Union County Historical Society

07/21/2026

Last Sunday of the month Program.

07/21/2026

Del Rey Lunch - 106-108 W. Montgomery circa 1917

06/22/2026

What we think are rural school photos from around 1900. Probably Platte Township. From the scrapbook of Florence Lucas, shared by her daughter, Linda Walling.

06/22/2026

This photo mysteriously showed up at the Historical Village. First Federal Bank float from the 1969 Centennial parade. Dairy Queen in the background.

06/21/2026

LET FREEDOM RING!
For America's 250th Anniversary we will be ringing all of the Historic Village bells at 1, 2, 3 and 4pm on Saturday July 4th. We would like to invite "kids" of all ages to come help ring the bells.

06/21/2026

Sunday, June 28 at 2:00 p.m. will be the first of the monthly summer programs at the Union County Historical Village. The title of June’s program is “Scrapbook Sunday.” The volunteers at the Village have dusted off and rearranged the many scrapbooks that have been donated to us. We will share 75 of the scrapbooks we have at this gathering.

There are a multitude of interesting and unusual stories and events preserved in the memories resting within these books.Some contain newspaper articles, others feature photographs, while still others are filled with clippings and obituaries. One could spend many hours reading through these annals of information.

What will happen? So, on the 28th, you can choose scrapbooks you would like to read, find a chair, and dive right in. Perhaps we can pause occasionally to share something funny, interesting, unbelievable, or historical with one another. We’ve dusted off lots of books filled with interesting treasures for you to enjoy! Come join us!

Mark your calendars for the last Sunday in June July, and August and join us at the Village for our summer programs.

05/07/2026

04/13/2026

Remember this? January/February/March 1969 issue of the Iowa Architect.

03/12/2026

I received this souvenir school booklet from Debra Josephson of Harris, Minnesota. Debra is a descendent of one of the students, Bernice Eschle. She thought the Pleasant View school house was in Union County but the surrounding property owners does not add up with the list of students for any school in Union County. However, I found a school in section 26, Union Township, Adams County that has the McCafferty and Chapman surnames next to the school house in a 1895 Platt map, which leads me to believe that is the school this is for. I know the McCafferty and Chapman names were well known in the Cromwell area. The teacher, Cora Recknor, married Alfred Buxton and was the mother of Buck Buxton and Jean Richardson.

02/23/2026

1958 Union County girls basketball tournament.