Mechanicsville-1859

COMSTOCK, MCCLELLAND, ROUD, JONES, CHAPMAN, DAVIS, STOUT, KENNEDY, YOUNGKIN, ALGER

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 10/2/2008 at 23:18:54

Gleanings From The Notebook of the Itinerating Editor

Dubuque Weekly Times
June 2, 1859

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Mechanicsville, May 24th, 1859

Most of the towns in the interior of Iowa, we believe, are ahead of the country around them. People two years ago thought more of improving town lots than farming lands; the consequence was that houses were raised to the neglect of corn and potatoes; land offices overshadowed wheat fields.

Among the little town not ahead of the country around them, is Mechanicsville, in Pioneer Township, Cedar county. It has less than two hundred inhabitants and could easy support a town of more than double that size. It is ten miles from the first station to the eastward on the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad, and eight from Lisbon, the first station on the west. The Railroad has suddenly given it some importance, and it will be likely to double its population in the next twelve or fifteen months. It is very much of a shipping point for grain, and a brisk trade, on a small scale, has lately sprung up.

Mechanicsville is fifty-eight miles from Clinton. It was laid out four years ago last October, and the first buildings were put up the following Spring. Four or five stores have recently been built on the east side of the original village, on what is called Irondequois.

We find here five small variety and grocery stores, owned by D. F. Comstock, T. C. McClelland & Co., Samuel Roud, Jones & Co., and Wm. Chapman; a drug store, the property of Davis & Stout; two shoe shops, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one tailor’s shop, one chair factory; one ware house; two hotels; one school house, and one (Presbyterian) church. The only religious societies are Presbyterian and Methodist. – The physicians are J. F. Kennedy, R. M. Youngkin, and D. F. Alger.

A harness maker is wanted here, and a tin smith, it is thought, would do well.