The Beginning

From the Garner Centennial Book, published in 1970:

History of Garner:

1) Nothing but prairie, prairie as far as the eye could see. Not a tree, not a house, not even a hill to break the view. Only green grass blowing in the wind with wild roses blooming here and there and sunlight and shadows chasing each other over a limitless green. It looked as if God had just made it.

2) This is what the early settlers saw as the "push westward" movement was on. They came in their covered wagons with ox teams transporting their household goods. These pioneers faced many challenges. They fought the rivers, swamps, grass fires, prairie winds, blizzards, Indians, snakes, and horse thieves. Still, there was much pleasure in pioneer living. As each new family came across the horizon, they received a warm welcome and sharing of worldly goods.

3) It was in the year of 1854 that Anson Avery and his wife settled close to the Iowa River. George Nelson and family settled nearby later that year. These two families were the only white inhabitants to pass the long, dreary winter of 1854-1855 in Hancock County.

4) By the 1860's the population of Hancock County had grown to such an extent that a county seat was needed. (A county seat is a central place of government. Today, Garner is the county seat of Hancock County as the court house is located in Garner.) A site was chosen and the new town of Concord was born. Concord had just four streets, and two small buildings were built to serve as county buildings in 1865. Concord was Hancock County's first county seat.

5) By 1867, it was decided a larger court house was needed. So it was put to a vote, with 55 voting yes and 18 voting no. So at that time, there were at least 73 families living in Hancock County.

6) Grove R. Maben was chosen to build a two-story brick court house. He was an Englishman who had come to Hancock County from New York State and knew about making brick. He had already built a brick home for himself using clay from Lime Creek. He was a very talented man. Finally, in 1868, the $10,000 court house was completed. Truman Seymour platted Concord. (Platted means planned or mapped out.)

7) Time is marching on. The Chicago and McGregor Railroad had laid its tracks to Mason City. These tracks were laid a mile north of Concord, and the value of farmland near the tracks soared. Suddenly, people were no longer interested in living in Concord, but instead began settling north of Concord. This, of course, is where Garner is located today.