Maps - Chickasaw County, Iowa GenWeb

CHICKASAW COUNTY
Another IAGenWeb Project

NASHUA

Source: A.T. Andreas Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Iowa 1875

This is a prosperous and important town near the southwest corner of the county. It is situated in a bend of Cedar River, directly opposite the confluence of the Little Cedar, and at the foot or south end of the heaviest body of timber in Chickasaw County. The town plat lies in the river valley on dry ground sufficiently high to be above the reach of floods with a gentle inclination eastward. It is a beautiful location, which is thoroughly protected from high winds in every direction by high ground covered with timber. The Cedar River affords very valuable and excellent water power on the north side, just above the railroad bridge, which is occupied by one of the largest and best flouring mills in northern Iowa.

The Cedar Falls and Minnesota Division of the Illinois Central Railroad passes along the east side of the town, and then crosses the river northward. It has here a commodious depot building, and there are several good elevators and warehouses adjacent. The principal business street runs parallel with the railroad track, from which it is distant only the width of one tier of blocks. This street is broad and well graded, and is lined with substantial business houses, many of which are handsome edifices of brick or stone.

Westward of the business street are many handsome residences, not a few of which are beautifully embowered in natural groves of thrifty native forest trees. The prevalence of trees throughout this portion of the town gives its streets the appearance of pleasant rural avenues.

A large section of surrounding country in Chickasaw, Floyd and Bremer Counties contributes to the commercial importance of the place. This portion of the Cedar Valley is justly celebrated for its productiveness and the advanced state of improvement which it displays. Here in the midst of such a country with no important town nearer than Waverly in one direction and Charles City in the other, Nashua is most advantageously situated to draw the mercantile trade and the grain of the country to its market for shipment or manufacture from a wide distance. The business of the town is extensive and continually increasing. It embraces a large number of good mercantile houses in all branches, shops of nearly all descriptions, good hotels, foundry, bank, printing office, dealers in grain, farming implements, lumber, etc., etc. It is represented by a liberal array of talent in the legal and medical professions. A live agricultural society is maintained with headquarters here, and also a trotting park association. They jointly hold fair grounds and a good trotting course a short distance above the town plat near the railroad track.

The town has several church organizations, and good houses of worship. Its public schools are well maintained and graded upon a most efficient system, employing a principal and three or more assistants as instructors. They are provided with a commodious and well furnished public school building which affords ample facilities for the purpose. Excellent building stone is found in quarries convenient to the town, and an abundance of good brick manufactured near by.

Nashua incorporated as a city of the second class under the Iowa law, its corporate powers being administered by a council consisting of a mayor, recorder and five trustees elected by the town at large.

The 1875 Nashua Plan

1875 Birds Eye View Of Nashua

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