Memories of Moneta

You wouldn't know by looking at it now, but Moneta used to be a bustling enclave of commerce, development and hope.

The tiny town on O'Brien County's far east border once boasted a population nearing 500 people. Residents there enjoyed all the amenities folks in larger cities took for granted – a movie theater, two car dealerships, grocery stores, gas station, school, bank, pool hall and more.

For Vicky Treimer, Moneta's rise and fall has been a point of curiosity her whole life.

"I was always fascinated by the town," she said. "The history just totally fascinated me, even as a young girl at 6 or 7."

Treimer decided to put pen to paper after researching Moneta's history for the past year and a half. The result was "Horse Hitches, Draymen, and Icehouses: The History of Moneta, Iowa," which was published last month by Covenant Books. The 181-page tome details the highs and lows of the small town, which today is a ghost of its former self.

"You look at Moneta now, and it's like no way. But 100 years ago, it was like Spencer in that it had everything," Treimer said.

Treimer, of Spencer, was raised on a farm between Hartley and Moneta. As a young girl, her family would take Sunday drives through Moneta, which left her wanting to learn more.

"As I got older, it was still in the back of my mind," Treimer said. "After talking to someone about Moneta one time, they encouraged me to write a book. I thought well, why not?"

Treimer started researching old archives of the Hartley Sentinel and Hartley Journal to dig up Moneta's history. The papers proved to be a treasure-trove of information on businesses, government and residents who called the city home over the past century.

Treimer's favorite era to research was the 1920s. Moneta was at its peak then, boasting more than 20 businesses and bursting at the seams with new residents.

According to Treimer's research, the town's population was 130 in 1920. By 1925, it had close to 500 residents from all over the United States.

"The Moneta Cash Store had everything, just like a Walmart. There were four places that you could get groceries and clothes," said Treimer. "The people worked so independently. It's unbelievable now; it's just wholesome to think about."

Unfortunately, the Great Depression would seow the seeds for Moneta's gradual downfall. More than a dozen businesses closed after the stock market crashed and many residents moved away, but the city would hang on for 67 years before unincorporating in 1996. More businesses closed during those six decades, homes were moved out of town, and the school shuttered. For all intents and purposes, the town died.

"What fascinated me was that it was so prosperous and had so much going for it at one time," Treimer said.

The research process uncovered many other interesting tidbits that delighted Treimer. During Prohibition, several raids took place in Moneta at outlets selling illegal hooch. Certain businesses also hosted illegal gambling gatherings like high-stakes poker.

"People were busted on more than one occasion," Treimer said. "There was a bunch of stuff going on."

Treimer also uncovered some personal family history. Her grandmother, Leona Krebs, was once the leader of the Busy Bee Sewing Club in Moneta.

"There were so many clubs in that small town," she said. "The people were involved in everything. It was such a busy community with so much going on all the time."

In addition to scanning newspaper archives, Treimer interviewed people with ties to Moneta for the book like its last mayor, Lane Muckey. It also features pictures from the town's past and clippings of advertisements from Moneta businesses.

For Treimer, the book was a labor of love. She was happy to have the small town's history between book covers and hoped people would enjoy reading about Moneta's glory days.

"Who would think coming to this small town now that it had all this going on 100 years ago?" Treimer said.

"Horse Hitches, Draymen, and Icehouses: The History of Moneta, Iowa," is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ebay, Goodreads, Thrift Books, Walmart and Google. An e-book option will also be available soon.