Postal service came to Sabula, Iowa’s only island town, in July 1837 under the moniker Carl Port. The post office station was quickly renamed to Charleston before a final change to Sabula in February 1846. The town’s first postmaster was William H. Brown, with mail delivery three times each week from the route between Dubuque and Davenport. The post office occupied a half-dozen different locations before moving to its present site in 1996.
In the late 1840s, settlers in the Jackson County community of St. Donatus purchased 40 acres of land from the government at $1.25 an acre for a new Catholic church. A log frame church was constructed on the site in 1848, with a larger frame church constructed three years later. The first version of the present church was completed in 1860 but destroyed by fire in 1907. Stone was salvaged from the fire, with the church opening one year later from recycled materials.
Masses are held alternating Sunday mornings with St. Catherine Catholic Church in Dubuque.
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.
At one time, Iowa was home to more than 50 drive-in movie theaters among over 4,000 operating nationwide. While most drive-in screens in the state have been shuttered and torn down in favor of farmland or retail development, there are a handful of survivors, including the 61-year-old 61 Drive-In Theatre, located just south of Maquoketa in northeast Iowa. Named after the adjacent U.S. Highway, movies are shown Friday and Saturday nights through Memorial Day weekend, then nightly through the warm summer months.
Each showing is a double feature, with two films from the same studio played back to back. Doors open in the early evening, with ticket costs running at $7.50 for adults and $3.50 for children ages 5-12, while children 4 years and younger are free. On the weekend, it’s especially important to arrive early to get your car a good spot; if the movie showing is expected to be extremely popular, it’s recommended to bring along a blanket and portable radio — so if the lot is full, you can leave your car outside and still enjoy the film.
While shows don’t begin until the sun goes down, there are plenty of opportunities for entertainment while at the theatre; a large children’s play area features a dozen swings, while a kiddie train parades around the concessions. Take a cooler and picnic goods to enjoy while waiting for the film, or purchase snacks from the reasonably-priced on-site concession stand. Drive-In 61 in Maquoketa is extremely well-run, making for a worthy road-trip for families and friends looking for a unique and fun evening of entertainment.