A Letter from The City of Pioneer’s Mayor

Dated March 26, 1984

The city of Pioneer was started in 1883 by a hay-camp that harvested prairie hay that was shipped by rail to selling points.  The first buildings were a large barn to house the hay and a hotel to house the workers.  It grew to be a thriving town by the early 1900’s.  As the depression took its toll in the 1930’s our town began to wane.  Today, (1984) the only businesses open to the public are the Farmers Co-op Elevator and I. P. B. Hog Buying Station.  The hotel of the hay-camp days is now our town hall.  We have one old non-denominational church that offers bible school yearly of which 20 to 30 children attend.  Our population is 50 of which there are 31 adults and 19 children.  A town well with a pressure system supplies our city water.  Our sewage systems are privately owned septic tanks.  We have a mayor and five council members for government.  Beulah Himrod is our present mayor and James Graham, Lola Lynch, Frank Vanderhoff, Judy Habben and Dan Thurston are council members.  Betty Conlon is clerk and treasurer.  Children of our town go to Gilmore City-Bradgate Community School at Gilmore City, Iowa.  There are definite advantages to living in a small town such as ours.  Our children can play without worry of being kidnapped or harmed.  Everyone knows his neighbors and all are willing to help in time of need.

 

Thank God for our heritage!