The First National Bank of West Union was organized in 1934, taking over the assets of the defunct Fayette County National Bank, which closed following a bank moratorium declared by President Roosevelt in 1933. First National Bank moved to its present facility in 1935. An additional drive-through location was constructed in West Union in 1966, while a branch office was opened in nearby St. Lucas in 1978. The bank celebrated its 75th year of operation in 2009; at that time, deposits totaled $90 million.
The pictured church building was originally constructed in 1875 for the First Congregational Church in the Fayette County community of Waucoma. In 1928, the local Methodist Church merged with the Congregational Church to form the Waucoma Federated Church. Services were continued in this building until 1989, when the congregation disbanded. By the end of 1990, the Waucoma Historical Society was deeded possession of the building. Initial improvements were made to add restrooms, a kitchen, and a dining area, with many fundraising dinners held to raise funds for maintenance of the historic facility.
Further improvements were made in 2008 and 2009, when the interior was repainted, stained glass was restored, and a handicapped accessible entrance was added. The church is available for local groups to hold non-denominational church services and celebrations.
The Wadena Savings Bank was organized in 1906 with a capitol investment of $10,000. After two locations within other buildings, a permanent structure for the bank was completed in December 1920. Like numerous other banks across the state and country, the Wadena Savings Bank folded during the Great Depression, closing in 1931. After five years without a financial institution, the Elgin State Bank opened a branch in the Wadena Savings Bank building. Open four hours daily, the bank branch office continues to serve the Fayette County community of Wadena today.
This booklet was distributed when the Fayette County Courthouse in West Union was dedicated October 8, 1924. The ceremony included music from the Oelwein City Concert Band, Fayette County Consolidated Bands, and the Girls Glee Club from Upper Iowa University. The dedication was followed by a barbeque held in the square and an open house later that afternoon. Evening festivities included a band concert and dancing at the Courthouse and Opera House starting at 9:00 p.m. that evening.
The cornerstone was laid for the $300,000 project on June 21, 1923, just over a year after the previous courthouse was destroyed by fire. Constructed of gray Bedford stone, the dedication packet highlights the marble in the toilet rooms, offices assigned to the County Attorney, the automatic electric elevator, the third story rotunda and courtroom, which featured natural lighting and modern furniture. Over a third of the courthouse was funded by private donations from West Union residents.
In the spring of 1934 a committee was appointed to study the possibility of establishing a public library in the northeastern Iowa community of Fayette. A constitution and by-laws were officially established in October 1934, and two years later, control of the library shifted to the city council and tax dollars were made available for the organization. After a 1943 fire destroyed the first community-sponsored library, two local couples offered generous donations for a new building, which formally opened in 1952.
The library has seen a series of expansions since 1952 including a 1700-square-foot addition that was completed in 1999. The addition included meeting rooms, handicapped-accessible restrooms, and additional storage for the library. The library is open seven days a week.
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