Construction began in 1901 on the United Methodist Church in the Appanoose County community of Moulton. Built at a cost of $12,000, the brick church featured ornate stained-glass windows and a 400-seat auditorium. Shortly after the dedication service in March 1902, a Barchhoff manual pipe organ weighing 5,000 pounds was installed. A professional organist from Ottumwa failed to show for the dedication service, resulting in a performance from Cam Marshall, a teenager who watched and helped with the installation of the organ. The organ was hand pumped until electricity became available in 1905.
The first library in the Winneshiek County town of Fort Atkinson was established in 1964 in a room on the first floor of the former public school building. It later moved to the building’s lower level and then to a portion of the fire department. In 1995, Fort Atkinson Public Library returned to the public school building, which had been fully refurbished. It shares space with the city museum.
The Mitchell County town of Carpenter was platted in 1871 and incorporated eight years later. The first town hall was located over a local lumber company office building; the space was used for anything from council meetings to mayors court for local offenders. The council later met in the back of a bank building before moving to their current hall when it was built in 1947.
The Community Center in the Hancock County town of Woden was constructed in 1900 by the local Woodmen’s Lodge. It was first known as Woodmen Hall, then as the American Legion Hall, before its current name was adopted. The center has been used for dancing, movies, roller skating, family gatherings, and fundraisers. It serves as a regular meeting place for several organizations including area senior citizens, and can be rented for activities by contacting the Woden Public Library.
Postal service was established in the Ringgold County seat of Mount Ayr in August 1855. Like many towns in Iowa, the first Post Office was located within the postmaster’s home, and shifted to many residential and commercial locations over its first eighty years. In August 1939, plans arrived to construct a new post office of brick and yellow monsota stone on the northwest corner of the town square. Featuring two stories, marble interior accents, and a colored terrazzo floor, construction cost for the new facility totaled $75,000.
The new Mount Ayr Post Office was formally dedicated August 22, 1940, with the superintendent of schools serving as master of ceremonies. A highlight of the historic post office is a 6-foot 8-inch by 11-foot mural in the lobby titled “Corn Parade.” Painted by local artist Orr C. Fisher, it’s one of 36 murals painted in the state from funds via the Works Progress Administration.
Featuring a new Iowa photo each weekday; dedicated to discovering and documenting the best of small-town Iowa.
