Washington County Historical Society - Iowa

09/27/2026

🎬 And with that, the final reel has come to an end…

Thank you to everyone who visited the Conger House this year to experience The Cinema of Washington County!

We are grateful to everyone who stopped by, shared our posts, brought friends and family, or helped make this exhibit possible.

And while the lights are coming up on The Cinema of Washington County, our volunteers are already hard at work assembling our next seasonal exhibit, featuring antique Halloween decorations and displays throughout the Conger House. 🎃

New open house dates will be announced soon!

🎞️ Thank you for being part of the show — and stay tuned for what comes next!

09/27/2026

🎬 TODAY — SEPTEMBER 27 — THE FINAL SHOWING!

The Conger House is open today, September 27, from 2–4 PM for your last opportunity to see The Cinema of Washington County exhibit at the Conger House!

Step inside and discover the fascinating story of movies in Washington County.

🎞️ The curtain falls today — don’t miss the final reel!

09/25/2026

📅 We’re excited to announce the Washington County Historical Society’s very first calendar!

Our 2027 Calendar features a collection of historic scenes showcasing both rural and urban life throughout Washington County — a glimpse into the people, places, communities, and everyday moments that helped shape our county’s history.

Calendars are just $20, and every purchase helps support the Washington County Historical Society and the preservation and care of the Conger House, Red Brick School, and Walnut School.

It’s a wonderful way to enjoy a piece of Washington County history all year long while helping us preserve it for generations to come.

Pickup will be available during our open houses. The first batch will be printed in October. Customers will receive an email when their calendar is ready, along with the available pickup dates and locations.

Thank you for supporting local history — and for helping make our first-ever calendar a success!

You can pre-order online at congerhouse.org/calendar

09/20/2026

🎈 Happy Airship Day!

On September 20, 1899, Washington County was supposed to witness the future.

Washington inventor and showman Frank Brinton had promised a demonstration of his full-sized flying machine at the Washington County fairgrounds. Thousands of curious spectators gathered, hoping they were about to see a man take to the skies years before the Wright brothers made their famous flight.

There was just one small problem:

The airship didn’t fly.

The highly anticipated demonstration ended with Brinton's machine firmly attached to the ground and a crowd that was, shall we say, less than thrilled. Newspapers had plenty of fun with the story afterward, and Brinton eventually acquired the unforgettable nickname “Airship Brinton.”

It would be easy to remember September 20 simply as the day everything went wrong. But Brinton was also attempting something remarkable. At a time when powered human flight still sounded like science fiction to many people, a local inventor was actually trying to build a machine that could do it.

He didn’t conquer the skies that day. But 125+ years later, we’re still talking about it.

🎈 Happy Airship Day, Washington County!

09/12/2026

On the subject of Nira: there is a beautiful wintertime painting of the community on display at the Conger House Museum, painted by Maynard Goff Sr.

Come see it in person! The museum will be open tomorrow, Sunday the 13th, from 2:00–4:00 PM.

09/11/2026

🗺️Gone From The Map🗺️

📍Nira📍

Nira was located in Lime Creek Township, west of Wellman. The community received its name in 1879 in honor of Nira Bell, wife of Washington postmaster Col. W. B. Bell. By the late 1880s, Nira had become a flourishing community with a general store, hardware store, and cheese factory.

Business had slowed considerably by the 1920s, and eventually only a single general store, owned by Eli Yoder, remained.

Nira would become nationally famous in 1933. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the National Industrial Recovery Act — NIRA, and a new postage stamp was issued in connection with the program.

Nira was selected for a special day of stamp sales, and on August 17, 1933, nearly 1,000 visitors descended on the tiny community. Postmaster Eli Yoder prepared for the crowds, and visitors were even treated to free watermelon.

Today, little remains of the community, but for one extraordinary day, Nira, Iowa, was known across the nation.

09/05/2026

🍂 Fall is just around the corner at the Washington County Historical Society!

We’re excited to share our fall schedule, with opportunities to visit several of Washington County’s historic sites and join us for some special seasonal events.

🎬 The Conger House Museum will be open September 13 and 27 from 2:00–4:00 p.m. September 27 will also be your last chance to see our Cinema of Washington County special exhibit!

🏫 This fall will also include open houses at the Red Brick School and Walnut School, giving visitors a chance to step inside two wonderful pieces of Washington County’s educational history.

🍽️ Our Annual Meeting will be held at the Kalona Historical Village, including a chicken dinner and admission to the Washington County Military Museum. Advance registration is required at congerhouse.org/meeting

🎃 And we’ll wrap up the season with Halloween at the Conger House, a relaxed afternoon exploring the history and traditions of Halloween, with light refreshments served.

Please save the dates, share this post with your friends, and come spend some time with us this fall. We’d love to see you!

08/26/2026

08/25/2026

🎉 950 followers! 🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who follows, shares, comments, visits, and helps support the Washington County Historical Society. We’re thrilled to have reached 950 followers!

Now we have our sights set on a big milestone: 1,000 followers.

If you enjoy local history, old photographs, forgotten stories, and museum updates, please consider sharing our page with your friends and family and inviting them to follow along.

We’re only 50 followers away!