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Vintage Mount Ayr
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Mount Ayr Hotel
formerly the Currie Hotel
torn down circa 1997/98
courtesy Mount Ayr Depot Musuem |
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Willow Boarding Home
later converted into a residence
torn down in 2004
courtesy Mount Ayr Depot Musuem |
At one time Charles P. BRESEE was the proprietor of the Mount Ayr House, later known as the Mount Ayr Hotel.
William TIMBY, Sr.'s building still stands on the northeast corner of the square at Mount Ayr.
At one time Ned FREELAND had a store on the first floor of the Timby Building. The west room was a general clothing store
and the east room was a grocery store.
It is assumed that at one time the Needham Elite Photographic Studio was housed on the second floor of the Timby Building.
At one time, the Post Office was in the brick building located behind (north) of the Timby Building. The American Legion
Hall was housed in the second floor of the building across the street east of the Timby Building (we think). Here, Mount Ayr
High School's Junior-Senior proms were held.
East Side of the Square, Facing North
Mount Ayr, Iowa, circa 1908
George A. SLENTZ Dry Goods Store on far right
George A. SLENTZ celebrated 38 years of business in 1916. He was a grocery and dry goods merchant. Mr. SLENTZ was
also the superintendent of the United Presbyterian Church's Sunday school for over 40 years.
The Clinton Motel, owned by McCullough Motor Company and under the management of Miss Dene FOLTZ,
opened July 15, 1950, featuring 24 units with air conditioning and steam heat.
Mount Ayr Streets
Most of Mount Ayr's streets are named after United States Presidents, such as Jefferson Street, etc. C. B. MORRIS
and George S. ALLYN developed the northwest section of Mount Ayr in the 1880's and those streets are named after trees,
such as Elm Street, Oak Street, etc. Some of the streets are named after former or current residents, such as
Dunning Street, Kirby Street, etc. Ringgold Street was named after Major Samuel Ringgold, for whom the county was named
after.
Around the Square
A. D. NEPTUNE'S Auto Garage was located one block northeast of the square. Charles TEALE's Garage was located on
the southeast corner of the square.
The Mount Ayr public library was built in 1916 with help from an $8,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation and an
all women's
organzation, the Village Improvement Society. The new library was dedicated on January 3, 1917. Prior to the erection
of the library, the lot was the location of a 2-story brick building which housed the Mount Ayr Bank, A. O. INGRAM's store
and an abstract office. The building burned years before 1916 and the lot had been empty for a long time.
Peggy Sue's, owned by Sandy LAMB, was at one time the insurance office of Ezra McMASTER in 1900, a doctor's office in
1919, and a tavern in the 1950's. As a tavern, the building had been called Southside Taver, The Still, and The
Desperado at various times.
The Princess Theatre was build in 1893. In 1891, the building was W. A. SIMPSON'S Department Store. Then it was either
a grocery or general store. The Princess Theatre ran its first film on September 9, 1914. It closed in the 1980's. After
renovation, it is now open and owned by the Princess Theatre Troupe.
On July 6, 1939, J. A. BLISS won the "name the reservoir" contest. He submitted the name "Loch Ayr" for
the newly constructed reservoir located two miles north of Mount Ayr. The contest was sponsored by
The Mount Ayr Record-News. Mr. BLISS was awarded a grand prize of $5.00.
 The Mount Ayr Record-News announced on October 26, 1939 plans for the construction of a new sale
barn on the south edge of town. [east of Rose Hill Cemetery and along what would later become known as
the "Sale Barn Road" leading south out of town] J. B. WILLEY and Leonard RUSK supervised the construction
process. The first sale out of the new building [60' x 134'] was on December 5th of 1939, Floyd MILLER, F. B. MALOY, and
Glen DIXON, managers. There was a 3% charge on all livestock that went through the sale ring and was sold.
Fay BRYANT operated the lunchroom. Transcriber's Note: I personally have eaten in this
lunchroom, going back to when I was a kid tagging along with my father when he sold livestock there, and
when I, as an adult, raised sheep and sold them at the Mount Ayr Sale Barn. My young daughter and I arrived
early primarily to have our dinner at the lunchroom, making at least three generations of my family who have enjoyed
the offerings from that kitchen. I was very sad to see that in May of 2009 the sale barn no longer exists.
SOURCE: Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa. March 29, 2007.
Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009
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