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The end of a Montour landmark

The last week of February when the old telephone office burned will be remembered by the residents of the little town of Montour as the end of a landmark started more than 100 years ago.

On Dec. 18, 1918, more than 100 years ago, delegates of the rural telephone lines met to form one telephone company to serve the residents of Montour and surrounding areas. It was proposed the new company would be called Farmer’s Mutual Telephone Company.

The company bought the Tom Miles property and building for $1,200. This was directly west of the present day fire station. An electric Kellogg switchboard was purchased for $523. Stock in the company was issued at $10 per share, allowing one vote per share and limiting 10 shares per person.

Business price for a telephone was $2 per month, and residential cost $1.50 per month. In 1958, the company was sold to Central Iowa Telephone Company. In 1960, dial phones were introduced and installed. Then Mayor Louie (Tony) Vana made the first long-distance phone call.

Some of the operators were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Collar, Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Goodenow, and Bud and Pauline Ridout and family, with the Ridout family having the position from 1955 through 1958. At this time, the business was sold.

The telephone building was a 2-story wooden building when it was sold to the Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Downs family. Mr. Downs remodeled the building, making it into a one-story building.

Another landmark of this small community that was destroyed by fire was the Gage House, a 3-story hotel which sat where the present fire station is located. The old hotel was moved from Indiantown to Montour in the 1870s. At that time, it was a one-story building.

In 1874, Nathan Bartlett bought the building and made it into a three-story, 30’x40′ structure. It was a popular place to stay until Jan. 9, 1918, when a fire started on the roof of the building destroying the entire building.

Not many of the original buildings in Montour are still standing. One well used building is the Methodist Church, which was built as the Congregational Church in 1867, and several of the homes still occupied have an interesting history.