North Lee County Historical Society

North Lee County Historical Society Our FM museums provide opportunities to expand your knowledge of Lee county history! The 1898 CB&Q depot is our Transportation Museum.

We are now located in the DFO ( 2 story brick building) and part of theSanta Fe depot complex. Our railroad displays are in that building while other local Lee County history will be on display in the DFO Main Museum building. We offer guided tours and rely on donations and volunteers to remain open 363 days a year.

School is ready to start - in now the most modern schools but back before 1960's - just 65 years ago most rural students...
08/17/2026

School is ready to start - in now the most modern schools but back before 1960's - just 65 years ago most rural students went to one room schools.
The first project the North Lee County Historical Society ran was to preserve Brush College, the one room school along Augusta road, about 3 miles north of Fort Madison.
Back when we had two outhouses, a manual water pump and a wood pile for warming the students comfort in the cold of winter.
One teacher educated students in all grades, but the older students assisted with the educating the younger children. No school buses, walking a couple of miles was the physical education program. After the school was taken over by the Society in 1961, it took several years to get restored and equipped with period desks and other items to place it back to the 1890's.
It is still maintained and for many years students from area schools got a taste of early education, especially in spring by taking field trips to Brush College.
It is still retained in great shape and tours can be arranged by contacting the Society at 319-371-7661 during working hours.
Pictures of some of the great volunteer teachers and some students that enjoyed the lesson in HISTORY in years past.
Shared by the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday. CBQ side museum open 10-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.
Anyone having memories of early education?

Remembering spring 1970 when on March 19 the architect's plans where made public to area residents when John H. Breck In...
08/16/2026

Remembering spring 1970 when on March 19 the architect's plans where made public to area residents when John H. Breck Inc. announced would be building a new manufacturing facility on 70 acres at 1910 48th street.
The Breck Plant a subsidiary of American Cynamid Corp. is the manufacture the full line of Breck Hair products and employee around 200 people.
On June 7, E. F. Grieb was appointed manager and on June 17, 1970 the first foundations were being poured.
Will have to investigate when the Breck plant closed but many Fort Madison area workers found employment with Breck Co.
Today the office building, manufacturing and warehouse occupied by Scotts Lawn Products.
What are your memories of employment at John H. Breck.
Remembering the celebrations 56 years later at the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday.
CBQ Depot open 10-4pm - Tuesday thru Saturday.
We don't sell hair products but we do have a gift shop with lots of historic information.

As trying to determine what year the photo of students at Richardson Grade School was taken and studying the lives of so...
08/15/2026

As trying to determine what year the photo of students at Richardson Grade School was taken and studying the lives of some of the students, this historian came up with the guess of 1939-40 when maybe Robert Ruis and Victor Cross would have been in 4th grade..
Thanks to "Zip" for sharing the memory in a 2008 newspaper where found the students.
Maybe the original photo still in the family and valuable not only the family, the historical society but to our Mexican-American history.
May have been 1938-39 also and some spellings wrong. (Wilkerson, Lacke, Hidalgo).
Looking at my relative Victor Cross in back row, guessing about 8 years of age.
Takes a lot of research as to when families lived in Richardson district by shring today through the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday. CBQ Depot museum open 10-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.

Going back to 1978 at a gathering of the Princess Circle of the Fort Madison King's Daughters as they celebrated the end...
08/14/2026

Going back to 1978 at a gathering of the Princess Circle of the Fort Madison King's Daughters as they celebrated the end of the year after raising funds and working to keep the local King's Daughters Retirement home open.
Dozens to local circles and from around Iowa ran local and statewide projects with homes, visiting nurse programs and other civic projects.
Members of the Princess Circle pictured (l-r) back row Marge Dickey, Revena Cochran, Nancy Holt, Betty Tuttle, Carlene Cullen, Joyce Pennock and Janet Peitz. Front row Stephanie DeKat, Nanette Loffler, Doris Jordan, Margie Wells and Wandalea Ammer.
Thanks to Nancy Holt for sharing some of the archives.
And now shared by the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4 pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday. CBQ Depot portion open 10-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.

Getting to a more recent history today as remember Paul Revere Pizza shop at 729 Avenue G - 1991 to 2012.How many rememb...
08/14/2026

Getting to a more recent history today as remember Paul Revere Pizza shop at 729 Avenue G - 1991 to 2012.
How many remember dining or working at this store in downtown Fort Madison?.
The building at 729 more recently used by Dunn Design and Bark Avenue Spa.
We still have Parthenon Pizza at 819 Avenue G - so pizza still available for downtown shoppers and residents.
Sharing history at the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday. CBQ Depot portion of museum open 10-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.

I made a post earlier about Camp Wa Ma Ka and later found the original article on Nov. 13, 1950 when the movers and shak...
08/12/2026

I made a post earlier about Camp Wa Ma Ka and later found the original article on Nov. 13, 1950 when the movers and shakers of Fort Madison had the idea.
And appear Helen & Lowell Andrews were instrumental if the organizational meeting.
May be hard to read but many Camp Fire and Blue Bird groups and sponsors listed.
Everyone got involved back in the "good old days".
Shared by the North Lee County Historical Society .

Wish we had a better photo on file of Camp Wa Ma Ka, the camp built for Camp Fire Girls around southeast Iowa in 1955 er...
08/12/2026

Wish we had a better photo on file of Camp Wa Ma Ka, the camp built for Camp Fire Girls around southeast Iowa in 1955 era.
Thousands of young girls from the area had camporees each summer for many years until the Eastern Iowa headquarters of Girl Scouts in Cedar Rapids closed it down.
Through the years they raised money for a swimming pool, horse back rides and more cabins that were maintained by adult volunteers and assisted by many other non-profit organizations.
During the years the Fort Madison Jaycees built outdoor fire places and later can remember did a major insulation project.
One volunteer we always worked with was Evans Sportsman who dedicated many years to the Camp.
The city of Fort Madison also had an office for an adult executive director and Helen Andrews served in than position during the 1960;'s and Billie Mosher followed for many years and some others when had nearly 100 Camp Fire and Blue Bird groups in FM area.
You should have only good memories of camping at Camp-Wa-Ma-Ka..
Remembered at the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday. CBQ part of museum open 10-4pm Tuesday-Saturday - no admission charged but donation welcome.

Back in 1956 when times were simpler for school children the annual city wide "Marble Tournament" was a big attraction a...
08/11/2026

Back in 1956 when times were simpler for school children the annual city wide "Marble Tournament" was a big attraction as the various grade schools & junior high had preliminaries for the CIty Championship.
The tournament held a Victory Field and Jefferson was conducted by the Fort Madison Jaycees and the state tournament by the VFW Club of Iowa.
Remembering the excitement or school days of the 1950's at the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday.

Still stands at 3001 Avenue P since built in 1890 but had a colorful history from earlier years.Built by Patrick, Willia...
08/10/2026

Still stands at 3001 Avenue P since built in 1890 but had a colorful history from earlier years.
Built by Patrick, William and Margaret Ryan as the "Ryan house", a boarding house and saloon for ATSF Railroad workers and employees of the Moran Packing Company.
It continued as "Ryan House" until 1921 when Ray Rebo opened a grocery store, followed by Quality Grocery in 1923 and Dodge Brothers Store in 1926 and Fred Boyle Grocery in 1929-32.
The last store owner was Jacob Rashid until Nov. 15, 1934 when held a auction sale of all groceries, dry goods, shoes and Fixtures.
After that just a rooming house with Clarence Beecham and family as owners until Jan 5, 2006 when sold to Toby & Michele Jarvis.
Saluting a 136 year old structure still occupied and standing in west end of Fort Madison.
Remembered at the North Lee County Historical Society Museums on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4 pm Sunday. CBQ part of museum open 10-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.

For many years the Fort Madison Jaycees, along with Alfred Kenel and other groups distributed toys, food items, etc. to ...
08/09/2026

For many years the Fort Madison Jaycees, along with Alfred Kenel and other groups distributed toys, food items, etc. to needy families in the Fort Madison area and surrounding towns on Christmas Eve.
In 1956 the Camp Fire clubs got behind the project and dressed dolls to add to Santa's stockpile.
Charlie Korschgen and Don Valentine made all kinds of wooden toys to add to the collections from used and new toy drives.
The three girls below, members of the Ne-Han-O-Ka Camp Fire group did their share if they remember.
Ann Slee, Diane Crow and Sherian Pickard showed off their project,
Shared with joy by the North Lee County Historical Society on 10th street in the ATSF/CBQ Depot Complex - main office open 10-4pm daily and noon-4pm Sunday.

Address

Old Santa Fe Depot Complex, PO Box 285
Fort Madison, IA
52627

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+13193727661

Website

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