There is an Advent church building, but it is not used much. It is said the Advent members hold their meetings most of the time elsewhere.
The Cumberland Presbyterians now have a very nice church house, three and a half miles southeasterly from Nevada. It is standing near to the southeast corner of section sixteen, Nevada Township. It cost about $1,000, and was erected about 1881. Members belonging are about fifty.
There is an Evangelical church one-half mile south of the Cumberland Presbyterian church at Mullen cemetery.
For church services, etc., see " Directories" in index.
The court-house square, block seventeen, is nicely fenced with iron pickets. This square has been called the North Public Square. The South Public Square is now our city park. It has been improved until it is the beauty and pride of the citizens of Nevada; especially in a hot day, or for evening promenading.
The City Hall is a fine brick. building with a balcony and bell, and is about twenty-four by fifty-six feet, and has a very good hall, and apartments below for the fire engine, hose cart and other purposes. The hall is used for the city council meetings and other meetings. The city elections are held in a side room of the hall.
The city library, containing about 1,350 volumes is in an addition built purposely for it. The library is under the care of the librarian, Miss Mattie Kellogg, now Mrs. Mattie Dyer, who will see that things are kept right.
The City Hall is on the southeast corner of lot nine, block thirteen, Nevada.
COUNTY JAIL.
When we speak of the jail it is with shame! To think males and females are forced to occupy the same room, or about the same thing really, is ridiculous! This for a county of civilization, as we claim to be, is a little too much. Also, the idea of thrusting a young boy among old hardened villains; a boy, perhaps, who had for the first time, under some undue temptation, become intoxicated, or committed some other small offense. Such boy, for such first offence, to be confined among such hardened villains, is almost beyond endurance! The Fejee Islanders would not, could not, excel it. A jail should have apartments suitable to the crime and the sex. This said jail, too, stands only a few rods from one of the beautiful court-houses of Iowa! The jail could be properly arranged without extraordinary expense. Why is it not done?
In the history of Nevada, as touching the survey and location of the C. R. & Missouri River R. R. (now the Chicago & Northwestern R. R.) the following may be of some interest to many of our citizens, viz: On the fifteenth of May, 1863, the county by vote gave the swamp lands, or what were yet belonging to the county, with the understanding the railroad should be located within 3,000 feet of the court-house. The road was located within tbe distance required, but very little was said about the depot. The citizens, of