Lost in the Midwest: Westgate, IA.

Closed Chevrolet dealership. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Randalia, IA.

Randalia had a population of 84 with 36 housing units for Census 2000. S & W Farm Supply, long out of business, is the only remaining retail building in Randalia. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Fayette, IA.

Fayette is located in Northeast Iowa at the intersection of Highways 150 and 93 on the Volga River. A community of some 1400 people. The largest employer, with 180, is Upper Iowa University. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: X-Rhodes Bar

While I was standing in front of the bar, the owner appeared and offered to move her car so that the photograph could be taken without blocking the view. Only in the Midwest! (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Rhodes, IA.

In 1853, Conway Rhodes, born in Ohio but recently of Illinois, secured large amount of land and on August 29, 1856, platted the town of Rhodes, which was then called Edenville, a name it held until 1928. There were other small settlements such as Round Grove, which centered around rural churches, but, they soon disappeared. Once a thriving community containing all the business of much larger towns, Rhodes suffered the exodus of young people. Today the population is less than 300. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Garrison Public Library

Enjoy family and friends on this Memorial Day. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: White Door Garrison, Iowa

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Lost in the Midwest: Garrison

On the right is the Peoples Savings Bank. Built in 1911 it is now a private residence. The middle door lead to the office of Dr. Carle. He is long gone and his office is now unused and empty. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Garrison, IA.

In 1995 the community received an Iowa All Star Community Award, and in 1994 it was one of the top 5 communities in a nation wide contest to be named "The Best Little Small Town In America." Today, all the retail/offices along this main street are either empty or converted to private living. Recently, because it was falling down, the local theater was purposely burned. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: R J's

Most small Iowa communities have a grain elevator. A select few have a regional press. Almost all have a local bar/restaurant. Garwin has all three. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the midwest: Garwin Uptown

The images included in the Lost in the Midwest essay are intended to show "the cruel radiance of what is" rather then a postcard view of beauty. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Garwin Savoy/Library

Garwin has/had folks that were highly skilled brick layers. The closed Savoy is crafted in the same manner as an early Garwin post (May 16). Garwin Library, while closed in this image, is still open. Signs of disintegration have a poetry, a personal resonance. I feel an affection for their present ghostly air of decay. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Garwin Wall

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Lost in the Midwest: Garwin Harware

The next few posts will be details of the one square mile that is the community of Garwin, Iowa.

The hardware store, while not empty or for sale/lease, is closed. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Garwin, IA.

Garwin is representative of many small Midwestern communities. As of 2009, Garwin's population is 542 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of -3.54 percent. The unemployment rate in Garwin is about 7.70 percent. Recent job growth is negative. Garwin jobs have decreased by 4.50 percent. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Tama Wall

Wall painting honoring US Route 30 a.k.a. the Lincoln Highway. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Tama

It appears that much of the Midwest is closed, empty, and for sale or lease. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Tama, IA.

T-N-T is closed. In today's economy pawn shops are having hard times. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Keystone

Millers General Store is empty, closed and for sale. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Keystone, IA.

In the summer and fall of 1881, with the arrival of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad, mostly German immigrants settled and platted the town of Keystone. Whether they named Keystone for being almost half way between Chicago and Omaha, or the “keystone” of the railroad line, is not known. Today, Keystone is a community of 690 residents. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Van Horn

The Lodge is just a couple of doors away from the Bobcat (yesterdays post). The Bobcat is open and often busy and the Lodge is closed and for sale. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest; Van Horn, IA

The Bobcat Den in downtown Van Horn. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Newhall, IA

The townsite of Newhall was settled in the summer of 1881 with the building of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad west from Marion, Iowa. The land was owned by Thomas and Samuel Mc Granahan and was transferred to the Milwaukee Land Company in January 1882. Newhall grew rapidly and by march 1882 the town has four general stores, two blacksmith shops, lumberyards, one hardware store, an implement dealer, a hotel with a saloon and about fifteen residences.

Today, Newhall has a population of some 854 people. As with many Midwest communities in the corn and bean belt, you find the business activity centered around the grain elevator. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Rebuild Downtown

Home of Rebuild Downtown C. R. in Cedar Rapids. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest: Dryer

Dryers are use to help eliminate the dampness caused by the flood. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest:Sorry, We're Closed

Signs, like this, can be found throughout Cedar Rapids. The flood waters rendered buildings unstable, unusable and unsafe. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest:Cedar Rapids Bent

Due to the spring flood much of the Cedar Rapids downtown is empty. Many buildings are boarded and vacant. There is a smell of dampness everywhere. Parking garages are returning to use, but there are few users. (click on image to enlarge)

Lost in the Midwest:Icon Updated

Say Midwest and many folks answer with Grant Wood. The following posts will take us around the state of Iowa. Small communities-some alive and some dead-will be featured. Get out your maps and follow along as we travel. (click on image to enlarge)