Siegel, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Siegel, Iowa
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Ghost town
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Country | United States |
State | Iowa |
County | Bremer |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Siegel was a small community in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. It is now known as a ghost town, which means it was once a lively place but is now mostly abandoned. Siegel was started in 1889, but by the 1940s, most of its buildings and people were gone.
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Where Was Siegel?
Siegel was located in Douglas Township, Iowa. You would have found it on what is now Kildeer Avenue. It was about one mile west of U.S. Route 63. The community was situated between 160th Street and 150th Street.
A Look Back: Siegel's Story
Most of the early settlers in Siegel were German-Americans. These were people from Germany or their descendants who had moved to America.
How Siegel Got Its Name
Frederick Schultz, Jr. was the first postmaster in Siegel. He was the person in charge of the local post office. He is the one who named the community. Siegel was likely named after a famous Union General named Franz Sigel. A Union General was a leader in the Union Army during the American Civil War. General Sigel helped many German-American soldiers join the Union Army. Many soldiers from Iowa even fought under General Sigel. They served in important battles like the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri. Later, some also fought under General U.S. Grant in the Army of the Potomac.
Life in Siegel
The post office in Siegel first opened on June 26, 1889. However, it did not stay open for very long and closed on September 15, 1900. Even after the post office closed, a creamery and a general store continued to operate. A creamery is a place where milk products like butter and cheese are made. A general store sells many different kinds of goods, like a small supermarket. These businesses stayed open until the 1940s.
What's Left Today?
Today, almost nothing remains of the old community of Siegel. The only building still standing is St. John's United Church of Christ of Siegel.