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36-560: The Masonic Opera House , also known as the What Cheer Opera House , is a historic building located in What Cheer, Iowa , United States. It is a Romanesque Revival style building from 1893. The 100-by-50-foot (30 by 15 m) facility has served as a clubhouse, an auditorium, a music facility, and a cinema. The third floor originally housed a Masonic hall . Emblems associated with Freemasonry are still located on

72-804: A Warren truss and a Lattice truss, exists in Iowa City in Napoleon Park. It is now being used by the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Railway , albeit infrequently. An abandoned three-span Parker through truss bridge, built circa 1890, exists over the Iowa River in Columbus Junction . Several bridges and culverts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa have been reused on the Cedar River Trail. Several other bridges have been reused on

108-498: A change of name. Joseph Andrews, a major and veteran of the American Civil War , suggested the name "What Cheer," and the town was officially renamed on December 1, 1879. Sources differ as to why the name What Cheer was chosen. The phrase what cheer with you is an ancient English greeting dating back at least to the 15th century. One theory of the name is that a Scottish miner exclaimed What cheer! on discovering

144-480: A coal seam near town. A more elaborate theory suggests that Joseph Andrews chose the name because of one of the founding myths of his native town of Providence, Rhode Island . According to the story, when Roger Williams arrived at the site that would become Providence in 1636, he was greeted by Narragansett Native Americans with "What Cheer, Netop ". Netop was the Narragansett word for friend , and

180-521: A decade as a coal miner before coming to Petersburg, the future What Cheer. In the 1870s, he began buying coal lands around town, mostly on credit . When the railroad came to town, he leased his land to the coal companies and bought into a local drug store , eventually operating stores in What Cheer, Mystic and Jerome, Iowa. Other Scots from the Kilmarnock region ( Ayrshire ) also settled in

216-736: A decorative pediment at the top of the building. The auditorium seats 350 on the main floor, and 240 in the balcony. The second floor served the balcony patrons. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This article about a property in Keokuk County, Iowa on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . What Cheer, Iowa What Cheer ( / hw ə ˈ tʃ ɪər , hw ʌ t ˈ tʃ ɪər , ˈ hw ɒ tʃ ɪər , ˈ hw æ t tʃ ɪər / )

252-448: A household in the city was $ 27,292, and the median income for a family was $ 36,500. Males had a median income of $ 30,859 versus $ 22,917 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,613. About 8.6% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over. The Tri-County Community School District operates local area public schools. What Cheer

288-554: A perpetual lease of the 'Minneapolis Road' from there to Minneapolis . By 1882, branch lines had been built to Traer , Postville , Muscatine , Iowa City , and the coal mines of the What Cheer region, all in Iowa. Through passenger service was offered from Minneapolis to St. Louis in conjunction with the St. Louis, Keokuk and Northwestern Railroad (later part of the CB&;Q ). In 1880,

324-434: A steam hoist to lift coal 40 feet from a coal seam from 4 to 5 feet thick. The Lea Brothers' mine in north-central What Cheer also had a steam hoist and still shipped some coal by rail. The remaining mines in the area were all small, using horse-gins to operate their hoists. By 1909, there were only a few mines left in the county, all producing coal for local consumption in What Cheer. The decline of What Cheer's mines in

360-545: Is a city in Keokuk County , Iowa , United States. It is a former coal town , and from the 1870s to the early 1900s was one of the major coal-producing centers of Iowa. Its greatest recorded population was 3,246, in the 1890 census . The population was 607 in the 2020 census . What Cheer was founded in 1865 as Petersburg, named after Peter Britton, its founder. This name was rejected by the Post Office , forcing

396-632: Is now a restaurant. This building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. During the Iowa Flood of 2008 , this building was inundated with four feet of water. The construction of this freight house (replacing an earlier structure) lead to a court battle with the Burlington Gaslight Company that was ultimately decided by the US Supreme Court . A two-span through truss bridge, composed of

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432-717: Is the hometown of the title character in Marguerite Young 's enormous novel Miss MacIntosh, My Darling (1965). In a 1993 interview, Young claimed to have been unaware that What Cheer was genuine. What Cheer is also the setting in the novel, "The Home For Wayward Clocks," written by Kathie Giorgio, published by The Main Street Rag Publishing Company in 2011. ISBN   978-1-59948-255-2 Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway The original mainline ran from Burlington, Iowa via Cedar Rapids north to Albert Lea, Minnesota , with

468-561: The Chicago and North Western Railway built its line through What Cheer to Muchakinock , there was a further expansion of mining in the area. Local Assembly 1474 of the Knights of Labor was based in What Cheer and had a membership of 65 in 1884. On Oct. 15, 1884, 500 miners in What Cheer went on strike , demanding higher wages. The established wage was 3 cents per bushel, and the miners demanded an additional half cent. The state militia

504-554: The Iowa Northern Railway . Union Pacific still uses remnants of the former BCR&N branch to Sioux Falls, SD that ran off of the mainline at Vinton, IA with segments remaining between Dows and Clarion, as well as between Goldfield, IA and Superior, IA . At least eight of its stations survive: The corporate headquarters building at 411 1st Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids still carries the BCR&;N Ry initials at

540-488: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.24 square miles (3.21 km ), of which, 1.22 square miles (3.16 km ) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km ) is water. Iowa Highway 21 runs north–south through What Cheer. The city's northwestern outskirts border G29 Road. As of the census of 2020, there were 607 people, 264 households, and 132 families residing in

576-492: The 20th century was reflected in declining union membership. In 1912, Local 841 of the United Mine Workers , based in What Cheer, had only 18 members. The What Cheer Clay Products Company strip mined local coal into the mid-century, but in their case, coal was a byproduct. Their primary source of clay was the 8 to 12 foot (2.5 to 4 meter) underclay found immediately below the coal. What Cheer Clay Products

612-625: The Burlington Cedar Rapids and Northern granted running rights to the Burlington and Northwestern Railway from Burlington, Iowa north to Mediapolis , a distance of 13.77 miles. Since the latter line used three foot gauge until regauged in the 20th century, a third rail was put down on this stretch of mainline, converting it to dual gauge . The last run of the Zephyr Rocket between St. Louis and Minneapolis over

648-776: The Narragansetts had picked up the what cheer greeting from English settlers. It is possible that the connection between What Cheer, Iowa and What Cheer, the shibboleth of Rhode Island, was merely coincidental - the entries for these subjects are adjacent but not connected in the 1908 edition of the Encyclopedia Americana . What Cheer has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names . Robert Forsyth, born in Kilmarnock, Scotland , came to America in 1857, and made his way to Rock Island, Illinois , where he arrived penniless. He worked for most of

684-824: The What Cheer Drill and Miners' Tool Company, later named the What Cheer Tool Company. In 1903, the Starr Manufacturing Company, American Mining Tool Company and the What Cheer Tool Company agreed to a union wage scale with the International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths. At the time, the blacksmiths local 259 had just 17 members. In 1907, the Volunteer Brick and Tile company was operating its own coal mine to fuel its kilns. The mine had

720-428: The age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.0% were non-families. 38.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in

756-664: The area. Robert Orr came in 1875 after working in the coal mines of Colchester, Illinois . His son Alexander went on a successful career as a mine owner in Mystic . The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway (BCR&N) built a 66-mile (106 km) branch to What Cheer in 1879. With the arrival of the railroad, the What Cheer coalfield quickly became one of the most important coal mining centers in Iowa. The Starr Coal Company had over 200 employees and could produce 1,000 tons of coal per day. By 1883, they were operating three mines and took over several others. When, in 1884,

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792-555: The city was 45.3 years. 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.5% were from 25 to 44; 28% were from 45 to 64; and 22.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 678 people, 307 households, and 182 families residing in the city. The population density was 559.4 inhabitants per square mile (216.0/km ). There were 345 housing units at an average density of 284.7 per square mile (109.9/km ). The racial makeup of

828-499: The city was 98.38% White , 0.29% Native American , 0.15% from other races , and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population. There were 307 households, out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.2% had someone living alone who

864-435: The city. The population density was 490.6 inhabitants per square mile (189.4/km ). There were 306 housing units at an average density of 247.3 per square mile (95.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.2% White , 0.0% Black or African American , 0.7% Native American , 1.0% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 0.3% from other races and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 1.3% of

900-446: The city. The population density was 529.5 inhabitants per square mile (204.4/km ). There were 347 housing units at an average density of 284.4 per square mile (109.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 98.6% White , 0.2% Native American , 0.2% Asian , 0.2% from other races , and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.2% of the population. There were 293 households, of which 23.9% had children under

936-631: The former BCR&N mainline was on April 8–9, 1967. Freight service on the line from Burlington to Cedar Rapids ceased with the bankruptcy of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in March 1980. In the early 1990s, the Hoover Nature Trail began acquiring the Burlington to Cedar Rapids right of way for conversion to a recreational trail. Between Cedar Rapids and Manly, Iowa , the former mainline remains in service, operated by

972-408: The job in What Cheer, but returned to work defeated on June 16. On August 15, 1896, the miners struck again over several small grievances. The strike lasted 10 to 12 weeks. Local 841 of the United Mine Workers union was organized in What Cheer in 1897, and in 1902, it had 200 members. The first industrial development in What Cheer was driven by the needs of the coal mines. In 1890, What Cheer

1008-448: The population. Of the 264 households, 24.6% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% were cohabitating couples, 29.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 26.5% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 50.0% of all households were non-families. 42.8% of all households were made up of individuals, 21.2% had someone living alone who

1044-472: The top of the wall facing the tracks. The historic facade facing First Avenue, constructed in 1885, has been completely modernized. The building now serves Skogman Realty. The former roundhouse of the Iowa City branch was still standing in Iowa City in 2010. The former Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Freight House , built in 1898 on the corner of Front and High Streets in Burlington, Iowa ,

1080-473: The various portions of the Hoover Nature Trail . A partially destroyed bridge exists in the Czech Village neighborhood of Cedar Rapids, Iowa . Iowa Northern Railway operates across several BCRN structures, including a Warren through truss bridge over Beaver Creek northeast of Cedar Falls, Iowa . A former Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern deck truss bridge, built circa 1882, exists over

1116-449: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males. The median income for

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1152-418: Was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 43.0 years. 26.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.3% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 21.1% were from 25 and 44; 27.2% were from 45 and 64; and 19.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.9% male and 48.1% female. As of the census of 2010, there were 646 people, 293 households, and 164 families residing in

1188-441: Was an important local producer. In 1891, the BCR&N Railroad's Iowa City Division, serving What Cheer, carried 38,080 tons of coal, by far the most important commodity carried by that line. In 1892, mines along the BCR&N (all of which were in the What Cheer region) loaded 129,316 tons of coal. On May 1, 1891, the miners of What Cheer and many other mining towns went on strike for the eight-hour day . 1000 men walked off

1224-401: Was home to three firms making mining drills, Walker & Thompson, Enterprise Manufacturing and the newly formed What Cheer Drill Company. Within the decade, the What Cheer Drill and Miners' Tool Company was selling equipment in mining districts around the nation. Alexander Walker, originally with Walker & Thompson filed numerous patents on mining equipment, most of which were assigned to

1260-519: Was organized in 1911. The plant cost $ 300,000 to build, and was seriously damaged by a fire in 1917. Despite this, by 1920, the company was expanding, purchasing a new Dragline excavator in order to work their clay pit . The central business district and the larger part of the town is located on the north-east bank of Coal Creek, a tributary of the North fork of the Skunk River . According to

1296-702: Was put on alert, but after 6 weeks, the miners accepted a quarter-cent raise. This strike cut coal production in the What Cheer significantly. In 1886, the What Cheer Coal Company began to consolidate the local mines, buying up the Starr Coal Company and the Granger Coal Company. In 1887, they employed 1,100 miners, and they continued to operate until 1899. From 1885 to 1901, the Crescent Coal Company

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