History: History of Doon 1868-1992; Lyon County, Iowa
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INDEX of files
History of Doone
Town's Incorporation came Late, 24 Years After First
Doon's County Fair in 1872
Murder in Old Doon
Highway 75 and 18 Once Passed Through Doon
Fire Destroys Two Doon Businesses
120 Years of Newspapers and Editors
Doon in the Very Gay Nineties
Floyd Romig-a strange little man who did a deed of pure heroics.
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History of Doon, Iowa
All through the ages rivers and waterways seemed to pioneer the development of
unexplored areas. So it was that Doon became the first permanent settlement on
the Big Rock river in Lyon County, Iowa.
The settlement of Doon centers around one illustrious pioneer, Mr. H.D. Rice.
Many of the first in the area were directly or indirectly due to this aspiring
citizen.
H.D. Rice of Petersen in Clay County, Iowa, heard wonderful tales of Lyon
County, and proceeded in May of 1868 to explore the Rock River region. He was
charmed with the beauty of the place where now stands the town of Doon, and
returned to the site in July of the same year with his friend, L.F. Knight. Upon
reaching the forks of the Little Rock, Big Rock and West Branch streams, they
built a cabin and thereby started the first permanent settlement in the county.
Rice returned for his family, and while he was gone, Knight penned his thoughts
in the following lines:
"Sitting in solitude on the band of this beautiful stream, far removed from all
humanity, with naught but the song of the wild birds or the soft murmur of the
waterfall to break the silence of this green, glad, solitude, I cannot help but
recall those touching words of Robert Burns' beginning,
‘Ye banks and braes O'Bonnie Doon,
How can ye bloom sae fresh and fair:
How can yet chant ye little birds?
And I sae weary, fu' O' care!"
And this the town received its name, "Bonnie Doon."
When Rice later returned with his wife, she became the first white woman in Lyon
County on the Rock River. He then proceeded to build a more permanent home and
this became the first frame building in the area. (1869) All of the lumber was
hauled from Sioux City. This building later became a crossroads stopover, and
when the area was connected with the outside area by virtue of the stageline
established between LeMars, Doon, and Luverne, Minnesota in 1871–he developed
the building into a hotel. This building still stands in the town of Doon. It
was removed from its old location near the southwest corner of Doon and is now
the residence of Jim Hoogendoorn. Rice later erected a fine hotel in the
business district of Doon and it became one of the finest and largest in
Northwest Iowa. The "Bonnie Doon", as it was called, contained 54 rooms, and for
many years was the stop over of many an agent, salesman, or adventurer.
Among other "first" attributed to this fine citizen of New England's Smith and
Brewster ancestry are: the first postal and stage coach agent, first Justice of
the Peace, and first mayor of the incorporated town of Doon.
We can understand from L.F. Knight's soliloquy, why the Yankton and Sioux
Indians found this area an ideal place to live. Doon, however, does not have the
familiar stories of the heroic struggles with the Indians in the pages of its
history. The Sioux Indians had finally vacated northwest Iowa and the Yanktons,
if there were any, were friendly. The only recorded hostile episode is that of
three young explorers from Massachusetts, who built a cabin near the site of
Doon in 1862. One of them drowned, one was shot by the Indians, and the other
one told the tale.
The valleys of the Rock Rivers were part of the favorite hunting grounds of the
Yankton Indians. They were of a peaceful nature and chose to live in harmony
with their white intruders.
The Sioux Indians left evidence of long occupation, the most prominent being the
burial grounds overlooking Doon from the west, near the site of the present
cemetery. Many circular mounds there measured from 10-15 feet in height and were
encased in stones at the summit. They, with their contents, (among them being
the bones of the dead) bear the evidence of a great age.
The topography and geography of an area are also directly related to early
settlement by the Indians. The Doon area with its commanding hills and peaceful
rivers abounding in wild life, was an ideal place for the red man. The town is
located near the confluence of the Big Rock, Little Rock, and West Branch
Rivers. The surrounding area is rolling hills, with few stones to interfere with
the cultivation of the fertile soil. The hills are undulating enough to insure
good drainage and not steep enough to promote excessive erosion. The slope of
the land is predominately to the south. The Rock River, which meanders past the
town, was named "River of the Red Rock" by the Indians because of its source in
the "Blue Mound" country of Rock County, Minnesota. Some early accounts of the
area note that, "The river has pure clean water, bounded by much fine timber,
and abounding in good fish."
The town's position upon a plateau on the east side of the river with a
commanding view of the meandering valleys as far as the eye could see, prompted
an early citizen to remark, "Doon will rank as one of our finest western towns."
With certain reservations, Doon did fulfil this pioneer's prophecy. From a
handful of hardy settlers in 1869, Doon grew to be a thriving town of 600
citizens by 1897. The first store in Doon, and the first Post Office in Lyon
County were established here in 1871. E.R. Badgerow was sent from Sioux City to
establish a post office at "Smead City" disappeared–the post office being moved
to Doon in the meantime.
The pioneer band of business places in early Lyon County centered around Beloit,
Doon, and Rock Rapids. Those located in Doon in 1872 included the following:
M.W. Jeffries, General Merchandise
L.B. Raymond, Lyon County Press
J.H. Wagner, Real Estate
G.H. Badgerow, Real Estate
George McQueen, Real Estate
S.G. Hyde, Real Estate
Settlement came to a standstill in the grasshopper and depression era from 1873
to 1885 and immigrants passed up the high priced (% an acre) land in Lyon County
and dusted themselves in the Dakotas. Many, of course, soon back. Another reason
for the slow down in settlement was that only 20,000 of the country's 400,000
acres were subject to homestead rights. The rest had been given away to the
railroads and gobbled up by speculators including Governor Larabee, who owned
half of one township.
Railroads played a big part in the development of the town, just as they had
made, or ruined, many others. The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Omaha
(Northwestern line) established a branch line from Luverne to Doon in 1879.
Doon, being the southern terminal of the line, a large roundhouse was
established here. Also the Bonnie Doon Hotel now became more prosperous because
of the additional business. Its ticket agent in 1889, Mr. C.B. Witt, reports–
"the station doing a fine business with the receipts about $12,500 a week for
freight alone."
Prosperity, however, was to be short lived for the "streak of rust," as it was
called by many envious citizens of Rock Rapids. When the Northwestern Railroad
began its program of retrenchments during the depression years of the 1930's it
started with the retirement of its "curious branch from Luverne, Minnesota to
Doon, Iowa in 1934."
The Great Northern, or Sioux City and Northern, as it was called in its infancy,
reached Doon in the year 1889. Its coming was noted in the November 1889 issue
of the LYON COUNTY PRESS as follows. "The Sioux City and Manitoba, is the finest
road through the region. It has given the town a big boom. In ten days the track
will be laid to Doon and then we can see the smoke of the Sioux City and
Northern."
After thriving for a number of decades its passenger service began dropping off
and by 1950 was discontinued. The Great Northern's freights are still rolling,
however, and doing a thriving business.
With the coming of the Sioux City and Northern, business soon picked up. Doon
sprang from a hamlet of six houses and a school, to a prosperous town in a short
time. The town was incorporated June 29, 1982 with H.D. Rice as its first mayor.
It's phenomenal growth is recorded by F.A. Scott in the July 18, 1897 issue of
the Lyon County Press: "and here we are today, 1897 and we can boast of a fine
town of about 600 population, with a flour mill, six elevators, a creamery,
three churches, (Baptist, Congregational and Catholic), a new school, 50 room
hotel, 2 banks, 3 doctors, 2 millinery shops and a host of others."
This prosperity continued unabated through World War 1 with the help of such
prices as these, recorded in the Dec. 1917 edition of THE DOON PRESS
Oats, .68-69
Wheat, 1.96-2.05
Corn, 1.00-125
Hogs, 16.00-16.50
Eggs, .40
Butter, .40-.45
The stock market crash of 1929 and the depression that followed soon had Doon on
the skids, and to add to their woes, the town suffered a damaging $25,000 fire
on May 16, 1934. The fire consumed a sizeable portion of the town with the aid
of a strong south-westerly wind. It originated in the Farmer's Elevator and
although there are many conflicting stories, we will say for this record it was
started by a belt which was slipping on its pulley, and reached the kindling
point. Besides the elevator, a livery barn, Schoeneman Lumber Company, coal and
cement sheds, OK Café, Garage annex of Doon Auto Company, and numerous roofs and
parts of homes were damaged or destroyed. The alarm was answered by seven fire
company's from Rock Rapids, Sioux Center, Hull, Inwood, Rock Valley, Alvord, and
Doon. My wife, Joyce, recalled one rather humorous incident in connection with
the fire. She remembers a group of obliging citizens carrying a certain
storekeeper's goods out in the street, while at the same time he was feverishly
returning them to the building, probably fearing looting more than the fire, and
also remembering his fire insurance did not cover merchandise outside of the
building.
It was a big setback to the town, but by December of the same year, much
reconstruction had been done including a fine new elevator built by the Quaker
Oats Company.
The Farm Bureau was organized in the county in December 1918. It has been,
through the years, a rather conservative farm organization leaning toward the
Republican philosophies, which have been so predominate in this county and
state. (In fact Lyon and its neighbor Sioux being two of the traditionally
republican holdouts in our state.) It has a large lobby both at the state house
in Des Moines and at Washington D.C., and while farmers sometimes wonder if it
is working for or against them, the Farm Bureau has been responsible for much
legislation for the betterment of the farmer.
In the 1930 depression era, local farmers formed the "Holiday Movement," with
the focal point of the organization at LeMars. Farmers thought if the banks
could take a holiday and bide for time, they could also take a holiday from
bringing their livestock and produce to market. This was the first time a
boycott was used to apply pressure for better farm prices. It did bring them new
farm legislation in the Roosevelt (F.D.) Years.
Of course in recent years (1950) the National Farmer's Organization has tried
the same boycott procedures on the local markets, but its effectiveness has been
debated. Farmer's as a group have never been solidly for any farm organization.
Perhaps some future uniting force will cause them to rally solidly to remedy
their plight as the only major disunited working force in the nation.
While the farmer was trying hard at agrarian reform others were concerned with
the current problems of the day such as temperance and Women's Suffrage. One
anonymous writer wrote the following in the March 5, 1891 issue of the LYON
COUNTY PRESS, entitled:
Will They?
Will the women go wrong when they get women's rights?
Did it ever occur to you?
Will they stand in the street car without a complaint?
Did it ever occur to you?
Will the feminine senators powder and paint?
Should the speaker say, "RATS," would the women all faint?
Did it ever occur to you?
The local Temperance Union, organized in the 1880's met free of charge in the
Congregational Church. Its workers were full of zeal and had regular meetings
and conventions. In a June 4, 1897 issue of the LYON COUNTY PRESS, the following
announcement appeared: "...At last the date of the Suffrage Convention is fixed.
It is postponed to June 7 and 8 at Rock Rapids. Free entertainment to all who
attend." Signed Mrs. Laura Reynolds, Chairman.
An item appearing in 1891 of the same paper also stated: "... There is a certain
class in town who have no visible means of support, who are always flush with
money, wear good clothes, and spend their time doing nothing."–Our temperance
Union. The saloons, however, flourished in spite of the feminine opposition, and
of course later on, even their fondest wish, prohibition, did not remedy the
situation. Even our present legislation has tried a new approach to the same old
problem.
In recent years one of the most talked about social problems has been juvenile
delinquency. The biggest argument seems to center around who is delinquent, the
parent or the child. Delinquency did not seem to be as much a problem in the
early days, at least not on the surface. Could recreation have had a bearing on
this social problem?
Recreation seems to tell the story of a changing town more so than any other
item. The kind of current entertainment could almost reveal the temperament of
the times. So it was in the "Gay Nineties" that the recreation was gay indeed.
Issues of 1890 newspapers were full of hot baseball rivalries, grand social
balls, old settlers picnics, and Chautauquas. One announcement in a June 1897
issue of the LYON COUNTY PRESS stated: "Grand Social Ball to be given tonight. A
harpist has been secured from Sioux City and there is every promise it will be
one of the greatest social events of the season." One early comment on the
intense rivalry between baseball teams noted in an April 1891 issue of the LYON
COUNTY PRESS read as follows "LeMars is a wealthy town and can afford to pay
their 3 hired players $100 a month each, but as far as baseball talent is
concerned they are not in it. We take town against town and wipe the earth with
them every time!"
A Northwest Iowa Old Settlers Reunion was held in Doon in Hubbard Park, (1897)
located at the forks of the Big and Little Rock Rivers. Voters of 1871 were
requested to assemble at this gathering. At the time of that particular election
in 1871, there were 97 votes cast in the county and 97 were Republican.
The Chautauquas of early days were also quite entertaining and educational. An
elderly resident of Doon Mr. A.W. Anderson, showed me the spot, on the Public
School Grounds, where he had heard William Jennings Bryan speak on two different
occasions.
In the roaring twenties and consequent thirties, the pace of living picked up a
bit, but there was always time for recreation. Sunday School Picnics, basket
socials, sleigh rides, skating and sliding parties, tennis matches, "The old
swimmin' hole", band concerts, social balls, games of Run-Sheep-Run, ball games,
and a lot of other seemingly endless entertainment.
After World War 11 much of this spontaneous fun has disappeared, to be replaced
by such commercialized pastimes as bowling, television, hi-fi-, etc., it would
seem that recreation must be provided rather than invented.
Hand in hand with the churches and newspapers is the education of our children.
The three "R's" had their humble beginning in a small building which was one of
the first seven buildings the town had by 1889. A more permanent wooden building
was then erected in 1896 and it performed faithfully until by 1939, its floors
and steps were becoming well worn. A bond issue was floated in 1940 and with the
help of the Works Progress Administration, a fine school was started in that
year and dedicated in 1941. This school was one of the finest in the country.
Since the advent of school reorganization in 1959 the Doon Public Independent
School District became part of the Central Lyon Community School District and
was known as Central Lyon-South Elementary. The school has since been closed.
The various social, fraternal, and farm organizations all blended together to
provide leisure time activities. When you add to these the healthy recreation
program, there must never have been a dull moment. In the early years there were
a number of fraternal organizations, including the Odd Fellows, Knights of
Pythias, Grange, and Woodmen of the World. Most of them soon became hard-pressed
and disbanded. The Masonic Lodge chartered in 1907, withstood the elements of
time and change until 1966 when it affiliated with the Rock Valley Masonic
Lodge. It met monthly in the old IOOF Hall which is now owned by the Valley
State Bank of Doon. The Woodmen of the World Hall was used at length by the town
of Doon after the Woodmen deserted it. Most of the town's social events, and
basketball games of the local Public School were held there until the completion
of the new school in 1941.
The American Legion was formed as an aftermath of World War 1. It has been an
active organization, fostering many social events. Its membership was enlarged
three 4-H clubs with the addition of veterans from World War 11. Its
counterpart, the American Legion Auxiliary is also an active organization.
The Doon Woman's Club was activated in 1929 and it has continually tried to
promote the cultural betterment of the town. A lively and educational evening
has always assured the participants of each monthly meeting. Some of the things
which can be attributed to them are the town Library established in 1930, the
Doon Park started in 1931, art contests in the local Public Schools, annual
flower shows, and story hour at the library every Saturday afternoon for the
little folks.
Other organizations include the Doon Firemen whose beginning stretches back to
the beginning of the town. There are, of course, other organizations too,
including churches, clubs and societies.
Because Doon is a rural community with the land its life blood, the surrounding
farmers with their problems and organizations are certainly a part of the town's
history. Prosperity on the farm usually coincided with good times in the town.
When the farmer received only a few cents for his produce, as he did so often in
the early years, he certainly did not have much to spend, and often bartered
instead of selling. In the 1890's farmers were already banding together trying
to do something about their plight. Editor B.H. Perkins of the 1891 LYON COUNTY
PRESS was evidently trying to promote the National FarmerAlliance with his
paper's motto:
"A school house on every hill
and a farmers's alliance in every school!"
The Grange had been established earlier, but it seemed to be more of a social
organization than one of reform.
Whether to seek recreation (or work) elsewhere for other reasons, Doon's
population declined slowly through the thirties and forties. Perhaps the
depression, World War 11, changes in farm structure, mechanization, etc. all had
a part. The decline of the small town seems to have been in this period pretty
much universal throughout our general area.
However, due to the tenacity of our good farmers of the Doon area and our
enterprising business people, plus the advent of social security, veterans
pensions, Medicare, feed grain programs and other generosities of our federal
government, Doon is again experiencing growing pains. Many older people have
decided to retire in our fair town, and its reasonable rents, low cost houses
and comfortable atmosphere have lured many young couples, plus various new
businesses.
Perhaps another historical society might complete itself and Doon can regain it
prominence of the "Gay Nineties."
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Town's Incorporation Came Late, 24 Years after First Permanent Settlement in
1868
According to definition, incorporation is the act of combining into one body,
society, or organization.
It seems that back in Doon's early days the thought of "combining" was not a
very much discussed or controversial issue. In January, 1892, issues of "The
Lyon County Press" there is little editorial or public comment concerning the
issue. In one small item it was stated "The people of Hull say they are
satisfied with incorporation. They say it is not expensive and that it pays."
There was sufficient interest, however, to cause the District Court of Lyon
County, in its December 1891 term, to appoint the following commissioners to
hold an election on the incorporation of Doon:
C.M. Goodyear
C.P. Scott
Chas Creglow
J.H. Gallagher
B.H. Perkins
All qualified voters were instructed to vote on the issue at an election to be
held in the school house in Doon on Saturday, January 16, 1892, between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The form of the ballot was to be:
"For Incorporation" or
"Against Incorporation"
After notices of election were properly published in the paper the election was
held at its appointed time. The 55 votes cast were unanimous for incorporation.
There was only one dissenter who owned property in Doon, but lived in Rock
Rapids, and he did not vote.
The January 29th, 1892 District Court decreed that since Doon had, by proper
election, unanimously voted for incorporation, it should now be known as the
"Incorporated Town of Doon."
Doon now being legally established as a town, needed officers to supervise the
inevitable affairs and problems to come. The court appointed Commissioners gave
notice of the first election in the March 3, 1892 issue of the "Lyon County
Press." This announcement stated that the election was to be held Monday, March
3, 1892, for the purpose of electing the following officers: one mayor, six
trustees, and one recorder.
Where as the question of incorporation had stirred up little civic interest, the
coming election drew much attention, probably because personalities were now
involved. For a while it looked like the town would be split on two tickets, but
the "Press" editor rallied the people toward a unifying single ticket.
A town caucus was convened on the Saturday night preceeding the election, for
the purpose of balloting for nominees for the ticket. The following men were
nominated for office:
Mayor: H.D. Rice
Recorder: A.H. Thompson
Trustees: B.F. Cogswell, Hans Lorenzen, John Bentl, G.W. Bower, C.B. Fairbanks,
and L.H. Bailey.
In the election that followed, all nominees were elected, H.D. Rice receiving 70
votes out of 70 cast, and Thompson receiving 69. The town was ready to do
business!
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Doon was Site of First County Fair, in 1872!
Remember the fair---The first fair ever held in Lyon County, Iowa, will be held
at Doon, commencing October 8th-9th, and holding three days, namely: 9th, 10th,
and 11th. A cordial invitation is extended to all. It is open to the world. We
hope to have a general turnout, and a good time is expected. We are making ample
preparations to accommodate a large gathering. Come, and bring your samples of
wheat, corn, oats, barley, tables, and stock. Don't think that someone has it
all, bring it out. Bring your horses, mules, jacks, trotters and runners. We
will accommodate you with as fine a track as there is in the northwest.
A word to the ladies-The success of the fair depends much upon you, without your
aid, the Floral Hall will look meager and scanty; therefore we say to you, a
come to the fair! Bring your butter, cheese, bread, cakes, pickles, preserves,
jellies and canned fruit; neat and fancy work of every description. We have
buildings on the grounds, to protect all fancy articles exhibited. We have a
fine building in process; erection 22x34 that will be completed in time for the
Fair. A part of the lumber for pens and fencing has been purchased and will soon
be on the ground.
Hay will be furnished to all exhibitors free. H. Rice will furnish oats, and
other feed at reasonable rates.
Mr. M.W. Jeffries has a store in full blast adjoining the grounds, he has
everything to sell usually found at a first class country store, including a
soda fountain.
Editors Note: The site of the first fair was in the extreme southwest corner of
Doon where the town--- is now located. It was here that M.W. Jeffries had a
country store and above it was the Press office complete with printing press.
Later the business district moved some five blocks north of this location.
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Murder In Old Doon
It happened in the livery barn, after an argument in the saloon
Reprinted from "OF LIZARDS AND ANGELS"
by Frederick Manfred
Editor's note: Long, long ago in Doon's early history there was a murder at the
local livery barn. The year is believed to have been 1877.
It all started as an argument between two stagecoach drivers who got "likkered
up" in the saloon. It was a silly argument that ended in a violent death for one
man.
Novelist Frederick Manfred came upon the incident while researching local
history back in the year 1943. This murder in Doon was fictionally told in
Manfred's most recent book, Of Lizards and Angels, published in April of 1992.
"The story is basically factual," said Manfred, who granted special permission
to reprint it in this history.
The story opens in the livery barn. Here then is Manfred's account of murder in
Old Doon:
"Ain't much you can hide in a small town." Smucker picked up Gyp's hoof again
and began trimming it with a pincers and a hoof knife.
"You didn't see the stagecoach coming in, did you? Jack, the driver, is supposed
to bring in a shipment of shoe caulks for me today."
"Not in the heavy snow. In fact, I doubt if a driver would want to be out in
it."
"Oh, I'll get my shipment all right. Because Jack's got the ribbons today, and
he'll come or die." Smucker lifted the plate of sheet steel under a horseshoe
and began to nail the two in place, driving the flat nails into the hoof and
then clinching them where their points showed through. "Too bad about our
drivers, Jack and Lon."
"Oh?"
"Jack Church drives for the Bonnie-Le Mars line and Lonnie Brandon drives for
the Bonnie-Wodan line. Apart neither one is a bragger. But when them two get
together, they've got to brag. The one has to outbest the other. No help for it
either, I guess. Jack Church and Lonnie Brandon are like two bulls in a pasture
with only one heifer between them. They've got to show off in front of her."
Tunis liked the smells of the blacksmith shop. There was something appetizing
about the heated metal; the taste of baked apples was in it. The drifting smoke
from the pink burning coals in the bellows made him think of a fabled city in
dream.
There was a rattling sound in the falling snow outside, then the muffled
clopping hooves, then a great shout, "Whoa!" in front of the Bonnie Hotel.
"There he is now. Good. Now I can make me some more horseshoes."
Gyp seemed to understand good was being done for him, and quit leaning on
Smucker. He nickered in pleasure at the stagecoach horses outside.
Smucker rasped the edges of Gyp's hoof even with the shoe. "There," he said,
dropping Gyp's hoof to the dirt floor. "That's better than it was before.
That'll be one dollar."
Tunis paid up then led Gyp back to the livery barn.
That afternoon, when the snow let up and the sky cleared, creating a blue made
dazzling by the pure white fallen snow; Tunis heard loud voices in Wilter's
Saloon. They were boasting voices, roaring what they could do. Tunis guessed it
was Jack Church and Lonnie Brandon at it again. Tunis stepped down off the
boardwalk and shuffled through the snow-streaked rutted street and then up the
steps into the saloon. Sure enough, the two drivers were bragging about who had
the fastest horses.
"Jack," you're a..... liar. "Your watch must've stopped."
"Lonnie, nobody calls me a liar."
"But Jack, you couldn't have done it that fast."
"Ask Oekie over at the livery stable. And then ask Quimby down at Le Mars.
They'll tell you."
Just when it looked like the two drivers were about to come to blows, Wilter,
the saloonkeeper, interposed. He warned the boys he'd throw 'em both out himself
if they didn't shut up. "So make up, or else."
With hanging lower lips, knowing all eyes were on them, the two shook hands.
Then they went back to drinking.
Tunis saw the truce wasn't going to last. Their handshakes'd been too limp.
Just before supper, Tunis went out to the livery stable and fed Gyp. Gyp
whickered in pleasure, standing solid on his new horseshoe.
Tunis had just started up the alley to leave when Lonnie came chasing Jack into
the barn entrance. Lonnie was brandishing a heavy singletree, cursing like a
madman, foam at the corners of his mouth. "No ... skinny ... is going to tell me
I don't know how to shake hands like a man."
Jack nimbly avoided Lonnie's wild swings, his blue eyes turning light. Jack
spotted a pitchfork standing near a wooden upright and jumped for it. Then he
whirled on Lonnie. He made several stabbing motions with the tines of the fork;
finally managed to get in a thrust that nicked Lonnie in the side.
"Ow!" Lonnie roared. and then seeing his singletree was no match against a
pitchfork; he dropped the wooden bar and ran out of the livery stable.
"That ..." Jack murmured.
Oekie the proprietor came out of his office with a white face, shaking. He'd
witnessed it all through a dusty window. "Jack, you better stay out of sight for
a while."
"Why?"
"Lonnie will be back. And the next time he won't come with just a club. I know.
He carries grudges."
"He also carries a big mouth."
"Just get out of here. Because he'll be back."
Jack's neck and head came up, "Well, first I'm gonna feed my horses."
"Suit yourself. But don't say I didn't warn you."
Jack shook his head, as if to say wasn't that the limit? He started feeding his
four horses.
Tunis stopped to tell Oekie he'd be leaving early in the morning and that he'd
probably better pay up that night for the keep of his horse. Tunis had just
handed over the money when there was another bellow behind him in the doorway of
the livery stable. /
It was Lonnie Brandon carrying a shotgun. "Where's that braggin' ... 'oh, there
you are. So you thought you could stab me in the guts with a pitchfork, huh?"
Jack was standing between two of his chestnut bays.
"Now, Lonnie, let's not use guns. You shouldna come after me with that
singletree. Then I wouldn't have grabbed the fork."
"But you were still gonna spill my guts with that pitchfork, warn't you? Well,
I'll never forgive you for that." Lonnie was so engorged with rage his gray eyes
were almost shut. He raised the shotgun; aimed, pulled the trigger.
There was a bright flash of light, a roar that shook the rafters of the livery
stable and made every horse in the place rear up at the end of its halter ropes.
A big hole showed up where Jack's nose and mouth had once been even as Jack was
blown back. Jack slid out of sight. A blue cloud of gunpowder smoke slowly
drifted up toward the rafters.
Lonnie lowered his shotgun, "You don't tamper with my guts ... you."
Tunis jumped for Lonnie, jolting him from the side. Tunis's weight carried the
two of them down, the shotgun flying off to one side. Tunis straddled Lonnie as
Lonnie lay sprawled on his belly. Tunis grabbed Lonnie's wrists and jerked them
up behind his back.
Tunis said, "Oekie, call the Marshall."
Oekie came walking over. He looked down at Tunis and Lonnie, then over at where
Jack had fallen between the two chestnut horses. The chestnut horses had begun
to jump around. Oekie went over and pulled Jack out from under the trampling
hooves. "Yeh, And we better call Mel the undertaker too."
Faces began to appear in the doorway, wondering eyes as big as goose eggs.
A man stormed in past the faces. He was carrying a tablet, pencil caught under
his blue cap. "My God, Jack's shot!"
Oekie grimaced sourly, "You newpaper men can't help but smell blood, can you?
Like hyenas."
The newspaperman began to scribble furiously in his tablet. "Cold-blooded
murder." he muttered as he wrote. "Jack Church is shot down like a dog in the
local livery stable."
Presently Marshall Brandt appeared. He collared Lonnie Brandon and led him off
to the cooler.
Tunis went to his room. He wanted to hit something.
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Highway 75 and 18 Once Passed Through Doon
Did you know that U.S. Highways 75 and 18 once passed through Doon?
The proof is in this 1927 Highway Map of Iowa.
Highway 75 then took a jog just north of Perkins and went west for 3 miles and
then turned north into Doon. It skirted the west edge of Doon and then took the
diagonal northeasterly to Rock Rapids by way of Lakewood.
Highway 18 jogged westward at Perkins and joined highway 75 through Doon. It
then crossed the river a mile north of Doon and about a half mile further turned
west for a direct course into Inwood. (Rock Valley then was not served by a
federal highway.)
Old-timers recall highway 75 as the K-T (King's Trail) highway. It was a
graveled roadway.
Notice Klaas Corner on the south edge of Doon. It was listed on the map as a
tourist camp and advertised: "Champlin Service Station, ¼ mile South of Doon,
Champlin gas, oils, rest room, lunches, cold drinks."
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Fire Destroys Two Doon Businesses
Sunday, February 14, 1954 was a bad day for Doon and especially for Doon's Main
Street. The fire alarm sounded at 5 a.m. Tony's Lunch was a raging inferno. Doon
firemen were soon on the scene but there was no hope for the building and Stan's
Shoe Store adjacent to it also appeared doomed. Rock Rapids and Rock Valley
firemen were called to help for there was concern that much of the business
block on that side of the street would be leveled.
Firemen played water between Tony's Lunch and Stan's but it was a futile battle.
Suddenly a hose was misdirected to a window and oxygen fed the superheated
contents of the shoe and clothing store and within minutes it too was a raging
inferno.
The effort was now directed to saving other buildings, with success.
It was a beautiful day, recalls Stan Surma, who immigrated to Doon in 1949 as a
Polish displaced person. The weather was balmy and it was Valentine's Day, but
the day was sad. Stan lost everything.
But within less than a week, with the help of creditors and the support and
encouragement of townspeople Surma was back in business in the old town hall.
It had been a bad time for fires in Doon, just the week before Johnnie Otten
lost his garage to flames.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
120 Years of Newspapers and Editors
Doon, Iowa
The first newspaper in Doon, The Lyon County Press, was claimed to be the first
paper in Lyon County by its editor, L.B. Raymond. It was probably needed at that
time as a medium for publishing legal matters and a brag circular for real
estate agents to entice newcomers to the area.
With the floods, grasshoppers and the exodus to South Dakota in the eighties,
everything was at a standstill in Doon until B.H. Perkins resumed publication of
the Lyon County Press in 1889.
The early editors in the 1890's were a bit feisty and liked to spar with
neighboring publishers. One such article was noted in the June 23, 1892, issue
of the Lyon County Press as follows:
At the turn of the century the paper's title was changed to The Doon Press by
its editors, the Hazlitt Brothers. The paper continued under that name until
1942 when editor Harold Stearns discontinued publishing and left for Inwood.
In the early thirties the paper had a difficult time surviving and the editor at
that time, R.R. Thompson, made a plea for more advertising so as to keep the
paper going. "Doon's oldest institution", he said, "must not die."
When editor Stearns left in 1942, the town was without a periodical through the
World War 11 years until Henry Kuiper published the "Doon Bargain Counter" in
1947. Soon after in 1948, Harold Aardema started printing of the Doon Reminder.
Doon needed a paper badly and it served the needs of the community for news and
advertising.
In 1964, editor Aardema resumed publication of the Doon Press. As of 1992, it is
still flourishing and has a wide circulation throughout N.W. Iowa and the United
States.
Following is a fairly complete list of editors, titles of papers and years of
publication:
1872-L.B. Raymond, Lyon County Press
1889-1892- B.H. Perkins, Lyon County Press
1893-1896-F.A. & C.P. Scott, Lyon County Press
1896-1899-F.A. Scott, Lyon County Press
1899-1907-Hazlitt Brothers, Doon Press
1907-1914-Max and Fitzgerald, Doon Press
1915-1922--Chalmers & Van Citters, Doon Press
1922-1924--Van Citters, Doon Press
1925-1932--Joseph Spinden, Doon Press
1933-1942--Harold Stears, Doon Press
1942-1947--No Paper
1947--Henry Kuiper, Doon Barbain Counter
1948-1964--Harold Aardems, Doon Reminder
1964--Present–Harold Aardema, Doon Press
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Doon in the Very Gay Nineties
Written by Galen Lawrence
There was probably no other time in Doon's history so full of optimism,
fantastic growth, social gatherings and infamous behavior as the decade
following the coming of the railroads to town. The Omaha (Bonnie Doon) was
established earlier in 1879 but the Sioux City and Northern gave the town a true
connection with the outside world.
Places of business mushroomed all up and down a lively main street and soon the
town had most everything a citizen could ask for. There were five elevators, a
roller mill, two machinery dealers, two blacksmiths, and a harness shop for the
farmers; two pharmacists, three doctors, and a part time dentist for the ailing;
two millinery shops for the ladies, two barber shops for the men, and a
newspaper; two banks, two lumber yards, two drug stores, three clothing stores,
several grocery stores, and two hardware stores for everybody. Of course the
town also had a saloon and there was talk of building a brewery, all of which
led some out of towners to note that Doon needed a revival because it was a very
wicked place.
There seemed to be no end to social gatherings and to help whet this appetite
there were numerous clubs and societies, some of which were as follows: The Sons
of Herman, I.O.O.F. (The Odd Fellows), W.C.T.U., A.O.U.W., I.O.G.T., Farmers
Alliance, Knights of Pythias, The Modern Woodmen, Star of Doon Lodge.
There was a Doon dramatic company, which traveled to other towns and presented
plays, numerous choir and quartettes, a concert band and it seemed the city was
ready to have a social ball for almost any occasion, be it Halloween,
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, or Valentines Day.
Earlier events were held in Montgomery Hall and they later took place in the
Opera House, which, the writer believes, was called the Town Hall, or Woodman
Hall. Many, many traveling dramatic companies, magicians and musicians would
present their shows in the Opera House.
To ease the aches and pains from all the socializing and to keep everyone in
tip-top shape, there were numerous pills, salves and liniments available. Some
of them were as follows: Lydia E. Pinkham's Compound for back and kidney
trouble, and womb displacement. Dr. Brink's barb wire liniment-the great healer.
Dr. William's pink pills for pale people-guaranteed to cure rheumatism.
Castoria-promotes digestion, cheerfulness and rest-contains neither morphine,
opium or mineral-not a narcotic.
Loss of flesh? Eat Scott's Emulsion. To get fat, you must eat fat! Scott's
Emulsion is a great fattener. Sarsparilla,-for impure blood, pimples and boils.
Peruna tonic-hope for the sick! Syrup of figs-one enjoys both the method and the
results.
Doon's early citizens could hardly stay ill for long with such remedies at their
disposal.
Doon also had for entertainment a fine ball team, which served to play for every
occasion. They would travel as far as Pipestone and Adrian, Minnesota for their
games. There were intense rivalries. One such feud, between Doon and Rock
Rapids, caused Lyon County Press editor D. H. Perkins to note, "It is time to
put up or shut up. When you bring your fans to Doon to see a ball game, behave
as gentlemen and not as hoodlums."
To complete the summer entertainment there were circuses and carnivals coming to
town, the questionable "Butcher" picnics in Hubbard Park, the annual old
settlers' picnic, and the ongoing rivalry between the Doon Scrubs and the
Garfield Scrubbers ball teams.
All the while Doon was becoming quite a city. It was incorporated in 1892; the
town water works and gaslights came in 1897; a school was built in 1896; and
there were two well organized fire companies-Hose No. 1 and Hose No. 2.
Towards the end of the decade came the inauguration of President McKinley, and
Mary Hubbard, sister of H. D. Rice, attended the event. The country and the town
took on a more somber tone in 1898 with the start of the Spanish American war.
Doon was ready to ease it's growing pains and look forward to a new decade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Floyd Romig-a strange little man who did a deed of pure heroics.
And in the Town of Doon, in olden days, there lived many wonderful old
characters. One such was Floyd Romig.
But first let me say something about those colorful characters. They were a
strange and individual lot. Looking back I am tempted to say each can never be
copied and as a group now departed they are a species lost. We kids loved these
peculiar people and were not afraid of them, really. By today's hysteria over
"strange people" they would have been labeled dangerous psychopaths. I cannot
remember a single incident of harm done to others by them. They were more the
victims of injury.
Floyd Romig. The name brings it all back. He was born in 1897, probably in Doon.
He lived with his parents until they died in the little house on the far north
of town. Then he lived out the rest of his days in that same little house. It
was rundown and thirsty for a coat of paint. The windows were darkened by
decades of accumulated dust and grime. In his backyard he kept a large garden,
including a strawberry patch. He sold produce from it.
He dressed in baggy old clothes, his pants usually worn high water so his high-
laced shoes stood out awkwardly. On his head he wore a flat cap. His manner was
polite, but uneasy. He seemed always to be in frail health. He was small, skinny
and bent, and he seemed to pitch forward as he walked. He greeted all with a
formal little, "Howdy do." preceded by a timid cough. No woman ever looked upon
Floyd with favor.
In his young years he worked for the Great Northern Railroad as a section hand
out of Doon. But most of his life he did odd jobs, sold garden produce and a
line of household items from a little sample case, taking orders for later
delivery.
He had a dream of greatness. He aspired to fame as the author of mystery
stories. My brother Dan and I were sometimes invited into his dimly lit home on
Sunday afternoons to hear him read from his unpublished manuscripts. These he
had hired someone to type up. He gloried in reading the fiction of his mind.
These we endured. Then when light shafts pierced through the west window of the
tiny living room standing out ancient dust in the air, we left.
One day in 1951 Floyd Romig was found dead in his home.
But wait, there is more to the Floyd Romig story, a moment of supreme courage
and heroism. It was told by the late George Kloek, Doon son, and later a
corporate attorney for AT&T in New York. Here is the story as told by Mr. Kloek:
FLOYD ROMIG'S HEROIC DEED
I am going to tell you of an act of pure heroism performed by Floyd Romig that
is almost unbelievable.
In the summer of 1918 World War I was still im progress. The railroads had been
taken over by the government and were busy transporting materials and supplies
needed for the war effort. Since the older men were in service, the Great
Northern Railway maintenance crews were largely composed of aliens and high
school students. In the Doon crew there were three older men, Gust Surmelis, the
Greek foreman, Louis (last name unknown), Gust's brother-in-law, and a Serbian
known only as John. The rest were high-schoolers.
To ride back and forth to work about 11 of us contributed to the purchase of a
large Fairmont motor, which was mounted on a heavy steel chassis. Since the car
was so very heavy we generally stopped at some public road or farmers' work
crossing where the planks laid parallel to and in between the rails, made taking
the car off much easier. If we had to stop where there was no such crossing we
lifted one wheel at a time over each rail. In either case it took four of us to
get the motor off the track. Two of us would lift up on the handles, and two
others would push down on the handles on the back end.
Floyd was very frail and for that reason was never asked to assist in this item
of work.
One afternoon we set out in the direction of Perkins. We were at a section of
the right-of-way where the track going toward Doon was downhill. It was
customary for the engineer to coast the engine here so one could not see the
usual puffs of smoke that normally issue from the smoke stack when the engine is
laboring. Suddenly we were horrified to see coming around a curve and toward us
a so-called "extra train." You could tell them by the two small white flags they
carried. Our foreman grabbed the brake and applied it as hard as he could. As
soon as he had the car partially slowed down we all, including the foreman,
leaped to safety, that is, all except Floyd. He jumped in front of the car and
with his back toward the onrushing train pushed against the car as hard as he
could to slow its speed. Running backward he could easily have tripped over one
of the uneven ties and fallen. Just when the train was about to run him down,
Floyd, by an Herculean effort, tossed the motor car off the track and onto the
side of the railroad embankment. At the last split second he leaped to safety.
Had he been unsuccessful he would have been crushed between the locomotive and
the motor car. The freight train would certainly have been derailed. The wheels
of the engine, the coal car, and of course many of the freight cars would have
passed over his body. The result would have been too horrible to contemplate.
After the train had passed there was a moment of silence. Then the foreman said,
"Let's get to work." No one said as much as "Nice going Floyd." Nor did any of
us thank him for having saved our lives, which he undoubtedly did, for the
train, if derailed, would have strewn the cars all over the right of way and
upon us. We were very thoughtless, and possibly also envious of him.
The foreman did not report it to his headquarters for he must have felt
negligent for not having checked in at the depot before we left for work to see
if any extra trains had been scheduled.
Had the executives of the railroad been informed of the incident Floyd would
possibly have come in for a substantial reward. With a capable press agent and
deserving publicity, he would certainly have been awarded a Congressional Medal
of Honor.
In my opinion his deed ranks with the most heroid acts ever performed by a
civilian in the State of Iowa.
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