Some History of Exira, Iowa
Exira is the oldest town in the county. It is beautifully
situated with David's Creek bordering it on the north, Nishna
Botna River on the west and woods creeping up to the very borders
of the town. Several stately elms that stood when the first settlers
came are still growing within the city limits [remember this
is "pre-dutch elm disease" 1957]. It is often called
"The Wooded City" or "The City Beautiful"
and justly so.
The
Railroad Plays a Role
Although the main line of the railroad never went through Exira,
it had a direct bearing on the establishing of a town at this
site. In 1856 Congress granted large amounts of Iowa land to the
railroad companies to aid in the development of a railroad across
the state. One of these grants was made to the Mississippi and
Missouri Railroad Company for the construction of a railroad from
Davenport to Council Bluffs. The survey was made by Granville
Dodge of Council Bluffs and it passed through the place where
Exira now stands. A few years later the rights were transferred
to the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Company. A new survey
was made and the railroad was put through Atlantic instead.
During the time when the railroad survey ran through here, David
Edgerton who owned the land on which Exira was platted, thought
that this was the time and the place to start a town. Feeling
that he needed a little legal as well as moral support, he sold
an unrecorded one-half interest in the 50 acres of land on which
Exira was platted to Judge Harris for $400. It was surveyed and
platted by P. I. Whitted. Mr. Edgerton had intended to name the
town Viola in honor of his daughter, but Judge John Eckman from
Ohio, a relative of the Cranes was visiting here at the time and
promised to buy a lot if they would name the town "Exira"
for his daughter. They decided that this would be wise as there
was already a town in Iowa called Viola and so the little Iowa
town was given a Spanish name.
A glance at the map will show that Exira was laid out to conform
with that first railroad survey. Depot Street was named because
the depot was to be built there and Main Street which runs south
of the park was to be the main thoroughfare of the town. Several
stores were built along Main Street south of the park and also
east of the park.
Exira
Is Born
In an old letter P. I. Whitted says that "At the time Exira
was surveyed there was not one house on the town plat. The town
plat was filed on the first day of June but the sale of lots did
not take place until the 15th day of June, 1857, when lots were
auctioned off to the highest bidder." Judge Harris cried
the sale and the proceeds for the day was $1950. Mr. Edgerton
reserved all of block four which is the block on which the parking
lot is located, for his homestead [site of the present post
office]. Judge Harris reserved block 8 or the block just east
of the city park for a like purpose and in the same year built
for himself the first house in town. Before winter came four more
houses were being built by the following people: John Thacker,
A. B. Houston, David Edgerton and Franklin Hobbs. Mr. Hobbs sold
his house as soon as completed to his father-in-law, Deacon Lyman
Bush. It is now owned and occupied by Merritt Bills [presently
the Bob Green home, 203 S. Jefferson].
Exira's
First Buildings
The following spring a hotel was built by Palmer Rodgers. It stood
about where the Stone Garage stands now [site of the old Ford
Garage]. It was sold several times but continued in operation
until 1874. Judge Harris erected a one story building about 16-feet
square, on the corner where Doll Spoo lives [currently the
home of Walt & Nadine Kilworth - 106 S. Kilworth]. He
used it for a carpenter shop and then an office until 1861 when
he sold it to the county. It was moved to the east side of the
park and used to house the county offices and the county records
were kept there until 1874 when the building now known as the
K. P. Hall was built for a court house [now the site of the
town historical museum]. The county then owned no other building
and court was held in the school house.
Several dwellings were also built during the year of 1858, by
the following people: Urbane Herrick, Chas. Chapin, Zel Edgerton,
Wm. Nelson and Asa Haskins. Exira's first industry was the manufacturing
of bricks. James Poor, Avery Belcher and Thomas Stevens built
the kilns and started into production in 1858. The brick yards
were in the field south of the Crees Gas Station in West Exira
[now the field south of the West Central Key-Trol station].
In 1861 Chas. Van Gorder and William Nelson took over the business
and found ready sale for the product. In 1887 thirteen business
buildings in Extra were erected from home made brick which proved
to be of good quality.
Boys
Will Be Boys
An amusing incident that proves that "boys
will be boys" was true even in those days, happened one evening
when a group of boys were loitering about the brick kilns. One
of them suggested that the fires in the kiln would be a good place
to roast chickens. John Thacker thought it would be a good idea
and suggested that Deacon Bush had some nice chickens that would
be just the thing. He proposed that some of the boys should get
the chickens while he and Van Gorder prepared mud for roasting
them. The boys returned with the chickens which were cooked and
the feast enjoyed. Thacker thought it was a good joke on Deacon
Bush and wondered what he would say in the morning when he missed
his chickens, but the event never happened. When Thacker went
to his own chicken house, it was empty. He failed to see the joke.
Early
Mail Service
Exira had mail service from the very start.
A man by the name of Adams carried the mail from Adel by way of
Exira to Magnolia, giving service once a week each way. Judge
Harris was the postmaster, and there being no boxes for mail,
he would sort out the letters and throw them in his hat. Then
putting his hat on his head, he would go out on the street. If
in his rounds be met someone for whom he had a letter, he would
take off his hat, deliver the letter, then put the post office
back on his head. For those in the country he would send it out
with anyone going in that direction. Later as the mail became
heavier, it was thrown down on the floor in the form of a circle
and as each person called for his mail, he was shown the circle
and from it he would select what was his.
When the railroad reached Atlantic in 1868 a hack line was established
by David Anderson from Exira to Atlantic, with service twice a
week. Later Theodore Patty took the route and continued until
the railroad reached Exira. He carried passengers as well as the
mail.
Rural delivery was established in 1903. The mail carriers traveled
in a light rig in summer but when winter came, they used a wagon
that looked like a big box on wheels. It had a door in each side
and a small stove inside with the stove pipe sticking out of the
top. They carried wood and coal along to burn in the stove to
keep them warm. During the winter months, the roads were often
blocked with snow for days but the faithful mail carrier struggled
along as far as he could go and it was often far past bedtime
when he reached home.
Early
Businesses
There were no store buildings erected for some time after Exira
was founded. However, dry goods were sold from several private
houses. Peddlers mostly of Jewish or Syrian descent, traveled
on foot through the country carrying a pack on their back. The
pack consisted mostly of yard goods, needles, thread and notions.
When the county became more thickly populated and business improved,
they traveled in a one horse rig, staying over night at any home
where they happened to be when night came. They usually paid for
their night's lodging by giving the lady of the house enough calico
for a dress.
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Information taken from One Hundred Years in Exira: 1857-1957, pages 11-13. My comments in brackets.