Twice-A-Week News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
1898

Redding is situated in the southwest corner of Ringgold county and has a population of 450. All are intelligent American-born citizens. Our school is one of the best in the county outside of the county seat. The school building is a large two-story frame, arranged to best serve the purposes of a modern graded school. The members of our school board are all wide-awake, energetic men who are well aware of the fact that the schools are the most important factor in the makeup of a town.

We have three churches, the first built being the Methodist Episcopal, a nice neat frame edifice with a seating capacity of 200. There is a strong class of this denomination and they have a resident pastor, regular church services, Sunday school and prayer-meeting.

The United Presbyterian were the next to establish a church here, and they have a two-room, frame building which will seat about 300 people. This church is thoroughly organized, having a resident pastor and all regular services.

There is a strong congregation of Disciples and a resident pastor. The United Brethren have preaching here, holding their meetings in the town hall.

Our church people look well to the interests of the church in general, there being no selfishness or envy among them. We often have union services and general good will exists.

Redding has two practicing physicians and two real estate offices. There are here also four general stores, all carrying a general stock, including hardware. We also have a harness and saddlery shop, drug store, a restaurant, a confectionery store, meat market, three blacksmith shops, one lumber yard, a furniture store, a notion and jewelry store, a millinery and dressmaking establishment, one hotel, an implement house, a barber shop, two livery stables, one grist mill, a creamery, a carpenter shop and a tin shop.

Redding has telephone connection west and south. We have a good town hall and a beautiful park around which our business houses are situated.

Redding is on the Leon, Mt. Ayr & Southwestern branch of the C.B.&Q. Rail Road, 12 miles from Mt. Ayr and ten miles from Grant City [Missouri]. We are surrounded by one of the best agricultural and stock-raising districts in the state.

Among the things which are needed to improve the present condition of Redding might be mentioned a bank, a brick and tile factory, a few good tenement houses, a hardware store and a newspaper.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2010