The Marne Business Community [Continued}

Located on the northeast corner of Washington and Main Streets around the turn of the century was the Derby restaurant. The first telephone switchboard in Marne was located in a corner of this restaurant when the Marne and Elk Horn Telephone Company constructed its first line from Marne to Rorbeck in 1903. The switchboard was moved some years later across the street to the second floor of the building north of the Marne House Hotel. A grocery store was operated later where the Derby restaurant had been, but soon resumed operation as a restaurant under the ownership and management of Mr. and Mrs. George Johnson, Sr. South of the Marne House Hotel for many years was the grain elevator, coalyard and cattle-shipping operations of John Findlay. He opened for business here in 1880. The Marne Shipping Association later operated this business around the turn of the century and for many years afterward, with Andrew Lastine as manager. John McEachim had his grain business on the southeast corner of Washington and Main Streets in the 1870's and 1880's. The Green Bay Lumber Company bought this property in 1887 and remained in business here for over fifty years. The elections to incorporate the town of Marne were held in the office in 1892. Various other businesses were in Marne at other locations. Blacksmith shops were operated by E. I. Pardee, Adolph Koch, S. Hunt, and I. Morrison in the 1800's. Theron W. Winters, Lewis Kellogg, a Mr. Bills and W. W. Winters all had carpenter shops here in the 19th century. The Sorensons and Mr. Toulouse supplied this area with new wells and excavating work. Mrs. Blake had a loom and made woven goods for many years. Martin Bendixen and Ben Skow were widely known as interior decorators specializing in painting and wallpaper and wood finishing. The Farmers Elevator Company purchased and shipped thousands of bushels of grain each year. And of course, Thomas O. Meredith owned and operated the hotel named The Brighton House, now the Masonic Hall. In addition to the business community of a town, the public institutions and social organizations of that town reflect the pride of its citizens. The first school in Marne was a subscription school conducted by a Miss Hall in the upper floor of one of the business houses on Washington Street. This school opened in the Spring of 1876 and was discontinued when the first public school building was erected in 1877 on the northeast corner of Fourth and Washington Streets. This building remained in use until the new brick school building opened in January, 1951. The Marne School merged with Atlantic about 1960 and Marne School was closed in 1972 despite the strong protests of the Marne Community. Some important graduates of the Marne School include: Edwin T. Meredith, founder of the Meredith Publishing Company, Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa, and U. S. Secretary of Agriculture during the Woodrow Wilson administration; The Lasker Brothers, founders of the Lasker Iron Works of Chicago, which manufactured the space capsule for the first landing on the moon; Ralph Toulouse Sprague, the Pricilla Wayne who was a columnist with the "Des Moines Register and Tribune" for many years. The first church in Marne was that of the Methodist Protestants which was erected just east of the Marne School in 1879. The congregation purchased the former Presbyterian Church in 1926. The Marne Presbyterian Church was organized in 1882 and built their sanctuary some time afterward. The Methodists bought this structure in 1926 and continue to worship here; this is the only active church in Marne at the present time and is located at Third and Washington Streets. The Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed on the northeast corner of Washington and Taft Streets on the South Hill in the 1880's. The congregation was disbanded some time after the turn of the century and the building torn down. Marne has also been the home of active fraternal and civic organizations over the years. Marne at one time had active lodges of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Odd Fellows, and the GrandArmy of the Republic. The oldest organization now in Marne is the very active Masonic Lodge and the associated Order of the Eastern Star. Civic organizations presently include the strongly supported Marne Community Club, the Garden Club, the Elderberries, and the United Methodist Women. Also the youth have their organizations including the very active Brighton Township 4-H clubs and the United Methodist Youth Fellowship. The most vital organization in Marne is that of the Marne Volunteer Fire Department. The fire department was established in the early years after the founding of Marne and its members have faithfully maintained their tradition of service to the community. The original hose cart of the fire department is still preserved. The citizens of Marne are proud of the modern fire-fighting equipment and dedication to duty of the Marne Volunteer Fire Department.

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Transcribed from "The First Century, A History of Marne, Iowa 1875 - 1975", published in 1975, Marne, Iowa: The Marne Centennial Historical Committee, pp. 16-17. Transcribed (2015) by Cheryl Siebrass and contributed September, 2019.