I recently took a Friday off from the Computer Mine and Jesse and I spent the day tooling around Poweshiek County (and Benton County) harvesting their town signs. It was a very enjoyable trip, because it included ice cream! As all great road trips should.
Here are some facts about Poweshiek County:
+ Population is 18,388 (2019 estimate). The 38th most populous county in Iowa.
+ The county seat is Montezuma.
+ The largest town is Grinnell.
+ Formed in 1843.
+ Named for Chief Poweshiek (1791-1854) of the Fox tribe who signed the treaty ending the Black Hawk War.
+ Home of Grinnell College.
+ Home of the Brooklyn Flag Display.
+ Major highways are: I-80, US-6, US-63, IA-21, IA-85, and IA-146.
+ Adjacent counties are: Tama, Iowa, Keokuk, Mahaska, and Jasper.
+ Peak population was 19.910 in 1920.
Poweshiek County has a beautiful courthouse:
![Poweshiek County Courthhouse](https://photos.smugmug.com/Art/Courthouses-and-Freedom-Rocks/i-q7HggNx/0/040da8fa/X2/POWESHIEK_COUNTY_COURTHOUSE-X2.jpg)
Poweshiek County Courthouse in Montezuma, Iowa
The Poweshiek County Courthouse is located in Montezuma:
![Poweshiek County Freedom Rock](https://photos.smugmug.com/Art/Courthouses-and-Freedom-Rocks/i-cL54JM3/0/6990e17c/X2/POWESHIEK_COUNTY_FREEDOM_ROCK_1-X2.jpg)
With Poweshiek County conquered, here is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:
![Town Sign Project - 24 Counties](https://photos.smugmug.com/Other/Website-Stuff/i-X3kcht6/0/8ea01257/X2/24_iowa_counties-X2.png)
PURPLE=COMPLETED
24 counties completed. 24.2% of the Cyclone State conquered.
Here are the town signs of Poweshiek County:
![Grinnell, Iowa](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photo-Projects/Town-Sign-Project/i-dPqZR8m/0/042019fb/X2/GRINNELL_1-X2.jpg)
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell – Jewel of the Prairie
Population: 9,218
Brooklyn, Iowa
Brooklyn – Community of Flags
Population: 1,468
Montezuma, Iowa
Welcome to Montezuma
Population: 1,462
Victor, Iowa
Victor
Population: 893
Malcom, Iowa
Malcom – In the Middle of It All – Next 6 Exits – Est 1872
Population: 289
Deep River, Iowa
Welcome to Deep River – Est. 1884
Population: 279
Barnes City, Iowa
Welcome to Barnes City – Home of Lake Hawthorn
Population: 176
Searsboro, Iowa
Searsboro – Est. 1876
Population: 148
The worst town sign is obviously Hartwick. They didn’t even have a city hall with their town name on it. They did have a spot that looked like it was destined for a town sign, but maybe it was just a very sparse flowerbed. Victor also has a terribly boring sign and Searsboro doesn’t try very hard either. However, by far the biggest disappointment is Montezuma. How do you have such an awesome town name and such a boring sign?
But who gets Best in Show for Poweshiek County. I love Guernsey’s sign. Grinnell has a solid sign as well. Brooklyn has a decent, although corporate art looking, sign. Barnes City’s sign has a great folk art look to it. However, I’m going to give Best in Show to Malcom.
![Malcom, Iowa](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photo-Projects/Town-Sign-Project/i-sNXZPxH/0/195782b5/X2/MALCOM-X2.jpg)
Malcom – Best in Show – Poweshiek County
The only town in Poweshiek County with an alternate sign is Grinnell
![Grinnell, Iowa](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photo-Projects/Town-Sign-Project/i-wpBgK9Z/0/b58272ef/X2/GRINNELL_2-X2.jpg)
Grinnell Alternate
Here is the current list of Best in Shows:
![Fontanelle, Iowa](https://photos.smugmug.com/Photo-Projects/Town-Sign-Project/i-WKm9t3S/0/092b5b4b/X2/FONTANELLE-X2.jpg)
Best in Show – Adair County
Best in Show – Crawford County
Best in Show – Franklin County
Best in Show – Hamilton County
Best in Show – Marshall County
Next time we check in with THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT it will involve Grundy County.
It always amazes me when the tiny towns have corporate-ish signs.