Hurstville Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hurstville Historic District
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Lime kilns
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | North of Maquoketa on U.S. Route 61 |
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| Area | 39 acres (16 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000900 |
| Added to NRHP | December 3, 1979 |
The Hurstville Historic District is a special place in Iowa, United States. It's located north of Maquoketa, Iowa. This area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Being on this list means it's important to American history.
When it was first listed, the district included three main parts. These were a place where lime was made, a farm, and a small town. Today, only four large kilns and an old warehouse remain. The town and the farm are no longer there. The most important buildings that are left are the lime kilns.
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The History of Hurstville
Hurstville was once a busy industrial area and a "company town." This means the town was built and owned by the company for its workers. It was a very important place for making lime in Iowa. This lime was used to build things like bridges and buildings across the Midwest.
How Lime Was Made
Alfred Hurst built the first lime kiln in 1871. Three more kilns were built soon after. A kiln is a special oven used to heat limestone. This heating process turns limestone into lime. The whole operation grew very large. It covered about 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) and had 50 employees. The company even owned forests. The wood from these forests was used to fuel the kilns.
Transporting the Lime
In 1888, Hurst started the Maquoketa and Hurstville Railroad. This railroad helped ship the finished lime. Before the railroad, lime was moved by wagons. The limestone used for the kilns came from a quarry. This quarry was located across the North Fork of the Maquoketa River. A special narrow-gauge railway brought the limestone to the kilns. Around 1900, a bridge was built over the river for this railway. Sadly, this bridge fell into the river in the 1970s.
The End of an Era
By the 1920s, the lime industry started to change. More builders began using Portland cement instead of lime. Portland cement is a stronger, more modern building material. This change affected the lime business at Hurstville. The last time all four kilns were used together was in 1920. The kilns completely shut down in 1930. This happened after William Hurst, Alfred's son, passed away.
Hurstville Today
In 1979, the Hurstville Land and Development Company bought the town and 500 acres (200 ha) of land. The Jackson County Historical Society worked to restore the old kilns in the 1980s. Today, the Jackson County Conservation Board runs a special center near the kilns. This center helps people learn about the history of Hurstville. It is also part of the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area.
