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The Second Fifty Years
1931 - 1981

A collection of references concerning the people of Henderson and Anderson Township gathered for the Centennial of the Town of Henderson


Sources:
Botna Valley News
Mills County Tribune
Glenwood Opinion
Malvern Leader
Nishna Valley News
My Home Town, 1976
Omaha World-Herald
Council Bluffs Nonpareil


THE COMMITTEE:

Beverly Smith Boileau
Bette Rieken Byers
John Paul
Neva Yeager Slump
Judy Coppock Magers
Minnie Gravett Allensworth
Art Fritcher
The second fifty years were ushered in during the Great Depression and the drought of the Thirties. War clouds were again gathering in Europe, Herbert Hoover was ending his term as President and Franklin D. Roosevelt was stepping into the office of Chief Executive. They were hard, desperate times but the people of Henderson held fast and worked their way through. Following is a list of news items and information concerning Henderson the last 50 years -- good and bad times.
1931
Henderson fills a railroad car for shipment to the drought sufferers in Oklahoma, the car being furnished and shipped free of charge by the Burlington R.R. Donations came from Henderson, Macedonia, and Wales, along with $45 raised at a dance in Wales in order to buy flour. The car left containing: 300 bu. corn, 10 bu. wheat, 75 bu. potatoes, 3 cases of eggs, 165 sacks of flour and other miscellaneous items.

1932
School sports are listed as basketball, baseball, and the "even more arduous corn husking."
Henderson grants a 20-year franchise to Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power for electrical service to the town.
George Wilson closes his GWW truck factory due to failing health. Started manufacturing in 1917 and had assembled over 200 trucks and buses. The school buses were used in many of the neighboring communities.
In April, following the quarantine of Supt. Rex Dory for small pox, the entire student body was given vaccinations.

1933
Prohibition was repealed after Henderson had voted 106-43 in favor of "hitting John Barleycorn a death blow" in 1917.

1934-35
The school was vaccinated for scarlet fever.

1936

The Farmer's National Bank closes. The Citizen's Bank becomes the State Savings Bank, a branch of the Council Bluffs bank.

1938
Art Fritcher stocks the first Fireman's Rodeo in order to raise funds for the purchase of a new fire truck.
Henderson had an organized Boy Scout Troop in the late thirties.

1942
The Christian Church burns.

1944
The new Christian Church is dedicated.

1945

60 pupils are out of school with measles.
Henderson celebrates VE Day quietly, with 11:00 a.m. services at the Methodist church. Rev. Felt gives a short talk; the school pupils attend as a body and are in charge of the music. A large crowd attended the May 10 services.

1947
The American Legion Post is reorganized as the Denlinger Post #530, named after WW I casualty, Paul Denlinger.
The Ambitious Andies Girls' 4-H Club is organized.

1948
The American Legion Auxiliary is organized.
A new Dodge fire truck is purchased at a cost of $5500.00.

1949
A new gymnasium and hot lunch room are added to the school.

The 1940s were shadowed by the Second World War.
Henderson's list of those who served is indeed impressive.
The list below may not be complete:

Delmar Alff
Ina Allensworth
Keith Allensworth
Thomas Aukland
Lee Baumbach
Charles Bea
Robert Beasley
Elmer Bergantzel
E.N. (Pete) Brown
John Broyles
Dale Byers
Elton Byers
Lloyd Byers
Clarence Carbaugh
Pearl Cary
Martin Cole
Russell Coppock
Merl Core
Donald Daniel
Lester DeBolt
Roy Dickerson
Lawrence Dodd
Walter Drew
Richard Dunblazier
Dean Edmondson
Doyle Edmondson
Joe Edmondson*
Waldo Edmondson
Louis Farrington
Robert Farrington
Ward Farrington
Jack Fickel
Lawrence Fickel
Wayne Ford
Robert Freeman
A.K. Frink
Delvin Galloway
Elvyn Galloway
Jack Gamble
Darwin Goss
Franklin Gravett
Jack Gravett
Oscar Haack
Morris Harbor
William Harbor
Virgil Harold
Robert Harover
Dwayne Harris
Howard Henderson
Cecil Higgins
Donald Hoffman
Winona Houser
Harold Hughes
Luther Hughes
William Hughes
John Hunt
Leonard Hunt
Harold Jenkins
Aubrey Jones
Earl Kadel
Clarence Kudron
Charles LeRette
Herbert LeRette
Robert LeRette
Clair Mayberry*
Stanley McCluskey
Glen McGee
Edwin McGrew
Donald McMullen
Gordon McMullen
Laird Norton
Allen Palmer
Donald Parker
Dwight Parker
Kenneth Parker
H.E. Paul
Gene Peterson
Bill Phillips
Carroll Phillips
Arthur Pierce*
Marvin Pierce
Cyril Rew
Joe Rold
Allan Rowe
Charles Rupe
Lloyd Russell
Lester Ryan
William Scherle
Rex Shelton
LeRoy Shook
Joseph Simmonds
Maurice Simmonds
Roland Simms
Charles Smith
Estel Smith
Don Sowers
Fred Sowers
Lyle Sowers
Robert Sowers
Dean Steiner
Dean Stephens
Robert Stephens
James Straight
Paul Talkikngton
Chester Taylor
Donald Taylor
Gomer Vinton Taylor
Homer Curtis Taylor
Carl Timberman
George Triplett
Thomas Viner
Robert Wight
Gola B. Wilber
Arnold Williams
Dale Williams
Donald Williams
Ira Wilson
Donald Wittwer
Joseph Wittwer
Duane Woods*
Robert Wyett

1951
The State Savings Bank is robbed of $35.00.

1952
A spring flood of the Missouri River took many volunteers from Henderson to Council Bluffs to fill sand bags. Flood waters spread on south of Council Bluffs. Henderson's aid was rewarded by a plaque of appreciation for their help.

1953
Anderson Township raises over $500 for the March of Dimes after several of the local young people are stricken with polio

1954
The Paul-Phillips elevator burns.
Women's Federated Club is organized.

1955
Boys' basketball team makes it as far as sub-state tournament play.
Lion's Club is organized.

1957
Scout Troops are reorganized.

The 1950s were also shadowed by war - Korea this time. The following list of those who were in the service at this time may not be complete:

Bob Allensworth
Dick kAllensworth
Elvin Asell
Gene Bolton
Beverly Byers
Bob Byers
Norman Christensen
Jerry Duysen
Stanley Duysen
Bruce Forward
Gordon Frink
Gerald Houser
Roger Jackson
Edward Keast
Columbus Myers
Bob Roeder
Marty Shroeder
Bryan Sowers
Bob Taylor

1960
Reorganization of the school system. Henderson joins Emerson, Hastings and Strahan in forming the Nishna Valley Community School. The Henderson building is opened as one of two elementary centers in the system.

The Henderson Hornets Boys' 4-H Club is organized.

The boys' Little League baseball teams of the early '60s, beginning roughly in 1960 and continuing for 5 or so years, were numerous tournament champs. Their record rivaled that of the men's teams of the early years of the century.

1961
Dial phones are installed and Henderson begins being serviced by the Southwest Iowa Telephone Company.

1962
City water is installed.

1967
State Savings Bank changes its name to State Bank and Trust.

1968-69
The last regular free movies on Saturday night.

The Viet Nam War continued through the '60s. Once again Henderson served and again the list of those who served may not be complete:

Al Bergantzel*
Roger Bergantzel
Don Duysen
Edna Fleming
Richard Fleming
Don Haack
Al Horgdal
Ole Horgdal
Bob Hughes
Doug Kadel
George Kudron
Mike Kudron
Philip Kudron
Paul Nyren
Craig Palmer
Maynard Roberson
Don (Buck) Sowers
Larry Sowers
Richard (Dewey) Sowers
Steve Talkington
Larry Taylor
Mack Taylor
Jerry Towne
Bob Townsend
Bob Wilkinson
Randy Wilkinson
Doug Williams
Mike Williams
Pat Williams

1970
Iowa Power and Light brings natural gas lines to town.

1971
Henderson loses its elementary center when all students start attending classes at the center near Hastings.

1973
Burlington Northern discontinues rail service north from Henderson and the tracks running north from town are removed.

1976
A city sewer system is installed.
Henderson celebrates our Nation's Bicentennial on May 2. The ceremony was held at the new town park on Main Street. Included was the burial of a 50-year time capsule, dedication of the flag pole which had been moved there from the school, the receiving of an American flag and an official Bicentennial flag, and a dinner for over 300 people.

1978
Henderson's only grocery store closes.
Henderson has its last rodeo.

1979
Lloyd "Pat" Patterson is elected to the Iowa Boys' Basketball State Hall of Fame.

1980
The school building is town down leaving the gymnasium and the hot lunch kitchen which is now being maintained by the Little League Association.
Scout Troop is reorganized

1981
Henderson has a full day of activities planned in observance of its Centennial. The Methodist Church also celebrates its Centennial.

A comparison of Henderson's census:
1880 - 18
1900 - 244
1980 - 237
Henderson's current governing body:
Mayor:          Robert Taylor
City Clerk:   Fern Fleming
Treasurer:    E.N. Brown
Council:        Jud Wilkinson
                       Glenn Dean (Bud) Brown
                       Bill Darnell
                       Maynard Roberson
                       Curtis Taylor
Henderson is the home of two very successful politicians:
William H. Harbor:
Currently finishing his 14th year in the Iowa House of Representatives.
He has also served 4 years in the Iowa Senate.
His 5 years as Speaker of the House is an Iowa record.
He has also spent 2 years as Chief Clerk.

William J. Scherle:
6 years in the Iowa House of Representatives;
8 years in the U.S. House of Representatives;
2 1/2 years with the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.
The Henderson Fire Department currently has over 45 members and 2 honorary members. They serve the community with 2 modern trucks and a van for hauling equipment and personnel.

Henderson has had an impressive list of Clubs over the years and has included:

Anderson Grange
Holmes Reading Circle
IOOF - Odd Fellows
Rebekah Lodge
Woodmen of the World
Henderson Gun Club
Women's Advance Club,
  later the Bay View
  Study Club
Hay Creek Bachelor's Club
High School Alumni Ass'n
Mothers Club
American Legion
American Legion Auxiliary
Baseball Wives,
  later the Just We
  Neighbors Club
Lion's Club
Libarary Club
Women's Federated Club
Ambitious Andies 4-H
Henderson Hornets 4-H
Boys Scouts of America
Cub Scouts of America
Little League Ass'n

Henderson's economy is deeply rooted in the soil of Iowa. Following is a list of interesting comparisons:
Iowa Farm Income
1917:  $500.7 million
1981:  $10.42 billion
State Agricultural Goods Value Rating
1917:  Iowa, Ill., Neb., Texas
1980:  Iowa, Illinois, Texas, Kansas
Iowa Average Corn Yield
1895:  15 bu./acre
1980:  100 bu./acre
Iowa Average Land Market Value
1899:  $39/acre
1980:  $1,886/acre
Cattle market
  • Cattle, choice to prime:
  • Heifers:
1917
15.55 - 17.50
13.00 - 15.00
1981
106.00 - 106.50
63.50 - 65.00
Hog market
  • Good-heavy:
1917
19.40 - 19.60
1981
43.50 - 45.00
City of Henderson, Iowa
Henderson Community Building
310 Maple Street
Henderson, Iowa 51541
1 (712) 825 5151

henderson.city@gmail.com