1947.
The City Hall in the Howard County town of Elma was constructed at the base of the water tower in the 1910s. The building’s basement houses the pump for the water tower well, and once was used as the city jail. The steps were added in 1969, replacing a ramp that used to lead to a garage door and the local city fire truck. The city hall continues to serve as the location for monthly council meetings, but most city business takes place in a separate office.
The community of Humboldt celebrated when a new Post Office building opened its doors to the public in March 1956. The yellow brick building saw several changes over its years of operation, including a large addition in the mid-1960s and the addition of a lift for the inside steps in the late-1990s. The building’s owners leased the basement to a variety of businesses and organizations, including a local law firm from 1990 to 1995; the space has remained vacant since.
Air quality tests revealed mold problems in the building in April 2003, forcing the post office to relocate. The Humboldt Independent notes the tests were conducted following reports of employees getting sick in the building. The Post Office quickly moved to a “temporary” location in a former drugstore a few blocks southeast in downtown Humboldt. A 2004 plan to construct a new, permanent location for the Humboldt Post Office was scrapped due to U.S. Postal Service budget concerns. The once-temporary location remains home to the Post Office today. Continue reading Former Post Office 50548 (Humboldt, Iowa)