Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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were the last to close after finishing their final
customers.
Another Main Street feature that I remember was the
miniature golf course. located on the south side. just
east of Cleveland Street. There were several lots in this
area that had not been developed because they were
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Work was begun in August I930 on the building of
an 18-hole golfcourse on Main Street. The I00 by I80
foot miniature golf course was between Frazer's
Garage and the Diamond Service Station. site of the
Henley and McGreevy Anamosa House (now between
Bick_tford's 76 station and the Freese Motor Co.)
Admissionfee was 25 cents.
July 13. 1933. the Rock Gardens were taken out of
the Sunken Garden Golf Course and hauled to Cedar
Rapids to be used at Kenwood Cemetery.
This was one of the beauty spots of Anamosa and
was popular, bothfor the players who used it andfor
the spectators watchingfrom the sidewalk benches to
the north along Main Street. (Photo submitted by B.
White)
much lower than the rest. with a small stream flowing
through them. Miniature golf wasjust getting started in
the early 1930's and one of our enterprising
businessmen decided to tum this undesirable property
into an asset. He built an attractive sunken course with
bridges crossing the stream and some tricky holes to
play. It was equipped with lights. since most of the play
was in the evening. The layout was such that one could
stand along the sidewalk above and look down to watch
the players anywhere on the course. It was a popular
spot for several years. since it filled an important
entertainment need.
One special memory of Main Street was the
marvelous soda fountain in Stoughton's Drug Store. It
was made of white marble and had wire-legged stools in
front of the counter. Several small round tables and
chairs. all with wire legs. were located toward the front
of the store. In the summer. after I had been paid for
delivering special delivery mail for the post office. I
would go next door and order a chhcoiate malt. I have
never tasted a malt as good as those.
Mr. Stoughton would put rich Anamosa vanilla ice
cream in the mixer. add a little milk and plenty of
chocolate syrup. and mix it just enough to pour. He
would fill a twelve ounce glass and place it in front of
me along with the mixing container holding enough
extra malt to fill the glass half-full again. It was so thick
it had to be eaten with a spoon. and when I had
finished. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven —
price. 16 cents.
When driving along the river road in Wapsipinicon
State Park. look across the river below High Bluff for
some huge limestone rocks sticking out of the water,
some as large as 15 feet across. These did not fall from
the bluff by natural causes. but by the hand of man. My
father told be that back in the 1890's, he and his six
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Miniature golf course on east Main Street. (Submitted byJuneSchmidt)
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