tol, so strong that several capitol-seekers located there, such as E. B. Potter, Judge Kellogg, Mr. Strong, and others, who removed to Nevada or elsewhere as soon as " the center " was not chosen.
Jeremiah Cory, Jr., entered the land on February 16, 1853, and the post-office, Goshen, at his farm, became necessary by September 28, 1854. Mr. Cory and T. C. Davis opened up the first log store a half lot south of the present post-office, and laid out some lots; the plat was not recorded, however, until August, 1855. The next store was opened very soon by F. M. Baldwin, at his present site, where he was joined many years later by J. W. Maxwell. About 1856 T. J. and M. M. Ross built opposite the present post-office. Then a Mr. Slatten located north of Baldwin's, and L. B. and H. B. Young, who left at the Pike's Peak excitement of 1859. Among early physicians were Dr. Floyd, Dr. M. D. Sheldon and Dr. E. B. Fenn. Miss Cochran was an early teacher. About the year 1856, may be called the high-water mark of the " Center's " prosperity; there were two large hotels; business stretched along Nevada Street as at present. There was an early mill, steam, saw and gristmill, on the north end owned by Webb & Wood. It was moved to Mongona several years ago. An early one also was that of Jeremiah Cory, Sr., now in ruins. But after 1856 the place stood still, excepting something of an exodus to Nevada and Des Moines and Kansas.
This second period is so identified with one firm, that of F. M. Baldwin, and later, Baldwin & (J. W.) Maxwell, that it may be of interest to notice their changes. When Mr. Baldwin began business he hauled his stock from Keokuk. By about 1856 the Rock Island Railway had reached Iowa City, and he went there, then Marengo was the next trading point, and finally Kellogg. When the North-Western Railway reached Marshall, the firm went there, and successively followed the terminal point from there to State Center, and Colo. After Mr. Maxwell joined him the firm expanded rapidly, and from that time on have had the reputation of handling as large, if not larger stock than any other house in the county. Besides general merchandise they dealt very largely in lumber, grain, stock, harness, etc. They employ nine or ten men and as high as from eighteen to thirty teams at times. They began branch houses too, one at Cambridge, later at Clyde and Colo, until the rise of the town of Maxwell made Iowa Center itself a branch.
The third period began with the advent of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway in the county. There was an effort to secure the survey to Iowa Center, but the engineer's inexorable instructions were to keep close to the county line. After this fact became known Iowa Center's doom was sealed. In 1882 there was a general exodus of houses and people to Maxwell, headed by the removal of Baldwin & Maxwell's main store. Since then the " Center " has been a sort of suburb of Maxwell. Its only business of any importance is general merchandise, represented by the branch store and that of J. W. Will.
This is the second post-office established in Story County, the first being Nevada. The successive postmasters have been: Jeremiah Cory, September 28, 1854; T. C. Davis, August 27, 1856; L. B. Young, April 30, 1857; after the name Goshen was changed to Iowa Center, August 31, 1858, under Mr. Young, there were: Jeremiah Cory, April 10, 1860; T. C. Davis, August 1, 1861; William White, September 27, 1865; T. D. Casebolt, November 30, 1865; William White, May 31, 1866; E. B. Fenn, September 8, 1868; A. K. Banks,