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Links to:
Book:
The History of Stacyville, Iowa: 1856-2006.
History of Churches in Stacyville |
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The History of Stacyville |
Compiled by Sydney Heimer, Librarian, Stacyville Public
Library. From History of Mitchell County, 1883; Atlas of Mitchell County,
1911; Stacyville Centennial Booklet, 1956; Story of Mitchell County,
1851-1973 and Mitchell County History, 1989. With revisions 2006.
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The town of Stacyville is located on Section 31
of Stacyville Township, on the west bank of the Little Cedar River. The
village was platted in June 1856, by Homer. I. Stacy, for whom the town is
named. Later two more additions were made, known as the "Townsly and Dyers
Addition", and the "Stacy" addition. Later a third addition, known as the
"Pitzen Addition", was added in 1994. These plats comprise the present
village site. |
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There is an interesting story as told by some of the oldest residents about
the rivalry between the Stacys and the Dyers. Both men wanted the village to
be named after them, but Mr. Stacy won the honor when he donated a tract of
land to the town for a park which is still used for that purpose today.
The milling and water power advantages at this point on the Little Cedar
River were good, and in 1856 Stacy Bros., in partnership with the Rolfe
Bros., built a mill which operated for many years. A saw mill was added and
these operations provided flour, feed and lumber for the pioneer village.
One
of the great hazards of pioneer life was the prairie fire. Plowing furrows
around building sites and using green logs in construction afforded some
protection from these fast moving fires. Hamlin Garland wrote that as late
as 1869 the prairie from Burr Oak to Stacyville was one mass of waving grass
as high as a man's head. It was also said that a furrow was plowed from Burr
Oak to Stacyville. When travelers asked the way to Stacyville, they were
told to just follow the furrow.
A post office and the usual stores were opened so that the Stacyville
Township population by 1883 was 400 inhabitants. In 1890 the population was
915; in 1900 it was 1,185; in 1910 it was 1,180. The town of Stacyville's
population in 1960 was 588; in 1970, 598; in 1980.538 and in 1990, 481. |
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1855 |
First settlers to Stacyville township are Adam
Blake and Nicholas Hemann who settled two miles north of Stacyville. G. S.
Johnson was also an early settler. |
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1855 |
H. I. Stacy and his brother Fitch B. Stacy
purchase 4,000 acres of land in Iowa, which includes the area where
Stacyville now stands. In December, a post office is established. Where it
was located or who the first postmaster was is debatable. The first accurate
records kept were by Oran Orcutt who was postmaster from 1878 to 1882. |
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1856 |
In February, H. I. Stacy moves to the county
with his family. In June, the village of Stacyville is platted when Stacy
builds a house and a store. H. I. Stacy also builds a hotel which is run by
Daniel Hill. In July, Rev. W. L. Coleman, J. H. Biebe and a few other
Christian families come to the town to locate permanently. In August, a saw
mill is begun on the Little Cedar River by the Stacy Bros. and Rolfe Bros.
Settlers who arrive in this year are: Matt Hemann, J. P. Emery, Dr. B. F.
Rolfe, Charles Rolfe, Charles Fitch, W. H. Dyer, M. McCall, Daniel Hill, N.
E. Donaldson and Martin Decker. Henry Schenk begins the first drug store. A
Methodist Church is established under the leadership of Rev. W. P. Holbrook.
Through the years attendance and support dwindle and the church is closed in
1944. Lucy Dyer is the first white child born in the township. |
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1857 |
A new schoolhouse is dedicated to education and
religion. Rev. W. L. Coleman, pastor of the Congregational Church, preaches
the first sermon there. Asa B. Fitch is the first schoolmaster. Settlers who
arrive this year are: Stephan Heimer, John Schumaker, Jacob Schumaker,
Matthew Schumaker, Simon Wiengert, J. C. Pelton, E. H. Donaldson and John
Parlin. Townsley and Dyer addition of 20 acres is added to the village. |
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1858 |
The first Fourth of July celebration is
celebrated with Rev. W. L. Coleman as the speaker of the day. |
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1860 |
The Congregational Church building is erected
at a cost of $13,000. Due to primarily a change in the nationality of the
people who settled in Stacyville, membership drops off and the church closes
in 1906. |
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1869 |
The first high school building is built. By
1883, there are four school districts in the township, each provided with a
suitable building. |
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1885 |
Stacyville has 400 inhabitants and the
following businesses: a roller flouring mill, run by water power; 1 hotel; 1
drug store; 2 general stores; 2 hardware stores; a tin shop; a harness and
shoe shop; a millinery store. There are three churches - Congregational,
Methodist and Catholic. |
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1897 |
The Illinois Central Railway is built to
Stacyville. Two lumberyards and 2 elevators are built. |
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1899 |
Construction begins on St. Mary's Visitation
Catholic Church. |
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1900 |
Wooden sidewalks are constructed on Broad
Street between the Illinois Central Railroad tracks and extending south to
Chatham Street. |
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1904 |
An ordinance is passed giving the right to the
Stacyville Telephone Company to "construct, erect and maintain its telephone
poles and wires for the purpose of telephone service." Peter Halbach is the
owner of the company. |
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1905 |
Construction is completed on St. Mary's
Visitation Catholic Church at a total cost of $32,000. |
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1908 |
Articles of incorporation are drawn up to
organize the Stacyville Grain and Coal Company "for the purpose of buying,
selling and dealing in coal, grain, livestock, lumber and general farm
supplies." This organization eventually becomes the Stacyville Co-op Company
in 1948. |
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1909 |
D. H. Murphy of McIntire establishes The
Stacyville Monitor. This newspaper has been in continuous existence under
various ownership since that time, and in 2006 owned by Bob Adams and
operating as The Monitor Review, serving both Stacyville and Adams,
Minnesota. |
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1911 |
Stacyville boasts about 600 residents and the
following businesses: 1 bank; 3 general merchandise; 1 creamery; 2
undertakers; 1 hardware; 1 drug store; 1 meat market; 1 restaurant; 2
hotels; 1 mill and 1 newspaper. |
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1915 |
The Stacyville Fire Department is organized
with F. C. Prichard as the first fire chief. A hand cart for the hose was
the first piece of equipment purchased. A bell and ladders with a hand built
cart to carry them were added later. The bell was replaced with an electric
siren in 1933. |
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1916 |
The Stacyville Co-op Creamery is established
when the farmers purchased the business from James Spensley. The Cooperative
functioned continuously until purchase by Foremost Dairies in 2006. |
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1921 |
The American Legion was organized and named
after Hale Penney Fuller who died in France in 1918. |
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1922 |
Construction is begun on the present Visitation
School building. |
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1923 |
Stacyville boys 4-H Club is organized. |
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1928 |
The first Stacyville Township girls' 4-H Club,
the Stacyville Busy Bees, is organized. |
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1936 |
A municipal sewer system is installed at a cost
of $16,000. |
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1945 |
The Methodist Church was purchased for $2,500
and converted into a meeting hall. |
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1967 |
The Stacyville city council agrees to form a
Library Board for the purpose of establishing a public library. The
Stacyville Community Nursing Home opens in January with 35 beds. Twelve
additional beds are added in 1971. |
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1968 |
The last high school class graduates from
Marion High School when grades 9-12 are closed and transferred to the public
school districts. |
