Serving OUR COMMUNITY
HOO DOO CELEBRATION 2026
HOO DOO CELEBRATION 2026
HOO DOO CELEBRATION 2026
JOIN US FOR OUR 80TH YEAR OF HOO DOO DAYS!
OUR HISTORY:
HOO DOO CELEBRATION 2026
HOO DOO CELEBRATION 2026
Early Years
Aside from homes, Neola’s first buildings reflected the needs of a new railroad community. The town’s first structure was a general store built by D. Little, who also lived in the building.
Other early businesses soon followed:
· J. W. Norris opened a blacksmith shop.
· A man named Kuhl made and repaired harnesses.
· The Neola House served as a hotel for railroad patrons and was among the town’s earliest buildings.
Despite this early growth, Neola did not have its first saloon until 1870.
Grain, Coal, and Lumber
Grain shipping and sales became the driving force behind Neola’s early prosperity. The fertile surrounding countryside supported a strong agricultural trade, and in 1878 C. D. Dillen built a grain elevator capable of handling 10,000 bushels per day.
A man named Hamilton soon built another large elevator, which remained nearly as busy. Dillen later expanded into the coal and lumber markets. Both ventures proved highly profitable for him and for the town, encouraging new additions to be platted.
Business Growth and Community Life
By 1880, Neola’s business district included dozens of specialty shops and providers of goods and services. That year, the town had:
·Seven general stores
·Three drug stores
·Three hardware stores
· Two clothing shops
· Five doctors
·Three attorneys
· Two insurance agents
Neola also supported a newspaper, a bank, a stock buyer, and tradespeople such as carpenters, milliners, and butchers. A second hotel was also operating by this time.
Until 1882, all railroad traffic came through the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad. That year, the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway laid tracks through Neola, making the town a profitable railroad junction. This expansion boosted business and helped recreational, fraternal, and religious organizations thrive.
In its early years, Neola had a sophisticated opera house used for both education and entertainment, as well as a park. Religious services were available at Catholic and Presbyterian churches, and local lodges included the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Iowa Legion of Honor.
Phoenix Movie Theater
Opened in 1913, the Phoenix Movie Theater in Neola is one of Iowa’s oldest surviving theaters. Before the theater was built, the opera house had been used to show films until it burned in 1912.
When the Phoenix rose from the ashes, the Neola Gazette Reporter described it as roomy, modern, and “fireproof.” Today, the theater shows current films and can also be rented for private parties.
Education
The first school in Neola opened in 1881 as a subdistrict of the township school system. Neola Township had six school subdistricts, each with one school. At that time, male teachers were paid $34.16 per month, while female teachers earned $33.75. In 1881, enrollment totaled 319 students.
Today, students from Neola attend Tri-Center Schools along with pupils from Minden and Persia.
Neola Today
Today, some businesses operate in buildings that date to around the turn of the 20th century. With a population of about 1,000, Neola is home to more than 30 businesses, an impressive number for a small town.
Neola continues to grow. The second phase of the Meyerring Hill development is nearly full, and infrastructure work for the third phase, which covers 37 acres, is scheduled to begin in 2027.