Homer

Homer, Iowa - A Hamilton County Settlement

Homer was at one time the largest town in all of Webster and Hamilton Counties combined. At its peak it had 600 residents. It was located in SW Sec. 6-87-26. The story of Homer's rise and fall is given in the Webster County and Hamilton County stories on the Hamilton County History Home Page.

Homer was named by Granville Burkley for the epic Greek poet. The town was laid out in 1852 just after Risley and Yell Counties were combined. This put Homer in the center of the large new Webster County. A stage line started service between Boonesboro in Boone County to Fort Dodge in Webster County, passing through Hook's Point, Homer, Border Plains, and Brushy, before arriving in Fort Dodge.

The original Homer plat showed 42 blocks with streets from the north of First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth. The south edge of the plat had no street, but today it is the blacktop south of Homer. The north-south streets were named Walnut, Water, Main, Washington, and Chestnut.

The present Methodist Church is located at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets. A Christian Church was located at the south end of Main and was, for a long time, used as a gas station. Homer also had a third church in its early history; a Campbellite Church. It's exact location has been lost.

In February, 1856, an addition was put on the north edge; these streets were named Broadway, Clinton, De Wit, and Wayne. Homer's hopes for a railroad, and possible continued existence were raised when talk of a railroad between Boone and Webster City surfaced. A branch going to Homer was discussed. It was to be called the Graham-Crosby spur, but it never got past the planning stage. The post office was closed on Sept. 30, 1913. Today all that remains of Homer is the Homer Methodist Church, the Lamb Small Engine business, and a house and mobile home.