Postal service was established in the Crawford County town of Ricketts on December 14, 1899, with William P. Mulheron named the first postmaster. The post office moved to its current location, an old bank building, in 1967. It is open six days each week.
A new post office opened in the Sioux County seat of Orange City on October 31, 1968. The building featured the latest equipment for heating and air conditioning, florescent lighting, a “modern” counter, and a box lobby that was open daily for 15 hours. The post office was officially dedicated on January 11, 1970, with a ceremony that featured a performance from the Maurice-Orange City Community School band, presentation of the Colors by local American Legion Post 329 and remarks from Stan Greigg, a U.S. Postal Service official based in Washington, D.C. Following the dedication program, a light lunch was served and a formal ribbon-cutting took place.
Located four-and-a-half miles southwest of Maxwell, the Loring United Methodist Church can trace its roots to 1863, when J.T. Overholt and family came to the community from the Evangelical Association in Ohio. Worship soon began in homes, with services later moved to local schoolhouses. A dedicated building was constructed and dedicated in July 1885, with membership exceeding 150 by 1892.
The first church was destroyed by tornado in 1907, but was rebuilt by December 22, the same year. The building remains, and the church continues to serve area residents, today.
The Dubuque County town of Sherrill was incorporated on June 29, 1933, more than 75 years after postal service was first established and nearly 100 years after the first community church opened. The decision to incorporate was a result of the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment, with small towns like Sherrill fearful they could not have a tavern unless they were incorporated. Sherrill is home to 177 residents.
The Palo Alto County town of Mallard was settled in the fall of 1882, when the Fort Dodge and Des Moines Railroad Company completed a line to the town. Railroad president Charles E. Whitehead chose the name because of the quantity of mallard ducks in the area. Home to 274 residents, the town was officially incorporated on June 25, 1895.