History of Greene County
Jefferson has grown to offer so much, but it’s our rich county history that has gotten us where we are today! Learn more about the historical roots of Greene County.
Jefferson and the surrounding towns that makeup Greene County have so much rich history. As we reflect on Greene County’s settlement, we invite you to come along with us as we travel back to where it all began, and highlight some of the history of Greene County.
Origination
Greene County was originally inhabited by prehistoric Indian cultures, thousands of years ago. Archaeological materials have been produced in the county which suggests some of them to have been Paleoindian through Woodland cultures. Oneota Indians were in Greene County AB1200, and the most recent Indian tribes located in Greene County were the Sac and Meskwaki (Fox) in the 1700s. Horseshoe Bend, an area in north-central Greene County, where the Raccoon River flows north and then circles back, was a favorite hunting ground of the Indians.
In later years, the region in which Greene County is situated was a part of the Louisiana Purchase, secured by the U.S. from France in 1803 by President Thomas Jefferson. As states began to form over the next 35+ years, in 1838 the Territory of Iowa was established including what is now the State of Iowa, declared in 1846.
1849
Truman Davis (1810-1861) was the first white settler in the area in 1849. He came from Missouri by way of New York and staked out a homestead claim 40 miles north of Adel, on the east side of the river, known today as the Raccoon River. He brought one yoke of oxen, one cow, one horse, twelve chickens, eight sheep, two pigs, one dog, and six children along with his wife, Mary. He and his sons built a log cabin on a hill just south of what is today, Squirrel Hollow Park. The cabin was 7 feet high, 16 feet long, and 12 feet wide, with one room, they moved in on October 1, 1849, establishing this as the first house in Greene County. All 8 plus some animals stayed in the cabin the first winter. Truman Davis’s grave and marker are on the original cabin site two miles south of Squirrel Hollow Park. His wife Mary (1813-1889) is buried in Grand Junction. By the time they built the cabin most of the Native Americans had left the area.
1850-1871
Greene County was named for General Nathaniel Greene of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. Many historians rank him second only to George Washington as a military leader. Surveying of the county, including the townships and sections, was completed. Early land purchases could be made from the government for $1.25 per acre (1851).
In 1854, Greene County was formally organized with a population of 150. The first “courthouse” was the log cabin of Judge William Phillips about four miles southeast of Jefferson. During the winter of 1856-1857, several families living in Grant and Washington townships organized a subscription school at Old Rippey. This was the location of the first school in Greene County. Later, E.A. Orman of Washington Township opened the first slope coal mine in Greene County. The Ormans drilled two wells which produced unusual water. The name Eagle Mineral Springs was used in marketing the water with many claims for medicinal and chemical uses, especially for cleaning car radiators (1858). Pictured are Thomas and Helen Orman at the bottling station they had at the pump head from their Eagle Mineral Springs. As 1859 approached, the first printing press was brought to the county and a paper was developed. The Jefferson Star published Greene County tax lists for several years.
1866-1869 brought a lot of news. Jefferson had its first private bank named Mickel and Head (1866). Following that year, the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railway Company, now the Union Pacific Railroad, built the first tracks across the county. This year, the first regular train service reached Scranton. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad was the first railroad to reach Council Bluffs on January 22, 1867. In 1869, the organization of the Greene County Agricultural Society was established, which was the beginning of the Greene County Fair. Jefferson ended the 1860s strongly with the building of the temporary observatory. This observatory was built to view the total eclipse of the sun on August 7th, 1869, because Jefferson was chosen as the prime viewing location to see it. World-famous scientists came to the event. In 1871, Jefferson’s first cigar factory was built.
The Story of Fayette “Yankee” Robinson
Fayette “Yankee” Robinson May 2, 1818 – September 4, 1884
Fayette Robinson was born in Avon New York to a shoemaker, he would also become a shoemaker in his late teens. In 1845 he moved to Chicago and opened his own “minstrel show” titled Olympic Serenaders. In the fall of 1846 he joined June and Turner’s Circus. In 1857 he found himself in Charleston SC running a circus. It was at this time John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry occurred. Having the name “Yankee” Robinson on the side of his wagons, he feared for his life. Robinson immediately fled the town leaving behind all his wagons, horses, props, and equipment.
Yankee moved to New York and Opened Yankee Robinson shows. In the 1870’s Al Ringling, one of the famous Ringling Brothers, worked for Yankee in his shows. The Ringling Brothers combined with the Yankee Robinson Show in the early 1880’s. The Ringling Brothers said that “Yankee Robinson” was the man who taught them how to run a circus. In 1884 all of Yankee Robinson Circus equipment was sold to the Ringling Brothers Circus.
In 1884 Yankee was traveling by rail between Bagley and Lohrville when he became very ill. The conductor put him off in Jefferson thinking he would not make it to the next stop. No one in town knew who he was but he had a Masonic pin on and so the local Masonic Lodge took him to the hotel, paid for it, and took care of him until he died on September 4, 1884. They gave him a Masonic burial at the Jefferson Cemetery. A monument was erected by the Ringling Brothers Circus. As late as 1996 circus and tent show performers would stop in Jefferson at the Fayette Yankee Robinson grave to pay respects.
1872-1899
In 1878, coal was found in Grand Junction. This coal was of excellent quality, but the vein was not very thick, varying from 20 to 30 inches. Five years later the mining of coal was discontinued, but under the coal, eight or nine feet of fine potter’s clay was used to manufacture tile and firebrick.
The following year, the largest egg and butter establishment in the United States operated at Grand Junction. The eggs were preserved for winter and shipped east. Many were sent to England. In 1885 this plant reported shipping 100 rail carloads of eggs.
The 80’s and 90’s brought a lot of development to Greene County. The First National Bank of Rippey was formed in 1882. In 1889, a municipal waterworks was built in Jefferson. This was followed by the first telephone being installed in Jefferson in 1891. The development continued with an electric utility plant being built in Jefferson in 1894. 1889 brought a very exciting time when CNW Railroad started excavating gravel to widen their grade for double tracks, 300-400 men were employed in this operation and the pit dug became Spring Lake. Unfortunate news did also grace this period as a coal shaft was sunk at Rippey, discovering at a depth of 120 feet a coal vein four feet thick in 1884.
Pictured is a Greene County coal miner’s cap with a headlamp.
The Story of Harker Ranch
John C. Harker, Hardin Township farmer, patented his first invention, a grain and hay loader. Later patents he received included: the first caterpillar-type tractor, a ditching machine, and a 50 ft. harvester for small grain. Harker owned and operated the Harker Ranch, a 1,200-acre farming enterprise. In addition to his own 8-room house, which housed several laborers were eight smaller houses for the married men and their families that worked for him. Also, as a cheese factory, foundry and machine shop, sawmill, and other farm buildings. John was dissatisfied with corn prices and as a result, held the surplus corn left after feeding his livestock for 13 seasons until 1908 when he sold the accumulated corn for the sum of $13,000. John and his brother, Simon Harker, owned the two largest steers in the world. The biggest was a five-year-old weighing 3,970lbs, stood 7’ 1” tall, and was 12’ long. The steers were shipped around the county and shown for admission (1884).
1900-1919
1901 was the year that the rural Free Delivery postal service started with five routes out of Jefferson. This year also brought a disastrous fire, that destroyed 21 buildings in the Scranton business district. Many other milestones occurred over the next decade or so.
Greene County Country Club was organized (1903), Andrew Carnegie made a $10,000 gift for a Jefferson Public Library (1904), Jefferson City Council passed an ordinance establishing an 8mph maximum speed limit for automobiles in the city (1905), the first gasoline filling station was built in Jefferson (1912), and the Lincoln Highway mud/dirt road was completed (1913).
Many historic attributes happened in Jefferson from 1915-1919. Willard Zeller of Franklin Township won the world’s championship for seed corn exhibited at San Francisco Exposition. Zeller also furnished corn for the Iowa “Horn of Plenty” display at the fair. This display is pictured in mosaic tile on the courthouse rotunda floor and on the Greene County official seal (1915). In 1917, our present-day Greene County Courthouse was built at a cost of $179,752.66. Following that time in 1918, the dedication of a bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln was given, a gift of Mr. & Mrs. E.B. Wilson that is now displayed on our Courthouse Plaza.
The Story of the Dana Cheese Factory
In 1891 the Dana Cheese Factory, also known as Cooperative Cheese Factory was turning out 600 pounds of cheese a day. The factory was struck by fire in 1900 then again in 1904The 1904 fire was started in an overheated boiler , the church bells rang the fire whistle blew, all the town people came rushing to help with the fire. In 15 minutes the Dana people carried out 12,000 pounds of cheese into the street. The factory was rebuilt in just 6 weeks. In 1906 the cheese factory was closed for three weeks because of a communicable disease, $745 worth of cheese was burned.
There were many dairy farmers in the area supplying the factory with milk. In 1905 local farmer EF Kersner sold all of his milk from his 17 cow herd, remember all the milking was done by hand at least twice a day, no mechanical pumps, the mile he sold from his 17 cows for the month of September was $103 dollars.
The Cooperative Cheese Factory was profitable until December 1906, but still operated a few more years with gross income of $30,000 per year.
No evidence of the cheese factory remains in the town of Dana, only tales of its interesting history.
1920-1930
This decade held much development for the city of Jefferson. With the paving of the Lincoln Highway taking place across Greene County, all bridges were made of concrete (1924). What an accomplishment at that time that Greene County was the first in the State to complete the paving. Greene County also brought to life Spring Lake, which at the time was developed as an amusement center housing a 90 x 100 dance hall, roller skating rink, bathhouse, bathing beach, community kitchen, a bandshell, picnic grounds and tables, refreshment stands, metal rowboats, and 22 cottages for rent (1925). Amazingly today, Spring Lake still houses many of those features and so much more! As recreational activities became more of an enjoyable pastime, Jefferson Golf Course was constructed (1927). The addition of two businesses also graced Greene County in this decade. One was the Thermogray Company, which manufactured electric hot water heaters employing 37 men (1927), and the other, was a pottery plant, about three miles north of Scranton (1928). Unfortunately, the pottery plant did not operate very long as it was closed four years later during the depression. As the town grew, Jefferson built their City Hall, allowing all with a commonplace to gain town information and connect with local leaders (1929). Jefferson ended this developing decade by lighting up the night and installing artificial lights at the Jefferson athletic field (1930).
During the late 1920s and early 1930s, the auto transportation system was exploding. The Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental highway across the United States, ran through Jefferson. Around 1938 there were 11 gas stations on Lincoln Way, Highway 30, within the city limits of Jefferson. That would be 11 stations in approximately 2 miles. Pictured here is the station located at (locust) and Lincoln Way. Today it has been brought back to life and serves as a reminder of the past.
1931-1940
In 1937 three large additions were added to Jefferson. The Post Office building, swimming pool, and municipal airport were all constructed during this time, leaving huge growth opportunities for Greene County.
The first hospital in Greene County Hospital was built in 1938 just west of downtown, the present site. The cornerstone was laid on May 4, 1937, and it opened on January 1, 1938. The 32-bed unit was the culmination of seventeen years of work and planning, but it was the gifts of two Greene County farms that provided the necessary spur. The three-story wing to the north of the first unit was built in 1951. Bed capacity was increased to 64 and service areas were added. Twelve years later, in 1965, came another fine improvement which, among other services, provided an Extended Care Unit. Obsolescence in the original 1937 structure, after 35 years of use, made necessary a modern acute care unit, which was completed in 1971. At this time the name of the institution was changed to the "Greene County Medical Center." In 2014, the medical center broke ground on a $22.5 million major expansion and renovation project. The project - which included a 52,000-square-foot expansion and 45,000 square feet of renovation - increased patient privacy, provided easier access to health care services, and created a more visible location for emergency care.
1941-1960
In 1953 Bill Sorenson, founder of American Athletic Inc was the “catcher” in the Tom Parris Trio trampoline act in New York City. He and his wife Mary Jane Seela moved back to Jefferson in late 1953. He clarified that he did not build his first trampoline in the basement of Seela Hardware on the northwest corner of the courthouse square, as most stories claim. His first attempt was built in a garage and was an “aqua tramp,” a trampoline bed attached to a very large inner tube. He did, though, develop a small trampoline and a larger backyard-size trampoline, which he built in the basement of the hardware store. In 1967, when the newly formed Jefferson Industrial Development Corporation, with President Fred Morain, purchased property on Highway 30 and built a $250,000 plant with the intention of leasing it to American Trampoline. (picture)
1961-1999
Jefferson held the 1966 Plowing Matches and Soil Conservation Field Days resulting in 150,000 people visiting Agrirama USA. This year was also iconic as the Mahanay Memorial Tower was erected at a total cost of $300,000. The carillon and bells were made by J.C. Deagan Co. of Chicago. Its 32 bells range from C to G chromatic. It cost about $20,000. The 14 cast bells at the top of the tower were made by Petit and Fritzen for about $50,000. The largest is Middle C, weighing 4,740lbs. and is five feet in diameter. The tower is 162 feet and 2 inches high. The observation platform available by the elevator is 128 feet high.
In the 1990s a physician’s clinic, new emergency room, and outpatient areas were completed at the hospital (1993). Also, during this time a grave marker for Captain Darrell Lindsey, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient was moved from Germany to Jefferson and placed on the Courthouse lawn in Jefferson. The 90s ended with the huge attention of the Greene County Recreation Center which was completed in 1998.
The Story of Doreen Wilbur
Doreen Wilber January 8, 1930 – October 19, 2008
Doreen Wilber exemplifies an ordinary person who did extraordinary things. Doreen (Hansen) Wilber was born in Rutland Iowa and Graduated from Jefferson High School in 1948. Doreen learned archery as an adult when her husband, Paul “Skeeter” Wilbur a local mechanic shop owner, received a bow and a set of arrows as payment for an auto repair bill. Without professional coaching, she made it to the of amateur archery, Skeeter was her only coach.
Between 1965 and 1975 Doreen Wilber was the top woman archer in the United States. Participating in eight National Championships in that decade and won four (1969, 71, 73-74), was second twice and third once. She competed in the 1969 and 1971 World Championships placing second both times. Doreen was the first Iowa woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal. She was the Gold Medalist in Archery, Munich, Germany, 1972, setting two world records.
In her many years of competition, she would carry extra archery supplies and equipment to share with those from countries where these items were scarce. In her mind, she wanted her competitors to have every advantage she did and the result would be based on skill not equipment. The stories are legion of her efforts to help competitors and other Olympians even hours before competition.
“Focus, believe in yourself and shoot only one arrow at a time.” Those are life lessons that were taught to hundreds of young people by 1972 Olympic gold medalist Doreen Wilber. Her commitment to helping area youth learn about archery but, more importantly, to learn about themselves made her more than an Olympic trail blazer.
For a dozen years, Wilber and her husband Paul (Skeeter) opened their home in Jefferson and their hearts to young people in the JOAD (Junior Olympic Archery Development) group. The fundamentals of archery were taught along with modeling sportsmanship and a strong work ethic. Their home on an acreage in Jefferson offered a perfect setting for archery practice. Wilber’s only rule was that the youngsters couldn’t aim at the house!
Doreen has been inducted into nine (9) Hall of Fames including Jefferson High School, Bell Tower, Des Moines Register, Iowa State Archers, Iowa Sports, Sports Illustrated Athletes of the Century, Athletes of Iowa, Greene County Bowling as well as the Archery Hall of Fame.
Doreen has been inducted into nine (9) Hall of Fames including Jefferson High School, Bell Tower, DesMoines Register, Iowa State Archers, Iowa Sports, Sports Illustrated Athletes of the Century, Athletes of Iowa, Green Country Bowling as well as the Archery Hall of Fame.
2000-2010
Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) is a trail running 89 miles from Waukee Iowa, to Jefferson, Iowa. The RRVT is a paved surface trail that includes both asphalt and concrete throughout its 89 miles. Between 2000-2010 much of the RRVT was resurfaced to ensure a paved trail that was safe and smooth to enjoy. But before all of that happened the creation of the trail had to take place.
On October 7, 1989, the first section of the Raccoon River Valley Trail opened. In 1990, 34 miles of this paved trail were opened between Waukee, and Yale. North of Yale, the RRVT lies along an old Union Pacific Railroad line which was abandoned in the late 1990s. In 1997, the trail was extended with a paved trail from Yale to Jefferson. In 1999, the trail was extended with a 5 miles paved trail link from Waukee to the 11.3 miles Clive Greenbelt Trail in Clive.
The RRVT trail between Waukee and Yale runs along the rail line established in 1881 as a narrow-gauge line of the Des Moines Western Railroad, which became part of the Wabash Railroad. About 10 years later, the Milwaukee Railroad took over the line and converted it to a standard gauge. Passenger service ended along the line in 1952. Freight service continued along the line until 1987. For more than 50 years, it was a popular rail line, taking many vacationers from central Iowa right to the shores of Storm Lake, the Okoboji’s, and Big Spirit Lake. In addition, hundreds of Des Moines Register newspaper carriers would ride the train into the capital city for the annual “Register Carrier Day” parade, picnic, and free-for-all at the Riverview Amusement Park.
In 2013, an additional 33.1-mile north loop was completed on the RRVT, making the RRVT nearly 90 miles of paved trails and having a paved interior loop of more than 72 miles. In recent years, the Conservation Board directors, citing the reports from electrical counters along the trail, have estimated that more than 350,000 people per year are using the RRVT. With a 9-mile “connector” trail now planned between the RRVT and the popular High Trestle Trail, the number of users on both trails is expected to mushroom in the years ahead.
A flood in 2017 damaged part of the river bridge three miles south of Jefferson. After a long period of pandemic delays and construction delays, the bridge was again opened connecting Jefferson with the southern RRVT.
2011-2021
Jefferson Highway 4 Overpass
In 1935 the Jefferson “Commercial Club” began talks about putting an overpass over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks on the north side of town. At that time they had concerns, that are the same concerns today, that the trains slowed traffic flow, that stopped trains prevented emergency services to serve north of the tracks and there was also the safety factor of more train crossings the more possibilities of accidents. So the idea of an overpass was almost 80 years old before it was done. In 1935 there were about 50 trains a day through Greene County, in 2012 there were 80 trains a day
The opening of the Highway 4 overpass was attended by 400 people on November 12, 2012. On opening day there were also three large John Deer tractors pulling discs that made the trek across the top from north to south. The total cost of the overpass was $12,833,584 dollars, over 80% was federal and state funds. The overpass is 1,100 feet long, it has 530 tons of steel, 4.8 miles of pilings and a pedestrian walkway on the east side. There is enough concrete in the span to pour a sidewalk from Jefferson to Des Moines.
While we have only highlighted this rich history, we encourage you to visit the Greene County Historical Museum to learn even more! Our history continues to be made every day, come back to continue reading as we continue growing.
A special thank you to the Greene County Historical Society for providing this information.