Conover, Iowa | |
|---|---|
Ghost town | |
  Conover, Iowa | |
| Coordinates: 43°12′55″N91°53′41″W / 43.21528°N 91.89472°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Winneshiek |
| Elevation | 1,227 ft (374 m) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1941391 [1] |
Conover is a ghost town located in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. [1] It appears on the Fort Atkinson quadrangle of the United States Geological Survey topographic map and has been subsumed within the U.S. Postal Service ZIP code of nearby Calmar.
Conover was a cow pasture until September 1864, when news arrived that the westward-growing railroad would pass through the area, at which time a village was quickly plotted from local farmland during a two-week period. Rails laid by the McGregor Western Railroad Company reached Conover, through Calmar, in August 1865, by which time the village contained more than 200 buildings, including over 32 saloons and as many produce markets. [2]
They are building the railroad near Conover. Mr. Pushusta took his team of horses and helped them. He took us with his team and wagon over to see where they are building. A lot of other farmers were there to help with their horses.
In 1865, Cargill (now the largest privately held company in America) was first started in Conover when William Wallace Cargill left his family home in Janesville, Wisconsin, and purchased a grain flat house in Conover, Iowa. The flat house, a type of warehouse that preceded country elevators, was at the end of the McGregor & Western Railroad line. This was the first business in a long line of agriculture-based businesses that would build the huge Cargill empire. [4] [5]
By 1866, the village boasted 1200-1500 inhabitants, many of whom had migrated from nearby Calmar. David Noggle presented a petition for incorporation of Conover into a town, and County Judge G. R. Wellett issued the order of incorporation on 17 October 1866. In 1867, Capt. V. C. Jacobs was elected the first (and only) mayor of Conover. Town Councilmen included Col. G. D. Pagent, Charles Sydan, and probably Capt. George Q. Gardner, but detailed town records were destroyed in a subsequent fire. The election expenses exceeded the capacity of the town treasury, and township clerk J. J. Haug took assignment of the accounts, but the expenses remained unpaid. [2]
Growth of the railroad continued to the north and west, drawing business away from the new town of Conover, and in 1868 Calmar became the eastern terminus and junction with the main line for the I & D branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. In 1869 a branch line from Conover to Decorah was completed, and Robert Jameson became the first conductor. In the same year, the Conover terminal was transferred to Calmar, including the railroad depot, freight house, and side tracks. A large fire further damaged Conover, and many inhabitants (and buildings) moved back to Calmar. By 1870, most of the lots in Conover had returned to cropland, [2] but the 1880 census still reported a population of 168. [6]
Conover buildings huddle down the railroad track a half-hour walk – a town that somehow got cheated out of great expectations.
The Conover Post Office, established in 1865, closed in 1916. [7]
Railroad cars were still checked in Conover until the yards closed in the late 1940s. Anna Becvar (née Vondersitt) was the last Conover railroad agent. [2] The population was 49 in 1940. [8]
Conover is within the South Winneshiek Community School District. [9]
The South Winneshiek Community School District [...] unincorporated communities of Festina and Conover.- (PDF p. 92/512)
Municipalities and communities of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States | ||
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| Townships | ||
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| Unincorporated community | ||
| Ghost town | ||
Winneshiek County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,070. The county seat is Decorah.
Waukon is a city in Makee Township, Allamakee County, Iowa, United States, and the county seat of Allamakee County. The population was 3,827 at the time of the 2020 census.
Elma is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 505 at the time of the 2020 census.
Calmar is a city in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,125 at the 2020 census. It is at the junction of U.S. Route 52 and State highways 150 and 24, with both state routes terminating in Calmar.
Decorah is the largest city in and county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,587 at the time of the 2020 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S. Route 52. Located within the Driftless Area in northeastern Iowa, Decorah is situated in the bluffs of the Upper Iowa River, which flows through the city. Decorah is a college town, being the home of Luther College. It is known for its Norwegian-American heritage and the corresponding Vesterhiem Norwegian-American Museum.
Ridgeway is a city in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 275 at the time of the 2020 census.. Ridgeway's post office was established in 1867.
Spillville is a city in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 385 at the time of the 2020 census. It is located in Calmar Township, approximately 4 mi (6.4 km) west of Calmar and about 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Decorah, the county seat. Spillville is known for its Independence Day fireworks display, held the first Saturday in July.
Florenceville is an unincorporated community located in Howard County, Iowa, United States. It is adjacent to the village of Granger, Minnesota.
Waukon Decorah, also known as Wakąhaga (Wau-kon-haw-kaw) or "Snake-Skin", was a prominent Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) warrior and orator during the Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832. Although not a hereditary chief, he emerged as a diplomatic leader in Ho-Chunk relations with the United States.
Burr Oak is an unincorporated community in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States, very close to the Minnesota state line. Burr Oak is a census-designated place and the population was 171 in the 2020 census.
Theodore Weld Burdick was an American banker, Civil War veteran and politician who one term served as a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 3rd congressional district, serving from 1877 to 1879.
Highlandville is an unincorporated community in northeastern Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The community is located along local roads northeast of the city of Decorah, the county seat of Winneshiek County. The community's elevation is 945 feet (288 m).. A post office opened in Highlandville in 1868, closing in 1985.
The Decorah Community School District is a rural public school district located in Decorah, Iowa, United States. The district is almost entirely in Winneshiek County, with a small portion in Allamakee County. In addition to Decorah, the census-designated place of Burr Oak is in the district boundary. Other unincorporated areas in the district include Bluffton, Freeport, Hesper, Highlandville, Locust, and Nordness.
Brynild Anundsen was a Norwegian-American newspaper editor and publisher. He was the founder and publisher of Decorah Posten, a Norwegian language newspaper.
Powersville is a rural community in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. It consists of a small granary and several houses.
Maud is an unincorporated community in Allamakee County, Iowa, United States.
Freeport is an unincorporated community in northeastern Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States.
Festina is an unincorporated community in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States.
The South Winneshiek Community School District (SW) is a rural public school district headquartered in Calmar, Iowa. With campuses in Calmar and Ossian, it serves grades Pre-K through 12th.
Cornell is an unincorporated community in Herdland Township, Clay County, Iowa, United States. Cornell is located near U.S. Route 71 and is 3.6 miles (5.8 km) north of Sioux Rapids.