Snapshot of History by Mike Avitt

This week’s picture is an ink drawing which appears in an 1887 book called, “Biographical and Historical Record of Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa.” I believe the Ringgold Record building was the fourth brick building erected in Mount Ayr (1881) and it is still standing at 119 N. Taylor Street. It has been modified and…

I took this week’s picture on November 12, 2011. The building is the former Frank Carr dance hall and it is still standing. The last I knew, Don Ray was the owner. On June 17, 1931, a fire destroyed most of Maloy’s business district including the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. So, 1932 was a rebuilding…

Ringgold County and Mount Ayr were both established in 1855. So, 100 years later, it didn’t make sense to have both the Ringgold County Centennial and the Mount Ayr Centennial in the same year. Thus, Mount Ayr celebrated in 1975, 100 years after the town was incorporated. Now Mount Ayr is two years away from…

In April 1970 the Ringgold County Historical Society met to discuss plans to establish a county museum and genealogical library. They discussed two possible locations: the former West End Market building in Mount Ayr and the Ellston High School building. The West End Market building had a $9,500 price tag but was centrally located and…

BY MIKE AVITT 140 years ago the Mount Ayr business district was dotted with livery barns. These facilities provided feed and care for horses while the rider was in town for business or visiting others. Livery barns also provided horses and buggies for rent; a service often used by local doctors. Stagecoach and hack lines…

BY MIKE AVITT This building in Diagonal was erected in 1909 for A. W. Marts and Dr. A. E. Jessup. After the previous newspaper plant burned, Carson Williams bought some printing equipment and placed it in the Jessup building in December 1917. Williams started a new newspaper called the Diagonal Reporter in January 1918. Thomas…

Thanks to Mitzi (McGehee) Hymbaugh for this week’s photo. The staff of the Midway Cafe is shown at the restaurant in May of 1952. Loueva McGehee, Dennis Foltz, Ike McGehee, Jr., and Leona Shaughnessy appear in this picture with others yet to be identified. The owner of the cafe at this time was Lucille (Shaughnessy)…

BY MIKE AVITT I took this week’s photo on June 27, 2009. Let’s look at some Ringgold County graveyards and undertakers. The Mount Ayr Centennial Book says the Rose Hill Cemetery Association was organized in 1882 although several burials took place prior to that date. The earliest information I found was in 1884 when a…

These buildings have interesting histories and so do the people who built them and occupied them. A fire in November 1889 destroyed most of the buildings from the alley by Lefty’s Club Tavern to the alley by Lucky Lanes. Lost in that fire was the first frame Ringgold County Courthouse building. The brick courthouse was…