The Forest Mills church was built in the community
of Forest Mills in the latter part of the 19th
century. That building, including its bell tower,
still stands and is used. In 1969, an addition was
built on the front of it. The community got its name
from a sawmill built in 1854 by William Werhan one
half mile north of where the church is. It was run by
water power and in 1865 was expanded to include a
grain mill. Werhan also became justice of the peace
and had his office for that near the mill. A
blacksmith shop was also operated near the mill and a
grocery store was across the street from the church.
Werhan sawed the wood for construction of the church
completed in 1899, the charge for which was $88.23.
The schoolhouse stands next to the church.
The first pastor was Rev. J.I. Dickensheets. The
church originally was United Brethren and upon that
denomination's merger, became an Evangelical United
Brethren Church. Now it is a United Methodist Church,
served since September, 1983 by Verdon Swenson.
Werhan deeded to the church land for a park, which is
still maintained by the church and popular throughout
the area. The mill was closed in 1932. Lloyd Clark
owns the farm where the mill once was and still has
in his office the "pigeon hole mail boxes"
once used in the Forest Mills Post Office.
~Postville Herald, Feb 20, 1985
~transcribed by S. Ferrall
~note: this article was accompanied by a re-print of
the photo that appears above