The Old Methodist Church was given to the town of Benton in April, 1976. It was decided to use the building as a town hall and community center.

Our first purchase was a flag pole and a flag.

To restore the building, we sold the church pews and used the money for a community fund. Yearly dinners were held, and baby quilts were made and sold. Families gave donations and the hall was used for gatherings.

To start the kitchen, a triple sink was donated by the Rich ROUTH family. A partition was built in the northeast corner of the building. The rug was donated by Lela CAMPBELL, and the cupboards were moved from the basement. The S.C.I.C.O.S. Agency donated the stove and the refrigerator, and it was delivered by Dick ELLIOTT. Carpet was purchased for the building. Tables were purchased and chairs donated from the Benton school. Drapes were purchase. The ceiling was lowered and new light fixtures were installed.

Members of the community volunteered many hours of free work. Bob and Jim HALEY rewired and installed the light fixtures. The lovely new front door was a memorial gift from the BOWEN and BUTLER families. Jack and Mildred ELLIOTT had our hall painted. The Bob GRAHAM family donated the sign for the front. Next, water was piped into the building from the town well, giving us running water to the sink.

Om 1982 we installed a restroom. Mike SWANK finished the wallboard and Helen BLUNCK painted it.

Paneling was purchased and installed by volunteer labor. New steps were built for the front of the building. Dortha, Helen and Karyn painted the steps.

We received a grant of $1500 from the Heinold Hog Market for a Community Betterment project.

Memorial plaques were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Bill SMITH and the Howard NICKLES family.

Early in the spring of 1981, brush and trees around the park were cut and the ground leveled. The work was donated by Dick BAKER and Jim HALEY.

As part of our Community Betterment project, playground equipment was moved from the school and installed by volunteer labor. Shirley WALLACE, Karyn GRAHAM, and the Benton kids painted all the equipment.

The Happy Helpers 4-H Club made us a flower bed on the bank of the park.

SOURCE: 1887 - Benton, Iowa Centennial - 1987. p. 119. Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, Mount Ayr IA

Transcriptions and notes by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2012

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