|
History of Chickasaw County, Iowa
From Chickasaw County. How the County Seat Progresses
-Chickasaw County Stock-Lonia
(News Article from The Inter Ocean, 29 Jan 1876 )
Transcribed by Debbie Personette
New Hampton, Iowa Jan 26 1876
New Hampton is making marked progress. The Chickasaw County bank building, Easton & Bigelow proprietors, the
latest addition to the business center is a very solid brick structure, costing about $6500. Two steam grist-mills
have been recently risen; also a large number of dwelling houses. The improvements under contract or contemplation
the coming year are still more numerous.
A library association has recently been formed and the young people are especially interested in to. The Principal
of the Union School, C. P. Wellman, takes a deep interest in this movement, and if the old citizens will back up
the movements of the young class, a library will soon be had.
The school spoken of is well graded, having four departments. The Germans are preparing to build a church, which
will be the fourth in the place. The other three are American.
New Hampton, the county seat, is centrally located. The Central House is said to stand in the geographical center
of the county. W. D. Gardner, for nearly eleven years in the New Hampton House, never had more friends than he
has to-day. The village boasts of two good hotels.
G. M. Reynolds, Esq. fourteen years on the Courier, is making a first class county paper. He is a veteran printer
and journalist, and esteemed for his works.
Since the Iowa and Dakota branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railway touched the hem of New Hampton's
garment, new and magnetizing virtue has been felt, and the town has gone steadily forward. The great want of the
county is a better Court House.
Chickasaw County is gradually filling up with blooded stock cattle, horses, and hogs. Several parties have a fine
strain of Durham and Devon cattle and Berkshire swine. The leading men in this line are Duel Sherman, R.P. Pierce,
J - Benedict and E. D. Fil---
Lonia, eight miles west of the county seat, on the same railroad has two hotels, five stores, a large two-story
school house and an elevator with two warehouses attached. Like New Hampton, it is a prairie village, and it was
called into existence by the railroad. It has drawn most of the business from Chickasaw village, which is two miles
from the railroad, and sadly on the decline.
|
