Mills County, Iowa
Silver City Community History
1879 - 1979
MAYOR GERALD D. JONES
Gerald D. Jones will be completing ten years as Mayor of Silver City in January of 1980. Elected in 1966 he served four consecutive terms. In 1978 on a “Writein Vote” he was elected to a two-year term of office.
A native and life-long resident of Silver City, Mayor Jones attended elementary and high school at the Silver City Public School. Serving on the Board of Education during the time of school reorganizations in Iowa he found it most difficult to accept the closing of the Silver City High School in 1961 and even more difficult to accept the razing of the school house building in 1978.
Many worthwhile accomplishments have been achieved by the community of Silver City over the years. During 1979 the completions of a new water treatment plant, the construction of a Gazebo in City Park and the opening of the Senior Citizens Center added to the pride and recognition as the city celebrated its 100th birthday over Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day weekend of 1979 with crowds in excess of 1200 people filled the streets, places of business and City Auditorium and will continue in the memories of the citizens for many years into the future. Publication of this history book, the burying of the time capsule in Centennial Park now becomes a part of the city’s past.
As Mayor of Silver City Gerald Jones looks to the future with continued optimism, confident in the knowledge that what has been has been good and what lies ahead can be even better.
~submitted by Roseanna Zehner & Darlene Jacoby