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two general stores, hotel, livery barn, drug store, blacksmith shop, and saloon.
In 1874, a new school house was built on the site of the small brick school house to take care of the increased population. This school house is in good condition in 1947. It was built by Adam K. Guthrie and Daniel Dakins.
In 1872, coal was discovered in Liberty township, Marshall county, Iowa. A cooperative mining company was formed. Some of those buying shares in the company were Abe Smith, William Holcomb, McCurdy, Henry Farber, James Tight, Elijah Cox, John Frayer, and John S. Reed.
It was a shaft mine 150 feet deep. The vein was 4 feet thick. The coal was not of the best quality. It contained rock and much sulpher. Water hampered operations. Hoisting the coal to the surface was a difficult job. In 1876, the mine was abandoned. A man by the name of Higgins was the mine foreman.
The mine was located approximately one-half mile west of where the Liberty school house is located today. It was in the field on the north side of the road. It was locatcd east of the creek. The slack can be seen from the road in 1947.