A few weeks back after the semi-annual Howard Family Photo Shoot, I tooled around Bremer County harvesting their town signs. Here are some facts about Bremer County:
+ The population is 24,998 making it the 26th most populous county in Iowa. Below Benton County and above Washington County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Waverly.
+ Named after Fredrika Bremer, a Swedish feminist writer.
+ Home of Wartburg College.
+ Major highways are US-63, US-218, IA-3, IA-27, IA-93, and IA-188.
+ Adjacent counties are Chickasaw, Fayette, Floyd, Black Hawk, Buchanan, and Butler.
+ Is currently at its peak population. Previous high was 24,820 in 1980.
Bremer County has a fair looking courthouse:
Bremer County Courthouse in Waverly, Iowa.
The Bremer County Freedom Rock is located in Readlyn, Iowa:
With Bremer County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:
PURPLE=COMPLETED
47 counties completed. 47.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!
Here are the town signs of Bremer County:
Waverly, Iowa
WAVERLY WELCOMES YOU
SISTER CITY EISENACH, GERMANY
Population: 10,394 (+520)
Sumner, Iowa (Partially in Fayette County)
Welcome to Sumner
Population: 2,030 (+2)
Denver, Iowa
Welcome to DENVER
The Mile Wide City
Population: 1,919 (+139)
Tripoli, Iowa
TRIPOLI WELCOMES YOU
Population: 1,191 (-122)
Janesville, Iowa (Partially in Black Hawk County)
EST. 1849
JANESVILLE
WELCOME
The Oldest City in Bremer and Black Hawk County
Population: 1,034 (+104)
Readlyn, Iowa
READLYN
“857 friendly PEOPLE”
& one old GRUMP
WELCOME TO READLYN
Population: 845 (+37)
Plainfield, Iowa
PLAINFIELD
THE HEART OF A RURAL COMMUNITY
Population: 393 (-43)
Frederika, Iowa
Welcome to Frederika
Est. 1896
Gem of the Wapsie
Population: 204 (+21)
Horton, Iowa (Unincorporated)
HORTON
Est. 1856
Maxfield, Iowa – Ghost Town
“Welcome to Maxfield”
I actually don’t think there is a bad town sign in Bremer County. Even the corporate art types like Sumner manage to be interesting. So I’m not awarding a worst town sign in Bremer County award.
Best in Show is very obvious. But if towns like Plainfield and Denver and Frederika weren’t in the same county as Readlyn they could very easily win Best in Show.
Readlyn – Best in Show – Bremer County
There is only one town with an alternate town sign:
Readlyn – Alternate
Readlyn – 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 – 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 open road for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT we will end up in Kossuth County.
I thought the Denver one was particularly clever! I love Readlyn, but I sort of feel like that grump is getting bullied, and it’s not going to make the grumpiness any better.
I believe that a new grump is elected every year. So you only get bullied for a year.
Apparently this is based on some guy that got off a train and walked around town being a jerk back in the 1930s.