Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988
The definitive history of the community of Anamosa, Iowa, USA
The definitive history of the community of Anamosa, Iowa, USA
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Garnaviilo and Carroll Streets intersection<br />
(Submitted by Kathleen and Larry J. Conmey.)<br />
dirt, or gravel.<br />
The Committee on Streets reported that the stone<br />
could be obtained from William Dunning at the<br />
following prices: 16 in. wide an 8 in. thick at 30 cents a<br />
ft.: stone 12 in. wide and 8 in. thick at 25 cents a ft.<br />
In 1867. Patrick Keefe was appointed city surveyor.<br />
to replace R.O. Peters. Prior to Peters, W.O. Marsh held<br />
that position. (Keefe and his father-in-law, Benjamin<br />
Chaplin, built the home at 300 North Ford St.)<br />
In 1867, an ordinance extended the walks, on the<br />
east side of Garnaviilo, from First to Sixth St.<br />
With the sidewalks being taken care of, to a great<br />
extent. the town of 1,500, or so. souls. attained the<br />
dignity of an important metropolis. and acquired a<br />
street sprinkler. The streets would only be taken care of<br />
as far west as Sales St.. much to the ire of the<br />
‘downtowners’. When the rains quit, and the sun came<br />
out, the dust was intolerable. The editor reported that<br />
<strong>Anamosa</strong> had dust in the shops, stores and everywhere.<br />
And that the people had to ‘snuff it, chew it. and<br />
swallow it‘.<br />
In 1871. Main St. was first macadamized, (five years<br />
later it too, was re-covered with mud.) East of Cleveland<br />
St.. Main St. had to be raised nearly six feet.<br />
The massive stones that were installed, in place of<br />
the pine sidewalks in front of <strong>Anamosa</strong>‘s markets and<br />
shops. were 10 ft. X 5 ft. and weighed 4500 lbs. and<br />
many came from the Henry Dearborn quarry. However.<br />
the ones in front of the new opera house came from the<br />
Green quarries. The largest weighed over five ton. They<br />
lasted for nearly 80 years.<br />
In 1880. Warden Martin Heisey arranged with the<br />
city to provide stone chips from the building of the<br />
penitentiary for the east end of Main St. The city and<br />
state benefited. as the warden was glad to get rid of<br />
them, and the city bought them at 60-65 cents a yard.<br />
In 1885, Carroll St. between High and Garnaviilo was<br />
macadamized, and over-laid with black cinders from<br />
the penitentiary engines. Cinders were also used on a<br />
large number of Strawberry Hill streets. This covering<br />
made the streets smooth as a floor. until you were<br />
thrown out of a buggy and had the black things<br />
imbedded in your skin.<br />
In 1890, board and plank sidewalks were still being<br />
built on the side streets. and merchants were<br />
complaining about the slippery. stone sidewalks in the<br />
winter.<br />
The icy conditions were remedied by laying planks<br />
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East Main Street. looking west, taken about 1910.<br />
(Pl‘l0!0 Slibmifted by G16-‘Fl J- Md-aughllfl)<br />
over the stone or concrete walks. This was done when<br />
the first flakes fell. and were left covered until spring.<br />
That year an ordinance was passed establishing a<br />
speed limit between Davis and Sales Sts. The top speed.<br />
before becoming a law-breaker. and paying a $5 to<br />
$100 fine, was 6 mph. The speed limit on other streets<br />
was 8 mph.<br />
In 1897. a safer way of building sidewalks was<br />
suggested. This was due to the numerous occasions<br />
when two people were walking side by side. and one<br />
stepped on an end of a loose board. causing it to tip up.<br />
and tripping the companion. It was felt that the boards<br />
should not project beyond the stringers.<br />
By 1904, the sidewalk ordinance called for the<br />
installation of permanent cement, or stone walks.<br />
In 1921, much of the massive stone sidewalks on<br />
Main St. were taken out and replaced, using concrete.<br />
by an out-of-town concrete company. Two teams of<br />
horses were required to pull the large stones out of<br />
place. Many of these were placed in the alleys behind<br />
the stores.<br />
The new sidewalks had defects in them two years<br />
later and the city attorney. George Lawrence. was<br />
instructed to bring suit on the bonds. but it was learned<br />
the bonding company had dissolved.<br />
In the summer of 1906, the first brick paving was<br />
installed. On the space where the cross streets were. the<br />
brick was laid diagonally. as the pull by teams of horses<br />
was both east and west. and north and south. The brick<br />
was laid on edge. imbedded in two inches of sand,<br />
under which was a bed of 4 inches of concrete. A<br />
coating of sand was swept over the surface of the brick<br />
and the final touch was going over it with a large iron<br />
roller.<br />
About that time the horseless carriages first put in an<br />
appearance. but, by 1908. about 40 automobile owners<br />
were found in the <strong>Anamosa</strong> area. The horses were<br />
beginning to accept them without throwing the buggy<br />
riders into the gutters and ditches.<br />
A 4-cylinder, 40 hp. Buick touring car could be<br />
purchased for $2.700.<br />
By 1924, <strong>Anamosa</strong>ns were ready for the sixth<br />
resurfacing of streets. hoping each time that this job<br />
would last. That year a bithulithic process was used.<br />
which was a mixture of asphalt, cement and granite<br />
chips. The editor of the paper compared the colors and<br />
appearance of the streets to ‘rival Joseph's coat‘.<br />
In 1921 the hitching posts were on the side streets<br />
45