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Transportation/School
H.D. Newland operated one of the first public livery
stables. The Murdoch Funeral Home was the site of the livery barn.
Stagecoach drivers stopped at the barn to feed and water their horses.
Ridding and driving the stagecoach was not easy matter. there were no
bridges and streams had to be forded when the ice would not hold. Many
times the stage had to be pulled out from being stuck either in snow or
mud. Mr. James Bartleson received $12.00 per month to carry mail
between Cedar Rapids and Center Point on the stagecoach. the fair for
riding the stage from Cedar Rapids to Waterloo was $1.00.
Residents knew that their village was not likely to survive unless a
railroad ran through it. Residents of the community appropriated
$16,000.00 to the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad. A
five percent tax was levied in Washington Township to raise the
necessary funds. Some of the funds were used by the railroad and the
balance was used to secure the right-of-way through Washington and
Grant Townships. The rail line was completed to Center Point in the
fall of 1873.
Some controversy surrounded the establishment of the railroad.
People living in the northern portion of the township that were opposed
to the tax, petitioned for a division of the territory and the
formation of a new township. they succeeded in the formation of the new
township, designated as Grant Township, in honor of General Grant, who
was the president. Unfortunately, their plan to avoid the tax failed.
Some of the people who most vigorously opposed the tax later
established business in the new town of Walker.
The Rock Island Railroad station was one of the largest
gathering places in the community. Hardly a day would pass that the
station would not be crowded with local citizens who were on hand, not
to meet any special person, but to see who was coming and going. The
editor of the Center Point newspaper considered the railroad station
his most important news beat. Unfortunately, by the time he had the
railroad station news printed, everybody in town was aware of it
anyway.
With the arrival of the railroad, more businesses and families
ere attracted to the area. the railroad depot handled four passenger
trains and six freight trains daily. Another hotel, the "Brooklyn
House", was built
Schools were an integral part of the community. In 1856,
youngsters in Center Point began learning "readin', ritin' and
rithmatic" at the first district school. The school was housed in a log
structure that was built just northwest of town. the stern taskmaster,
Mr. Wilcox, taught the first classes. IT is rumored that all youngsters
had a healthy respect for their teacher. A schoolhouse was later built
in the in 1858. J.H. Hammond was the first teacher of the school: G.B,
Dunbar succeeded him.
In 1875, the citizens of the community saw that they were
faced with a problem of overcrowding in the school and so another
addition, equal in size to the original one, was built. the community
now boasted of a four-room school.
Fact or Fiction
Sometimes it is difficult to separate fact from folklore
as illustrated by the stories surrounding "Horse Thief Cave." Horse
thieves operating in the area are rumored to have hidden stolen horses
in a local cave, which come to known as "Horse Thief Cave." Some say
that the horses were driven from the south and then led through the
rive to confuse trackers. The cave's location was west of Center Point.
One person who claims to have visited the cave, remembers that there
was a tunnel which connected the cave to the banks of the Cedar River
at a location known as Sand Prairie. Over time, the tunnel began to
collapse and the cave as well as the opening near the river were sealed
shut. Dave Craig remembers slipping through the narrow opening of the
cave as a youngster and dropping stones into the hold and it would take
some time before the stones would hit water. One morning before school
Dave and a friend tried to dynamite the opening but to avail. Remnants
of the cave opening are still visible on the Raymond Attwood farm.
Dr. Kenneth Andersen remembers another story related to the cave. Ray
Knight, who heard the original version from his uncle, told this to Dr,
Andersen. In the early morning hours around the year 1880, a mob of
local residents marched through town carrying large kerosene soaked
torches. Several men with megaphones were shouting to wake local
residents.
The men claimed that a horse thief named Brody had been
apprehended. Local residents had found stolen horses at a hidden cave.
Brody's claims that he found the horses were dismissed. The mob
proceeded to the northeast corner of Vine and Summit streets where, at
the time there was a large pine tree. The "horse thief" was hoisted
into the air while some spectators cheered and others protested.
The story of the hanging cannot be substantiated. Several
gangs of horse thieves have been documented in Linn County from the
1840's to the 1850's. One of the more prominent gangs was the Brody
gang. The group was reputed to be involved in stealing horses,
counterfeiting and selling whiskey to Indians. Rumor had it that a
family member appeared before every session of the Linn County court.
There is no way to substantiate the rumor since no records can be
found. It is highly unlikely that the incident told to Dr. Andersen is
accurate because the dates don't match, the Center Point marshall would
likely have objected to the hanging and no records exist in the early
history account. Reader will need to decide for themselves whether
"Horse Thief Cave" actually existed.
Early history records, however, do document a shooting.
William Langsdale was indicted for killing Joseph Barnes in July, 1872,
at the Langsdale Store. The testimony filed in the office of the Clerk
indicates that Barnes was drunk when he started to fight with another
customer. Mr. Langsdale pulled a pistol from behind the counter and
shot Mr. Barnes. Barnes was taken to a doctor's office where he died.
Langsdale was tried in March 1873. the jury returned a verdict of not
guilty.
Source: Celebrating 150 Years Center Point 1854 -
2004 pages 1-2-3-4. With permission of Philip N Andersen DDS -
Transcribed by Michelle Merino-Troup
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