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THE EARLY DAYS OF AKRON:
By Bob Fitch
Flowery and boastful language was common in history books in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the book, “History of the Counties of Woodbury and Plymouth, Iowa,” published in 1890 by A. Warner & Co., Akron’s home township was described in glowing terms: "To be a citizen of Portland township and a land owner there, in 1890, is a part of a man's life of which he need never be ashamed. Here one travels over the finest lay of land and the most fertile, easily tilled soil in the world. Here one beholds a rural scene which is
The train arrives on time at the Akron Depot.
ever a feast to the eye. Here one meets the combined industry and intelligence of both native and foreign-born citizens. Here one sees marks of thrift and true wealth – of comfort and happiness; of moral and religious sentiment, seldom adorning any one subdivision of a county.”
The 1890 history book said “The first man to avail himself of the opportunities found in this part of the county was Joshua B. Hughes, who homesteaded the southwest quarter of section thirty-two in 1869.” The roadside historical plaque in Akron says E.W. Sargent and L.N. Crill constructed a flour mill and dam just north of the town site, where the high bank of the Big Sioux River offered a splendid location for waterpower. On May 22, 1872, Sargent and Crill platted the town of Portlandville, which was the town name for its first 10 years. Sargent also opened a general merchandise store just south of the mill and, in 1876, opened an elevator.
