The Ghost Town of Steven’s, Iowa

Stevens, Iowa, the little town that was and hasn’t been for many years, yet is still on the maps and still the magic words to get phone calls through the Iowa residents, who are on the Elmore, MN line, that belongs to the Blue Valley Telephone Company, Blue Earth, MN. (Ironically the Stevens phones are on the Buffalo Center, Iowa line.)

Located in Hebron Township, Section 35, Range 27, in Kossuth County, is what remains of the once thriving little town. A place where farm folk could meet as they delivered grain and beets, bought groceries, clothes or just stopped for lunch, refreshments or to visit. A place where young and old could enjoy the “out-door-movies”, could join in to watch the ball games.

A place to remember.

For a few people, Stevens is more than a place to remember, it is a place to call home. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Boehm, now deceased used to live in the brick house and raised beautiful Belgian horses. Pastor Arno Melz from Waterloo, Iowa had purchased lots with it’s old buildings and hoped to restore it, but the buildings fell and are non-existent (2006). Chuck and Gilda Steinfeldt had purchased her parents farm, just to the north edge over the tracks. (At present, 2006, Monte and Deb Steinfeldt now live in his grand-fathers house).

The Stevens that was, is no more, but the town-site still can boast what few towns in the country can – “the trail still goes through”. It no longer stops, but now and then we hear the whistle and it stirs the memories.

This land was purchased for a town from August G. Melz, Sr., who had come from Germany to Vernon Center, MN in 1891 and to Lincoln Township, Iowa in 1897. It is not certain when he bought the quarter-section 35 in Hebron Township, but he sold part of it to A.K. Anderson in 1925, Anderson, having moved there from Elmore, MN in 1918.

Stevens, Iowa was dedicated December 7, 1925; platted and filed December 14, 1925 at 3 p.m. for A.K. Anderson and wife Christina by a regular Engineer, Chas. E. Chubb of Algona, Iowa. Iron monuments were set for surveying purposes. This was certified by Blance Crose, Treasurer, F.R. Hopkins, Clerk of Court; and S.Engler, Recorder of Deeds, of Kossuth County Iowa.

The main street, still leading to the Melz farm (Now Steinfeldt), was named Maass Ave. An Adams street ran east and west.

Of the four blocks shown, number 1 had a railroad stockyard. The old barn and a small shed were downed in a storm, so it is about all gone. The Brick house (presently 2006, is vacant after the passing of the Carl W. Boehm’s), was very elaborate for the time and was built by the elevator and used for the manager’s home.

Before the elevator was purchased and moved from Lakota, in June 1924 (to what was to become lot 3), grain was loaded on to box cars as early as the fall of 1923. The elevator was farmer owned with shares and a manager hired. At one time it was managed by a Mr. Hayward.

Block two was plotted in lots. Lots 23,24,25 and 26 were sold to August F. Melz in September 1927. It was resold to Ed Simser, in July 1933 who built a General Store that year. There was also a restaurant. A Meat Locker there at one time was managed by Johnny Snyder and another time by Francis Burhow.

The mail was delivered from Buffalo Center to the store, where some can remember the “little cubby-holes” with names of each patron and later they remember a row of mailboxes outdoors. However no postmarks with Stevens, Iowa can be remembered.

A building in Elmore, MN at one time a school house, then remodeled to serve as a church in 1908, then sold again in 1937, was moved to Stevens in 1957 and altered for a dance hall by a Mr. Splitt. This was just west of the store. However, this never really got off the ground and was shortly moved to Lakota.

Just north of the corner lots, in lots one through four, was a small home built by A.K. Anderson, with his pool hall and beer parlor just north of it, on the west side of Maass Avenue. The lumberyard, along the same side was built by Ed Simer. He also built the Simons building.

A shop used for repairs, garage and blacksmithing, was at one time as owner, it lists thirteen owners and co-owners through the years.

Two banks are noted. Some names that are familiar are Kathe Simser (Mrs. Ed), Bill Peterson, Alvin Hunter, F.H.Berhow (moved to Wisconsin), E.Heidecker, Francis Loos and wife Luella, and L.Stenzel and wife Hermia. Another owner was Wilbur Krosch (California) 1942.

A ball diamond also west of the store was a big success and enjoyed by many. Outdoor movies, under a flap tent, was also enjoyed for a time at ten cents per person. This was run by Simser or Anderson. Emil Splitt is remembered as the town barber.

The St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church was built two miles north of Stevens in 1895. Soon after the organization of the congregation Mr. Lou Woodward, who lived on the farm now (2006) home to Jim & Lorraine Miller, presented land for a cemetery about ½ mile south of the church. In 1896 the cemetery was enclosed by an ornamental fence costing $110. In order to assure the beauty and up-keep of this resting place an annual collection on the Sunday nearest to Memorial Day was introduced. A cemetery committee was placed in charge. They being Messrs, C.Hallmann, E.Madetzke, August A. Melz, R.Zierke.

In 1925, Block four, with its partial markings for the alley, was donated to the

St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church by A.K. Anderson. It was moved there from its original location two miles north in 1936, by a Mr. W. Skellonger of Lake Mills. A basement was dug and it was remodeled and rededicated on September 20, 1936. The Rev. William Nolte, Claremount, Minnesota and the Rev. E.F. Lorenz, Vernon Center, Minnesota preached the festive service.

Pastor O.J. Kitzmann, a pastor since 1922, retired. Trinity extended the hopes of the St.Matthews members coming to Elmore, MN so that the new pastor would have but one congregation. Not wanting their church to dissolve, St.Matthews extended calls for a new pastor. Their calls were turned down, because of the now small congregation. Sadly, St.Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church had to close its doors also and it was dissolved in April 1967. The church building was sold to Henry Boettcher who dismantled it and used the lumber in building his home in Rake. Some of the old buildings remain and some were torn down or sold and moved. Mrs. L. Loos lived in the store building for a time, then moved to Buffalo Center. The church lots were turned over to the Cemetery Association.

Soon after the failure of the elevator in 1946, a spectacular New Years Eve fire completely destroyed the elevator, leaving many disappointed stockholders and a new one was never built. This began the decline of the town, with first one business and then another closing their doors.

All of Stevens, with the exception of 16.3 acres and the railway right-of-way was taxed to H.H. Melz in 1946.

Stevens, Iowa, a home to some and memories to others; a place to be proud of, especially for those who own their own “spot on the map”; a special spot, that was once their forefathers’.

Now there is a small sign beside the county gravel road which reads “STEVENS”. Hopefully the sign will remain as a marker and reminder of a once busy little community that once grew in this fertile Iowa soil. This soil, grass and trees that now grow there covers most of the history.

(Revised August 2006 by DeWayne Maass)