The Mitchell County town of St. Ansgar was established in 1854 by the Reverend Claus Clauson. The town name was chosen in honor of a French monk, who was a ninth-century missionary to bring Christianity to Scandinavian countries. The town’s slogan, the Garden Spot of Iowa, represents the community trees and gardens surrounded by country farmland. The town was officially incorporated in 1876.
The Wayne Baptist Church in the Mitchell County town of McIntire was organized in 1865, with first services held in various homes and then the local schoolhouse. The first permanent church building was erected in 1884 on the north edge of town. The building was moved to a more central location within the community and served the congregation until a fire destroyed the church in 1962. Replacement building plans were created, and the current church was constructed shortly after.
The Mitchell County town of Carpenter saw its post office close its doors on April 3, 2009, after nearly 140 years in the community. Though postal service dated to 1871, when Postmaster Tom Hagen retired, no one was available to replace him. The sign was removed and outdoor metal boxes were added for residents to pick up their mail. The nearest post office is in the town of St. Ansgar, six miles away.
The Mitchell County town of Carpenter was platted in 1871 and incorporated eight years later. The first town hall was located over a local lumber company office building; the space was used for anything from council meetings to mayors court for local offenders. The council later met in the back of a bank building before moving to their current hall when it was built in 1947.
The limestone and brick Stacyville Bank building in Stacyville in Mitchell County dates to 1899, one year after the bank was originally established. Ownership and name changed temporarily in the early 1900s before the Stacyville Savings Bank moniker was reestablished in 1925. The building, which included a vault and safety deposit boxes, served the community until 19512, when the Stacyville Savings Bank moved to a new location. The bank building later was home to the Stacyville Post Office and is currently occupied by a local insurance agency.