History of Essex
1852 - John Hadden & Family Homesteaded in Essex (March 10)
1856 - Log School House at Franklin Grove
1870 - City of Essex Founded First House in Essex (May) Fremont Lutheran Church (May 9) Essex Post Office Founded (July 1) Essex Officially Platted (September 15) Bethesda Lutheran Church (December 26)
1870s - Diphtheria Epidemic
1871 - Railroad Completed (April) *First railroad built in Page County and only one still operating today* Railroad Depot Opened for Business (April) First Doctor - Dr. L. Brackney
1872 - First Essex Bank Founded by B.M. Webster First School House
1873 - First Grain Elevator Erected
1874 - Morgan House Hotel
1875 - Bank Founded by B.M. Webster Re-Organized as "Commercial Bank" Union House Hotel First Attorney - L.S. Hanna
1876 - First Mill Erected Essex Index (February) St. John's Lutheran Church (July 8) Essex Baptist Church (January 15) Mountain Lodge No. 360 Founded (June 7) Essex Masonic Lodge Founded
1877 - Essex Opera House Built
1878 - Lindel Hotel Essex Weekly News First United Presbyterian Church (December 8)
1880s - Scarlet Fever Epidemic First Men's League Baseball Teams
1882 - Blacksmith Shop
1888 - Biggest Blizzard (January 12) Essex Cemetery Established (October)
1891 - First Veterinarian, M M Linger, DVM (July)
1894 - Essex Opera House Moved to 701 Iowa Avenue The Essex Independent (February 9)
1896 - West Franklin Birthday Club Founded (July 18) First Fire Recorded (September 25) *Took Red Oak Fire Department 14 minutes to arrive by train*
1901 - First Fire Fighting Equipment Purchased 4-H Program Founded at Goldenrod School in Fremont Township *Founded near Essex under leadership of Jessie Field Shambaugh, also known as "The Mother of 4-H". First boys "Corn Clubs" and girls "Home Clubs" were organized under 4-H. Many Essex area youth & future leaders were among first ever 4-H'ers, including Martin Johnson. Goldenrod School is now a museum located at the Nodaway Valley Historical Museum in Clarinda, Iowa. * "First National Bank" was Formed (February 18) First Telephone Service
1903 - Essex Fire Department Organized (January 2)
1904 - Evangelical Covenant Church 1905 - Lutheran Cemetery Established (December 23)
1906 - Iowans Hotel Opened (November 15) Essex Football Began 1909 - Essex Commercial Club Formed (September)
1910 - 1st Annual Market Days (March) First Lights in Town 1912 - Chautauqua Sessions Started (Came Through for 18 Years) 1917 - Boldest Robbery to Date: $8,000 of Clothing (November 27th)
1919 - Essex American Legion Chartered
1920 - Essex Airport Founded East Franklin Birthday Club Founded
1922 - Market Days Moved to Fall Festival (September) 1923 - Biggest Fire: St. John's Lutheran Church Destroyed (April 2)
1924 - St. John's Lutheran Church Present Structure Dedicated (August 10) First Local Club 4-H Meeting Held Sam Bengston Showed a 4-H Gilt at the Shenandoah Fair
1926 - Happy Hour Club Founded (February 14)
1930 - Windy Summit Birthday Club Founded (March 9)
1932 - Johnson Bros Purchased Elevator 1934 - Suburban Circle Club Founded (August 3)
1935 - Just For Fun Club Founded (January) Tomorrows Club Founded (September 23)
1938 - 4 T Club Founded (October)
1939 - Essex Public Library Organized (February) Essex Library Opened (April 22)
1940s - The Boy Scout Organization Active in Community *Sponsored by St. John's Lutheran Church since the 1930s*
1944 - Monday Study Club Founded (September 25)
1948 - Essex American Legion Auxiliary Chartered Opera House purchased by American Legion Post 333
1950 - Fall Festival Moved to Labor Day *First Three Day Event* Dedication of School Gymnasium on East Street
1951 - Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts Established in Essex 1954 - First Fertilizer Mixing & Dry Fertilizer Begins 1957 - Study and Service Club Founded (February 6) 1958 - Merry Mixers Club Founded (July 18)
1959 - Essex Elevator Founded
1960 - Essex Elevator Incorporated
1970 - First Dial Service for Telephone Students Moved into New Senior High School on Forbes (Spring) Grand 3-Day Labor Day Celebration & Centennial Pageant
1973 - Mayor Roy McGraw (November 6, 1973 - November 3, 1981)
1974 - Johnson's Sub-Division Platted
1975 - Grasshopper Infestation (June)
1976 - Johnson's Sub-Division Dedicated to City Essex Masonic Lodge Centennial Masonic Lodge Merged with Shenandoah Masonic Lodge
1979 - Essex Childcare Center Founded (September)
1980 - New Fire Station, City Hall & Community Room at 412 Iowa Avenue
1981 - Mayor Charles Kinney (November 7, 1989 - November 4, 1997)
1992 - New Elementary School Opens (February) Kirchert Electric Moved to 101 Forbes Street
1995 - "First National Bank" Purchased by Panhandle Banks, "Bank Iowa" (June 27)
1997 - Mayor Charles D. White (November 4, 1997 - November 6, 2001) Dr. Janet Wheat Chiropractic Opens in Essex (March)
2000 - Johnson Bros Mills Sold to Essex Elevator, Inc.
2001 - Mayor Charles L. Kinney (November 6, 2001 - November 2007) Red's Café Closed (August 23) Babe's Café Opened, Curtis Riley (September 1) Lied Public Library Dedication (October 13) Downtown Fire Destroyed Restaurant, Damaged Day Care (November 9) Tymeline Restaurant Closed Due to Fire 2004 - Saundra Marion, RN-LMT, Massage Therapy Founded Anderson Park Dedication (July)
2005 - Essex Hardware Store Closes (Fall) 2006 - Tech Support Services, Inc. & Stitches & Baskets Downtown (Spring) Sunset Avenue Built & Dedicated (September) Essex Trojans, State Runner Up in 8-Man Football
2007 - Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Long (November 2007 - January 2008) Shenandoah Medical Center Purchases Medical Building (Spring) Essex Health Center Opens (September) Essex Elevator, Inc. Sold to United Farmers Mercantile Coop Essex Elevator, Inc. Storage Sold to Green Plains Renewable Energy
2008 - Mayor Russell E. Hilker (January 2008 - September 2017) Essex Veterans Memorial Dedicated (May 26) Sheridan's Gas Station Closed (July 31) Quonset Buildings at Essex School Removed (September) Casey's General Store Opens (December 18) 2009 - Iowan's Hotel (Railroad Inn) Listed on National Historic Register (January 29) Goranson Seed, Pioneer Hi-Bred Opened at 611 Central (August) Essex Community Club Centennial (Founded September 1909) Royer Construction Established at 405 Iowa Avenue Railroad Inn Purchased by Greg & Rosie Stark 2010 - Am Legion Post #333 Sells Opera House Building at 701 Iowa Avenue Big Daddy's Opened at 701 Iowa Avenue (Spring) Silver Tankard Opened at 501 Iowa Avenue Essex Childcare Center Building Façade Renovation at 513 Iowa Avenue (August) 529 Iowa Avenue Building Razed (August) Gary's Garage Opened at 500 Iowa Avenue (October) 100th Essex Community Celebration: "A Century of Celebrations!" 2011 - Stitches & Baskets Closed (January) CP Self Storage Opened (May) Labor Day Theme: "Small Town... Big Dreams"
2017 - Mayor Marian Durfey (September 2017 - December 2021)
2020 - Essex Sesquicentennial (Postponed due to COVID)
2022 - Mayor Calvin Kinney (January 2022 - Present) Garrison's Pub N Grub Opens (Mark & Tami Garrison)
2023 Tess Nelson hired as the Community Development Director (May) The remodeled Essex Opera House reopens as a beautiful event venue in Essex. The open house is held over Labor Day Weekend 2023 2023 Labor Day Theme is "There's No Place Like Home."
2024 Labor Day Theme is "The Beat Goes On."
2070 - Essex Bi-Centennial Sources: 1970 Essex Centennial History, Historical Records, Local Citizens, Essex Community Club