The first Presbyterian church was constructed in the Warren County town of Hartford in 1869. As membership grew, a larger building was needed, and the current church was built at a cost of $18,000 in 1916. The church was partially destroyed by fire in 1945, but repairs were made and the church was rededicated in June 1948. Today, members meet for services each Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
The Indianola Public Library history can be traced to 1882, when a local Enterprise Club was formed to raise funds for a new town library. Voters approved giving tax dollars to the library organization in an 1884 election, and the Indianola Public Library officially opened June 27, 1884, in the second story of a hardware store on the town square. The pictured library building was dedicated in 1904, constructed from a $10,000 grant provided by the Carnegie Foundation. The building served the community until 1984, when $900,000 was raised by the community and a new library building was constructed. The Carnegie-funded building now serves as the offices for the Des Moines Metro Opera.
The unincorporated Warren County community of Prole was founded in 1884 and named for local businessman Albert Westren Prole. Postal service was established in September 1884 and has continued since; the location now is open two hours daily. The Post Office shares a building with Gabby’s Restaurant, which serves classic comfort food; call ahead for hours at (515) 981-9347.