A few Sundays back I cruised around Warren County with Shannon harvesting their town signs. Yes, the county that many people have wondered why I hadn’t wandered around has been harvested. I was waiting for Shannon to accompany me and assist me on harvesting their town signs as she lives in an unincorporated/ghost town in Warren County.
Here are some facts about Warren County:
+ Population is 50,076 (2019 estimate) making it the 11th most populous county in Iowa. Behind Dallas County and ahead of Clinton County.
+ The county seat and largest town (fully in Warren County) is Indianola.
+ Was formed in 1846.
+ Named after Revolutionary War figure Joseph Warren.
+ Home of Simpson College.
+ Home of the National Balloon Classic.
+ Major highways are I-35, US-65, US-69, IA-5, IA-28, IA-92, and IA-316.
+ Adjacent counties are Polk, Marion, Lucas, Clarke, and Madison.
+ Currently at peak population.
The Warren County Courthouse is currently under construction:
The Warren County Courthouse located in Indianola, Iowa.
The Warren County Freedom Rock is located in Norwalk, Iowa:
The Warren County Freedom Rock is the first Freedom Rock that I’ve noticed where the paint is in pretty bad shape. I don’t know if that is something that is maintained or eventually the Freedom Rocks will go back to just being rocks.
With Warren County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:
PURPLE=COMPLETED
32 counties completed. 32.3% of the Cyclone State conquered.
Here are the town signs of Warren County:
Des Moines, Iowa (Mostly in Polk County)
Population: 203,4333
Indianola, Iowa
Indianola
EST. 1849
Population: 14,782
Norwalk, Iowa (Also Polk County)
norwalk Welcomes You
Population: 8,945
Carlisle, Iowa (Also Polk County)
CARLISLE
THE NATURAL CHOICE
ESTABLISHED 1851
Population: 3,876
Milo, Iowa
WELCOME TO City of MILO
EST. 1880
Population: 775
Hartford, Iowa
HARTFORD
A GROWING COMMUNITY
ESTABLISHED 1849
Population: 771
New Virginia, Iowas
Welcome to NEW VIRGNINIA
est. 1855
Population: 489
Martensdale, Iowa
WELCOME TO MARTENSDALE
WATCH US GROW – EST. 1913
Population: 465
Lacona, Iowa
WELCOME TO LACONA
Population: 361
Cumming, Iowa
CITY OF CUMMING
Population: 351
St. Marys, Iowa
St. Marys
Est. 1870
“A little town with a big spirit”
Population: 127
Bevington, Iowa
BEVINGTON CITY HALL
PLATTED MARCH 1872
INCORPORATED MARCH 6TH, 1916
Population: 63
Ackworth, Iowa
ORIGINAL SITE OF ACKWORTH CITY WELL – 1855
Population: 83
Spring Hill, Iowa
City of Spring Hill
Population: 63
Sandyville, Iowa
ANDYVILLE COMUNITY CEER
Population: 51
Liberty Center, Iowa – Unincorporated
Shannon feels that Summerset should get a special “shout out” since she lives there. She loaned me a book on the history of Summerset. there is too much info in the book to get into, but here is a little info:
Summerset was settled by emigrants from the British Isles and name for a county in southwest England named Somerset. Although Pennsylvannia, Massachusetts, and Ohio have towns named Somerset, South Dakota is the only other state with a Summerset, a community north of Rapid City, established in 2005. Summerset was named sometime after July 2, 1849, the date Madison County commissioners selected “Winterset” as the name of their county seat.
I might get more into the history and remains of Summerset at a later date.
It would be hard to not give the worst town sign in Warren County to Sandyville. But having to use a mailbox to represent Spring Hill’s town sign is up there for sure. A town as big as Norwalk should really try harder with their town sign. Same goes for Indianola.
But what gets Best in Show for Warren County. I like Milo’s sign. I also like the simplicity of Lacona’s sign. St. Marys sign gets points as well. Martensdale gets points for being the hardest sign to read and the smallest, farthest from the road sign I’ve ever seen. I also like Hartford’s rustic rusty sign. However, I have to give Best in Show to New Virginia:
New Virginia – Best in Show – Warren County
There are a few alternate town signs in Warren County. Shannon would argue that New Virginia’s alternate town sign is better than their main sign. She might be right:
St. Marys – Alternate
Here is the current list of Best in Shows:
Best in Show – Adair County
Best in Show – Crawford County
Best in Show – Franklin County
Best in Show – Hamilton County
Best in Show – Humboldt County
Best in Show – Marshall County
The next time we hit the dusty trail for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will visit Hancock County.
I am so glad that you picked New Virginia. I love the slight irony of it being in the shape of Iowa, a state that looks like zero other Virginias.
I do like the other New Virginia sign better, but I’m glad we stumbled across the other one near the cemetery. Thanks for letting me tag along!