Photographs and documents related to the history of Poweshiek County contributed by individuals. Contributions from throughout the county are welcome and include the communities of Barnes City, Brooklyn, Deep River, Ewart, Grinnell, Guernsey, Hartwick, Malcom, Montezuma, Searsboro and Victor.
Color postcard view of Arbor Lake, Grinnell, Iowa. There is a rowboat on the lake and a two-story boathouse. Young trees are growing in the park and there is a flagpole. The image appears to be a painting of some type, not a photograph. The postcard is addressed to Mrs. Lena Schneider, Minden, Nebraska, and postmarked September 27, 1909. The card was made in Germany and imported by Brown & Harrington, Grinnell. Drake Community Library (Grinnell, Iowa) Archives. Miscellaneous photographs. Collection #17-5, Views of Grinnell.
Postcard view of men, women, and children posed in front of a tent while camping at Lewis Springs on August 20-23, 1909. Charles Austin Palmer is second from the left. His fiance, Nora Belle Brown is third from the left. Lewis Springs is possibly Cold Spring at Lewis, Iowa. Velox stamp box on postcard.
Postcard view of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) and Masonic Hall in Montezuma, Iowa. Postcard is postmarked March 5, 1909, in Montezuma, Iowa, and is addressed to Mrs. Ellis Winters, Sherwood, Oregon. Card is signed by Edna Thorn.
Postcard view of the Hauser Hotel in Montezuma, Iowa, which is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and 5th Street. Card is postmarked October 4, 1909, in Montezuma, Iowa, is addressed to Mrs. R.M. Anderson, Newell, Iowa, and is signed by her sister, Jane.
Postcard view of Main Street in Searsboro, Iowa. Number B1537A1, published by P.T. Logue and H. G. Zimmerman & Co., Chicago. Postcard addressed to Mrs. A. C. Smith, 731 S. Main, Kewanee, Illinois, and dated October 21, 1909.
Color postcard view of Montezuma High School, Montezuma, Iowa. Card is postmarked September 25, 1909, Montezuma, Iowa, and is addressed to Miss Hazel Watson, Searsboro, Iowa. Postcard published by J.M. Hamilton Pub., Monmouth, Illinois.
The Renfrow family children circa 1909 in Grinnell, Iowa. From left to right: Rudolph Belden Renfrow, Helen Frances Renfrow, Evanel Elizabeth Renfrow, Alice Lee Renfrow. Rudolph, Helen, Evanel and Alice were Edith Renfrow Smith's older siblings.
Some of the family of Frederick and Henrietta Ahrens taken at their home at Sixth Avenue and Penrose in Grinnell, Iowa, about 1910. Back row: Henry Ahrens, William Ahrens holding Alice Ahrens Edgington, Frank Ahrens, Fred Schmidt (?), Will Geiger. Middle row: Carolyn "Carrie" Schultz Ahrens holding Wesley, Henrietta Ahrens, Ella Zahrt Ahrens holding Sheldon, Annie Kuder holding an unidentified child, Mary Myers Ahrens holding Stanley, Dora Ahrens Geiger, Minnie Ahrens, Ella Ahrens McMillan, Mrs. Fred Schmidt(?). Front row: Inez Ahrens Sanders is one of the children in the front row. All other children are unidentified.
Postcard view of the Brown family inside their Hickory Grove home in Jasper County, Iowa. Middle row on the left are Izora and Emory Brown. Nora Belle Brown is in the back row on the right. Velox stamp box on verso.
Postcard image of Charles Austin Palmer and Nora Belle Brown in a horse and carriage while courting in 1909 or 1910. They were married on September 21, 1910. Charles Austin and his brothers received a horse and carriage at graduation from eighth grade, but they were not allowed to continue their schooling. Azo stamp box on verso of postcard.
View of the Congregational Church, known as "The Old Stone Church," in Grinnell, Iowa. The church stood on the northeast corner of Broad Street and 4th Avenue.
Grant "Connie" Wilson in his Grinnell, Iowa, firefighter's uniform, circa 1910-1920. Mr. Wilson was probably a volunteer firefighter. Census records show that he worked as a blacksmith/engineer from at least 1900, working at the electric plant in 1910, at a school house in 1920, and at the city water works in 1930.
Postcard view of a group of men, women, and children holding a sign which reads, "Grinnell." Tents are visible in the background. The postcard appears to be from the early 1900s but it was sent through the U.S. mail in 2006 to Lorna Caulkins from Jim and Eileen Sanders. Drake Community Library (Grinnell, Iowa) Archives. Miscellaneous photographs. Collection #17-6, People.
Ten pages of handwritten notes detailing the history and genealogy of the James Fordyce Bailey family and the George Thomas Baggs family. This is probably a draft of the entry for James Fordyce Bailey in Leonard Fletcher Parker's History of Poweshiek County, Iowa.
