Between 1856 and 1903, a post office operated in the village of New York, now a ghost town in Wayne County, Iowa. The New York Christian Church, which was built in 1887 and held services through 1971, was recently relocated to a site east of Allerton. It’s part of a series of historic buildings, including one of the few remaining round barns in the state. The buildings are open to the public during the summer, or anytime by appointment by calling (515) 872-2667.
This historic depot in downtown Creston was originally built by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad line and in 1899. It was placed on the National Register of Historical Places in the 1974 following a restoration project that repurposed the building as a community municipal complex. The first floor currently houses a congregate meal site and model railroad club, while city offices and Council chambers are found on the second floor.
Amtrak makes daily stops in Creston, but its passengers are relegated to a mundane building next door. A recent article in Creston’s daily newspaper indicated a community push to move the Amtrak waiting area to the historic depot facility.
The history of the Grand Theatre dates back to 1880, when the Keokuk Opera House first opened at the same location. The original opera house was destroyed by a fire in December 1923; the new and improved Grand Theatre opened less than two years later. At the time of opening, Keokuk’s Daily Gate newspaper wrote “the new Grand is a real gem combining the latest in beauty of design and finish, with dignity of lines, both interior and exterior, the latest devices for safety and the newest in ventilating and lighting system(s).”
Built in 1892, the currently-vacant Lee County Savings Bank building in downtown Ft. Madison is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Ft. Madison Downtown Commercial Historic District. The Lee County Savings Bank was established in 1888, the third bank organized in the city.
The Hy-Vee supermarket chain can trace its retail roots to this nondescript brick building in the tiny community of Beaconsfield, Iowa. Now a community building, Charles Hyde and David Vrendenburg (the namesakes for Hy-Vee) opened their first store in this building in 1930. A plaque on the north side of the building provides visitors with a nice overview of the building’s significance.
Beaconsfield is Iowa’s smallest incorporated community, with 11 residents counted in the 2000 Census.