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This history book described the town site as “charmingly situated on a level plateau of land, a part of the great valley through which flows the Big Sioux, tending toward the southwest; it furnishes a water-power seldom equaled in all Iowa.”

H.D. Barr hauled the lumber for the first buildings, which included a hotel opened by George Reed at the corner of Second and Reed Streets. It was called Reed’s Hotel, although by 1890 it was known as Plymouth House. The hotel housed the men employed in constructing the dam and mill. Barr was a miller by trade and operated the old Sioux Mills.

E.W. Sargent said “… there was but little settlement made in the township until after 1880, on account of the railroad difficulty, arising out of disputed title to lands claimed by both the government and by the railroad company, to whom a grant had been given, but the contract, it seems, had not been lived up to by the railroad company, which finally lost the land, and then it was thrown open to actual settlers, who came flocking in very rapidly.”

The first bridge across the Big Sioux River was built in 1880. The 1890 history book also listed the following “first happenings” … • The first child born within Portland Township was a son to Mr. and Mrs. George Reed, the second being

Grant Barr, in February 1872. • The first death was that of a son of Capt. A.H. Smith,

“who was cut down like a tender plant” in the fall of 1872. • The first marriage ceremony was that uniting Mr.

Andrew Palm to Miss Emma Johnson, in 1873. • The first to sell lumber at Akron was S. Bevins. • Thomas Sedgwick was the first to deal in livestock. • The pioneer blacksmith was M. W. Toppings. • Henry L. Waterbury was the first harness-maker. • The first to retail meat was J. Booth. • The first hardware store was conducted by William

Lowe in 1877. • The first to engage in the drug trade was L.H. Farmer.

The Akron Opera House.

The earliest agricultural implement dealer was M.L. Disbrow. The first furniture was sold by August Peterson.

In 1882, a petition for incorporation was decided upon by a vote of 41 to 16. The new town was christened Akron, a name selected by Sargent since he felt that the old name was too long.

The 1890 history book said “The people in and around Akron are a God-fearing people, as is evinced by the numerous religious societies … Elder Freeman (Baptist) held the first religious services in 1871-72 … the Methodist

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