IAGenWeb Project

Hamilton County IAGenWeb


Little Chicago - A Hamilton County Settlement

By Martin E. Nass

Transcribed for the IAGenWeb Project by Janelle Martin, with permission of Martin "Ed" Nass.

Little Chicago - This hamlet was located in NW/NW Sec. 30-88-23 in Rose Grove Township, about a mile south of the Rose Grove Church. It consisted of a creamery and a general store that were both operated by Bertel Belleson. The place was jokingly named Little Chicago after the major city of Illinois.

One needs to think back to the time when settlers ride up to drop off their cream and purchase the necessary supplies in that quiet countryside place. Today, just a bit east of Little Chicago, we find the busy four lane ribbon of concrete called Interstate 35. The noisy, smoke-belching diesel roar of the double-bottom semis hauling tons of produce is quite a contrast to the peaceful quiet days of the horse-drawn wagons moving down the county roads.

[HOME