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Historic Mileposts
Pre 1819 | The area is a Indian hunting ground, not homeland to the Otoe, Omaha, Ponca, Sioux, Iowa, Sac and Fox tribes. | 1819 | Major Stephen H. Long writes the first description of the area on a trip from St. Louis to Council Bluffs. | 1838 - 1846 | The Pottawattamie tribe is brought into the area by the federal government. | 1846 | Iowa became a state. | 1848 - 1850 | Villisca is founded. The first Montgomery County residents come from Page County to southwestern Montgomery County. There are perhaps a dozen settlers in the area that is to become Montgomery county. | 1851 | Montgomery County is surveyed. "From a sea of grass to known distances and locations." | 1853 | The county is organized as a county political and geographic entity. It is named for Revolutionary War hero, General Richard Montgomery. | 1854 | Jackson and West townships are created. | 1854-1865 | The first county courthouse is built in Frankfort at a cost of $1,141.50. It is a 1 1/2 story frame building. | 1856 | The Land Grant Act opened up land to the railroads for purchase. | 1857 | Douglas and Frankfort townships are created. Red Oak and Washington townships are formed between now and 1861. | 1857 | Red Oak Junction is platted | 1858 | Milford [Grant] is platted | 1864 | A land Grant was given to the state of Iowa for railroad company purchases. The Union Pacific and Burlington were the largest buyers of land in Montgomery County. | 1865 | On a margin of six votes, the courthouse and court business is moved to Red Oak Junction from Frankfort. The entire building is put on flats and pulled through a blizzard to the new location, although it is nearly lost when it slides down a hill in the snow. | 1868 | Grant, Lincoln and Sherman townships are created with names near and dear to Iowa veterans of the Civil War (1861-1865). | 1869 | Emerson is platted and the Burlington Railroad builds tracks through Emerson and Red Oak Junction. | 1870 | Pilot Grove and Scott townships are created and the town of Stanton is founded by Swedish immigrants . Nodaway also is founded in the 1870s. | 1876 | Red Oak Junction is incorporated as a city. | 1879 | Elliott is founded near the northern boundary of the county. | 1890-1892 | The cornerstone on the new courthouse is placed and it is dedicated two years later. It features a castle-style and is made of Missouri limestone, red pressed brick and terra cotta and has a slate roof. From the clock tower, citizens may see the time of day from north, south, east and west. It is said to be worth more than $100,000. | 1901 | Red Oak Junction becomes just Red Oak. | 1902 | Red Oak Creek floods the square, covering four blocks of the county seat. | 1903 | Milford changes its name to Grant, after our 18th president, Ulysses S. Grant | 1911 | The Blue Grass Road is the first cross country road (roughly following Highway 34). It is a dirt road. | 1914 - 1918 | After World War I, Fountain Square Park is built as a memorial. The 29 nozzles of the fountain represent the 29 Montgomery County soldiers who died in Europe. | 1916 | The Nishnabotna River floods, threatening Red Oak. | 1929 | U. S. Highway 34 is paved over what used to be the Blue Grass Road. The New York Stock Market crashes, beginning the Great Depression. | 1941 | The third Battalion of the 168th Infantry, 34th Division takes almost 90 percent of the men of eligible age. The division sees 600 days of combat, more than any other unit. REA completes the electrification of the county. | 1943 | One hundred telegrams are delivered one night in March to Red Oak families with sons in Company M saying, "The Secretary of War desires me to express his deep regret that your son ... has been missing inaction." It is learned that of the 100, 27 men are prisoners. | 1947 | The Nishnabotna River floods again and red Oak has its worst flood ever. | 1950 | Most of the rural roads are gravel instead of just dirt. | 1959 | Villisca and Nodaway schools consolidate. | 1960 | Grant schools consolidate with Griswold and Emerson, Hastings, Henderson and Strahan combine to form the Nishna Valley school district. | 1962 | Elliott and Griswold schools merge. | 1967 - 1972 | Three Montgomery County men are killed in the Vietnam War. Another is missing in action. Many, many more are wounded. | 1980 | The population of the county is 13,413. | 1982 | Downtown Emerson is flooded, filling buildings on Morton Avenue with five feet of water and mud. | 1983 | The restoration of the square in red oak is completed with repaved streets and new sidewalks. Storm drains and water mains are also replaced. new lighting is installed and trees are planted around the square. | 1987 | Red Oak Creek backs up and floods an area south of the square. | 1987 - 1989 | Rain does not come except in brief, light showers until September, 1989. The nearly two-year drought has stressed farmers and city-dwellers alike. Terrential downpours come the first week of September and some flooding occurs. | 1989 | The Red Oak airport is named for long-time aviation supporter, R. K. Belt. Corporation jets land several times per month at the new runway at R. K. Belt Field. The new, modern Montgomery County Memorial Hospital opens | This is a partial timeline of a few of the events which took place during the development of Montgomery County. Join our Team If you have history to add, please contact the County Coordnator. We would love to hear from you. | |||||||