Dalton, Iowa

[later called West LeMars]

LeMars Globe-Post
March 25, 1929

WOULD CHANGE DALTON TO W. LE MARS
Claim Benefits Would Accrue To All Concerned With Change

How would it sound to say West LeMars instead of Dalton?

This suggestion has been made by residents of the Dalton vicinity who
believe the change would be of benefit to all concerned.

The change would be easily made. Dalton is not an incorporated town, so
there would be no red tape to unwind in making the change. All that would
be necessary would be to change the sign on the Great Northern railroad and
the job would be done. T. W. Flaherty is the resident agent of the Great
Northern, and he is in favor of the change. His superior officers have a
great deal of confidence in his judgment, so that his mere request would
probably be all that would be necessary to get the name changed in all of
the railroad’s maps, folders and advertising material.

It is claimed that changing the name of the town to West LeMars would be of
fourfold benefit, helping the railroad, the town of Dalton, the town of
LeMars, and the customers of the railroad.

The railroad would benefit because it would definitely connect the Great
Northern with the largest city in Plymouth County. Shippers with
consignments for LeMars would be less likely to overlook the Great Northern
especially if the Great Northern should happen to offer a shorter route,
which is frequently the case.

The town of Dalton would benefit because it depends largely on the railroad
and it would be helped by the increased traffic.

LeMars would be helped because it would then have a bona-fide “suburb.”
LeMars would get its name on the maps and time-tables of another great
railroad system. Many cities have spent thousands of dollars for that
distinction.

Customers of the railroad, both freight and passenger, would be helped
because in many cases they could save money by employing the more direct
route instead of a roundabout route.

There is now an all-weather road between LeMars and West LeMars. This road
will be further improved in the future. There are bridges capable of
carrying heavy freight. The distance is less than the distance between the
railroad stations in many bigger cities—hardly over two miles.

The change will cost practically nothing. The railroad company simply
changes the name on its new folders as they are printed, at no extra
expense. Some sign painter will make a couple of dollars that’s all.

This is an old photo from the Washington Township/Dalton area of Plymouth Co., Iowa, taken in someone's home around 1900.  On the back of the photo is written: (back row, left to right) Lloyd Norton, Charlie Smith, Bert Norton, Albert Schweppe, (middle row, left to right) Lizzie Minor, Gertie Kistle, Emma Schutt, (front row, left to right) Charlie Hodgson ?, ?, George Smith.  I know for sure, the man in the front row on the right is my great grandfather, George Harry Smith, and the woman in the middle row on the left in the white dress is my great grandmother, Lizzie (Minor)Smith and the man in the back row, second in from the left is Charles Edward Smith, George's brother.

Submitted by Debra LaFontaine

DALTON: On Great Northern (Burlington Northern) Ry, 2 miles west of LeMars, 6 miles north of Merrill (NE/NW Sec. 13, Washington Twp, 92N, R46W.) Established July 18, 1890, Oren F. Wilson; discontinued Dec. 31, 1912. An old house on the site is probably part of the old town.  ~Compiled by local historian and genealogist John Winterringer. Published in the LeMars Sentinel, June 29, 1995.

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
October 31, 1911

DALTON POSTOFFICE ABANDONED
The postoffice at Dalton has been abandoned. Since the death of Mrs. Steele
a few months ago, Otto Pecks, who has been conducting the store for the
estate, has continued in charge of the postoffice under the old bond. Mr.
Pecks is moving his family to Brunsville, where he is in charge of the
elevator, and yesterday the bondsmen, A. Utesch and Chas. Schultz, boxed up
the government property and shipped it to Washington. Three of the rural
routes from LeMars run through the town and the postoffice has done very
little business.