Macedonia Historical Preservation Society

06/18/2026

Mark your calendars... July 12! Macedonia's Pioneer Trail Museum and Stempel Bird Museum are proud to be part of the Pottawattamie Museum Tour!

History comes alive on Sunday, July 12, from 12–4 PM during the Pottawattamie County Museum Tour. Explore unique museums across Southwest Iowa, each offering a glimpse into the people, places, and stories that shaped the region. Whether you visit one stop or all, you'll discover plenty of history,...

06/14/2026

Remember Wednesday Night Movies in Donia?

In early June 1961, summer entertainment in Macedonia was kicked off with a Carson-Macedonia band concert, an ice cream social, and the first of the season's weekly Wednesday night movies.

Sponsored by Macedonia merchants, the outdoor movie series quickly became a popular summer tradition. Families gathered downtown each week to watch a movie under the stars, participate in prize drawings, and enjoy an evening with friends and neighbors. The ice cream social was hosted by the Macedonia Fire Department.

The movies were projected onto the west wall of Summitt Hardware at the corner of Main and Potter Streets. We've heard that Dutch Lett operated the projector, transforming the current city hall building into Macedonia's own outdoor theater.

Do you remember attending these Wednesday night movies? What films were shown? And how many years did this community tradition continue? Share your memories in the comments!

06/13/2026

No, it's not a Homecoming dress!

The Pioneer Trail Museum is open today from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and one of the more surprising artifacts on display is this vintage swimsuit.

By today's standards, it may look more like a dress than swimwear, but modesty was the fashion of the day. Early 20th-century swimsuits were designed to cover much of the body and were often made from heavy wool or cotton fabrics. Once wet, they could become very heavy, making swimming quite a workout!

This light blue suit likely dates from the 1920s or 1930s, a period when women's swimwear was beginning to become more practical and form-fitting while still maintaining the modest styles expected at public swimming holes.

Stop by the museum and see this piece of fashion history for yourself. What do you think, would you rather swim in this or wear it to the Homecoming dance?

06/12/2026

Iowa Museum Week: Museums Are Essential

June 8–12 is Iowa Museum Week, and today's theme is: Museums Are Essential. Why? Because once history is lost, it can never be replaced.

The Pioneer Trail Museum preserves the photographs, artifacts, documents, and stories that tell Macedonia's story. From the first post office established in 1850 to the railroad depot, local businesses, churches, schools, and the families who built this community, these pieces of history help us understand who we are and where we came from.

Museums connect generations. They allow grandparents to share memories with grandchildren. They help former residents reconnect with their hometown. They give visitors a deeper appreciation for the people and events that shaped our community.

Without museums, many of these stories would fade away with the passing of time. With them, they remain available to educate, inspire, and connect future generations. That's why museums are not just about the past, they are an essential part of our future.

Pictured: Historic Macedonia Main Street painted by Joan Scott.

06/11/2026

Iowa Museum Week: Museums Are Community.

June 8–12 is Iowa Museum Week, and today's theme is: Museums Are Community. The Pioneer Trail Museum exists because of the people of Macedonia. Nearly every photograph, artifact, document, and story in the museum was donated, shared, or preserved by someone who cared enough to save a piece of our community's history. From family photographs to treasured keepsakes passed down through generations, each item helps tell the story of Macedonia.

The museum isn't just a building filled with artifacts. It is a gathering place for memories and stories. Former residents return to rediscover their roots. Families share stories about parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Visitors learn how a small Iowa community contributed to a major migration in American history.

Every donation, every volunteer hour, every shared photograph, and every story told helps keep Macedonia's history alive. The Pioneer Trail Museum isn't just about the community, it is the community!

Pictured: The Community attending the 1937 ceremony of laying the cornerstone of the Macedonia elementary school building.

06/10/2026

Iowa Museum Week: Museums Are Trusted

June 8–12 is Iowa Museum Week, and today's theme is: Museums Are Trusted. At the Pioneer Trail Museum, our mission is to preserve, interpret, and share the history of Macedonia. That means rescuing pieces of our community's story before they disappear forever.

Take this soap dispenser, for example. It may not look like much, but this dispenser once hung in a restroom of the Macedonia school building constructed in 1937. Hundreds of students likely washed their hands here before heading back to class, lunch, basketball games, school plays, and graduation ceremonies.

Today, the school building is gone, but this soap dispenser remains... in the museum!

That's why museums matter. Sometimes history isn't found in famous artifacts or priceless treasures. Sometimes it's found in everyday objects that connect us to the people who lived and grew up here.

When you visit the Pioneer Trail Museum, you can trust that nearly every artifact has a connection to Macedonia and the people who called it home. Each item helps tell a story that might otherwise have been lost.

Who knows? Looking at this old soap dispenser, you might even wonder how many Macedonia students got scolded for not washing their hands!

(The mystery artifact from yesterday's post is a whirlpool bath Whirlpool Bath unit, designed to turn an ordinary bathtub into a home whirlpool spa! This 1950s bizarre and quirky item was used in a home in Macedonia and the owners didn't get electrocuted!)

06/09/2026

Iowa Museum Week: Museums Are Fun!

June 8–12 is Iowa Museum Week, and the Pioneer Trail Museum is taking part in the statewide challenge to share why museums matter. Today's theme is: Museums Are Fun!

So let's put your detective skills to the test! Can you identify this mysterious artifact from the Pioneer Trail Museum collection?

What is it?
What was it used for?
Have you ever seen one before?

No fair using Google - just take your best guess! And if you are one of the few with insider information, hold off with your answer until others have a chance to guess. We'll reveal the answer tomorrow and see who comes closest.

History isn't just dates and names... sometimes it's about strange gadgets that leave us scratching our heads! Post your guesses in the comments below.

06/08/2026

Iowa Museum Week: Museums Are People

June 8–12 is Iowa Museum Week, and the Pioneer Trail Museum is joining museums across the state in celebrating the theme "Museums Are..." Today, our answer is simple: Museums Are People.

And no one better illustrates that than Ruby Bentley. Since helping found the Macedonia Historical Preservation Society in 2000, Ruby has served as its president and guiding force. For 25 years, she has dedicated countless hours to preserving the stories, artifacts, and landmarks that tell Macedonia's history.

Under Ruby's leadership, a vacant Main Street building was transformed into the Pioneer Trail Museum in 2007. What began as a dream grew into a second museum building in 2015. Her leadership has also helped bring many other preservation projects to life, including:

• Opening the Stempel Bird Museum in 2001, preserving the remarkable collection of Dr. Guido Stempel
• Organizing the historic laser-cut Main Street sidewalk railings beginning in 2002
• Publishing the comprehensive History of Macedonia in 2005
• Installing 13 interpretive site markers identifying locations associated with the original settlement and Mormon Pioneer Trail in 2007
• Achieving certification of the museum as an Interpretive Facility on the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail in 2024.

For a quarter century, Ruby has been one of the people ensuring that Macedonia's stories are not lost, but preserved and shared with future generations.

Thank you, Ruby, for helping make history come alive.

06/07/2026

06/07/2026

In April 1888, Macedonia launched a campaign to sell lots in its newly surveyed cemetery east of town. Newspaper advertisements promoted the site as "an elevated, level tract offering an excellent view in all directions".

The cemetery began with the purchase of six acres from A.B. and Rebecca Rayburn for $600. As part of the transition, several burials were moved from the earlier Pioneer Cemetery near Old Macedonia to the new location.

Twenty years later, residents joined together to improve access to the cemetery. In a true community effort, a sidewalk was constructed connecting the town to the cemetery grounds. Donors who contributed $1.00 had their names inscribed on a concrete block, while additional dollars were recognized with Roman numerals engraved on extra blocks. A footbridge was also built over the creek along the route, making visits easier and safer for families. As the years passed and roads were widened, graded, and paved, the historic sidewalk disappeared.

Another important chapter in the cemetery's history began in May 1972 with the creation of the Avenue of Flags. Established by Ruby Smith Post #648 of the American Legion Auxiliary, the project was conceived as a living memorial to honor Macedonia-area veterans. Legion members installed 56 flagpoles lining the cemetery's three entrances, while many of the flags were donated by the families of deceased veterans. Fundraising efforts led by Nora Mueller inspired widespread community support, and the entire $1,650 cost was covered through local donations.

Today, the cemetery remains one of Macedonia's most meaningful landmarks - a place to walk, reflect, and remember. Here, the stories of our community, the sacrifices of our veterans, and the memories of those who came before us continue to live on.