TOWNS
& POST OFFICES NO LONGER HERE
Clarendon
Clarendon-Early name of the Galva Post Office.
It was established November 23,1877 with Henry P. White as Post Master.
It closed April 7,1881 and re-opened January 10,1883 with William G. Savage as Post Master,
renamed Clarendon on September 5,1884, the name Galva restored January 8,1887.
Cornelia
Cornelia was located about 6.5 miles Southwest of Holstein in Section 22, northeast
Corner in Battle Township. It was established June 28,1880 with Cornelius W. Ostrander as
Post Master and was discontinued July 16,1883.
Dreeseenville
Dreeseenville was about 13 miles Southeast of Ida Grove in the south section 28 of
Hayes Township. It was established June 28,1880 with Cornelius W. Ostrander Fobes as Post
Master, it was discontinued April 29,1899.
Dressen
Dressen, Iowa was abandoned in 1899 in Hayes
Township, Ida County, Iowa, Section 29 (southeast quarter). These buildings of Post
Office, Blacksmith, and General Store were built as a small village on the farm of Peter
N. F. Dressen. Dressen purchased the farm from Iowa Rail Air line Co. for $7.41 an acre on
June 3, 1874. The Post Office became official in 1889, and the town named Dressen,
Iowa. It lasted until 1899.
Mr. Dressen believed that the railroad would pass close by his
village, but his dream never came true. In his General Store he sold groceries, men's
clothing, dry goods and hardware. When Schleswig, Iowa, became a town, the store building
was moved and became the first post office there.
The Dressen family sold their farm and homesteaded 7 sections of
land in Texas. William Moore of Ida Grove, Iowa was a grandson of the late Peter Dressen.
IDA
Ida was located a mile Northeast of the business district of Ida Grove in the northeast
corner, section 14 of Corwin Township. It was established February 9,1857 with John H.
Moorehead as Post Master. It was renamed Ida Grove on December 11,1878 with Issac D. Morse
as Post Master.
SILVER CREEK
Silver Creek was located about 7 miles Northeast of Ida Grove in the southwest section
18 of Silver Creek Township. It was established February 11,1874 with Paris A. Fobes as
Post Master, discontinued February 28,1881.
STRUBLE
Struble was located a mile northwest of Arthur in the Northeast section of 22, Blaine
Townshp. It was established March 12,1884 with Alex M. Jacob as Post Master. It was
renamed Arthur April 11,1884.
Alexander Jacob who owned a quarter section of land was post master for about a year.
The office was a lone post with a hook next to the tracks, that caught and held the mail
sack as the train went past.
A transaction of the land on June 24,1885 and September 7,1885 by R.H. Ashton, a civil
engineer, employed by the railroad platted the town of Strubble, named in honor of
Congressman I.S. Strubble. William Burgoyne owned the land that was chosen for a town
site. Later, people learned that another town was called Strubble, in Plymouth
County, so Strubble, himself suggested the name of Arthur, for President Arthur. The
first depot agent was G.E. Clifford.
Taken From the Ida County Atlas
**Note-Another version of how Arthur got its name was from the Arthur family that lived
there. In Mr. Arthur's obit it states the town was named after him.
Willowdale
Willowdale was located about 1 1/2 miles west of Battle Creek, in Maple
Township. It was established in 1870 by Mathew Aldrich as Postmaster. Its office was
operated out of the blacksmith shop-renamed Battle Creek in 1877 with John Nott as
Postmaster. Located on corner of sections 28,29,32 and 33.
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