Coon Rapids... IOWA!!

Coon Rapids, Iowa...

It's a Great Place! 

I grew up in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Lived there for the first 21 years of my life, before moving to Colorado in 1996. Basically for the expressed purpose of getting the hell away from Coon Rapids, Minnesota.

Fast forward to October 29, 2017. Laura and I were making the drive from Denver to Minnesota, with an overnight stay in Waterloo, Iowa, to visit my sister. For our future, the writing was on the wall. We’d be moving back to Coon Rapids, Minnesota, within the next year. This trip was the beginning of the end of our living in Colorado.

Which is a story for another time. 

We left Denver a little before midnight, the night before. I drove through Nebraska and Colorado while she slept. Waking up only when I stopped at a truck stop along the freeway for gas or needed restroom visits. She woke up just as we were coming out of Omaha. (I'd love to take pictures of that abandoned complex of huge silos on the north side of I-80, just across the Iowa border.) Both of us deciding that we needed food soon, as a billboard advertised what would be our next stop.

Shelby, Iowa. Home of The Corn Crib restaurant, gas station and convenience store. Conveniently located right off I-80. The restaurant sits inside a restored barn. (These two pictures with the bright sky, were taken in September, 2015.) A small sculpture garden sits directly south of the barn, overlooking the interstate.

While we were eating, Laura was looking at an Iowa state roap map and found Coon Rapids. While it wasn’t exactly on our planned route, it wasn’t too far off the path. So we decided to go see the Iowa version of hometown before going to Waterloo.

If you’re ever driving through western Iowa, and need a food break, I fully endorse The Corn Crib. The food is good, the prices are acceptable, and it’s easy to get in and back on the road in a timely manner.

I had all that written out and was looking online for a link to their site, and found out The Corn Crib has permanently closed. According to a Google review from October, 2019, the interior of the building was completely cleared.

So that sucks... 

On to Coon Rapids... IOWA!

Both of us heard that Iowa had it's own town sharing a name with our hometown, many years ago. Now we were in the general area, and had the time to see it in person, so it was something we had to do.

A few miles east of Shelby, we would exit the freeway and set out on lesser travelled country roads. At the top of the Highway 25 exit, I saw this sign advertising a salad bar for a restaurant that wasn’t here. Just a bunch of semi trailers and no building. Hopes of finding an additional abandoned building to photograph were dashed, but I was optimistic about what could be found in Coon Rapids.

After driving another 15-20 miles on roads that look like this...

Much better than what I'd been staring at on the interstate since Denver.

First sign of civilization along highway 25 was the small town of Guthrie Center, after crossing the South Raccoon River. We would need to turn off 25 onto highway 141 in this town. 141 would take us to Coon Rapids (Iowa), once we crossed the Middle Raccoon River.

It’s not called Coon Creek in this state...

Driving east on highway 141, you eventually go through a small town named Bayard. Bayard seems to be just a cluster of residential property, without any real commercial offerings. However, the Google-made satellite map notes a place called Fast Stop Express. And that would be…

A gas station without the station. Four gas pumps sit along side the road. No car wash, no cold beverages, no lotto, no cigarettes… And someone stole the squeegee! So you can’t even wash your windows here. Just get your gas and get out of Bayard!

But Bayard used to have a real gas station, what would appear to be MANY years ago…

On our first drive by, I'd assumed this building was just another barn. We'd seen enough of them on this road, so that made sense. But as I looked at it closer, I decided we needed to make a U-turn and check it out further. The old "hockey stick" style lights on an overgrown cement platform clued me in. There was once gas pumps under those! If you look to the left of the door blocked by rusty farm equipment, in very faint blue paint, you can read: "Beets Service".

The overhead Google map shows this a little better. 

Beets Service is blocked off by fence around the property, but I was able to walk down the alley to get a better look. No idea what decade was Beets last in the fuel service industry, but the building has been taken over by horses.

We have to get to Coon Rapids... IOWA!

Before entering Coon Rapids, Highway 141 crosses the Middle Raccoon River. A small park sits between the highway and river bend. South of the highway is the Whiterock Conservancy, a nature reserve with camping and lodging located along a good stretch of the river.

The Middle Raccoon River flows under the Specialist Shawn "OX" Muhr Memorial Bridge.

The first right turn after the bridge allows you to enter the Coon Rapids Sculpture Park. 

No one else was around, so we parked the car (with the Colorado 420 license plates) on this loop. 

Sadly, it would be less than 2 weeks later that we would never drive this car again. Thanks to a surprise deer attack on I-80, just west of Gothenberg, Nebraska, this car was totalled. I rescued one of the 420 plates from the car lot it had been towed to a couple miles away. Due to that and other reasons, a normal 15 hour drive from Minnesota to Denver, took 77 hours. Pure insanity...

In the distance, a small body of water with an unknown name, sits beyond the limits of the sculpture park. I'm going to call it Crooked Lake! On second thought, the water is adjacent to a Coon Rapids golf course... Guess that would make this Bunker Lake. A painted wood sign with the town's name sits atop a pile of landscaping, on the left side of this picture. Opposite that is a windmill made of golf clubs.

According to our president, windmills cause cancer. 

What kind of cancer would a windmill made out of one of his favorite things cause?

There is a tiny sign on the tractor that reads: "It's OK to climb on this sculpture." 

Same with the carousel, complete with seat belts!

I get what they were going for here, but it looks like it's squatting over to take a dump. 

Still, I rather like this piece! 

This one is pretty weak...

I like the "Farm Parade" sculpture. And that dog is packing!

Kiosks in the Sculpture Park featured maps and information about the area.

This one discussed the hiking trails in and around the park.

Walking further down the gravel path, past this weird wavy thing.

The path leads to another turn around, with a raised platform at the end. For whatever reason, I didn't walk out to it. Wish I would have...

Missed out on pictures of the river, the bridge and whatever was beyond it.

Some of the trees around the river.

This kiosk featured a town map. We examined the map for a few minutes, planning out what we wanted to do while in Coon Rapids. The north side of town looked to be set up as mostly residential, so we'd focus on the Main Street business district, noted at the top of the map.

Thank you sign! 

I'd like to note that Coon Rapids, Iowa, was established nearly 100 years before Coon Rapids, Minnesota. 

Fun fact!

Officially crossing into city limits, light rain began falling. I didn't get a picture from the car without raindrops on the windshield. To the right of the highway sits Coon Rapids Golf Course, wishing it was Bunker...

Coon Rapids, Minnesota, had a population of 61,476 at the 2010 Census. Coon Rapids, Iowa had only 1305 people living there in 2010. Estimates have it going down some in recent years. Beyond the common name, these two towns couldn't be more different. Which is a good thing!

Rounding the corner, with more raindrops.

A wooden sign at the intersection of Highway 141 and 5th Avenue, tells newcomers where the churches are at.

Google Map of the south Coon Rapids.

The location of Dollar General is marked wrong. It's actually the building to the right of it.

The southwest corner of the intersection houses the Coon Rapids Country Store. (Where's Red Owl?) We were going to stop here, before going into town. To the left of the station is the Alpine Laser Car Wash.

Washing your cars with laser beams!?! 

Why didn't they put that in when they tore down the Coon Rapids (MN) Perkins?

Shop local. Good advice. But I don't see a whole lot of national chains in town...

A calendar inside the Country Store. 

Foreshadowing!

The Country Store had a small seating area inside for people to eat their gas station food. The walls had bulletin boards for flyers and local advertising. Like this one promoting the town's 2018 Passport promotion. With monthly drawings for $50 in "Coon Bucks".

Knowing the debate around the racial overtones of the name Coon Rapids, that rages in these parts of Minnesota, part of me is incredibly tickled that the samely named town in Iowa is running a promotion with a prize being called "Coon Bucks."

Different world completely...

A picture on the wall salutes the 2011 State Baseball Qualifying team.

No, thank you, Country Store! For providing needed restrooms, cold beverages and light snacks! Necessary fuel for our upcoming self-guided walking tour of downtown Coon Rapids. Not to mention a common business name linking our two cities. Even if the Minnesota version is a tribute to the past.

Another sculpture at the corner of 141 and 5th.

The Dollar General across the highway.

Looking northwest from the Country Store parking lot, with Highway 141 going through the distance. A sign advertising the downtown Hardware Hank store, hangs from the end of the white building. Which Google misidentified as Dollar General.

A better look at the Hank sign.

We drove up 141 and turned right onto E63, or Highway Street. A very creative name. 

I really wish it would have been named Coon Rapids Boulevard.

From Highway Street, we'll turn up 6th Avenue and try to find parking on Main. If it's not too busy...

A Cenex gas station without a station. 

If this was Coon Rapids Blvd., I guess this would be Speedway?

The Downtown Business District. According to Google. This satellite image was taken after our visit in October, 2017. I'll tell you how I know this in a while...

Which may have something to do with the building on the right, just before the railroad tracks.

Yup banner, we're here!

6th Avenue and Railroad Street, with Main Street just behind it.

Our car, parked in front of the Dahn & Woodhouse Funeral Home.

I didn't take a drink from it, but the fountain in front was operational, and not gross looking. 

The building next door had no signage, but didn't appear to be abandoned.

Across 6th Avenue is Reineke Electric. Looks like an old gas station.

Across Main Street is another part of Syngenta, who also operate at the railroad tracks a block or so away on 5th Avenue.

There's me, standing outside our car, looking at the row of stores on Main. The aforementioned Hardware Hank, Coon Rapids Pharmacy, the Raccoon Club, the Northside bar and an IOOF building?

Row of shops on the south side of Main, with me standing in the middle of the street. With Janssen Plumbing & Heating, a Pub that I don't remember the name of, Napa Auto Parts, the Village Hobby House, Coon Rapids Enterprise and Mohr Lumber.

Looking east down Main Street.

Before moving on, let's go back to the corner of 6th and Main. North side first...

Professional Office Building. Another clever name. If you look at the reflection, you can see the Amateur Office Building across the street. We'll take a look at that later.

The only tenant in the Professional Office Building in October 2017, was Lewis Chiropractic. 

Next door was more Professional Office Building, even though it looked different. This building is from 1894, according to the plaque in the bricks. I'm not sure if there's a tenant in this building.

Honestly didn't think there were any Hardware Hank's around anymore. They were closed so we couldn't go in, which I would have liked to do. It was late in the morning on a Sunday when we were here, but apparently the store doesn't open that day. Unfortunate for residents, as this is about the only retail around if anyone needed anything.

As shocked as I was that a Hardware Hank still existed, it was even more shocking in that it's a new store.

Google's satellite view is from later than October 2017, but the limited Google Street View of Coon Rapids, Iowa, is dated 2009. Back then, the Coon Rapids, Iowa Hardware Hank was a True Value Hardware, with Coast to Coast Hardware labels on the front windows. The brick was painted brown back then instead of the dark grey it is now.

I remember that logo!

The Coon Rapids Pharmacy sits next door. Halloween decorations in the windows here and at Hank's mark the holiday, being only 2 days away at this point.

Those letters are hung kind of erratically.

With the darkened windows, there wasn't a whole lot to see of the Raccoon River Social Club. 

Bringing a bit of the upscale to Main?

And across to the south side of the block...

Napa sells it's auto parts out of a building with a W. H. Pingrey plaque at the roof. Pingrey was a top name in central Iowa real estate in the 1890's, and was from Waterloo. Where we would be going after leaving Coon Rapids.

After a devastating tornado in 1886, and a series of fires between 1887 and 1894, a new downtown business district was built near the railroad tracks. The new buildings would be brick and stone, able to withstand more of the damage nature could inflict on a small prairie town in the late 19th century.

Many of these buildings lining main street, date back that far.

Another view of that block.

Coon Rapids, Iowa, Masonic Temple. Built in 1911.

Village Hobby House and Village Salon now operate in the 109 year old structure. 

Next door are the Carroll Area Nursing Service office, and offices of the Coon Rapids Enterprise. The community newspaper, established in 1881.

With Mohr Lumber at the end of the block. 

I did not take a better picture of Mohr for whatever reason....

Back across the street to the reverse side of the Raccoon Social Club sign. In it's road alternate colors...

Next door is the Northside bar. 

Laura took this picture and ended up having a lengthy conversation with this guy while I was taking photos a block away.

The Northside sits next to the Coon Rapids, Iowa, I.O.O.F. building, with the post office beside it.

Back in 2009, the Northside was known as Doug & Michael's Old School Pub. Thanks Google!

That Coon Rapids, Iowa, had an I.O.O.F. (International Order of Odd Fellows) chapter at one time, was the biggest shocker of all to me. Today, it's main floor is used by Ribbons & Roses. Assuming a flower/craft shop, and it was closed on this Sunday morning as well.

Like I said, I was shocked to find an I.O.O.F. building in Coon Rapids, Iowa. I'd never heard of the I.O.O.F. before I moved to Englewood, Colorado, and found a building with those letters on a marquee.

The I.O.O.F. building at 3425 S. Broadway Avenue in Englewood, Colorado. This chapter opened in 1928. 

While writing Wasted Quarter issue #70, I did some research on the I.O.O.F. The order's stated purpose is to “improve and elevate the character of man.” The I.O.O.F. traces its history back to the 17 century, when groups of people in Europe joined together to help less fortunately citizens. In 1819 the I.O.O.F. came to the United States, when it established in Boston. From there, the order spread west as America was explored and developed. The name Odd Fellows came from comments those groups would receive, declaring it odd to find fellows organizing to help others.

Englewood, Colorado, is a large inner-ring suburb of Denver. With thousands of people living nearby. I could see them having a chapter of an international organization. Coon Rapids, Iowa, has probably never had a population of more than a couple thousand, with nothing to draw people in from the immediate area. How could a town this small and remote have an I.O.O.F. chapter?

Blew my mind...

The Coon Rapids, Iowa, Post Office is next door to the I.O.O.F. Building. According to the plaque I haven't shown you, the Post Office was originally a part of the larger store. In 1957, this part of the store was cut of and remodelled into what it ia today.

While I was wandering around town, Laura went inside and snapped a few pictures.

The mail deposit box... Yeah, that looks pretty 1957 to me!

Rows of P.O. Boxes... From 1957...

The Post Office is part of what was once known as the Garst Store. The rest of the building is known as the New Hope Village Bargain Shop. Which looks like a thrift store to me. But again, it was closed on this Sunday morning. Unfortunately, because I'm sure a Coon Rapids, Iowa thrift store would have a couple of interesting things for the Archives.

A plaque on the wall tells the story of the Garst Store, with a rather sad end...

Turning to walk north on 5th Avenue, it's those solarium windows mentioned on the plaque!

Behind the stores on Main, sits the round Iowa Savings Bank.

Which looks like a giant orange juicer.

This sign was in the bank parking lot. I have no idea what it means.

Heading back to Main Street... On 5th Avenue, there's a small house, split into two separate business spaces. One half is Kristy's Kuts. The other half is vacant.

Main Street at 5th Avenue, looking east.

Iowa Savings bank has nearby competition in the Availa Bank.

Down the street from the bank is a small veterans memorial, next to the COMMUNITY BUILDING, also known as the American Legion.

Better view of the memorial.

Which wasn't there in 2009.

Three empty storefronts line the center of this block. 

Two of which are hidden from view behind drapery...

But the store in the middle wasn't hiding any secrets.

Once home to Coon Rapids Family Dentistry, noted by the painted faded lettering on the front window...

Looking in the front door. Through the hall up front is where the mouth drilling took place. The left behind calendar on the wall has the page flipped to May 2016. An educated guess is that's when all the dentistry stopped.

Behind the front desk. They left the chair behind too...

Frohlich's SuperValu is Coon Rapids, Iowa's only grocery store. I've always liked that classic SuperValu S logo... Wonder why one is so much more faded than the other?

The SuperValu ended the block, with just a small parking area before 4th Avenue.

Downtown Coon Rapids ends at 4th Avenue, with residential properties beyond this sign. I didn't venture into the housing areas of town.

The southwest corner of 4th and Main once housed the Coon Rapids Town Hall. The building stands, but isn't used for that anymore. The smaller building next door looks like it's still being used.

East side of the Town Hall.

Looking inside the garage door, renovations appear underway.

The door to the right of that has stairs leading up to a second level.

The town hall building dates back to 1911.

I wonder how old the Coon Rapids Racketball Club sign is. 

I wonder how long it took people to notice they misspelled Racquetball...

Apparently Racketball didn't take off, as this building became the Public Library in 1940.

While I don't know for certain if it was there in October, 2017, I also missed taking a picture of the small garden/park/memorial/statue area next door, on my walk. The slivers of it in this picture and the one after the next one, offer clues that it may have been under construction at the time.

To the Google Machine! 

Here's what it looked like in 2009. 

Much of the rest of this block is/was undergoing a major interior renovation.

Described on this flyer taped inside the windows.

While these three buildings look different on the exterior, all three were connected inside.

Not sure how much of a market Coon Rapids, Iowa, can provide for this sort of renovation project. It's ambitious for it's location, and I'm sure will look great once done. But with all of the other currently vacant retail property along Main Street, how will this building draw tenants that will make this sort of investment pay off?

Looking in at some of the work underway, starting with the building on the far left.

Thanks for leaving the lights on!

Kitchenette!

Not sure what's going on in this room. Start with a barn door, the projector on the ceiling aimed at the window, wagon wheels on the wall, strange path on the floor... They're going for something here...

Watch out for the major drop off on the first floor...

It's almost like this is all being built for a tenant they've already signed on to move in...

Chuck's Place on the end of the block isn't part of the renovation. 

Always loved the small town restaurant signs combined with soft drink advertising. As I walked around, I didn't think Chuck's was still open. That window there looks like it's covering up an abandoned building. But Chuck's has current and favorable reviews online, so I was fooled by the exterior.

The entrance offers no clues of openness either...

Turning around to take a picture of the mural painted on the wall of Mohr Lumber.

Walking away from Chuck's Place.

Looking around the south side of Chuck's Place. 

The backs of the buildings undergoing renovations are behind it.

Google lists this street as (a continuation of) Highway Street. According to this sign, it's just High Street. 

Southbound on 5th Avenue, looking beyond the railroad tracks.

Google's Street View of Coon Rapids, Iowa, leaves much to be desired. Not only are they over a decade old, but the only streets available trace the route we drove to Main Street, then down 5th Avenue, to this point. Stopping on the railroad tracks. In my mind, I'm going to pretend a train smashed into the Google camera van at this point, leaving it unable to finish photographing the town.

A small part of Google died in Coon Rapids... Iowa...

Though it is kind of cool to see the street I was walking on under construction. 

Continuing down to the end of the block is T&D Standard. 

More of a mechanic's shop than convenience like the Country Store.

Returning to the railroad tracks, here's the back side of the unknown building at 5th and Walnut Street. 

Looking eastward down the railroad tracks.

Looking westward up the railroad tracks. 

The large building on the left was demolished between when I took this picture and when Google took it's current satellite image.

Still looking west up the tracks. Something tells me this area would have looked drastically different 100 years ago. When the railroad was one of the most important links to connect small towns in rural areas.

I'm sure a great deal of buildings have been demolished over the last century, in the area where I'm standing. 

Rain had began lightly falling as I walked around these railroad tracks. I didn't notice a drop of water was on my camera lens until I took a couple of pictures. It can be seen awkwardly blurring up part of the Syntegra complex on the upper left side of the photo. These tracks also appear to have been removed when the building next to them was demolished. I couldn't find them in the Google satellite image.

That raindroppy smudge is still on my lens, interfering with my best picture of the large abandoned and doomed warehousey structure next to the track. Wonder how long ago that mural was painted on the doors?

Looking south down 6th Avenue.

Just past the large abandoned and doomed warehousey structure, sits the Coon Bowl III. (Should have gotten a better picture of that sign.) A bowling alley and restaurant. Seeing as this is Coon Bowl III, that implies there have been two other Coon Bowls. According to Wikipedia, bowling alleys in town date back to the early 1900's. 

I haven't yet decided weather the name Coon Bowl is worse than Coon Bucks... I bet the citizens of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, could weigh in on that, knowing how much debate the word "Coon" garners up here.

Maybe Iowa would be interested in the "Flower City" brand?

Another look down towards the Syntegra complex. I just wanted to include this picture because I liked the No Clearance post in the ground.

The tracks crossing 6th Avenue, looking south.

In Coon Rapids, Iowa!

Way back about 6 days ago, I mentioned the Amateur Office Building being reflected in the windows of the Professional Office Building, on 6th Avenue. That would be this...

Another Amateur part...

Further down 6th Avenue is another empty building.

With an alley between that and this.

Yes, it's an alley.

This sign has been reused a few too many times. I'm not even sure what business it's promoting anymore...

Gary's...

And across the street, a tree stump has been carved into an ear of corn. 

This is Iowa after all!

Here's the Coon Rapids (Iowa) Insurance Agency. 

The building responsible for the calendar hanging in the Country Store seating area!

Nice to finally see it in person!

At this point, we'd killed a whole bunch of time walking around Coon Rapids, and decided it was time to get on our way to Waterloo. We got in the car and drove back down 6th Avenue to Highway Street, then back out to Highway 141. Still time to get a few more pictures along Coon Rapids Blvd. on the way out.

Like this abandoned new house shaped building on a very old and weedy lot. 

Langel Electric & Repair. Which is/was not abandoned...

And this building with the strange wood panelling and papered up windows. Which was also looking just like this in the 2009 Google Street View. So this place has been abandoned for many years. Wonder what it was?

Sherwin Williams?

And that was the end of our visit to Coon Rapids, Iowa.

Which stretches far beyond what we explored on Main Street. We didn't go near the northwest part of town with the schools and fire department, or the second Dollar General in town, or any of the housing areas. For a town of around only 1200 people, it seemed larger than it should have.

I liked it here more than I expected to. 

The older I get, the more I see the appeal of a life further away from the city. I can't imagine living somewhere like this after all the years of big city suburbs. But if I was ever in a situation where I didn't have to work for a living, I could see myself hiding out in an anonymous small town. Miles away from the traffic, noise and hectic lifestyle of 2020 America.

It wouldn't be Coon Rapids, Iowa or Coon Rapids, Minnesota however...

Although, there is a Denver, Iowa!