In the beginning…

By an Act of Congress on Sept. 4, 1841, the U. S. Government gave the State of Iowa 5,000,000 acres of land for school purposes. Then, as School Commissioner for Iowa County, Martin Ballard sold the land (now North English) to Lyman D. Little on Nov. 22, 1851. 

Lyman Little then established an inn that was located on what is now Washington Street in North English. This street on the north edge of town ran east to the old state capital of Iowa City and west to the future capital of Des Moines, His signpost, adorned by a huge set of antlers, reflected his character, as he was renowned as a deer hunter with no superiors in the territory.

North English, Iowa, has had three different names in its history. The first settlement was called “Soaptown,” due to one of the occupations of Michael B. Vincent as a maker of soap.  According to family memory, he was an immigrant from Quebec who never reached his planned destination of New Orleans.

Michael B. Vincent was a witness to the Ballard-Little transaction and later started the town of “Nevada” (North English). On Dec. 30, 1853, Lyman Little sold his land to Abigail Hannah Vincent, who was a sister of Michael B. Vincent. In the fall of 1854, Abigail married Cyrus Morgan. On Nov. 14, 1854, Abigail Morgan and husband, Cyrus, sold the land to Michael B. Vincent, and this was when the town of “Nevada” (North English) was started.

Later, it was learned there was a Nevada already (in Story County), so our town was renamed “North English.” It is believed by some that this name was inspired by the naming of South English when it was founded in 1855.

The original North English had only three streets: Main, Broad, and Howard. (Main Street in 1856 is now Highland Street.) When Watters Addition was added, so were three more streets: West, Mill, and Oak.

It was an exciting day in North English when the C. M. and St. P. Railroad was first surveyed in 1881, and they commenced grading Nov. 1883, finishing in the spring of 1884. The first train ran over the road July 18, 1884; the first freight was received July 12, 1884; and the first carload of stock shipped from North English was by Whitson and Meeker on August 6, 1884.

North English was incorporated in 1892 with E.D. Baird serving as the first mayor. As Main Street moved to run north from the new train depot, a bustling, popular business community developed that extended uphill for several blocks. There were restaurants, clothing stores, groceries, hardware dealers, and a variety of other businesses that attracted shoppers from around the region.

A high point in many local memories was the centennial celebration of 1954 when many of the stores were decorated in a pioneer style, and there were special sales and events all summer. It’s also remembered that, as highways improved in Iowa and more people traveled to other cities for shopping, medical care, and even employment, the active life of Main Street began to slowly fade. 

It’s an irony of history that, as the businesses of North English began to diminish, the population of the town was 1,065 at the time of the 2020 census. This is the largest North English has ever been! As written by James C. Dinwiddie in his 1915 History of Iowa County, “With good cause, North English might be called a city of homes.” 

With over 440 households established, this has become a popular place to live. With access to all the finest features of life in Iowa, a growing number of new citizens every year are enjoying their lives in North English.