Sponsored by the Northwest German Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, the German-English College was built in 1892. The name of the college was changed to Charles City College in 1894. The Administration Building was torn down during the Depression. The college was open until 1914 when it merged with Morningside College in Sioux City.
Normal College was originally founded as a private school called the Hazel Dell Academy by Professor Darius Thomas in 1856. In 1893, the school was sold to Professor G.W. Wormley who moved it to a new location and named it the Newton Normal College. Business and teaching classes were taught there until its closing in 1906.
