Reprint and update of 1902 souvenir edition helps raise funds for local Methodist church

In 1902 the ladies of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Waukon with the assistance of The Democrat newspaper in circulation at that time published a history of Waukon. The publication was used as a fundraiser for the church at that time.
This year, more than 100 years later, a committee from today's Methodist church decided to reprint an updated edition of that original history as a fundraiser, and copies are available to the public for purchase. An original copy of the 1902 publication was discovered in the collection of the late Lloyd and Marilyn Clark of Waukon. Two of their daughters, Dianne Clark Rissman and Carolyn Clark, both of whom were instrumental in the recent update and reprinting of the original history, think that the reprint is a way to honor the hard work done by those early church ladies and Democrat publisher E.F. Medary.
"I know this was a labor of love for Dianne and Carolyn, but they both deserve a lot of credit for their efforts in not only following through on the project but also creating the updates to that original publication," stated Jeremy Troendle, Managing Editor of The Standard, who granted the newspaper's permission to have the original document reproduced and updated. "The original document itself is a unique piece of local history, and to now have it reproduced and updated will make an even greater must-have keepsake for many years to come."
"It's interesting to note that about the same time Dianne and Carolyn approached me about this project, I also received a phone call from an individual in another state who came across a copy of that same original publication in a filing cabinet," Troendle added. "She was wondering if the newspaper wanted to buy such an important piece of Waukon history. I had no idea the original publication even existed, so to be approached about it twice within a very short timeframe was a very interesting coincidence."
The original publication was free with a subscription to The Democrat or a copy could be bought for just 10 cents back in its 1902 origin. The first two pages told history of the Methodist church and the remainder of the 24 pages was dedicated to local history. Included were histories of the public schools, including the Allamakee College,  the local churches and some businesses. There are stories on Company I that fought in the Civil War as well as the story of the  Shiloh Battlefield written by Major D. W. Reed, the "Father of Shiloh”.
"The best part about these stories is that they are first-hand accounts written by those who lived through the experience," shared the Clark sisters. "Almost every page also features ads from  local businesses. Today, these ads are an important part of piecing together Waukon’s history."
The two sisters also agree that one of the most fascinating things in the booklet is the pictures of prominent houses around town during the early 1900s. "We believe all the houses are still standing, but over the years the fancy porches have been removed," they explained. "The Hays house was a mystery, listed on East Main Street. Today, there is no house even close to looking like it. Talking to local history buffs we found out that that house was cut in two  about a decade after the booklet was printed.  The back became the front so it now faces First Avenue.   There was enough room in the house grounds to build 14 more houses."
In addition to all of that original history, the new edition includes photographs of many  local buildings and other landmarks and an updated history of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. Staff at The Standard newspaper in Waukon designed the additional pages and handled the digital reproduction of the original pages.
"Hopefully, in a hundred years someone will look back at this book and say, 'wow, how this town has changed'," the sisters said.
Copies of the updated history are available at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank, Waukon State Bank, Kerndt Brothers Savings Bank, S&D Café and Forest Mills Quilt Shop.