A meeting between the Oakville Community Vision Committee, the Rebuild Iowa Committee, the Oakville Recovery Task Force, Southeast Iowa Regional Planning and residents on October 23 came up with several proposals for the future of the town. At least four had some possibility of using the family farm.
One proposed the park moved from its present location to the farm.
A second had the land being developed as a commercial area.
The third wanted a convenience store built on the site.
The last developed the property into camp grounds.
Input from the attendees will be used to finalize options to be presented to the community at a November meeting. The land is still scheduled for auction on November 17.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Land Auction
On November 17, 2008, the family farm will be auctioned off. The family moved to Oakville in the summer of 1957. My sister who lived across the street already left town and she and her husband purchased a new home in another town and will not return.
The very small acreage supported my parents and their 11 children. Over the years we grew strawberries, musk melon and sweet corn for sale. We grew cattle and hogs and butchered our own meat. Dad had rented out the farmland for quite a few years as he concentrated on his garden and woodworking.
The house is slated for demolition, though it probably will not be torn down before the auction.
The very small acreage supported my parents and their 11 children. Over the years we grew strawberries, musk melon and sweet corn for sale. We grew cattle and hogs and butchered our own meat. Dad had rented out the farmland for quite a few years as he concentrated on his garden and woodworking.
The house is slated for demolition, though it probably will not be torn down before the auction.
Birdhouse Mystery - Solved
Some people were wondering how a metal pole with a martin house attached to it stood up to current that pushed buildings into others and tore homes from their foundations. A metal yard shed was wrapped around the pole. Railroad ties were not able to keep the shed in place, so how did the pole survive?
The pole was tied to a large wooden pole that was buried 3 feet into the ground. The wooden pole was bent by the shed and ties, but remained in place for the birdhouse.
When we removed the metal shed, we discovered the pole still in place.
The pole was tied to a large wooden pole that was buried 3 feet into the ground. The wooden pole was bent by the shed and ties, but remained in place for the birdhouse.
When we removed the metal shed, we discovered the pole still in place.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Moving Dad's Shed
The flood had tilted this shed and scoured a hole in the ground. When the water dropped so did the shed into the 4 foot hole.
We didn't want to pull the shed from the hole since it would probably have fallen apart. If it was burnt, it would have damaged the pole shed next to it. My brother decided to roll the trailer out. He fixed some chains to it and used Dad's tractor to roll the shed.
At this point the chains broke. He brought some stronger ones the next day but Dad's tractor wasn't heavy enough or strong enough to finish pulling it over.
We borrowed the neighbor's tractor to finish the job. The shed was pulled away to a different part of the lot.
The shed had stored grain we used to feed cattle and hogs back when we raised them. It was recently used to store wood Dad used for various projects. It is still in one piece. Dad surely built a strong shed.
We didn't want to pull the shed from the hole since it would probably have fallen apart. If it was burnt, it would have damaged the pole shed next to it. My brother decided to roll the trailer out. He fixed some chains to it and used Dad's tractor to roll the shed.
At this point the chains broke. He brought some stronger ones the next day but Dad's tractor wasn't heavy enough or strong enough to finish pulling it over.
We borrowed the neighbor's tractor to finish the job. The shed was pulled away to a different part of the lot.
The shed had stored grain we used to feed cattle and hogs back when we raised them. It was recently used to store wood Dad used for various projects. It is still in one piece. Dad surely built a strong shed.
Misc. Items
My sister's trailer has mostly been removed. The frame and axles were left plus a lot of small debris that must be cleaned up.
The leaves on a maple tree next to the house have begun to change color, denoting the coming of winter.
Dad had built a large pole shed. It had an upper level in one bay for storage. We were cleaning it up this weekend when a "party place" was found. Someone had moved a couch and placed a stool to put his feet up on. He left some empty cans and a large bottle of imitation Mountain Dew.
The leaves on a maple tree next to the house have begun to change color, denoting the coming of winter.
Dad had built a large pole shed. It had an upper level in one bay for storage. We were cleaning it up this weekend when a "party place" was found. Someone had moved a couch and placed a stool to put his feet up on. He left some empty cans and a large bottle of imitation Mountain Dew.
Long-Term Community Recovery
There have been meetings to determine the future of Oakville. Long-Term Community Recovery is a partnership between federal, state and local people to discuss the viability of the town, determine its greatest needs and rediscover its assets in the resident's quest for survival. Posters displayed the flood results as well as Oakville's history. A plan for the town is to be presented to the residents by December.
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