Category Archives: Town Sign Project

TOWN SIGN PROJECT: IOWA COUNTY

March 1, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

Before I get into the meat of today’s post, here is my reminder that if you live in the city limits of Boone, then you should get out and vote today. I won’t tell you how to vote, that is the job of the Facebook algorithm.

But today is the day to vote on Public Measure A:

“Shall the following public measure be adopted?

Shall the City of Boone, Iowa issue its general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $10,000,000.00 for the purpose of the construction, improvement, and equipping of a wellness and recreation center facility?”

So if you live in the city limits of Boone, get out and vote!

+++++++

A few weeks back I made a trip to Iowa County to harvest their town signs.

Here are some facts about Iowa County:
+ Population is 16,662 making it the 44th most populous county in Iowa. Below Hardin County and above Madison County.
+ The largest town is Williamsburg.
+ The county seat is Marengo.
+ Formed on February 17, 1843 and named after the Iowa River.
+ Home of the Amana Colonies a group of settlements of German Pietists who lived communal life until the mid-1930s.
+ Major highways are I-89, US-6, US-151, IA-21, IA-149, IA-220, and IA-212.
+ Adjacent counties are Benton, Linn, Johnson, Washington, Keokuk, Poweshiek, and Tama.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 19,554.

The Iowa County Courthouse is cool looking:

The Iowa County Courthouse located in Marengo, Iowa.

The Iowa County Freedom Rock is located in Marengo, Iowa:

With Iowa County conquered, here is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

60 counties completed. 60.6% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Iowa County:

Williamsburg, Iowa
Williamsburg
Population: 3,346 (+278)

Marengo, Iowa
MARENGO
OUR TOWN
MAKE IT YOURS
Population: 2,435 (-93)

North English, Iowa (Partially Keokuk County)
Welcome to NORTH ENGLISH
Home of the English Valleys Bears
Population: 1,065 (+24)

Victor, Iowa (Partially Poweshiek County)
VICTOR
Population: 875 (-18)

Ladora, Iowa
LADORA, IA
Population: 229 (-54)

Parnell, Iowa
WELCOME TO PARNELL
Population: 194 (+1)

Millersburg, Iowa
Millersburg
EST. 1852
Population: 135 (-24)

Amana Colonies, Iowa – Unincorporated
AMANA COLONIES
SEVEN LITTLE VILLAGES WITH BIG GERMAN HERITAGE

Homestead, Iowa – Unincorporated
Homestead
Amana Colonies
National Historic Landmark

Iowa County is not a great collection of town signs, but the worst one is pretty obvious. Ladora’s town sign is really a sign for a restaurant.

The best town sign? I’m going to give the purple ribbon to Millersbug.

Millersburg – Best in Show – Iowa County

There are a couple of alternate town signs in Iowa County:

Marengo – Alternate

North English – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 – 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 – 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 – Page 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 – 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 cruise the backroads of Buena Vista County.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

TOWN SIGN PROJECT: HARRISON COUNTY

February 22, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

A couple months back on my way back from a trip to Manhattan, Kansas to watch Nate graduate from Kansas State, I cruised through Harrison County and harvested the balance of their town signs.

Here are some facts about Harrison County:
+ Population is 14,582 making it the 53rd most populous county in Iowa. Below Kossuth County and above Mills County.
+ The county seat is Logan.
+ The largest town is Missouri Valley.
+ The birthplace or home county of Josh Kraushaar.
+ Where Sneaky Snake Root Beer’s near professional labeler was trained.
+ Major highways are I-29, US-30, IA-37, IA-44, IA-127, IA-183, and IA-191.
+ Adjacent counties are: Monona, Crawford, Shelby, and Pottawattamie.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 25,597.

The Harrison County Courthouse is not gorgeous, but is pretty in an understated way:

The Harrison County Courthouse in Logan, Iowa.

The Harrison County Freedom Rock is located near Missouri Valley, Iowa.

With Harrison County conquered, here is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

59 counties completed. 59.6% of the Cyclone State conquered.

Here are the town signs of Harrison County:

Missouri Valley, Iowa
Welcome to Missouri Valley
“A Train Town USA”
Population: 2,678 (-160)

Woodbine, Iowa
WOODBINE
Population: 1,625 (+166)

Logan, Iowa
LOGAN
FOUNDED
JULY 19, 1867
Population: 1,397 (-137)

Dunlap, Iowa
Welcome to DUNLAP
1867
Population: 1,038 (-4)

Mondamin, Iowa
Welcome to Mondamin
Gateway to the Loess Hills
Population: 339 (-63)

Persia, Iowa
PERSIA, IA
HARRISON COUNTY’S EASTERN GATEWAY TO THE LOESS HILLS
EST. 1882
Population: 297 (-22)

Modale, Iowa
Welcome to MODALE
Established 1874
Population: 273 (-10)

Pisgah, Iowa
Welcome to:
Pisgah
Heart of the Loess Hills
Since 1904
Pop: 268
Population: 249 (-2)

Magnolia, Iowa
Welcome to Magnolia
Population: 190 (+7)

Little Sioux, Iowa
LITTLE SIOUX
CHURCH OF CHRIST WELOMES YOU
ONE MILE AHEAD
Population: 166 (-4)

River Sioux, Iowa – Unincorporated
RIVER SIOUX

All in all, I think that Harrison County has a real fine set of signs. I think the worst one is pretty obvious. Logan has the classic tombstone looking sign. It already includes the date the town was founded on it and has left space on the bottom to put the date the town dies.

But who gets the Purple Ribbon for Harrison County? I think there are some real solid signs there. I like Dunlap’s. I like Woodbine’s. I like Missouri Valley and Pisgah’s. But I think I have to give it up to Modale for the best town sign in Harrison County.

Modale – Best in Show – Harrison County

There are a few alternate town signs in Harrison County:

Woodbine – Alternate

Persia – Alternate

Missouri Valley – Alternate

Logan – Alternate

Pisgah – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 – 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 – 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 – Page 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 – 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 end up in Iowa County.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

TOWN SIGN PROJECT: POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

February 15, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 4 Comments

A couple months back, on my way back from a trip to Manhattan, Kansas to watch Nate graduate from Kansas State, I cruised through Pottawattamie County to harvest the balance of their town signs.

Here are some facts about Pottawattamie County:

+ Population is 93,667 making it the 10th most populous county in Iowa. Below Story County and above Warren County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Council Bluffs.
+ Named after the Potawatomi Native American Tribe.
+ Home of the only town in Iowa that is west of the Missouri River.
+ Major highways are I-29, I-80, I-480, I-680, I-880, US-6, US-59, US-275, IA-83, IA-92, IA-165, IA-191, and IA-192.
+ Adjacent counties are: Harrison, Cass, Mills, and Shelby.
+ Currently at peak population.

The Pottawattamie Courthouse is not much to look at:

The Pottawattamie County Courthouse in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Pottawattamie County Freedom Rock is located in Oakland, Iowa:

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

PURPLE=COMPLETED

58 counties completed. 58.6% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Pottawattamie County:

Council Bluffs, Iowa
COUNCIL BLUFFS
All-America City
Population: 62,799 (+569)

Carter Lake, Iowa
WELCOME TO CARTER LAKE IOWA
Population: 3,791 (+6)

Avoca, Iowa
Avoca
Population: 1,683 (+177)

Oakland, Iowa
OAKLAND
1882 1982
Population: 1,524 (+18)

Treynor, Iowa (Note the Cy Rip-off on the Sign)
Welcome to TREYNOR
Population: 1,032 (+113)

Underwood, Iowa
WELCOME TO UNDERWOOD
EST. 1882
Population: 954 (+37)

Neola, Iowa
WELCOME TO NEOLA
EST. 1882
Population: 918 (+76)

Carson, Iowa
EST. 1881
CARSON
Population: 766 (-46)

Walnut, Iowa
WELCOME TO WALNUT
IOWA’S ANTIQUE CITY
EST 1871
Population: 747 (-38)

Crescent, Iowa
Crescent
Est. 1856
Population: 628 (+11)

Minden, Iowa
WELCOME TO MINDEN
EST. 1875
Population: 600 (+1)

Macedonia, Iowa
MACEDONIA
Pop. 325
ORIGINAL PIONEER TRAIL
“Small In Size Large In Heart!”
Population: 267 (+21)

Hancock, Iowa
WELCOME TO HANCOCK
Population: 200 (+4)

McClelland, Iowa
McCLELLAND
1903
Population: 146 (-5)

If you are wondering, Carter Lake is the only town in Iowa that is west of the Missouri River. There is no way to get to it from Iowa without having to drive through Nebraska. Which is a fate I wouldn’t wish on any Iowan. At least by car. I suppose theoretically, you might be able to swim across the Missouri River and never be in Nebraska, but I’m sure halfway through the Missouri River you are probably technically in Nebraska. Oh the humanity!

I’ll get into how Carter Lake ended up in Iowa and the Supreme Court cases that made it so at some point in the future. But Carter Lake does have a special place in my heart as its Methodist Church was the first church that Pastor Andrea was assigned to out of divinity school.

I think this is a pretty solid collection of town signs. The only one I would consider to be flat out bad is Avoca.

I really like Oakland’s acorn sign, but I’m going to have to give Pottawattamie’s purple ribbon to Walnut. And it isn’t only because I have a soft spot in my heart for antiques because of my parents.

Walnut – Best in Show – Pottawattamie County

There are a few alternate town signs in Pottawattamie County:

Walnut – Alternate

Oakland – Alternate

Carson – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida 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 – 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 – Page 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 – 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 end up in Harrison County. A county that at least a couple of people that I know have a special connection with.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

TOWN SIGN PROJECT: CLINTON COUNTY

February 8, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few weeks back I ventured out east on a solo trip to Clinton County to harvest their town signs. It was a pretty great trip!

Here are some facts about Clinton County:
+ Population is 46,460 making it the 12th most populous county in Iowa. Behind Warren County and above Muscatine County.
+ Clinton is the county seat and largest town.
+ Formed on December 21, 1837.
+ Named for New York Governor DeWitt Clinton. Also two towns in the county are named for him.
+ Contains the easternmost part of Iowa.
+ Birthplace of Jesse Howard.
+ Major Highways are: US-30, US-61, US-67, and IA-136.
+ Adjacent Counties are Jackson, Scott, Cedar, and Jones.
+ Population peaked in 1980 at 57,122.

The Clinton County Courthouse is kinda cool looking:

The Clinton County Courthouse in Clinton, Iowa.

The Clinton County Freedom Rock is located in Clinton, Iowa:

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

PURPLE=STRONG

57 counties completed. 57.6% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Clinton County:

Clinton, Iowa
Welcome to CLINTON IOWA
Population: 24,469 (-2,416)

DeWitt, Iowa
Welcome to DeWitt
Crossroads to Opportunity
Population: 5,514 (+192)

Camanche, Iowa
CAMANCHE
Population: 4,570 (+122)

Wheatland, Iowa
WHEATLAND
Shop Wheatland Businesses Ahead
www.cityofwheatland.org
Population: 775 (+11)

Grand Mound, Iowa
Grand Mound
There’s No Place Like Home
Population: 615 (-27)

Delmar, Iowa
DELMAR WELCOMES YOU
A GREAT PLACE TO GROW
A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN
A GREAT PLACE TO SERVE
Population: 542 (+17)

Lost Nation, Iowa
Discover Lost Nation
Established 1872
Population: 434 (-12)

Charlotte, Iowa
CHARLOTTE
Est. 1853
Welcomes You
Population: 389 (-5)

Calamus, Iowa
WELCOME TO CALAMUS
A Community that Cares
Population: 356 (-83)

Low Moor, Iowa
WELCOME TO LOW MOOR
Biggest Little Town in Iowa
Population: 250 (-38)

Goose Lake, Iowa
THE CITY OF GOOSE LAKE
Welcomes You!
Population: 239 (-1)

Welton, Iowa
THE CITY OF WELTON
Welcomes You!
Population: 121 (-44)

Andover, Iowa
Welcome to ANDOVER
The Friendly Community!
Population: 109 (+6)

Toronto, Iowa
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church
Toronto, Iowa
Population: 102 (-22)

I really struggled with this county. It is just a collection of solid, but not particularly great signs. Toronto obviously has the worst because it isn’t even a town sign. It is a church sign.

But who gets the purple ribbon. I like the town signs of Welton and Low Moor, and Lost Nation, and Andover, and Delmar, and Andover, and Charlotte, and Calamus, but I don’t love any of them. But truth is that I don’t love any of them. If it was a primary sign, I would give it to the Calamus alternate, but I’m going to give it to Low Moor, because the triangles in the design fascinate me.

Low Moor – Best in Show – Clinton County

There is only one alternate town sign in Clinton County, although I’m sure there is more than one town sign in Clinton that I missed, but I might search the town again at some point in the future.

Calamus – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 flip over to the other side of the state and take on Pottawattamie County.

Art, Road Trip, Teresa, Town Sign Project

TOWN SIGN PROJECT: MAHASKA COUNTY

February 1, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back I tooled around Mahaska County with Teresa harvesting their town signs. It was a good trip.

Here are some facts about Mahaska County:

+ Population is 22,190 making it the 28th most populous county in Iowa. Below Washington County and above Buena Vista County.
+ The county seat and largest town is Oskaloosa.
+ Formed in February of 1843.
+ Named after Chief Mahaska of the Iowa tribe.
+ Home of William Penn University.
+ Major highways are US-63, IA-23, IA-92, IA-163, IA-146, and IA-149.
+ Adjacent counties are Jasper, Poweshiek, Keokuk, Wapello, Monroe, and Marion.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 34,273.

Mahaska County has a cool looking courthouse:

The Mahaska County Courthouse located in Oskalooa, Iowa.

The Mahaska County Freedom Rock is located in Oskaloosa, Iowa:

With Mahaska County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

56 counties completed. 56.6% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Eddyville is partially in Monroe County and partially in Mahaska County and partially in Wapello County. My eyeball assessment says that the plurality of it is in Wapello County, so I will reveal its town sign with the Wapello County harvest.

Here are the town signs of Mahaska County:

Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa
PRIDE, PROGRESS, AND TRADITION
Population: 11,558 (+95)

New Sharon, Iowa
Welcome to New Sharon
Est. 1856
Population: 1,262 (-31)

Fremont, Iowa
FREMONT
Population: 708 (-35)

University Park, Iowa
the City of University Park
Welcome home!
Population: 487 (0)

Beacon, Iowa
Welcome to BEACON
Est. 1874
Population: 445 (-49)

Leighton, Iowa
WELCOME TO LEIGHTON
“A Little Bit of Town & County”
Est. 1865
Population: 158 (-4)

Rose Hill, Iowa
WELCOME TO ROSE HILL
Population: 157 (-11)

Barnes City, Iowa (Partially Poweshiek)
WELCOME TO BARNES CITY
HOME OF LAKE HAWTHORN
Population: 156 (-20)

Keomah Village, Iowa
Keomah Village
Population: 110 (+26)

The worst town sign in Mahaska County is a true no-brainer. It is Beacon. I would go so far as to say that Beacon has the worst town sign I’ve seen, where it felt like the town was actually trying. The design elements, just awful by themselves, but then you put them together… it is the thing nightmares are made of. But a special demerit for the Oskaloosa sign that made it practically impossible to read the town slogan on the sign.

For me, the purple ribbon for Mahaska County is a three horse race. Rose Hill, Keomah Village, and Leighton. In the end, I’m going to give it to Leighton for the great artwork AND a snappy town slogan.

Leighton- Best in Show – Mahaska County

I will put this caveat out there though. After I harvested these town signs, I learned from my Instagram friend @runner4life that the unincorporated town of Indianapolis has a pretty great town sign. I don’t pursue unincorporated towns unless they are on my route, so I didn’t visit Indianapolis. However, I plan on harvesting that sign when I harvest Wapello County. So this is one Best in Show that could possibly change.

There is only one alternate sign in Mahaska County:

Keomah Village – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 hit Clinton County.

Art, Road Trip, Teresa, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Monroe County

January 25, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few weeks back I hit the open road with Teresa and harvested the town signs of Monroe County.

Here are some facts about Monroe County:

+ Population is 7,577 making it the 87th most populous county in Iowa. Putting it behind Decatur County and above Adair County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Albia.
+ Originally named Kishkekosh County after the Meskwaki Chief. Renamed for James Monroe, 5th President of the United States.
+ Site of Buxton, the largest town with a majority black population in the early 20th century.
+ Major highways are US-34, IA-5, and IA-137.
+ Adjacent counties are Marion, Mahaska, Wapello, Appanoose, and Lucas.
+ Population peaked in 1910 at 25,429.

The Monroe County Courthouse is gorgeous:

The Monroe County Courthouse in Albia, Iowa.

The Monroe County Freedom Rock is located in Albia, Iowa.

With Monroe County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

55 counties completed. 55.6% of the Cyclone State conquered!

There are 5 incorporated towns in Monroe County. However, Eddyville is barely in Monroe County and is mostly in Mahaska County and Wapello County, so we will cover it at a later date. Moravia is also ever so slightly in Monroe County, but 99.9% of it is in Appanoose County. So we will also cover it at a later date. That leaves Monroe County with only 3 towns.

Here are the town signs of Monroe County:

Albia, Iowa
ALBIA
SINCE 1846
Population: 3,721 (-45)

Lovilia, Iowa
Lovilia
Established 1853
Population: 472 (-66)

Melrose, Iowa
Welcome to Melrose
Iowa’s Little Ireland
Population: 112 (-2)

Georgetown, Iowa – Unincorporated
WELCOME TO GEORGETOWN

I don’t even think this one is open to discussion. The monorail sales man of US-34 got Albia. Lovilia is also snoozer. Meanwhile, Melrose brings the heat! I loved the town of Melrose. Not only does it have a great sign, they have a monument in their town park for their 1937 high school basketball team that won the state championship that they claim was the best high school team in Iowa history. Although I think the Ames High team with Harrison Barnes and Doug McDermott might have something to say about that. They also have their own blarney stone. That makes two Iowa towns that I know of that have their own blarney stone.

Melrose – Best in Show – Monroe County

Melrose also had a few alternate signs:

Melrose – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida 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 – 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 – Monroe 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 – 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 end up in Mahaska County.

Art, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Cedar County

January 18, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett

A few weeks back I made a solo road trip to harvest the town signs of Cedar County.

Here are some facts about Cedar County:

+ Population is 18,505 making it the 38th most populous county in Iowa. Below Poweshiek County and above Dickinson County.
+ Tipton is the largest town and county seat.
+ Formed on December 21, 1837. Named for the Cedar River.
+ Birthplace of President Herbert Hoover.
+ Major highways are I-80, US-6, US-30, IA-28, and IA-130.
+ Adjacent counties are: Jones, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, Johnson, and Linn.
+ Population peaked in 1870 at 19,731.

The Cedar County Courthouse isn’t much to look at:

The Cedar County Courthouse in Tipton, Iowa.

The Cedar County Freedom Rock is located in Tipton, Iowa, right next to the courthouse:

With Cedar County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLTED

54 counties completed. 54.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!

One note before we get into the town signs of Cedar County. I normally don’t consider a mural to be a town sign unless it is the only town sign in the town, or it is at the busiest intersection entering that town. The amount of high quality murals in Cedar County has made me rethink this policy somewhat.

Another note, Wilton is slightly in Cedar County, but just slightly. I will hold onto that town sign until I harvest the rest of Muscatine County.

Here are the town signs of Cedar County:

Tipton, Iowa
TIPTON
EST. 1840
Population: 3,149 (-72)

West Branch, Iowa (Partially in Johnson County)
BIRTHPLACE of HERBERT HOOVER
Historic West Branch
Population: 2,509 (+187)

Durant, Iowa
welcome to DURANT
Population: 1,871 (+39)

Clarence, Iowa
CLARENCE
“WELCOMES YOU”
Population: 1,039 (+65)

Mechanicsville, Iowa
HEAVEN AMONGST THE CEDARS
MECHANICSVILLE, IOWA
Population: 1,020 (-126)

Lowden, Iowa
Welcome to LOWDEN
incorporated 1869
Population: 807 (+18)

Stanwood, Iowa
WELCOM TO STANWOOD
1869
Population: 637 (-47)

Bennett, Iowa
BENNETT
Population: 347 (-58)

For the most part, I don’t think there is a bad town sign in Cedar County. If there are any that just bore me, they are the town signs of Tipton and Durant.

I think that the best town sign in Cedar County is really a no-brainer. While Bennett is the best named town in Iowa and I do love their sign, I have to give it to Lowden.

Lowden – Best in Show – Cedar County

There were a few alternate town signs in Cedar County:

West Branch – Alternate

Tipton – Alternate

Tipton- Alternate

Stanwood – Alternate

Lowden – Alternate

Durant – 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 – 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 – Clarke 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida 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 – 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 – 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 Monroe County.

Art, Michelle, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Jones County

January 11, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few weeks back I made a road trip with Michelle to harvest the town signs of Jones County.

Here are some facts about Jones County:

+ The population is 20,760 making it the 31st most populous county in Iowa. Below Carroll County and above Buchanan County.
+ Anamosa is the largest town and county seat.
+ Was founded in 1837 and is named after George Wallace Jones.
+ Home of Anamosa State Penitentiary.
+ Major highways are: US-151, IA-1, IA-38, IA-64, and IA-136.
+ Adjacent counties are Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, Clinton, Cedar, and Linn.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 21,954.

The Jones County Courthouse is pretty meh:

The Jones County Courthouse in Anamosa, Iowa.

The Jones County Freedom Rock is located in Stone City, Iowa:

With Jones County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

53 counties completed. 53.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Jones County:

Anamosa, Iowa
ANAMOSA
BIRTHPLACE OF GRANT WOOD
*MUSEUMS
*ANTIQUES
NEXT EXIT
Population: 5,450 (-83)

Monticello, Iowa
MONTICELLO
Population: 3,796 (+244)

Cascade, Iowa (Partially in Dubuque County)
CASCADE
Population: 2,386 (+227)

Olin, Iowa
WELCOME TO OLIN
SINCE 1835
Stop for a Visit… Stay for a Lifetime!
Population: 651 (-47)

Wyoming, Iowa
Welcome To WYOMING
The Christmas City
Population: 523 (+8)

Oxford Junction, Iowa
OXFORD JUNCTION
EST. 1871
Population: 424 (-72)

Martelle, Iowa
WELCOME TO MARTELLE
The small town with the BIG Heart!
Population: 249 (-6)

Onslow, Iowa
Welceome to Onslow
Est. 1871
Population: 201 (+4)

Morely, Iowa
1925
MORLEY
Population: 966 (-15)

Stone City, Iowa (Unincorporated)
STONE CITY

I don’t know there is necessarily a terrible sign in this collection. If there is a worst sign, I guess I’d give it to Monticello. But Cascade is equally as boring.

For Best in Show, I think it is pretty obvious. While I like the town signs in Martelle, Olin, Oxford Junction and Morley for just being so weird, I have to give it to Anamosa.

Anamosa – Best in Show – Jones County

There are a couple alternate signs in Jones County:

Onslow – Alternate

Olin – Alternate

Monticello – Alternate

Cascade – 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 – 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 – 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida 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 – 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 – 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 dusty trail for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we will end up in Cedar County.

Art, Michelle, Road Trip, Town Sign Project

Town Sign Project: Linn County

January 4, 2022 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

A few weeks back I finished up harvesting the town signs of Linn County with Michelle.

Here are some facts about Linn County:

+ Population is 230,299 making it the second most populous county in Iowa. Below Polk County and above Scott County.
+ Cedar Rapids is county seat and largest town.
+ Linn County was organized in 1839.
+ Named for Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri.
+ Home of the Czech Village.
+ Home of Coe College.
+ Home of Cornell College.
+ Home of Mount Mercy University.
+ Home of PrairieMoon on Main, a stop on the Tenderloin Trail 2.0.
+ Major highways are: I-380, IA-27, US-30, US-151, US-218, IA-1, and IA-13.
+ Adjacent counties are Benton, Buchanan, Delaware, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, and Jones.
+ Currently at its peak population.

Linn County has a beautiful courthouse:

The Linn County Courthouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

The Linn County Freedom Rock is located in Central City, Iowa:

When I was there, it had yet to be painted, but should be painted by now. I will have to shoot back through there at some point and have a look. Probably on my way to Prairieburg.

With Linn County completed, this is the updated Photography 139 Conquest Map:

PURPLE=COMPLETED

52 counties finished. 52.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Linn County:

Cedar Rapids, Iowa
CEDAR RAPIDS
Population: 137,710 (+11,384)

Marion, Iowa
MARION
Population: 41,535 (+6,767)

Hiawatha, Iowa
Hiwatha!
Population: 7,183 (+159)

Mount Vernon, Iowa
MT VERNON
Population: 4,527 (+19)

Robins, Iowa
Welcome to Robins
Community Family Friends
Established 1888
Population: 3,353 (+211)

Fairfax, Iowa
HOME SWEET HOME
Fairfax
Est. 1863
Inc. 1936
Population: 2,828 (+705)

Center Point, Iowa
Center Point
Population: 2,579 (+158)

Ely, Iowa
ELY
ESTABLISHED 1872
Population: 2,328 (+552)

Lisbon, Iowa
LISBON
Est. 1875
Population: 2,233 (+81)

Palo, Iowa
PALO
Gateway to the Outdoors
Population: 1,407 (+381)

Walford, Iowa (Partially in Benton County)
WALFORD
Population: 1,366 (-97)

Central City, Iowa
CENTRAL CITY
EST. 1852
Population: 1,264 (-7)

Springville, Iowa
IT’S ALWAYS SPRING IN…
SPRINGVILLE
Population: 1,154 (+80)

Coggon, Iowa
Welcome to Coggon
“The one and only”
Population: 701 (+43)

Walker, Iowa
Welcome to…
WALKER
Population: 688 (-103)

Alburnett, Iowa
Alburnett
the comfort of country and community
Population: 675 (+2)

Bertram, Iowa
BERTRAM CITY LIMITS
Population: 269 (-25)

Prairieburg, Iowa
Welcome To Prairieburg
Population: 160 (-18)

The worst town sign in Linn County is pretty obvious. It is Bertram. The best they could manage is a city limits town sign.

I think the Best in Show in Linn County is pretty obvious. However, I’ll give Cedar Rapids some credit. For a large city, it has a pretty good town sign. I will also give some respect to the town signs of Robins and Palo, but clearly the best town sign belongs to Springville.

Springville – Best in Show – Linn County

There were a few alternate town signs in Linn County:

Robins – Alternate

Springville – Alternate

Mount Vernon – Alternate

Coggon – Alternate

Central City – Alternate

Alburnett – 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 – 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 – 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida County

Best in Show – Jasper County

Best in Show – Kossuth County

Best in Show – Linn 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 – 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 will hit the dusty trail for THE TOWN SIGN PROJECT, we end up in Jones County.

Art, Calendar, Nature, Road Trip, Town Sign Project, Vest

Town Sign Project: Wayne County

December 28, 2021 Christopher D. Bennett 2 Comments

The September image for the 2022 Photography 139 Calendar is a familiar look for Boonies. It is an overlook on the Des Moines River taken from Ledges State Park.

Tomorrow I will share the October image from the 2022 Calendar.

+++++++

A few weeks back I cruised around Wayne County with Vest harvesting their town signs.

Here are some facts about Wayne County:

+ Population is 6,497, making it the 94th most populous county in Iowa. Behind Fremont County and above Osceola County.
+ The largest town and county seat is Corydon.
+ Its southern border with Missouri was uncertain until the states got a decision from the US Supreme Court in 1848 which held the 1816 Sullivan line (re-marked in 1850), originally run as the northern boundary of an Osage Indian “cession.” This line is not a true east–west line so the county does not have an exactly rectangular shape.
+ Formed in 1846.
+ Named after General Anthony Wayne.
+ Major highways are US-65, IA-2, and IA-14.
+ Adjacent counties are Lucas, Appanoose, and Decatur.
+ Population peaked in 1900 at 17,491.

The Wayne County Courthouse is mostly a miss.

The Wayne County Courthouse in Corydon, Iowa.

The Wayne County Freedom Rock is located in Corydon, Iowa:

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

PURPLE=COMPLETED

51 counties conquered. 51.5% of the Cyclone State conquered!

Here are the town signs of Wayne County:

Corydon, Iowa
CORYDON
SINCE 1852
Population: 1,526 (-59)

Seymour, Iowa
Welcome to SEYMOUR
WARRIOR & WARRIORETTE STATE CHAMPIONS
1947 GIRLS BASKETBALL
1964 BOYS TRACK
Population: 634 (-67)

Humeston, Iowa
Welcome
See WHAT IS HAPPENING IN
HUMESTON
Population: 465 (-29)

Allerton, Iowa
ALLERTON CITY HALL
Population: 430 (-71)

Lineville, Iowa
LINEVILLE
SINCE 1851
Population: 195 (-22)

Promise City, Iowa
PROMISE CITY
SINCE 1856
Population: 88 (-23)

Clio, Iowa
CLIO WELCOMES YOU
Population: 67 (-13)

Millerton, Iowa
MILLERTON IOWA
est. 1913
Population: 36 (-9)

I’m just going to be frank. Wayne County has the worst collection of town signs of any county to date. I don’t even think it is close either. Unfortunately, the Highway 34 Monorail Salesman (monorail!) made his way south and sold his wretched signs to Lineville, Corydon, and Promise City. They all tie for worst town sign. Which is saying something, considering Allerton doesn’t really have a town sign. I had to snag that from their City Hall. But yes, I would consider no town sign an improvement over the town sign design that snakes its way across the state on Highway 34 and apparently down to Wayne County. Sacre bleu!

That leaves really only 3 contenders for Best in Show. Clio’s sign, while original, is pretty nondescript. There are elements of Seymour’s sign that I like, but I’m always uncomfortable with images of indigenous peoples that smack of stereotypes for towns that don’t seem to have a population of indigenous peoples or much of a indigenous peoples history. Millerton’s sign is solid, but I’m going to have to give the purple ribbon to Humeston.

Humeston – Best in Show – Wayne County

Only Seymour had an alternate town sign:

Seymour – Alternate

I mean, let’s face it, Seymour’s alternate sign is the best town sign in Wayne County, but this sign is several miles outside of town. It isn’t their primary sign, as I define it.

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 – 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 – 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 Show – Humboldt County

Best in Show – Ida County

Best in Show – Jasper County

Best in Show – Kossuth 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 – 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 Linn County.