Doris, Iowa facts for kids

Doris and Bethel were once "twin towns" in Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. They were located just north of Highway 939. These small communities started as stops along the Chicago and North Western Railway. Today, both sites are no longer active towns.

History of Doris and Bethel

Doris in central Buchanan County, Iowa, in 1903

In 1897, maps like "Galbraith's Rail Map of Iowa" did not show any towns between Independence and Winthrop. However, by the early 1900s, newspapers in Iowa began to mention events happening in Doris.

Doris: A Railroad Stop

In September 1902, land plots in Doris were sold by James Duffy. A new railroad station and stockyards had just been finished. This shows that Doris was growing as a place for trains to stop and for farmers to sell their animals. People continued to report farming activities in Doris until about 1939, but less often over time.

In 1917, the Waterloo Times-Tribune newspaper shared a story. It was about two people who were wanted by the police in Independence. They were caught in Doris.

Doris was also the site of a freight train crash on September 30, 1922. A train from Masonville crashed into the back of another train at the Doris siding. One train conductor died, and two other people were hurt. Both trains went off the tracks. In 1925, Doris had 12 people living there. By 1940, the population was 10.

Bethel: A Church Community

Bethel was home to the Bethel Church of God. This church was in Section 31 of Byron Township. It was open from 1855 to 1939. The church also had a cemetery nearby. The church was used for yearly speaking contests. These contests were sponsored by the Buchanan County superintendent of schools.

The Decline of the Twin Towns

The two town sites were not far apart. Doris was at the crossing of Highway 939 and North Doris Avenue. This was a gravel road between Winthrop and Independence. Bethel was less than a mile west, near Highway 939 and Nathan Bethel Avenue.

Both villages had people living in them in the early 1900s. But over time, more people started moving to bigger cities. This is called rural migration. Because of this, the small towns slowly became empty. By the 1990s, Bethel had only a few farmhouses left. The town site of Doris is now completely empty. All the buildings there were taken down a long time ago to make space for farm fields. Today, only a few scattered farms remain in the area.