THE HOUSE ON BLACKFORD HILL

This summer we featured John and Mary (Call) Blackford in the Riverview Cemetery walk that is held each year during the Founders’ Day celebration.  The Blackfords were among the very earliest settlers of Algona.   As a part of that research project I was lucky enough to make contact with several of the Blackford descendants. They were so generous with the information they shared and even allowed us to scan and preserve dozens of photos from their collection to be preserved as part of our local history – a history in which the Blackfords played such a big part.

John and Mary (Call) Blackford Family

Even before they arrived in Kossuth County, a claim had been procured for the Blackfords to the west along the river, just outside the “city limits” of Algona at the time.  Their cabin was perched on what became known as “Blackford Hill” and it would later be replaced by the house that they would call home for the rest of their lives.  I was thrilled to find several photos of the Blackford home in the collection that was shared with us and the family has kindly given me permission to share some of the photos on my blog.

WHO WERE THE BLACKFORDS?

John Ellison Blackford and Mary Minerva Call Blackford were both born in Ohio.  When just a boy, John’s family moved to Indiana where he grew up.  His schooling was limited due to the frontier conditions, but he did attend the district school for two terms.  There he developed a love of reading and learning.

Mary was the fifth of eight children born to Asa and Mary Call.  Her father died when she was five years old, leaving her mother to raise the children on her own.  Left destitute, the family struggled to survive.  Due to her hard work and faith, their mother managed to keep them together. 

John and Mary were married September 28, 1845 in St. Joseph County, Indiana.  Their first two sons were born there.  In 1854, Mary’s two brothers, Asa and Ambrose Call, established a town located on the east fork of the Des Moines River in north central Iowa.  Soon after, the Blackfords received a letter from Mary’s brothers urging them to come and help settle the new town. 

John came from a long line of pioneers from whom he inherited a spirit of adventure.  He and Mary decided to answer the call of the frontier.  They began to prepare for trip during the summer of 1855.  They must have spent hours deciding what to take with them.  They started with a yoke of oxen and a canvas-covered wagon.  It had a good box, but no spring seat, which must have been uncomfortable for Mary who was expecting a child at the time.  The wagon carried a heavy load which included a cast iron stove, a large clothes chest made of cherry wood, and a solid wood bedstead made of beech and hard maple, along with clothing, bedding, dishes and food for the trip.  There also had to be room for them and their two boys, Edwin, age 9, and Ernest, age 3. 

The family began their journey of over 500 miles from northern Indiana in early September with a can of pine tar for the wheels swinging beneath the wagon and a long, single-barreled shotgun their lone protection.  They camped along the way and ate meals cooked over an open fire.  When they neared the Mississippi River, John traded the oxen for a team of horses and ever afterward said that he had made a very poor trade.  He had hoped to make better progress with the horses, but they did no better than the sturdy oxen.

After crossing the Mississippi near Lyons, Iowa, they began to travel by compass to the West and North, as dependable trails were scarce.  In some places John would have to go ahead to select a route along a ridge, to avoid sloughs, and when he had found it, he would place his hat on the barrel of his gun and hold it up so that Mary could see his location over the tall prairie grass and drive the wagon to him.  Their objective point was Clear Lake where they would get directions as to the best route to take to the Call settlement. 

SETTLING IN ALGONA

Although the Call settlement was almost directly west of Clear Lake, they were advised to go around the south end of the lake and across the flat country to avoid wetlands.  Near the current location of the town of Livermore, they began to follow the Des Moines River to the north, crossing the river just south of what we know as Irvington.  They finally arrived in Algona on October 10, 1855.  Although a cabin had been built for them on their claim in anticipation of their arrival, another family was living there while they were working on their own cabin.  An addition was hastily added to Asa Call’s cabin and the family moved in where they remained through the winter.  Their daughter, Ella Algona, was born there on January 18, 1856, the first white child born in Algona.   

That spring after a particularly severe winter, the family moved to their own log cabin.  Ambrose Call set up a saw mill that summer and John was put in charge as sawyer.  As new settlers came, he was kept busy providing lumber for construction.  In 1857 during the Indian scare following the Spirit Lake Massacre, he worked round the clock at the mill sawing planks for use on the fort built in Algona for protection of the settlers.  During this time he sent his family to stay with Asa and Sarah while he stayed at the mill, catching what little sleep he could.

He used to tell the story of an incident which occurred during this time.  At a meeting of area citizens, they had agreed upon the firing of two shots in rapid succession after dark as an early warning signal of the approach of Indians.  Two men who were close neighbors of the family had been away and knew nothing of the signal that had been decided upon.  While crossing the river, their guns got wet and so when they got home they fired them to clean and reload them.  John, hearing the signal, grasped his gun and told Mary to run with the children into the darkness of the brush surrounding the cabin and to remain there until he returned.

The youngest son, Ernest, refused to leave the house until his shoes were put on and laced.  Fearing an outcry which would alert the Indians, Mary held her nerves in check while kneeling on the floor, in the light of the fireplace, laboriously picking out the knots in the hard leather shoestrings and then putting on and lacing the little shoes.  Once that was done, she hurried out into the shelter of the brush until John arrived home and called to them to come out, that all was safe.

A BIGGER HOUSE

Their family continued to grow.  James Clarus was born in 1858, Mary Kate in 1862 and baby George in 1869.  To accommodate their growing family, a larger two-story home was built on the site where the log cabin had stood. 

Blackford Hill

The house was a large dwelling that stood majestically on Blackford Hill along with a barn, stable, and windmill.  Many large trees provided shade during the hot Iowa summers.  I was unable to determine the date the house was originally built, but we know that none of the pioneers remained in their log cabins for long, so I would estimate the house was constructed sometime between 1857 and 1860.

The center main section faced south with a wing on each side, all two stories in height.  A one-story addition was attached to the west wing of the structure.   We do not know if the house started smaller with additions added at later dates or if it always had the same floor plan, but the house shown in the pictures would have accommodated not only a large family, but many social gatherings as well. 

On the south side of the house were several porches separated by a sunroom with large pane glass windows.  During the long cold winters, it is likely that the sunroom provided much light and perhaps some warmth to the dreary days.  It appears that Mary was quite the gardener.  There is a picture of her standing in front of the house during the summer.  Much of the residence is covered with an ivy or a vine of some sort that grew clear up to the peak of the roof and many potted plants line the edge of the porches, soaking up the sunshine. 

The home was located on the north side of McGregor Street somewhat west of the drive now leading to Blackford Park which is on the south side of the street.  There was no entrance to the homestead from the south—in fact their drive began where West Nebraska Street ends and wandered back to their building site.  As a visitor, you would approach the house from the east, and after tying up your horse to the hitching post, climb up the steps placed in the side of the hill and then walk toward the house.  When greeted by John or Mary after a knock at their door, you would likely have been welcomed with the warm hospitality for which they were known. 

The sitting room is featured in one photo with John and Mary seated with a guest between them and George at the piano.  The room is tastefully decorated for the time with floral wallpaper, luxurious lace curtains and art work hung from the picture rail.  Mary has a large book on her lap which may be a photo album or perhaps a Bible.  From the wistful expressions on the women’s faces, I imagine George is playing a hymn or other ballad that brings them comfort or reminds them of days gone by.

Aunt Mary, as she was known to the community, was an excellent cook and housekeeper, so it is likely that she was always prepared for guests.  One can almost smell the aroma of fresh baked bread or cake coming from the kitchen.  Mary had a large garden and a flock of chickens as did most homemakers at the time and her jellies, preserves and pickles won many awards at the local fair.  Besides being a wonderful mother to her children, she helped to raise Asa’s youngest children after his wife died.  She also assisted Ambrose’s wife, Nancy, to learn the ways of homemaking after her marriage, since Nancy’s mother had died young and was not there to guide her.  Since Ambrose and Nancy’s home was nearby, whenever they needed help, they would hang a red blanket out the window and Mary would soon be at their side.

John was elected the first justice of the peace and from that point on became very involved in politics.  He served two terms as representative from this district in the Iowa Legislature.  He often commented that “My district at this time comprised seven counties and in making my canvass I frequently traveled 40 miles to see a single voter.”  He served one term as County Treasurer.  He was one of the members of the Iowa delegation to the national Republican convention that nominated Lincoln for president the first time, although he was not able to attend in person.  John was a charter member of the Grange and served as Worthy Master of the Iowa State Grange for about 10 years.  He also ran a store in Algona called “The Grange.”  It is easy to imagine that these positions did require the couple to entertain constituents or groups in their home often. 

The location of the home was a wonderland for their children.  They spent many hours running through the woods, sledding down the snow covered hills, fishing in the nearby river and playing with the other children in town.  In later years the Blackford children often spoke of the wonderful memories they had growing up in that house. 

The Blackford family relaxing

Both John and Mary were able to remain in their home until their deaths, despite failing health.  Mary died on March 30, 1905 at the age of 77 as the result of a stroke.  John passed from this life on August 20, 1911.

FAMILY LEAVES THE COMMUNITY

After the death of their father, the Blackford children who had remained in Algona gradually left the area.  Mary Kate had died of cancer in 1910 and one by one, the others moved to other locations.  In August of 1915 the Presbyterian Church held a special gathering bidding George, Ernest and Ella goodbye.  An article in the August 11, 1915, edition of the Upper Des Moines newspaper describes the message given by Ben Reed at the event. “He spoke of the social and political leadership of the father of the family in the early days and the sterling character of the mother, who sympathized with all pioneer enterprises, and expressed his regret that the Blackford family was at last to leave the community with which in had been uninterruptedly connected since 1855.”

The property on which the family home was located was sold to George Platt who resided there for a few years before selling it to Dr. J.O.F. Price, a local veterinarian, in 1920.  Dr. Price eventually razed the Blackford house and built a new home for his family.  Thus, the Blackford era in Algona came to an end – well, except for Blackford Park which still lives on, but that is a topic for another day. 

I want to thank Blackford family members, Donna and Larry and Dennis and Janice, for their desire to see the Blackford name live on in Algona and their generosity in sharing photographs and documents of great historical value to our community.  Rest assured, they will be lovingly cared for.

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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A (FUNNY) STORY OF EARLY PIONEER DAYS

I love a funny story, don’t you?  I came across the following article that was published in the Friday, March 18, 1903 edition of the Algona Courier and have to confess that it really tickled my funny bone.  The story clearly illustrates how much our ancestors loved pulling pranks and tricks on each other.  So sit back and enjoy a tale of marriage proposals and high jinks.

A STORY OF EARLY PIONEER DAYS

It is one that Should be Preserved in the Archives with those

Of Little Crow and Inkpadutah

Many interesting stories of the early days of Kossuth have been written and published, for which the people generally are grateful to the historians and no doubt future generations will also pay the tribute of gratitude to them.  They will read with consuming interest the stories of Little Crow and Inkpadutah, the Spirit Lake massacre, the hardships of early settlers from the inclemency of the weather, and their hair-breadth escapes from the scalping knives of the savages and the fangs and claws of wild animals.  But we think historians are too much inclined to magnify battles and warriors and to overlook the social side of history.  They should not neglect the growth of society and social life of the people, for in those features their history consists as well as in their struggles with human and animal enemies.  It is, then, to fill in between the sanguine chapters of Kossuth county that have been written, a short chapter of social life, that we essay this truthful and unvarnished tale.

From History of Kossuth County

published in 1913

Among the sturdy early settlers of Kossuth county there was none more sturdy or better fitted to grapple with the condition of frontier life than Samuel Reed who in early day moved from Illinois to Kossuth county and settled in Irvington township on the “Ridge” about six miles south-east of Algona.  He came to get good cheap land for himself and his several boys who were then quite young, some of them but children.  Mr. Reed was strong of body and of mind and being industrious and frugal he soon established one of the best country homes in the county.  He was known to all the settlers in the county at that early time and to many far outside its borders, and at about the time of which we write he was the sheriff of the county.  At that time there was but a small settlement about Irvington and Algona, one at Emmetsburg, at Estherville, and a few perhaps at Armstrong Grove.  Aside from those dots of civilization the country to the west and northwest was an unoccupied prairie.

As is the case in all new countries marriageable women were then very scarce in Kossuth, and distance was not as much of a barrier between neighbors and settlements as it is now.  Neighbors who lived ten or fifteen miles apart were quite intimate with each other, and some persons in the Algona settlement knew every person in the Emmetsburg settlement, and vice versa.  Under such conditions it is not surprising that Sam Reed was known far and near, and it is not surprising either that a good looking young marriageable woman was heard of a long distance from home.  And when the marriageable young woman was in the home of Sam Reed it is easy to understand how she was heard of even at Estherville.  The young lady that we refer to was a school teacher who was then teaching on the “Ridge” and was boarding at Mr. Reed’s.  It is not necessary for the purpose of this story to mention her name nor the name of the gallant who came all the way from Estherville, or somewhere in that neighborhood, to propose marriage to her.

It was one evening in midwinter in the year 18~ that a team with a lone man holding the reins drove up to Sam Reed's, and the man made enquiry as to whether he was at the right place, and being assured that he was he asked if he could stay overnight.  The Reed home was a hospitable one at which no traveler was refused food and shelter, and the man was made welcome.  When he had an opportunity he confided the object of his visit to Mr. Reed.  He said he was a widower and well-to-do for those times, and that he heard of the lady teacher and came there to propose marriage to her, though he had never seen her before.  Mr. Reed, always good-natured and willing to assist to every worthy enterprise, assured him that he would put no impediment in his way and wished him success.

The traveler was ushered into the house and introduced all around and presented with a little more formality to the school ma'am then to the others.  By some sort of mind-reading or mental telegraphy it was soon understood by the whole family what the object of the stranger's visit was, and no doubt the school ma'am's mind was as acute to the prevailing impressions as any one.  The family had supper as usual and after it matters and things in general were discussed, and the visitor being quite an intelligent man sustained his share of the conversation very creditably.

Among the very interested observers of all that was going on was the hero of this tale, B. F. Reed, a son of the old gentleman, then a promising youth in his teens, late editor of the Advance and not unknown to fame in other ways, and a hired man who was then working for Mr. Reed. They sized up the situation and enjoyed it.  Finally when the usual bed time arrived, Mr. Reed, after showing the stranger where he might retire when he got ready, quietly motioned all the others off to bed, leaving the stranger and the school ma’am sole occupants of the sitting room.  Ben and the hired man slept upstairs, and in order to utilize space the stairway intersected the partition or the partition intersected the stairway, so that the three lower steps projected into the sitting room. When Ben and the hired man were going to bed they left the door on the stairway a little bit ajar, and retired to bed in good order.  They listened intently to catch the thread of the conversation that they knew was going on below, but could not.  Finally the hired man suggested that they get out of bed and sneak down the stairway to the door and listen and peek there.  So out of bed they sneaked and down the stairway, Ben in the lead.  They did not bother to dress, and be it remembered that farmer boys in those times did not wear the long night robe that is so popular with some gentlemen now-a-days, nor did they even wear drawers.  Ben got his eye to the opening to see and his ear alert to hear, while the hired man stood above him and peeked also or obtained the situation second handed from Ben.  Ben saw the anxious and business-like suitor hitch his chair over nearer and nearer to the coy maiden, and he caught snatches of the story that he was pouring into her ear.  They maintained their position on the stairs several minutes, Ben all eyes and ears to what was going on below, but it seems that the hired man was beginning to feel cold or that Satan tempted him to pay a trick on his unsuspecting confederate, for while Ben was stooped over to catch every syllable that was spoken, he put his foot on Ben’s back and gave him a shove that sent him through the doorway and sprawling on the floor at the feet of the astonished couple. Their surprise and indignation may be imagined as may Ben’s shame and discomfiture.  He sprang to run upstairs, but lo, that fiend of a hired man was holding the door closed on the inside and he could not get upstairs or out of sight.  He looked in every direction for a place to hide as he tugged frantically at the door, but saw none and wished the ground would swallow him, when his friend finally took pity on him and let him up.

Benjamin F. Reed in a later, more dignified pose

What might have been the fate of the gallant widower’s suit had not this unexpected incident occurred at the crucial moment cannot be told, but certain it is that he utterly failed, and it is not improbable that to this day he is cursing the fellow who so unexpectedly and in such undress uniform broke in upon his eloquent and pressing plea to the object of his devotions.  The suit was all off for that night and the suitor went to bed in no very pleasant mood.  But he was not a man to retreat at the first repulse, and the next day he visited the school and took part in the recitations.  The class in arithmetic was reciting in mensuration, and he talked learnedly of acute and obtuse angles and of perimeters and diagonals, but all to no avail, for the fair teacher was obdurate and would give him no countenance.  He gave up the siege and returned to whence he came, and has since been lost to Kossuth people.  The young lady got married to another and lives not a thousand miles away, having reared a fine family.

When the news of this incident reached Algona it set the little town roaring with laughter, and so tickled was the last O. E. Palmer that he hitched up his team and took his friend W. H. Nycum, now also deceased, down with him to see the stairway from which Ben was shot as from a catapult into the presence of the lovers, and laugh it out on the spot.  

The writer of the article is not identified, but I agree with his observation that when we look back at the early pioneer days, we sometimes dwell on the obstacles faced rather than contemplate the humorous situations encountered.  All the photos I have ever seen of Ben Reed show him as an adult in a very dignified pose.  It is delightful to think of him as a teenage boy caught up in such a shenanigan. 

If you want to learn more about the Reeds and others who are buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Irvington, I cordially invite you to attend the monthly meeting of the Kossuth County Historical Society on September 4^th.  We will be conducting a mini cemetery walk during which you will hear some of the stories of the residents who rest there.  It all starts at 6 pm at the cemetery which is located on the south side of Irvington.  So bring your lawn chair and join us for a walk through Laurel Hill.

Until next time,

Jean

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KOSSUTH COUNTY'S FIRST 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

Today we celebrate the 243^rd birthday of America.  It is a day to acknowledge and give thanks for the freedom we enjoy, won by the blood of many brave patriots.

The first celebration of 4^th of July in this county occurred in 1856.  The small group of citizens who had settled here gathered together around a flag pole made from a tree, flying a flag pieced together from a sheet and a dress.  Can you picture this small group of strangers who had come to this area from various places and for various reasons who now circled around this sturdy wood pole as neighbors and pledged their allegiance to this great country? 

Page 307 of Ben Reed’s History of Kossuth County describes the first July 4^th celebration in the county like this:

        “July 4, 1856, was celebrated in Cresco Township.  The gathering was at a spot about a half-mile southwest of the Brown cabin.  A tall, slender oak tree was set up for a flag pole, and on it floated a flag Mrs. Brown had made by tearing up a sheet and her daughter Jennie’s (Mrs. Altwegg’s) red dress for stripes.  The settlers enjoyed the first celebration dinner in the county.  The flag pole stood there for many years before it was removed.  Some old settlers who were here at the time are of the opinion that on this same day a celebration was held in Algona.  Mrs. Jane Thompson and Miss Emma Heckart who came in the spring of 1856 are of that opinion, and narrate events to justify their conclusions.  Mrs. Stacy who was present at the celebration on July 4, 1856, is certain that from what was said at the time that no celebration in Algona had occurred the year before.  This is also the opinion of Lewis H. Smith, who came to Algona, July 4, 1855.”

And the memories of Florence Call Cowles in the same book at page 415:

        “Another liberty pole which excited my childish imagination and which seemed almost a living thing, stood in Cresco township, ‘near the lone tree.’  Here, my father told me, Cresco people held a celebration, in 1856, when the flag staff was erected.  For over thirty years it stood alone on the prairie, at first proudly erect, a solemn monument of the intensity of feeling of our people in the North, which in 1856 was crystalizing and concentrating for the impending struggle.  With the weight of years the old liberty pole bent lower and lower, and when in the ‘90s it fell crumbling on the prairie, with no eye to witness its dissolution, it seemed a fitting symbol of the passing of that sectional bitterness which it seemed so difficult for us to give up, but which we realize must go, if we are to exist as one great family with common interests and a common future.”

In the late 19^th century, a collection of historical memorabilia was collected by a Mr. Pettibone and put on display in the courthouse.  Among the souvenirs was a remnant of that first flag pole.  It was given to him by Alex Brown, a descendant of Mrs. Brown who made the flag. 

A portion of the first flag pole
in Kossuth County erected July 4th, 1856.
On display at the Kossuth County
Historical Museum.

A piece of the first liberty pole is owned by the Kossuth County Historical Society and on display in the museum.  Could it be the one that was part of the Pettibone collection?  We may never know.  But we can be sure that no flag pole was ever loved so much for what it represented.

Happy Independence Day to you!

Until next time,

Kossuth County History Buff

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NORTHERN IOWA NORMAL SCHOOL

One of the dreams of the early founders of our community was the establishment of a college in Algona.  Rev. Chauncey Taylor was the first to try when Northwestern College was founded in 1867.  One of its instructors, M. Helen Wooster, left the employ of that college in 1869 and opened Wooster Seminary, which advertised “Especial attention given to those preparing to teach.”  Miss Wooster was later convinced to join a movement to establish a permanent seminary and used her talents to assist in the creation of Algona Seminary and College in 1870 which operated until 1880.  Harvey Ingham wrote a book appropriately called “Algona College” which traced the brief history of that institution of higher learning.

The Normal School pictured with the

GAR Building which maintained a library in one corner

A NORMAL SCHOOL FOR ALGONA

Despite the failures of the earlier schools, another attempt to establish a college began in 1886.  Professor J. C. Gilchrist who had formerly served as president of the State Normal School at Cedar Falls, approached Algona city officials about opening another normal school.  A public meeting at the courthouse was quickly organized for July 14^th and was enthusiastically attended.  Professor Gilchrist took the floor and presented his plan for starting a normal school.  His proposition included having the town provide a suitable building and guarantee $1500 per year for his salary.  The presentation was well received and a committee of well-known leaders and businessmen was formed to study the matter further.  It was soon decided to accept the Professor’s proposal.

Professor J. C. Gilchrist

It seems impossible that a proposal for a college could go from idea to actual existence in approximately eight weeks even with an experienced college administrator at its helm.  Gilchrist was determined to make the most of this opportunity, however, and so he wasted no time in hiring instructors Professor C. F. Reed, a graduate of the state agricultural school at Ames; Miss Kate Keith of Fort Dodge; Mrs. W. F. Wolf; and Miss Kate Bernard whose specialty was music.  Opening attendance numbers were estimated at 40 with students from almost every county in this section of the state. 

INTERIM HOUSING

While plans were being made for the construction of a proper building for the school, classes opened that fall in the old Algona College building.  J.J. Wilson had taken possession of the structure in lieu of payment and had moved it downtown to the corner of Nebraska and Dodge streets from its original site in southern Algona.  Mr. Wilson totally refitted it for its new use.  A room near the entrance of the main floor was made into a library where the professor arranged his personal book collection which was touted as being one of the largest and most valuable for school purposes in the northwest.

Algona College building was located at this site

when used by the Normal School.

The site is pictured as it looks today.

The private office of Professor Gilchrest was located to the left of the entrance where the business of the school was conducted and visitors were cordially received. Beyond the library were recitation rooms.  The old hall located on the second floor had contained a stage and scenery during its Algona College days.  They had now been removed so that the room could be used as both a study hall for students and be available for public use.  Fresh wallpaper and new blinds completed the renovation of that area and brand new Burlington desks were added for student comfort.   In addition, the hall now contained a piano that had been kindly furnished by J.J. Wilson. 

An “Inaugural Day” gathering was held September 14, 1886 to honor the formal opening of the Northern Iowa Normal School. The evening was filled with many speeches and musical tributes.  Col. J. M. Comstock delivered the main address which in part stated “I believe that I but voice the sentiment of the entire community when I say that the establishment of the Northern Iowa Normal School at Algona is an event which marks a new era in our history, and one which, as it goes on to its destined success and to state adoption, will grow into an institution that will not only be the pride of our city, but will have a reputation extending over the state and out into the national highways.”

Professor Gilchrist closed his remarks by saying, “Fellow citizens of Algona, you are laying the foundations of such a school today with your own hands and from your own purses.  Those who are engaged upon it—trustees and faculty—are keenly sensible of the responsibilities which they have assumed.  I believe that all are deeply anxious and that only pure motives and unselfish aims control the movement.  There lies before us no ordinary task.  The liabilities of human error are not removed from our path.  We ask forbearances of judgment, we ask friendly counsel and cordial support, we ask that all shall cherish the institution and foster it.”

According to an article published in the Upper Des Moines newspaper on September 29, 1886, some of the subjects taught at the school included geology, chemistry, art, penmanship and the classics.  The reporter had the good fortune of listening in on recitations in grammar, arithmetic and Latin as taught by Professor Gilchrist and one in algebra by Professor Reed.  He also discovered that one class was reading Cicero’s orations.  The public was encouraged to visit the school at any time to sit in on a class to see the merit of the institute’s “great and permanent value to Algona and the northwest.”

PLANS FOR A NEW BUILDING

Plans to construct a building for a permanent home for the Normal School were soon underway.  A location on a hill in what was then the eastern part of the city was chosen and a memorandum of agreement regarding the property was entered into between Asa C. Call and the trustees of the Northern Iowa Normal school.  Judge Call offered to give to the state of Iowa a fairly large plot of land (almost ten acres) for its use on which to locate and maintain a normal school.  However, the contract was subject to several conditions.  If the state of Iowa should fail to officially locate a school on that property by the close of the twenty-second general assembly on or before July 4, 1888, the contract would be null and void and the property would revert back to his ownership.  Further, it was up to the Independent school district of Algona to move a building to the site and have it repaired and ready for use no later than June 1, 1887, and the facility was to be furnished free of rent to the normal school.  

From 1896 Kossuth County Plat Book

showing location of Normal School near

the corner of Lucas and Wooster Streets

The agreement presented several problems.  Getting the state legislature to officially adopt and provide for a state-sanctioned normal school in Algona was a major step in and of itself.  If legislative approval was obtained, an appropriation by the legislature for the operations of the school seemed probable.  However, obtaining funding for buildings and the establishment of a campus was highly unlikely, at least in the same legislative session. 

Placing the burden on the Algona school district of furnishing the building rent free to the college did not seem feasible either.  The district was just completing the construction of Central School and so they were happy to donate the two wings from the former school to the construction project.  Moving them to the site and constructing a center section to join them together would cost several thousand dollars which the district did not have.  Then there was the question as to whether or not the district could legally levy a tax to provide quarters free of rent to any facility other than a public school. 

Many voices rose in opposition to further school taxes for this endeavor and instead spoke in favor of raising private contributions to achieve the relocation of the buildings and the new construction and renovation needed to make them useful.  It was their feeling that the state legislature would look well upon the private fundraising and therefore increase the chances of approval of the normal school as a state institution.

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

Plans forged ahead and by April of 1887 the two wings of the old public school were moved to the new site which had now been nicknamed “Normal Hill.”  Shortly after their arrival, construction began on the center section which was 14 feet wide.  A square cupola was placed at the top and heavy cornices gave a distinctive look to the building. Because of its location on the hill, the view from the school was one of the most commanding in town, overlooking the surrounding countryside.

The division of the rooms were well designed and provided ample room for the needs of the institution.  The entire second story was left as one large hall which measured 81 feet long by 32 feet wide.  The area would comfortably seat 300 students.  The room was used for morning gatherings, as a study room and also for public meetings and programs. 

On the main floor two recitation rooms occupied the entire north half of the building, each room measuring 40 by 16 feet.  The south half was divided into a library on the west; a cloak room, vestibule and stairs in the center; and Professor Gilchrist’s office and a small recitation room on the east.  Coal sheds, outhouses, and sidewalks were added prior to opening day.

In early July of 1887, the school board inspected and accepted the condition of the building.  The cost of entire project came in at $1,686 which was below the $2000 appropriation that had been approved by the voters.

THE DOORS OPEN

When the new term convened, everything was ready.  The contents of the library, seats that were used in the College hall and all supplies had been transported to the new site and arranged.  Blackboards had been installed and the building completely cleaned.  Enrollment was around 80 students with an expectation of more than 100 by mid-term.

In addition to offering Bachelor of Scientific Didactics or Bachelor of Didatics degrees, the school also taught a commercial course from three to five in the evening in the essentials of business including shorthand and typewriting.

Curricula for the degree programs included mathematics, geometry, spherical trigonometry, geology, physical geography, English literature, Latin, German, and much more.  Each semester, the school would present a literary and musical production.  Students would perform orations and recitations such as “Shooting and Fixed Stars” or “How the Earth was regarded by the Ancients” along with vocal and instrumental music numbers.  The programs would often include readings from the school’s Literary or Shakespearean Societies.  

The newspaper published by

students of the school.

In March of 1888 thirty-two young ladies who were students at the Normal school gave a presentation in gymnastics set to music.  Four forms of drill were presented—marches, free hand, Indian club, and wand exercises—performed in full gymnastics costume to great applause from a crowded house.  The group had been training for some time and wanted to raise money to purchase more equipment to expand the program.  The community had never before observed such a program and it was the topic of conversation for days.

STATE ACCREDITATION DENIED

Great energy was extended to obtain legislative approval for the school.  After efforts failed in 1888, a delegation of local men again went to the capitol in 1890 to plead with legislators to make it a State institution, but it was to no avail.  Local representative C.L. Lund missed the vital vote because he had been told the bill would not be up for vote until the afternoon, so he was not present at the morning session when it came up on the roster.  Would his vote have saved the day?  We don’t know but the failure to pass the important legislation was the last straw for the discouraged Professor Gilchrest who resigned and took a faculty position with Morningside College.

The school struggled along for a few more years under the guidance of various administrators, but then closed in August of 1897.  Coincidently, its founder, J. C. Gilchrist, also passed from this life just a few days after what would be the final closing exercises were held at the Normal school.  He had spent the remainder of his working life at Morningside College, with the exception of returning to Algona for a brief time to serve as principal after the sudden death of public school administrator Professor Dixon.  His obituary in the Upper Des Moines opined, “Prof. Gilchrist was a strong man.  He did not possess the tact and all-round knowledge of the world to use his strength advantageously.  He had friction where it was unnecessary.  Countless worries fretted him that he should have known how to throw off.  But with all he was a strong man, and one who has left his mark on the educational work of Iowa.  He never lost interest in his Algona project, and from his bed of sickness anxiously awaiting the end he wrote a letter to The Upper Des Moines urging Algona to stand by the normal school.”

The Normal school building would serve the community in one additional capacity before its demise.  By this time Central School had already been outgrown and a new structure which would be known as Bryant School was under construction for use as a new high school.  For a brief time during construction of the new facility, high school classes were moved to the Normal school building and its halls were filled once again with the noise and activity of students.

In 1902 the Algona Independent School district sold the building to A. L. Belton who sold the center and east wing to John Peterson who tore them down to use the lumber for building his own residence.  Belton’s intention was to convert the west wing into an egg packing and poultry house.  However by April of 1903 the last remains of the old normal school had been removed and the foundation stones hauled away, leaving Normal Hill empty and bare—but not for long.  Houses filled with families would soon decorate the hill where a proud educational institution had once stood. 

Normal Hill today

It does make one stop and wonder—what would Algona look like today had the Northern Iowa Normal School been successful?

Until next time,

Jean

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