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Buena Vista County

City of Storm Lake

The town of Storm Lake dates from the arrival of the Dubuque & Sioux City railway in the year 1870. Prior to that time in the neighborhood of twenty families had settled about the lake, some on the southwest side and others on the north side. A man by the name of Vincent settled southeast of the lake, taking one hundred and sixty acres as a homestead; he sold several lots on his farm, upon which some buildings were erected. It was current at the time that Vincent and the railway company had an understanding by which the homestead was to be conveyed to the company as soon as a patent was secured, and the town was to be located there, but when Vincent had proved up they refused to convey and in retaliation the town site was moved west to another location. The town was laid out into lots during the month of July and on the 11th day of August, 1870, the lots were placed on sale. At that time, T. S. Smith operated a hotel and Smith Brothers a store on the site of the old town, but they promptly moved to the new site and before fall several additional buildings had been erected and the town was doing business with the surrounding settlers.

At the present time Storm Lake is one of the best small cities in Iowa, having all the conveniences and advantages of the larger towns, without their disadvantages. In a material way the town has excellent stores and business places, three solid banks, an electric light system, a gas plant, water works, and the citizens are now engaged in a campaign for sewers. From an educational point of view there are excellent schools, the college and the Carnegie library, which is equipped with a fine assortment of standard reference works and also much of a lighter nature. From the moral and religious view there are churches with their affiliated societies, a Young Men's Christian Association, and for the social part there are numerous lodges and societies. It has been said that Storm Lake is a beautiful city, and this is conceded by all who have visited it. In the summer, when the trees are at their best and nature is at her most beautiful period, it is hard to find a lovelier place than Storm Lake, the town overlooking the pretty lake. Within the past few years the advantages of the lake have come to be more appreciated and across the lake from the town, at Fisher's Point, has been erected several cottages where people from the surrounding country come to spend a few weeks of their vacation in healthful surroundings. The Chautauqua draws thousands every summer and is growing in popularity. The County Normal Institute is held here every summer, bringing every teacher of the county for instruction in school work. And with it all Storm Lake has a contented, happy people, who receive the visitor and bid him welcome.