About Us
Kossuth County has everything you need — affordable housing, world class health care, outstanding educational services, fine arts, a variety of recreation opportunities and a sense of community. Our thirteen communities have annual celebrations and attractions that bring residents and visitors together to celebrate the bounty of Kossuth County. The geographic size of the county is twice that of the typical county in Iowa...we think you'll find twice the hospitality and opportunities, too! Our close proximity to Interstates 90 and 35 make coming home to Kossuth County easy. Commercial air service is close by and rail service transports the abundant crops and industrial goods that make Kossuth County prosper.
A Little History
Don J. Whittemore was born December 6, 1830 in Milton Vermont. He received his early education from his father, who was a lawyer, and then spent two terms at the Bakersfield Academy. It was in his honor that the town of Whittemore was named. Mr. Whittemore, at the age of seventeen, took up civil engineering as a profession. He was first part of a corps that located the Vermont and Canada railroad, and two years later was put in charge of construction for a portion of that line. After completing this line, was in charge of construction for the Great Western and later for the Central Ohio, a portion of the Baltimore & Ohio.
In 1853-1857, he was made chief assistant engineer of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad, after which he was chief engineer of the Southern Minnesota Railway Company. The Milwaukee people created the office of Consulting Engineer and Mr. Whittemore was the first man to hold this office, in recognition of his long and faithful service.
His health then failing, he accepted the place of chief assistant engineer of the Western Railway of Cuba, but returned to the United States in 1861, and became chief engineer of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad.
In 1865, he was appointed chief assistant engineer of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company, and in 1866 its chief engineer. At that time the road was only 275 miles, but it has steadily increased until it is now 5,675, being the largest railway under one ownership and management in the world. He has had charge of the construction of 2,700 miles of railway line and bridges, including those across the Mississippi river at LaCrosse, Minneapolis and Sabula, and across the Missouri river at Kansas City.
During 1874-1875 he became much interested in the subject of hydraulic cement, and experimented with a product made from stone found near Milwaukee.
From these investigations has resulted the establishment of works that now produce 400,000 barrels yearly. A switch-stand of his invention is now in use on more than one tenth the mileage of railways in the United States.
The degree of C.E. was conferred on him by the University of Vermont in 1884, and that of Ph.D. by the University of Wisconsin in 1884. He was a member of scientific societies and was president of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1884.
He retired on December 6, 1912 when he had reached his 82nd birthday and at that time, he was in very good health.
When Iowa was admitted to the union as a state in December, 1846, Kossuth County land was a wilderness and unoccupied by people. There were lots of wild game birds such as prairie chickens, geese and ducks. Buffalo were also plentiful.
The first family in this township was that of Geo. Smith who settled on his homestead in 1865 on the west half of the northeast quarter of section 10. Young Geo. Smith took the 80 just east of that and Alex Smith settled on the 80 just west of the first. The Smiths spent the winter of 1865-66 in a small sod house without any neighbors in the whole area.
Their homes were in Algona township at that time, for that was years before Lotts Creek or Whittemore townships had been established. When Lotts Creek township was created, the south line came a mile and one half farther south than the north line of the present Whittemore township. Consequently, the town site of Whittemore, being platted in the fall of 1878, was located in Lotts Creek township. It remained in that township until the board established Whittemore township in April, 1885, appropriating all the territory in 95-30, thus taking one and one half miles from the south side of Lotts Creek township.
In 1866 these early settlers acquired some neighbors - the S.B. Hatch Family and Mr. Fischer. Hatch and his brother H.P. had been here in 1865, before the Smiths came, selected their land, and returned to Illinois to wait until the spring before moving here. Thus the Smiths had arrived and become the first settlers. S.B. Hatch brought the first log house built in Algona and moved it to his homestead for a residence.
Soon after the Smiths and Hatches got settled, new settlements were forming on section 14. Homesteading there were Geo. McKay and Edgett, John Jacobs and James Maricle. Matthew Frambach made his home on section 11. A little later just south of the Smiths, came Henry Elbert, and Henry Klinglehofer and P.C. Phillips just west of them. John Wallace settled on section 12 and the Nellis families on section 4. In 1871, numerous settlers bought land in the township. Among them were Wm. Struecker, the Bonnstetters, Bells, Beschs, Dorweilers, Banwarts the Baas boys, the Schumachers, and so forth.
The Milwaukee Railroad, which had been completed to Algona by 1870, reached the west edge of Kossuth County by July, 1878. This inspired W.H. Ingham and Lewis H. Smith to plat the site for Whittemore's origin in August 1878. The plat was not filed until April 12, 1879. The site consisted of twenty two blocks and five out lots. Later three more additions were platted. Ingham and Smith's plat of three blocks was filed on record June 27, 1892; A.H. Hotelling's plat of six blocks and one out lot, March 14, 1893 and J.M. Farley's four blocks, January 10, 1895.
In the fall and winter of 1878, the town began to grow. The depot was the first building to be erected. While the depot was being built, J.C. Foster arrived, built his residence and became one of the first settlers. J.J. Wilson, of Algona, put up a temporary warehouse for grain. Talbott and Vallou followed with another. Charles Kemp started a saloon and L.M. Moosaw started a blacksmith shop. Two other residents arrived about the same time - J.J. (Jack) Henry was the station agent and Will Amos had charge of Wilson's warehouse. J.J. Wilson started the first lumber yard, which was managed by H. Hahn.
In February, 1879, Henry Munch built the first general merchandise store; C.D. Creed opened the first drug store and Jacob J. Strandberg hauled in a building from Rutland and used it for a hotel.
J.M. Farley established the pioneer hardware store in 1879. Emil Chrischilles from Algona bought out the Kemp property and converted it to a general store. A. Schmitt put up a combined hotel and saloon. Smith Carlisle opened a furniture store in 1880, part of which provided an office for the pioneer physician, Dr. J.M. Pride.
The first marriage of Whittemore took place February 2, 1879, and united William Amos and Cora Heathman.
In 1880 the first school house was built and it was also used for a town hall. The school was also used as a center for parties, theatricals, socials and religious services of all denominations.
Dr. Pride built a drug store after purchasing the business from C.D. Creed. Creed then remodeled his store into a hotel and called it the National House. In 1881 he established a livery service and ran it in conjunction with his hotel. He operated this business until June, 1883, when he sold out to Dr. A.F. Dailey, who was the first dentist.
The harness repair business was begun in 1881 by D.J. Cain. Will Amos opened another general merchandise store, and A. Doering was the first shoe maker.
The cemetery organization was formed in 1881. Ten acres of land was purchased on the northeast quarter of section 8 and used as a burial ground. Officers who organized the Cemetery Association were H.P. Hatch, president, J.M. Farley, secretary, and Will Amos, treasurer. Mr. Harry Seely managed the cemetery for many years and Ferd Ostwald did the grave digging.
Whittemore was built on swamp land. At that time, the western part of town was a pond 6 to 8 feet deep, lined with muskrat huts and mink. Pickerel could be caught in the pond. Muskrat, mink and wolf pelts passed as legal tender. Game of all kinds was plentiful when this territory was settled. Any tract of land could be purchased for $2.00 to $5.00 an acre.
In 1876 hordes of grasshoppers swarmed in and laid eggs that destroyed the crops in 1877 - even clothing was eaten. The settlers not only fought grasshoppers, but prairie fires, prairie wolves and blizzards. The winter of 1880-1881 was a severe one. The first blizzard started about the 12th of October, and it snowed for three days. The second storm started November 11th and from then on there were continuous blizzards. Hardly any corn had been harvested, and farmers were out of coal. The railroad was snowbound from December 22, 1880 until the 17th of April 1881, which left the Whittemore area isolated. Everything had to be brought in by wagon from Mason City. Snow drifted into 30 foot deep drifts, covering hay stacks, sheds and barns. Tunnels were dug in the snow to reach the stables.
Whittemore has weathered other disasters as well. Fires at different times have destroyed most of Whittemore's original business establishments. The worst fire occurred on March 12, 1898, in which all the buildings on the south side of Main Street except the German-American Bank were burned. That same year on June 18, another serious fire destroyed more of the town. These disasters did not deter Whittemore businessmen, for by the fall of 1898, all the buildings had been replaced with modern brick buildings.
Another disastrous fire took place on May 12, 1911. There were eight smaller fires in the meantime.
The Incorporated town of Whittemore dates back to 1891. In the fall of 1891, thirteen years after the town had begun, it was decided some kind of organization should be formed. At an election on December 12, 1891, the voters agreed to incorporate. The land taken into the corporation at that time included all of sections 5,6,7,8 and portions of 17 and 18. At that meeting G.E. Boyle was elected the first mayor; A. Yale, the first town clerk, and the councilmen were J.M. Farley, C.C. Sampson, A. Schmitt, Henry Goetsch and Emil Chrischilles.
The first town assessor was Joe DeGraw, first town marshal was J.F. Smith and H.S. Dailey was the first street commissioner.
The incorporation was so large that farmers began to complain when they were forced to submit to town ordinances. After seven years, the incorporated limits of the town were reduced to the original plat, as located by the railroad.
During the winter of 1894-95, the town well was drilled and casing put down to solid rock. In 1908 the importance of putting in a water system was brought up and on December 19, 1910 and election was held and the proposition carried. The committee decided to use large pressure tanks for the water system. Purchasing of materials and construction of the plant was kept under supervision of the council. The town hall and pumping station, 32 x 43 feet, was constructed of cement blocks. The lower floor below street level contained the pressure tanks and machinery and the upper floor had a room for fire equipment, and the rest of the building was used as council chambers and the voting place.
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