Snapshot of History by Mike Avitt

BY MIKE AVITT Waubonsie was a member of the Potawatomi tribe and was born about 1760. He worked both with and against the United States of America during his career as Potawatomi leader. About 1845, the U. S. government built Waubonsie a house near Tabor, Iowa and it is believed by some that he died…

BY MIKE AVITT I took this week’s picture on August 6, 2011. The bath house is no longer there but the pool has been there since 1963. The first official “swimming beach” was opened at the old city reservoir in 1940. Certified Red Cross life guards offered swimming lessons and a sand beach provided swimmers…

BY MIKE AVITT In Benton’s early years, this train station was open 24 hours a day; such was the importance of the Chicago Great Western Railway. Benton’s depot was dismantled in 1948 and a replacement depot, consisting of half a boxcar, was placed in its stead. I have been asked to speak at a railroad…

BY MIKE AVITT Thanks to Max Varner, son of Alvin Varner and grandson of O. C. Varner, for this week’s picture. The players are unidentified but, of course, that is coach Omer Clay “Pop” Varner in the back row on the right. And I believe the player in the front row on the far left…

BY MIKE AVITT There was a building boom in Mount Ayr in the early 1890s and this building was one of the results of that boom. Built in 1891 for grocer Thomas Liggett, the building housed Liggett’s grocery store on the ground floor while the upstairs was occupied by Ellis C. Miller Post 96 of…

BY MIKE AVITT This photo appears in the June 12, 1896 edition of the Twice-A-Week News newspaper. The upstairs of 122 S. Taylor was occupied by Dr. C. A. Bent, a dentist. Dr. Bent had located here in March 1896, so that narrows down the date of the photo. Also, Mount Ayr got telephone service…

BY MIKE AVITT Omer Clay “Pop” Varner is shown here with two trophies. I know one is the 1926 Ringgold County Basketball Tournament for first place and I’m guessing the other one is what was called a “traveling trophy,” which was passed on to each year’s winner. This week’s photo comes courtesy of Max Varner,…

BY MIKE AVITT You may have read the Odd Fellows building in Mount Ayr will undergo a restoration effort. I believe I have found the beginning of this historic hall. The 1877 Ringgold Record newspapers are digitized and on the internet, but I could not find the newspapers from 1878. So, I have only half…

  BY MIKE AVITT Thanks to Alfred Holck for this week’s photo. I met Alfred when I was a member of the Burlington Route Historical Society. In 1871, the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad began to construct a branch line from Creston to St. Joseph, Mo. The same year, the B&MR started another branch line…