History

From 1850-1930 over one million Swedish immigrants came to the United States. Many who immigrated were peasants. The Swedish people had to speak Swedish among themselves at first, but later they caught on to the new language. Their surroundings soon became home to them. The Swedish heritage played a very important part in the development of the mid-west and especially in Albert City, Iowa.

When the town began, it was known as Manthorpe. There are two stories explaining why the name was changed to Albert City. The most popular story is that Albert City was named after George R. Anderson's wife, Albertina. Anderson sold some of his lots to people wanting to start a new settlement. The town was first named Manthorpe because that was where Mr. Anderson was originally from in Sweden. The other story is that it was to be named after the president of the Milwaukee Railroad, Albert J. Earling since the railroad was running through the town. Trouble began with the name of Manthrope because it was too much like the town of Marathon which was to the north of the settlement so the name was changed to Albert City on October 2, 1900. In The Beginning

Soon main street began to develop. The first businesses of Albert City were three general stores, a hardware and a machinery store, two drug stores, two elevators, two lumber yards, and a bank in a beautiful brick building. A post office had also been set up under George R. Anderson. The mail had been carried from Marathon. The first school was at the corner of section 28. It was a private school held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. D. S. Spragg. This little private school was a forerunner of one of the earliest country schools. A new school was built at the center of section 28 and was later moved to the southwest corner of section 27. .

Schools were soon built so that children only had to walk as far as two miles to get to school. These one room schools were discontinued in 1921. A school was built in Albert City where all twelve grades were together in the same building. In the fall of1958, Albert City merged with Truesdale. The high school was located in Albert City and the junior high was in Truesdale with both schools keeping their own elementary until 1974 when the Truesdale school building was closed.

The beginnings of a library were started in September of 1936 by the women of Albert City. Some of the women who were a part of this project were Mrs. Lloyd Anderson, Mrs. William Osmunson, Mrs. Clarence Kindwall, and Mrs. Cliff Johnson. They received $321.50 in pledges; they were also given a permanent loan from the Storm Lake Library of 475 books. In 1998-1999 a new library was built on Main Street.

The first swimming pool in Albert City was built in the city park on July 25, 1955. It was known to be the first swimming pool in Buena Vista County. The cost of the pool was approximately $18,000; in 1958 the shelter house was also added to the park. A new pool was built in 1985 to replace the 1955 model; this pool cost around $147,000. The official pool opening was on August 1, 1985.

Iowa's worst gun battle took place in Albert City, Iowa, on Saturday, November 16, 1901. Two officers were fatally shot, and one robber was killed Saturday morning around 6:40. Mr. Brown opened the bank in Greenville, Iowa, to find the window broken along with the vault door. The bank had been robbed. The handle of the vault had been knocked off, and nitro glycerin was poured into the opening, and the door was blown off. The inner vault door was easily opened, and the square hall safe was blown open.

The banker sent telegraphs around the country looking for clues. A girl in Spencer reported seeing three men, two white, and one mulatto, eating supper in a restaurant in Spencer and leaving immediately after. They were acting suspiciously and talking in an undertone and sometimes a whisper. Word was received that they were sighted eating breakfast in Webb that morning and traveling on foot. Officers from Marathon, Laurens, Fonda, Newell, and Pocahontas were at once notified. Later the telephone operator at the depot discovered them in the waiting room of the Albert City depot. The marshal with a posse stepped into the waiting room and ordered them to throw up their hands. They did with guns in each hand. One of the robbers got outside and got a rifle wound in the stomach and the leg.

Meanwhile another robber tried to hitch up a horse while the other two fought the crowd. The men tried to hitch the horse while one was shot in the navel, and died the next morning without giving his name. The other two robbers tried to get away by taking a buggy and horse from a woman and child. After being pushed, the horse gave out because they were exhausted. The negro was shot in the ear and surrendered and so did the third robber. They were taken to the jail in Storm Lake. Only half of the money was found. It was feared that other parties found the money and would not return it.

Sixty-four shells emptied by the robbers were picked up in the depot after the fight. Both of the robbers who were captured were sentenced to life terms in Fort Madison, while the already dead robber was laid to rest in an unnamed grave in Fairfield Cemetery, Albert City, IA. Three weeks after the crime the robbers were sentenced to die, however they were in jail for one year before the hanging.

Albert City was developed by our Swedish ancestors and continues to be a small town doing big things. The town has experienced many things throughout its past and has yet to experience more. There are still reminders of Albert City's past, for example, the depot, where the famous shoot-out took place. Although most of us weren't around at that time, the gun shot holes in the sides of the depot make the situation a little more realistic. This is just a brief history of Albert City, but we hope that it interests you enough to come join us in celebrating in our Centennial. It All Happened Here Information in this web page was taken from the following; Albert City, Iowa Genealogy 100 years of Heritage by Sherryl Madson and Andrea Bean, and The Albert City Caper by Don Buchan. The pictures throughout this web page were taken from Albert City, Iowa's 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, and the Albert City Community Directory. The picture of the unknown bank robber's grave marker was taken at the Fairfield Township Cemetery by Tracy Brown. Return to Albert City Homepage