A few weeks back I made a solo trip to Kossuth County to harvest their town signs. Kossuth County is the largest county in Iowa covering 972 square miles. Pottawattamie County is second, covering 950 square miles. It was twice split into two counties with the northern section broke off into a second county. Giving Iowa 100 counties. First Bancroft County was established in 1851, but then abolished in 1857. It was joined to Kossuth because Bancroft County was determined unusable as farmland. Then in 1870 the same area was designated as Crocker County, but in 1871 the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that this creation violated the constitution because no county can be less than 432 square miles. The area was returned to Kossuth County.
Here are some facts about Kossuth County:
+ The population is 14,828. Making it the 52nd most populous county in Iowa. Below Hamilton County and above Harrison County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Algona.
+ Founded on January 15, 1851.
+ Named after Hungarian politician Lajos Kossuth.
+ Home of Nativity Set carved by Nazi prisoners of war.
+ Major highways are US-18, US-169, IA-9, IA-15, and IA-17.
+ Adjacent counties are: Winnegabo, Hancock, Humboldt, Palo Alto, and Emmet.
+ Population peaked in 1940 at 26,230.
Kossuth County has a pretty nondescript courthouse:
The Kossuth County Courthouse in Algona, Iowa.
The Kossuth County Freedom Rock is located in Whittemore, Iowa.
Something I think is cool about the Kossuth County Freedom Rock display is that the rock is in the middle of a concrete path that makes out a purple ribbon.
With Kossuth County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:
PURPLE=COMPLETED
48 counties completed. 48.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!
Here are the town signs of Kossuth County:
Algona, Iowa
ALGONA WELCOMES YOU
Population: 5,487 (-73)
Bancroft, Iowa
Bancroft
Garden Spot of Iowa
Population: 699 (-33)
Swea City, Iowa
SWEA CITY
est. 1895
Population: 566 (+30)
Titonka, Iowa
TITONKA
EST 1898
Population: 511 (+35)
Whittemore, Iowa
Welcome To Whittemore
ESTABLISHED 1878
Proud of our past… Excited for our future
Population: 497 (-7)
Burt, Iowa
WELCOME TO BURT
EST. 1881
Population: 418 (-115)
Wesley, IOwa
WESLEY
Quality Life in the Heartland
Population: 391 (+1)
Fenton, Iowa
FENTON
A GOOD TOWN FOR A HOME TOWN
Population: 271 (-8)
Lakota, Iowa
WELCOME TO LAKOTA
Population: 267 (+12)
Lu Verne, Iowa (Partially in Humboldt County)
WELCOME TO LU VERNE
COME AGAIN
Population: 258 (+33)
Lone Rock, Iowa
Lone Rock
Population: 146 (0)
Ledyard, Iowa
WELCOME TO LEDYARD
A PLACE TO COME BACK TO
Population: 121 (-9)
West Bend is also partially in Kossuth County, but since the majority is in Palo Alto County, I will wait to share that sign when I share the signs of Palo Alto County.
I don’t know there is a truly terrible town sign in Kossuth County. I guess I’ll give it to Algona for their sign being mostly corporate, but also hard to read.
As fro Best in Show for Kossuth County? I really like the sign for Lone Rock, but believe it or not, that rock isn’t “the” Lone Rock. Which means there is actually more than one rock in Lone Rock. I like the signs of Whittemore and while I’m not a big tombstone looking town sign guy I like the town signs for Swea City and Titonka. However, it is well known that I am partial to signs that have animals on them. So I’m giving it to Titonka. But Swea City is a really close second.
Titonka – Best in Show – Kossuth County
There are a couple of towns with alternate signs:
Lone Rock Alternate
Lone Rock Alternate
Bancroft Alternate
Algona Alternate
Best in Show – Adair County
Best in Show – Adams County
Best in Show – Audubon County
Best in Show – Benton County
Best in Show – Boone County
Best in Show – Bremer County
Best in Show – Butler County
Best in Show – Calhoun County
Best in Show – Carroll County
Best in Show – Cass County
Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County
Best in Show – Clarke County
Best in Show – Crawford County
Best in Show – Dallas County
Best in Show – Franklin County
Best in Show – Fremont County
Best in Show – Greene County
Best in Show – Grundy County
Best in Show – Guthrie County
Best in Show – Hamilton County
Best in Show – Hancock County
Best in Show – Hardin County
Best in Show – Humboldt County
Best in Show – Ida County
Best in Show – Jasper County
Best in Show – Kossuth County
Best in Show – Lucas County
Best in Show – Madison County
Best in Show – Marion County
Best in Show – Marshall County
Best in Show – Mills County
Best in Show – Monona County
Best in Show – Montgomery County
Best in Show – Page County
Best in Show – Pocahontas County
Best in Show – Polk County
Best in Show – Poweshiek County
Best in Show – Ringgold County
Best in Show – Sac County
Best in Show – Shelby County
Best in Show – Story County
Best in Show – Tama County
Best in Show – Taylor County
Best in Show – Union County
Best in Show – Warren County
Best in Show – Webster County
Best in Show – Worth County
Best in Show – Wright County
The next time we hit the dusty trail for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Winnebago County.