History book index

Do you have a copy of the Ely Centennial history book from 1972? 
We have scanned an index for the book to print if you wish. 

Click this link which will bring up the index. You will see a print icon near the upper right of the page. Click and print for your use!

If you would like to own a copy of the book, full of history and photos of the town of Ely from 1872 to 1972, we do have a number of them for $20 each. Contact us via our email (on the right column).

1903 New Bank in Ely

The Ely Bank, about 1912, on the corner of Dows and Walker Street.  Click to enlarge it.

Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, January 31, 1903
ELY BANK OPENS MONDAY
Ely, Iowa. Jan. 3 - The Ely bank, J.H. Smith & Sons of Cedar Rapids proprietors, and Wm. Benesh, cashier, will open on Monday next. With a volume of business largely exceeding many other towns of greater size in Iowa, Ely has never had a banking institution of any kind, the merchants and other business men being obliged to do all their banking in Cedar Rapids. The Messrs. Smith have erected a new building and furnished it in becoming style.

Pictured to the left of the bank in the bank photo is the above building.  Anna (Holets) Jonas, or Mrs. Joseph Jonas, and a school teacher that boarded in the home are pictured.  Joseph Jonas also had a shoe repair shop at this location.  A barber shop and a billiard table were added. Finally the shop was moved to another lot.

Later, the bank was bought out by First Trust and Savings Bank of Cedar Rapids. Joseph Holets and his daughter, Gladys Holets worked there for many years. The below photo was taken by Gladys.

1937 Fire Truck

Click the image to enlarge it.

 

The Cedar Rapids Gazette, December 20, 1937

RURAL FIRE TRUCK IN USE AT ELY
It has paid for itself already, declared Mayor Lorenc as this picture of the rural fire truck at Ely was taken recently. The machine cost farmers of the Ely community approximately $3,500 and has been used three times since it was put in use last spring. Frank Krob, elevator manager is fire chief. Mr. Krob is shown at the wheel. Mr. Lorenc stands beside the truck at left and a third man is one of the farmer-owners of the machine, Ralph Smith.

Read another post about the Ely Fire Department
https://www.elyhistory.com/2019/10/ely-firemen.html

Read about the history of the Ely Fire Department (off-site link).