The new Briggs Woods Conference Center is moving ever-closer to becoming a reality. Plans have been designed, fundraising is underway and organizers hope that everything can be in place for a spring or summer ground breaking. According to Kelly Haman, events coordinator for Briggs Woods Golf ...

Being Hamilton County Sheriff is more than just a job to Doug Timmons, of Stratford. It is also a family tradition of serving in law enforcement that began with his father, retired Webster City Police Officer Gene Timmons. “With my dad being in law enforcement as I was growing up, I saw ...

The Webster City Lions Club is in the process of revamping Lions Stafford Park. The service club has been working on this project since the beginning of 2016. The club held their first event to raise awareness in the community about revitalizing the park in April of 2016. “Jade ...

Many young men and women throughout Hamilton County are making a difference to better their communities. Here are a few of the many groups that local students are getting involved in to make a change. Power Up YOUth According to the their website, “Power Up YOUth is a community coalition ...

Once intended to be a place where people from different cultural backgrounds could come together, All Cultures Equal, located at 1440 Second St. Webster City, began with a vision. It was to create community awareness about other cultures while helping immigrants learn more about the United ...

Boasting more than 20 new members after just a few months in existence, Rotary After Hours Club, continues to grow in membership. The club is a satellite of the Webster City Rotary Club, which has long had a presence in the community. According to Gregg Olson, chairman of the new group, ...

In 2015, Stratford celebrated a brand-new restaurant opening, run by folks from out of the area who fell in love with the small town. In 2016, the town was delighted when a second restaurant opened up just across the street, run by a couple from out of the area who fell in love with ...

Nestled quietly into the very northeast corner of Ellsworth is a business that reaches far beyond Hamilton County as it brews beer for all 37 locations of Granite City Food and Brewery that are in 11 states. From the outside, it’s a simple, functional building, but it doesn’t take more ...

Everyone has been there, or probably will be at some point in their lives. Something “big” happens that takes people out of their element, changes who they think they are, or what they should be doing in life. Many times, perspectives changes and priorities are brought in to sharper focus. ...

Hamilton Hometowns is now the name of Hamilton County SEED, the county-wide economic development organization that has been active since the 1980s. While the change came about in 2015, the goals of the group are the same: expand employment opportunities, improve the tourism economy, ...

A new grocery store, La Campana Tienda Latina, 728 Second Street, opened a few short months ago, in November 2016. The business offers new options to residents of Webster City, by carrying an extensive selection of imported products. The store caters to those wanting to create authentic, ethnic ...

Sometimes, it’s hard to know how to make the rooms in your home say something; “family,” “cozy,” “welcome,” or, “this is so me.” It can be challenging to put together a living space; one that you truly feel at home in, satisfied you’ve gotten it just right. For 25 years, ...

Webster City Auto Center is a full-service GM dealership that provides a wide selection of Chevy, Buick and GMC trucks, cars and SUVs. The business is the only new car dealership in the area but also have a selection of pre-owned autos. Dan Ray, owner of Webster City Auto Center, has been ...

When walking down Second Street, a wide variety of shops and businesses are displayed. Tucked in between Principal Financial and Dinsdale Motors is Blakes Auto Repair. “I really like helping people out,” said owner Pat Blake. “I try to treat each customer right.” The 36-year-old ...

It was a big deal when Ellsworth, Jewell and Hamilton County civic and business leaders gathered for the December 23 ribbon cutting at the Love's Travel Stop at the junction of Interstate 35 and Highway 175 in Ellsworth. Expecting only a dozen people, Love's General Manager Ross Eveland ...

The Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce is reaching a monumental milestone this year. The chamber is celebrating 100 years of bridging the gap between businesses and community members. “The chamber was officially formed in 1917. Prior to that there was a group of gentlemen that acted ...

Murray McMurray was an extremely busy man in 1917. He worked in his father’s bank, was scout master to more than 50 rambunctious boys and headed the county’s fund drive to support the Army YMCA facilities, the war time boys and girls vegetable garden work and the county’s war food ...

The passage of federal and state legislation in the wake of needed food production at the start of World War I provided the beginning of one of the nation’s largest farm groups. The new laws funded the services of a county agricultural agent to improve farm production and rural living. The ...

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach for Hamilton County is celebrating its 100th birthday in 2017. Hamilton County Extension Service has long been the go-to source for information about horticulture, food and nutrition, managing finances and farm-related topics. In the early days, ...

Early settlers organized the Hamilton County Agricultural Society and held the county’s first fair in the county seat of Webster City on October 14 and 15, 1857, just months after Hamilton County organized as a county. No history source agrees where the event was held. Some write it ...