McIntosh Today

McIntosh is the county seat of Corson county, and today is the largest and most progressive town on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.
It is located on the main line of the Chicago, Milwaukee & Puget Sound railway, the new transcontinental line, and is the first division point west of the Missouri River. The town is fifteen months old, has a population of 500, and has lately been incorporated. The town officers are:
Trustees-J.A. Archambault, C. Casteel, E.G. Rinderneck
Clerk-C.S. Clemmensen
Treasurer-C.H. Belknapp
Assessor-L.C. Mentz
Justice-W.H. Schulz

Opportunities

McIntosh offers the most excellent opportunities in almost any line of business or profession, and it will pay any one that is looking for a new country and town to grow up with to stop off at McIntosh and look the town over. Business and resident lots are sold very reasonably, and on terms generally to suit the purchaser.
McIntosh is surrounded by a very large territory of fine farming country, which will be settled this spring, and the business that will be done from now on will surpass anything that has ever been heard of or done in any new town on an Indian reservation that has been thrown open for settlement.

Surrounding Country

The country around McIntosh is fertile, gently rolling prairie, well grassed and adapted to farming and stock raising. the soil is a deep, rich black clay loam, with a clay subsoil, and all kinds of small grains and alfalfa yield abundant crops. Corn is also raised very successfully and although it may seem as if we were too far north to be in the corn belt, it has been found that where the ground has been thoroughly cultivated and the proper kind of corn planted, that it will yield from 40 to 60 bushels per acre.
When it is taken into consideration that nearly all the crops raised last year were on newly broken ground, the following amounts raised per acre will show the high fertility of the soil; Macaroni wheat, 35 bushels per acre; other wheat, 19; oats, 47; flax 14, corn, 40.

Water

An abundance of water can be had by digging at a depth of 15 to 60 feet. It is very pure and almost as soft as rain water.

Fuel

Lignite coal is found in a great many localities near here, and will be of great help to the homesteaders, as it can be had very cheaply and makes excellent fuel.

Climate

The climate in Corson county is about the same as that of northern Iowa and Illinois and southern Minnesota, but on account of the altitude, the air is very pure and invigorating, with none of the hot, sultry nights that are frequent in lower altitudes.

The Leading Town on The Reservation

McIntosh has always taken the lead of all the new towns along the line in Corson county, and with the bright future ahead, it is bound to be the largest and leading town on the reservation.
Some of the future improvements billed for McIntosh of a public nature will be a complete waterworks system for fire protection and domestic use. Plans are also under way for an elegant court house building to be erected on the court house square in this city. McIntosh can also boast of a modern telephone system, and the city is connected up with the long distance.
If you are the lucky holder of a number drawn last fall don’t pass it up until you have looked everything over. Come to McIntosh and get what information you want. There are responsible locators there that can be depended upon, and a few hours’ drive will take you to any part of the reservation, the new bridges across the Grand river greatly facilitating traffic in that direction.

The Accommodations

The accommodations of McIntosh are of the best, and the town is fully prepared to take care of the immense influx of settlers that are coming to this country this spring.
Two large hotels which have recently been constructed will surpass almost anything in the state for grandeur and capacity, which, in connection with the many other hotels and restaurants, will place the city in a position to give the best accommodations to the traveling public on the reservation, and that at rates that are reasonable.

Schools and Churches

There are now plans under contemplation for a new $12,000 school house to be built this summer.
We now have one Baptist church, and plans are being made for one Catholic, one Lutheran and one Presbyterian church.

Below is a list of business firms represented in McIntosh.
Banks:
First National Bank
First State Bank

General Merchandise:
J.A. Archambault
W.L. Chapin
W.W. Hamilton
H.N. Drueker
Chas. Hartinger

Hotels and Restaurants:
Standing Rock Hotel
Carson Hotel
Lloyd Hotel and Restaurant
Golden West
Mentz’ Quick Lunch
Railway Restaurant
Smithberger House

Elevators:
Columbia Elevator
McCaull-Webster Elevator Co.

Hardware:
A.R. Kersten & Co.
C.L. Lawien
Brown & Bohrer Co.

Lumber & Coal:
McCaull-Webster Elevator Co.
Atlas Lumber Co.
Fullerton Lumber Co.
Central Lumber Co.
Montgomery Lumber Co.

Clothing:
Blumer Clothing Co.

Drugs:
City Drug Store

Pool Halls:
E.G. Rinderneck
S.J. Smithberger

Barber Shops:
Ben McBride
G.H. Getman

Meat Market:
Stoick & Son

Photographer:
Howard Bros.

Newspaper:
McIntosh Globe

Doctor:
W.E. Hill

Livery:
W.M. Carmichael
W.L. Chapin

Blacksmith:
F.M. Mitchell

Real Estate, Land companies, Locators:
Milwaukee Land Co.
Pioneer Land Co.
Bartlett & Byrne
McGowan & Shirey
Standing Rock Land & Abstract Co.
Corson County Abstract & Title Co.
Corson County Land & Title co.
Walter Wold
Anton Runbeck

Attorneys:
N.B. Bartlett
H.R. Wilmsen
E.B. Healy
C.H. Belknapp
J.C. Worth

Contractors:
Al Israel
Nels Pierson
H. Wiedenheft
W. Mellinger
A.J. Van Scotter
W.E. Sage
Kotterman
Daniels (mason)
Welch & Shea (well drilling)


Thank you to Gary Merkel for sharing this community brochure with us for our history project. The brochure was probably written in early 1910 in time for the homesteaders who would come to this area in May of 1910.