Howard County Historical Society celebrates 100 year anniversary

CRESCO - The Howard County Historical Society is celebrating their 100th anniversary at the Mighty Howard County Fair this year!

 First established in 1924, the non-profit organization focuses on preserving Howard County’s rich heritage and to educate the future generations. The group of volunteers preserve records, artifacts, do research, and create displays. The Howard County Historical Society currently has four historical locations including Florenceville Church, the Kellow House, a little red school house at the fairgrounds, and a log cabin, which is located in Beadle park in Cresco. 

This year, the artifacts display will feature vintage business signs, courtesy of the Troy Scholbrock collection, a flat iron display from Gladys Ferrie’s collection (dating back to the civil war), a rare collection of Farmall mechanic tools provided by Dale Lickteig, Native American artifacts from Jan Strike, and the stage door from the Protivin School, autographed by past play performers. Many fun exhibits will be present at the fair, and the Historical Society encourages everyone to come check them out!

Live demonstrations will include butter making, how to hand wash clothes, shelling corn, and how to use a spinning wheel. 

The historical locations throughout the county show the work of the dedicated individuals of the Historical Society team, as they continue to keep them in good repair. 

The Kellow House was built in 1880, and is located off of 4th Ave West in Cresco, Ia. The home was first constructed by William Kellow, where he quarried the stone for the foundation. The home stayed in the Kellow Family until 1949, where it was then sold to Victor Benson. The Kellow House has stood for over 140 years, and currently needs shingles, the exterior trim, soffits, support poles of both benches, and window trim replaced and painted. 

The log cabin that stands in Beadle Park was first built about one and half miles west of Ridgeway in a grove, in 1854. The cabin housed two families at the time, and was lived in continuously from 1854 to 1964. Mr and Mrs. Don Carolan donated the cabin to the Howard County Historical Society in 1964. Renovations since include new roofing (shake shingles) and new flooring. The cabin itself was constructed out of hand hewn logs, and dovetailed. The interior has a living space, and an upper loft. 

The Florenceville Church, located in Granger, Iowa, was built in 1867 and was considered a Congressional church.