In 1847, the Methodists became the first religious group to construct a church in the Keokuk County town of Richland. A new brick building was constructed at a cost of $1,500 in 1880, before being replaced by a wooden frame building on the same site in 1898. A fire engulfed the building in October 27, 1925, causing services to temporarily be held in the town’s Opera House.
The cornerstone of the current building was laid on June 3, 1926; it was dedicated on October 3.
The post office in the Keokuk County town of Delta moved to its fifth and final location in 1958, when residents Mr. and Mrs. Alderdyce remodeled the lower floor of their building for use as the Post Office, with U.S. Congressman Karl M. LeCompte speaking at the dedication held that August. After over 130 years of continuous service, the Delta Post Office was suspended on April 10, 2009, and officially discontinued in February 2011. Mail for Delta is now served via a rural route based in nearby What Cheer.
The original Baptist church building in the Keokuk County town of Ollie was destroyed by fire on January 9, 1944. While construction plans to replace the building were drawn up quickly, and basement construction began the following year. War-time conditions slowed construction progress, and the full building was not dedicated until October 1952. The steeple was added in 1974.
The decision was made to construct a new United Methodist Church in the Keokuk county seat of Sigourney in the fall of 1899. Construction plans were made, and the cornerstone was laid during a ceremony held July 10, 1900 at 2:00 p.m. The cornerstone featured a number of items including a Bible, hymnal, current copies of Sigourney’s three local newspapers, and a listing of names of church leaders and members of the building committee. Construction was completed and the new church was dedicated on February 3, 1901. A basement was added in 1921, while a Sunday school addition was added in 1974.
Postal service was established in the Washington County town of Keota in March 1872, with resident John Wilson appointed postmaster with an initial salary of $1.00 per month. Many firsts are detailed in the Keota Centennial History book, including the first money order being issued July 7, 1874, and the establishment of a rural route from the Keota office on May 18, 1902.
The current post office was built in 1960 and opened January 25 the following year. Home to 355 post office boxes, the air-conditioned building featured all the newest mail handling and sorting equipment.