This is a brief relation of Elk Horn's first 50 years in a news-style narration of names and occurrences, as available, without the interpretive embellishments of the historian.

The story is one of accomplishment by Elk Horn's Danes. Its reliability is that of those who took the time to note in writing the deeds they deemed important to leave to sons and daughters in the community.

There are many who will note a wealth of information on those early years is missing from these pages. Others will note the facts stated are not the same as those they learned from fathers. The editor hopes both groups will hasten to say so and make available the details for a more thorough treatment later.

Thanks goes to many for what was available. Rather than attempt to note the value of contributions source by source, here is a partial list:

Mr. and Mrs. H. Folmer Hansen; Alfred Hansen; the Kimballton-Elk Horn Record and Elk Horn-Kimballton Review files; Ray Whitney's March 1, 1916, directory of Elk Horn; the 1939 Elk Horn High School "Antlers" yearbook; the 1936 Elk Horn High School "Orange Quill"; the 1942 Elk Horn High School "Gosling"; writings of Pastors Kristian Anker and P. S. Vig; "Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties," Dubar & Co., Chicago, 1889; "Kimballton--Our Town" 1920; William E. Christensen's "Saga of the Tower", Lutheran Publishing House, Blair, Nebr., 1950; Ed White's "Shelby County, Iowa Historical Biography"--1915, B. F. Bowen & Co., Inc. Indianapolis, Ind.; T. P. Christensen's "A History of the Danes in Iowa" -- 1952; Dansk Folkesamfund, Solvang, Calif.; and to the many who contributed to these sources.

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Published June 19166 by Elk Horn-Kimballton Review, Paul Hansen, Publisher. "50 Years" Edited by Burt Wittrup.
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, June, 2022, from Elk Horn 1868-1918, pg. 1.