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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grounds for being ‘shown out‘, no matter if it were the<br />
beginning. middle, or the tail end of the movie. It was<br />
believed, in that era, that people who paid money to see<br />
a movie should indeed have that right.<br />
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of the Grand Opera<br />
House in 1939. the management invited all of its<br />
patrons to attend a free show and dance. "Under the<br />
Westem Stars", starring Roy Rogers, was shown at<br />
2:30 p.m.; 7:15 p.m. and 9:00 p.m.. The free dance was<br />
held that evening at the <strong>Anamosa</strong> Firemen's Hall.<br />
One Saturday aftemoon. during the depression in the<br />
early 1930s. the theater management presented a film<br />
with the admission price being one potato. As might be<br />
expected. the crowd was enormous. Mabel Fisher and<br />
Ina Meeks were two of the attendees and, in the ensuing<br />
struggle for admittance, someone soundly trod on the<br />
toe of Mrs. Fisher.<br />
For the next 40 years. every few weeks, she had to go<br />
to the doctor to have a horribly deformed toenail<br />
trimmed. And all for the price of one potato.<br />
Note: In 1953 the Niles Theater was sold to Mr. and<br />
Mrs. T. J. Evans of Clinton. It was owned by Gerald<br />
Petersen of Waverly, Iowa, January 9, 1984, when fire<br />
destroyed the interior of the theater. It was the last<br />
movie theater in Jones county and Petersen did not<br />
Jody and Kathleen. standing. and Jane and Mary<br />
Lou Niles, meet America's favorite Cowboy, Gene<br />
Autry. Autry's show. sponsored by WMT. played to<br />
capacity crowds at the Memorial Coliseum at Cedar<br />
Rapids in 1951.<br />
remodel.<br />
The present owners of the building are Mr. and Mrs.<br />
David Grassfield. they are making plans to reconstruct<br />
the building and reopen it for a theater.<br />
Iowa State Men's Reformatory<br />
Here since 1872<br />
The location of the ‘additional penitentiary‘, as it was<br />
first called, at <strong>Anamosa</strong>, was the culmination of two<br />
years of ground work by local citizens and officials. The<br />
insitution was sought by many Iowa communities.<br />
The penitentiary was established April 12, 1872, by<br />
the Iowa legislature. The <strong>Anamosa</strong> Eureka reported<br />
that the question, after being discussed two years<br />
before, was brought before the legislature in the shape<br />
of a bill prepared by Jones County Senator John<br />
McKean. the legislation that was passed, stated that the<br />
penitentiary should be established at, or near, the stone<br />
quarries near <strong>Anamosa</strong> and that three commissioners.<br />
chosen by the general assembly should select the exact<br />
location — after 70 acres of land was donated to the<br />
cause. <strong>Anamosa</strong> citizen Dr. N.G. Sales donated 61 acres<br />
of land across the Buffalo, and several town lots.<br />
Others in the community who also aided by giving<br />
lots and aiding financially were: John Tasker, B.F.<br />
Shaw. C.H. Lull, T.W. Shapley, E.C. Holt. G.W. Field.<br />
J.S. McClure, H.C. Metcalf, R.N. Fowler, T.R. Ercanbrack,<br />
Milton Remley and J.L. Sheean.<br />
Dr. Sales‘ bid to the state for his 80-acre quarry was<br />
accepted for $15,000. which was the ceiling placed on<br />
the bids.<br />
Work was started on the penitentiary here in August<br />
1872 by purchasing lumber at Clinton, Iowa, to make a<br />
high stockade around the yard and temporary<br />
buildings at the prison and at the quarry. A small. stone<br />
building with temporary wooden cells was erected with<br />
hired labor. In January 1873, 64 cell doors were purchased<br />
for $3,100. These were later used in the institution.<br />
May 13, 1873, 20 convicts were transferred from Ft.<br />
by Bertha Finn<br />
Madison penitentiary and were numbered from No. 1<br />
to No. 20. Ironically, No. 21 was sentenced from<br />
Jones County. These 21 convicts were temporarily<br />
housed in the wooden cells and were employed at the<br />
quarries in preparation of work on the permanent<br />
structure.<br />
The first escape from the reformatory was about two<br />
weeks later, June 2, 1873. Three men escaped from the<br />
quarries. (Had they seen the plans of the gigantic<br />
institution they had to build?) These three, C.C.<br />
Hardin, 23: Andrew Costa, 26, and Charles Hatfield, 22.<br />
had a $300 reward on their heads and the local papers<br />
warned farmers to look after their horses, as the<br />
escapees were ‘ ‘desperadoes‘ '.<br />
In July 1874, W. Roberts of Moberly, Missouri, owner<br />
of a meat market, was sitting in his shop reading his<br />
paper. when he was interrupted by the querry. ‘Do you<br />
have any bologna?‘. Before he could answer, the man<br />
turned, darted out the door, and began a brisk walk up<br />
the sidewalk. Roberts, thinking this was a strange thing<br />
to do, stepped to the door and watched the man. Upon<br />
seeing him, he then had the answer. Costa's mistake<br />
was to attempt to buy bologna from a former guard at<br />
the prison in <strong>Anamosa</strong>. Roberts immediately sent word<br />
to the city marshal and they both started in pursuit.<br />
Costa resisted at first. but the Derringer "brought<br />
him to time". They telegraphed the warden at Fort<br />
Madison and the warden ordered him brought in at<br />
once. The other two prisoners had been previously<br />
picked up in Iowa.<br />
On September 30,1873, work was begun on the first<br />
permanent building, called ‘Work Shop No. 1'. This<br />
was a large two-story building. When completed, the