Town Sign Project: Ringgold County

A few weeks back I cruised around Ringgold County on a solo town sign harvesting trip. I actually harvested the town signs of 3 different counties on this trip. Ringgold was the last of the three counties.

Here are some facts about Ringgold County:

+ Population is 4,663 making it the 98th most populous county in Iowa. Below Audubon County and above Adams County.
+ Named after Major Samuel Ringgold a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto during the Mexican-American War. It is one of 26 counties in Iowa that has a completely unique name.
+ Mount Ayr is the largest town and county seat.
+ The birthplace of Hy-Vee.
+ Birthplace of astronaut Peggy Whitson.
+ Major highways are US-169, IA-2, and IA-25.
+ Adjacent counties are Union, Decatur, and Taylor.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 15,325.

The Ringgold County Courthouse is fairly nondescript.

The Ringgold County Courthouse in Mount Ayr, Iowa.

The Ringgold County Freedom Rock is located in Diagonal, Iowa:

With Ringgold County conquered, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

43 counties completed. 43.4% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Ringgold County:

Mount Ayr, Iowa
Mount Ayr
ESTABLISHED 1855
Population: 1,623 (-68)

Diagonal, Iowa
WELCOME TO DIAGONAL
EST. 1888
Population: 344 (+14)

Kellerton, Iowa
WELCOME TO KELLERTON
EST. 1881
Population: 243 (-72)

Tingley, Iowa
TINGLEY
EST. 1883
Population: 136 (-48)

Redding, Iowa
U.S. POST OFFICE REDDING, IA 50860
Population: 63 (-19)

Benton, Iowa
Welcome to BENTON
EST. 1889
Once a Railroad Town
Population: 39 (-2)

Delphos, Iowa
DELPHOS
Population: 26 (+1)

Maloy, Iowa
MALOY
EST. 1887
Population: 22 (-7)

Ellston, Iowa
WELCOME TO ELLSTON
EST. 1881
Population: 19

Beaconsfield, Iowa
Welcome to BEACONSFIELD
EST. 1881
HOME OF ASTRONAUT PEGGY WHITSON
SITE OF THE FIRST HY-VEE
Population: 15 (0)

Shannon City, Iowa (Partially in Union County)
Shannon City 2 ->
Population: 73 (-12)

I think it is pretty obvious that Shannon City has the worst town sign. Just a DOT sign. Obviously Delphos isn’t much better, but somehow their DOT sign manages to have more character. Redding isn’t great, but at least they had a post office to photograph.

But what gets Best in Show for Ringgold County? There really isn’t that sign that blows me away, but there are a couple that I really like. Maloy and Benton. I’m going to give it to Maloy by hair because it more colorful.

Maloy – Best in Show – Ringgold County

Only one town had an alternate town sign: