I need to start by pointing out that in the chaos that was my morning yesterday I jacked up Dawn’s #INSTAGOOD submission by accidentally posting Sarah’s post twice. So to make amends…
This was Sarah’s submission:
Sarah Karber
This is Dawn’s submission:
Dawn Krause
This is already fixed on the website.
I’ll be better in the future. I probably won’t, but I can claim that I will be.
+++++++
Several weeks back I took to the open road and harvested the town signs of Sioux County. Here are some facts about Sioux County:
+ Population is 34,900 making it the 20th most populous county in Iowa. Below Wapello County and above Lee County.
+ The largest town is Sioux Center. The county seat is Orange City.
+ Sioux County was formed on January 15, 1851.
+ Named after the Sioux tribe.
+ Home of the Orange City Tulip Festival.
+ Home of Dort University and Northwestern College.
+ Major highways are: US-18, US-75, IA-10, IA-12, and IA-60.
+ Adjacent counties are Lyon, O’Brien, and Plymouth.
+ Is currently at peak population.
Sioux County has a beautiful courthouse:
The Sioux County Courthouse located in Orange City, Iowa.
The Sioux County Freedom Rock is located in Hawarden, Iowa:
With Sioux County conquered, here is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:
PURPLE=COMPLETED
69 counties completed. 69.7% of the Cyclone State conquered!
Here are the town signs of Sioux County:
Sioux Center, Iowa
Sioux Center
growing bright
Population: 8,229 (+1,181)
Orange City, Iowa
Welcome to ORANGE CITY
Population: 6,627 (+267)
Rock Valley, Iowa
Rock Valley
Place of opportunities
Population: 4,059 (+705)
Hawarden, Iowa
WELCOME TO HAWARDEN
ESTABLISHED 1887
Population: 2,700 (+154)
Hull, Iowa
WELCOME TO HULL
Population: 2,384 (+1,168)
Alton, Iowa
Welcome to ALTON
Stop & Visit our Historical Attractions!
Population: 1,248 (+541)
Hospers, Iowa
Hospers Public Library & Museum
Population: 718 (+20)
Boyden, Iowa
1889
ESTABLISHED
BOYDEN
Population: 701 (+3)
Ireton, Iowa
Welcome to Ireton
est. 1882
Small Town Values with Big City Goals
Population: 590 (-19)
Granville, Iowa
Welcome to GRANVILLE
Home of Black Soil
Population: 310 (-2)
Maurice, Iowa
Welcome to Maurice
Small in size, but on the rise
Population: 265 (-10)
Chatsworth, Iowa
CHATSWORTH
Population: 75 (-4)
Matlock, Iowa
Welcome to Matlock
Population: 74 (-13)
Sioux County has a solid collection of signs, but maybe nothing spectacular. The worst by far is Hospers. The best I could do there was get a picture of their library. Which is strange because Hospers is near a major highway and has a FASCINATING art collection. Hospers is also the closest I’ve come to dying on this trip. A woman almost hit me with her car while I was walking towards this FASCINATING sculpture located in the middle of one of their business district intersections. I have to confess, I was staring at my phone and not paying attention.
To her credit, the woman did stop and talk to me for several minutes. We had a great conversation about the town’s FASCINATING art. She then reminded me not to look at my phone while walking in the middle of the road. Which I confess, is solid advice.
What town gets the purple ribbon for Best in Show in Sioux County? I am fascinated by Granville’s “Home of Black Soil” sign. Turns out, BLACK SOIL is a 1930 novel by Josephine Donovan. A native of Granville. The novel is set in Granville. I do like the Maurice sign. Although I don’t know what hot air balloons have to do with their town. I think that might be a mountain in the background as well. Maybe that is the Loess Hils, but Maurice isn’t really in the Loess Hills. Plus Maurice is home to the Famous Fire Escape Slide. That is something that should be on their sign! I have to give it to Orange City and their wooden shoe sign.
Orange City – Best in Show – Sioux County
There are a few alternate town signs in Sioux County:
Orange City – Alternate
Alton – Alternate
Alton – Alternate
Here is the current list of Best in Shows:
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 – Buena Vista County
Best in Show – Butler County
Best in Show – Calhoun County
Best in Show – Carroll County
Best in Show – Cass County
Best in Show – Cedar County
Best in Show – Cerro Gordo County
Best in Show – Cherokee County
Best in Show – Clarke County
Best in Show – Clay County
Best in Show – Clinton County
Best in Show – Crawford County
Best in Show – Dallas County
Best in Show – Decatur 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 Sow – Harrison County
Best in Show – Humboldt County
Best in Show – Ida County
Best in Show – Iowa County
Best in Show – Jackson County
Best in Show – Jasper County
Best in Show – Jones County
Best in Show – Kossuth County
Best in Show – Linn County
Best in Show – Lucas County
Best in Show – Lyon County
Best in Show – Madison County
Best in Show – Mahaska County
Best in Show – Marion County
Best in Show – Marshall County
Best in Show – Mills County
Best in Show – Monona County
Best in Show – Monroe County
Best in Show – Montgomery County
Best in Show – O’Brien County
Best in Show – Osceola County
Best in Show – Page County
Best in Show – Palo Alto County
Best in Show – Pocahontas County
Best in Show – Polk County
Best in Show – Pottawattamie County
Best in Show – Poweshiek County
Best in Show – Ringgold County
Best in Show – Sac County
Best in Show – Shelby County
Best in Show – Sioux 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 – Wayne County
Best in Show – Webster County
Best in Show – Winnebago 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 visit Plymouth County.