History

A Stop Along the CB&Q

The village of Hastings, Iowa, got its start in 1869 as a result of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad being built in Mills County territory in the southwest corner of the state. Hastings was situated at the crossing of the existing Burlington & Missouri River Railroad and the new CB&Q line, a north/south extension from Avoca to Sidney. The newly built depot at Hastings, which was operated by the railroad company and E. J. Hale of Boston, Mass., provided a stop along the new CB&Q line.

Hastings was platted by A. B. Smith, of Plattsmouth, Neb., in the summer of 1869. The site of the town as platted contained some 440 acres. The first business dwelling was constructed by C. W. Brandon, and was occupied as a drug store by James Gray. The first residence was built by James Mullooney on the north side of the tracks. George Edson soonafter came and erected the first blacksmith shop. From then, the town began flourishing on both the north and south side of the tracks.

CIVIC SOCIETIES. Hastings Lodge No. 397, 10th District, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I. O. O. F.), which was instituted on the 12th day of September 1879 with I. Obefelder, D. D. G. M., of Council Bluffs, officiating. The charter members were Lewis Robbins, H. C. Robbins, H. C. Ayres, H. A. Russell C. H. Painter. The first officers were H. A. Russell, N.G.; Lewis Robbins, V. G.; A. C. Ayres, R. S.; H. C. Robbins, Treasurer. Notes from the lodge’s historical ledger in 1881 state “the lodge is in good working order, begins the year entirely out of debt, has 30 members, and has had no case of death or serious sickness or accident since its organization.”

CHURCHES. The First Congregational Church was organized Feb. 1, 1878, and is the first church established in the town. The original members were W. F. Bosbyshell, E. P. Bosbyshell, S. S. Hawker and wife,. A. F. Johnson and wife, L. K. Mason and wife, J. O. Munson, G. E. . Perrin, Rebecca Jordan, J. W. Shallcrop, C. I. Sper and Bella White. During the years 1878 and 1879, the society was busily engaged in erecting its church, a frame building, costing some $1,800. On May 1, 1879, it was dedicated by the Rev. A. Rogers, of Glenwood. The first pastors were E. Kimball and George Dungan. The membership in the beginning was 28.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized Jan. 7, 1879. The first membership was composed of H. R. Anderson and wife, J. A. Parrish and wife, J. H. Madden and wife, Mary Spire and Julia Genung. The society owns no building but is now making an effort, which promises to be successful, to build a brick church edifice. There have been three pastors since its organization, the Revs. J.M. Conrad, W.J. Beck and Charles Leach. The membership started at 25, and quickly began growing in numbers, and in favor with the people.

SCHOOLS. Sitting atop the hill in the southeast corner of town, the Hastings Community School building took up the entire eastern half of the block bound by State Street on the north, Pearle Street on the south, Silver Avenue on the west and Buffalo Avenue on the east. The two-story structure contained classrooms, offices, a library and cafeteria. The building went through one major renovation at which time the original bell tower was removed. The Hastings mascot was a Hornet, and the Hastings Hornets basketball teams played in the Community Building downtown. The baseball and softball teams played at the ball diamond at the corner of Tarkio and South streets. In July 1960, as part of a consolidation agreement with the school districts in the neighboring towns of Strahan, Henderson and Emerson, the Hastings Community School district closed joining the other three districts to form the Nishna Valley Community School District. The new state-of-the-art Nishna Valley building and campus was centrally located from the four towns on a rolling hill overlooking U.S. Highway 34.

THE HASTINGS PLAINDEALER. Started just before Hastings celebrated its first decade as a town, the newspaper’s first issue bears the date of March 20, 1879. It was edited by H.C. Ayres, the proprietor and publisher. In politics, the Plaindealer was devoted to the principles of the National Greenback Party, of which it was an able and fearless exponent.

NOTABLE RESIDENTS: From its humble beginnings to its glory days in the early- to mid-1900s, Hastings was defined by hard-working an influential men and women. Whether they were blacksmiths, grocers, publishers, barbers, farmers or politicians, these notable residents were instrumental in putting Hastings on the map.