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Agriculture in Hardin County has
made a permanent imprint on the landscape
Courtesy of the Hardin County Community Development Council |
The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places,
Hardin County Community Development Council, Hardin County Historic
Preservation Commission, Iowa Falls Historic Preservation Commission,
Ackley Historic Preservation Commission, Silos & Smokestacks
National Heritage Area, Iowa State Historical Society, and the National
Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO) invite
you to explore the proud agricultural history of Hardin County,
Iowa. Located in the center of the state, the county was settled
in the 1850s shortly after Iowa acquired statehood. The rural landscape
is characterized by fertile farmland fed by the Iowa River, clusters
of agricultural building, and small towns and communities rich with
history. This latest National Register of Historic Places travel
itinerary highlights 27 historic places--barns, civic buildings,
churches, railroad depots, schools and libraries--that depict the
history of the county, the "Heart of the Heartland."
In 1853, Eldora was the first town platted in Hardin County and
today it is the county seat and location of the impressive Hardin
County Courthouse. The county grew with the coming of the railroad,
when national and international markets became easily accessible.
The county's farms prospered, and many agricultural buildings were
constructed such as the innovative Slayton Farms--Round
Barn. Agricultural products got to market from many depots throughout
the county, including the 1902 Iowa Falls Union
Depot and the 1926 Illinois Central Combination
Depot in Ackley. Entertainment played a part in the development
of the county at places such as the Estes Park
Band Shell, Princess--Sweet Shop, and
the stunning 1899 Metropolitan Opera House.
The importance of education to Hardin County residents
Historic view of Iowa Falls c1890
Courtesy of the Iowa Falls Historic Preservation Commission |
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is reflected in the stately Edgewood School of
Domestic Arts, the 1936 New Providence School
Gymnasium built by the Public Works Administration, and several
Carnegie libraries such as those found in Alden,
Iowa Falls, and Eldora. The entrepreneurial
spirit of the mid-west is represented by successful commercial buildings
such as the Ellsworth-Jones Building and Sentinel
Block. Historic St. Matthew's by the Bridge
Episcopal Church and Honey Creek Friends' Meetinghouse
are testament to the important role played by religion throughout
the county.
Hardin County, Iowa, offers several ways to discover the
historic places that played important roles in the county's past.
Each highlighted property features a brief description of the place's
significance, color and, where available, historic photographs,
and public accessibility information. At the bottom of each page
the visitor will find a navigation bar containing links to four
essays that explain more about Hardin County
Settlement, Transportation, Agriculture,
and Preservation and Conservation. These
essays provide historic background, or "contexts," for many places
included in the itinerary. The itinerary can be viewed online, or
printed out if you plan to visit Hardin County, Iowa, in person.
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Historic image of a parade in Iowa
Falls
Courtesy of the Iowa Falls Historic Preservation Commission |
Created through a partnership between the National Park Service's
National Register of Historic Places, Hardin County Community Development
Council, Hardin County Historic Preservation Commission, Iowa Falls
Historic Preservation Commission, Ackley Historic Preservation Commission,
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Iowa State Historical
Society, and NCSHPO, Hardin County, Iowa, is an example of
a new and exciting cooperative project. As part of the Department
of the Interior's strategy to revitalize communities by promoting
public awareness of history and encouraging tourists to visit historic
places throughout the nation, the National Register of Historic Places
is cooperating with communities, regions and Heritage Areas throughout
the United States to create online travel itineraries. Using places
listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the itineraries
help potential visitors plan their next trip by highlighting the amazing
diversity of the country's historic places and supplying accessibility
information for each featured site. In the Learn
More section, the itineraries link to regional and local web sites
that provide visitors with further information regarding cultural
events, special activities, lodging and dining possibilities as well
as histories of the region, should they want to explore further.
Hardin County, Iowa is the 12th of more than 30 organizations
working directly with the National Register of Historic Places to
create travel itineraries. Additional itineraries will debut online
in the future. The National Register of Historic Places, Hardin
County Community Development Council, Hardin County Historic Preservation
Commission, Iowa Falls Historic Preservation Commission, Ackley
Historic Preservation Commission, and the Silos & Smokestacks
National Heritage Area hope you enjoy this virtual travel itinerary
of Hardin County's historic places. If you have comments or questions
please just click on the provided e-mail address, "comments or questions"
located at the bottom of each page.
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