TOWN OF GRAND RIVER

Grand River is about 1/2-mile from the west bank of Grand River, Sec. 33, Richland Township on Burlington Railroad, formerly known as Humeston and Shenandoah Railroad. In the heart of fine agricultural district, very rich, also a trading point.

The town was laid out in 1881 by B.C. Perkins, a Company organized for the purpose of laying out towns along the route of the Humeston and Shenandoah railroad.

Around 1886, the first business house was constructed by Bosworth and Milligan, blue front, destroyed by fire 1905.

School building 1896 and a Union Church 1881. Other businesses: General Merchandise (Fear), Landis Barber Shop, Grand River Lumber, Bay Brothers' grocery, livery stable, Howard Agri Implements, Turner wagon and blacksmith shop, Smith Harness Shop and Coal, Dr. Bone, Cole Drug Store, Stanley General Merchandise, Taylor and Overholtzer Meat Market, Kirkendall and Day Wagon and Blacksmith Shop, Treanor Sisters Millinery Shop; Farnstaf Cothing Store, Postmaster, two hotels.

The town grew rapidly. One thing that retarded the growth of Grand River was no bridge — had to ford the river. This tended to cut off a large part of legitimate trade.

In summer 1887, an iron bridge was constructed 1/2-mile east of town.

A fine church was erected by Presbyterians, open for use by other denominations when not in use by the builders.

1916, an agreement was signed with Lamoni Electric Company for them to establish lines and poles for electricity for street lights.

12/30/26: The Council entered into a contract with Iowa Southern Utilities to furnish electricity. Gave them a 25-year franchise.

Farmers hauled rock and surfaced streets.

3/15/35: Floyd Campbell's took over Jesse Stark's General Store.

1/16/36: State-wide blizzard made roads impassible.

2/16/36: Intense cold continues. All roads blocked. Fire destroys Lamoree Hardware and Ehle Café.

2/18/36: First mail service for two weeks. 48 sacks of mail from Weldon and Osceola. February '36: Coal situation becomes acute. Rationed.

GRAND RIVER CENTENNIEL 1881-1981

John Taylor had the ice house. In the coldest part of winter, he would go to the river every morning, measure the depth of the ice. When it was 12" thick he would cut and store it in his ice house to supply the Grand River community with refrigeration for the coming year. An average of 20 men were hired to work for about 10 straight days until the ice house was filled (650 tons). If the weather turned warm they worked around the clock until the ice was stored.

Ice was marked off in squares and scored by an ice plow pulled by one horse - one man with an ice saw but the long rectangles of ice — being careful not to cut clear through as it would freeze back. Another man took a spud bar and broke the blocks off. Men then floated the blocks down the channel to the ford where it was loaded and taken by horse drawn sled or wagon to the ice house. The ice was pulled up into the ice house by rope and later was put in by homemade elevator with an electric motor. Each cake of ice was packed and tamped with shavings of ice to keep it from melting. When the ice house was filled, ice was covered with several inches of saw dust.

Laura Taylor wasn't resting while this was being done. She and her daughter, Freda, would prepare at least two meals a day for the cold, hungry ice crew. Meals consisted of beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, homemade hominy, home-canned tomatoes, pickles and hot baked bread with home-churned butter, home made canned apple butter, coffee, mince meat and cherry pie, cake and cookies (homemade.)

From Grand River Centennial Book

Grandpa Hendrickson came to Grand River vicinity 1869, age 13, from Benton County, east of Indianola. Decatur County was organized April 1, 1850. County Commissioners held their first meeting May 6, 1850. There weren't supposed to be any settlers in Decatur County before 1850, as the government hadn't acquired it from the Indians yet.

There were several settlers as early as 1838, along the southern part, thinking they were in Missouri. There was a boundary dispute between Iowa and Missouri. At one time it looked serious for the peace of the country. Congress finally settled it in 1850 in favor of Iowa line still two miles farther north than Iowa had originally planned it to be. Six to eight miles along the southern border are referred to as lap land.

Rosalee Horton tells: The last time we took Mom to the Grand River area, she guided us to the country neighborhood where she explained and pointed out the wooded area called the Tennessee neighborhood where she had spent some time with her grandpa and grandma Hendrickson, and farther north was the Young Cemetery where several ancestors were laid to rest. I remember attending Great Grandma Hendrickson's funeral and burial. I was seven years old. We were standing around as the men were deaning (?) out the ground cavity and a baby rabbit jumped in the cavity. The men caught it and handed it to me. I took it home and Dad built a cage to keep it in so I could take care and feed and water the animal for some time.

GROVELAND SCHOOL 1909
Photograph taken by Moore's Photo View Company, 1803 North Washington Street, Des Moines
Picture given to Gladys Crew, passed on to Rosalee Horton Crew,
because the McNichols were aunts and uncles of George M. Crew

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Last Revised March 28, 2014