When I Was Young
Please share with us what you remember about growing up in Dexter and the Dexter Community House happenings. If you have any pictures that you would like to donate, please let us know. We will copy and return them to you. You can also email them to: Linda@dexterroundhouse.org. We appreciate your stories and time!
Growing up on a farm just outside of Casey, I can remember not having a lot of entertainment as there was not computers back then. We had lots of cats, none were allowed in the house and there were fields all around us. For entertainment, there was church on Saturday night at St. Joseph's (now the Casey Visitors Center) and going out for Supper at Jenny and Art's (which I would later waitress at). From the house, you could hear the trains and interstate buzzing by when the windows were open.
For fun, I remember gathering up our family and driving Hwy 6 or White Pole Road to visit the Gene and Mary Ellen Simons Family. I can remember the service man at Kalbach 's gas station in Menlo (Town of few, Friend of all) always had a cheery smile even when standing in the rain. In Stuart (home of 1600 good eggs, and a few stinkers), there was the Rock Island Railroad Depot. (now being renovated by Sargent Construction). If we decided to attend church at All Saints, I would look around at all the wonderful ornate designs on the ceiling. I was heartbroken when it was claimed by an arsonist.
But my favorite place on Hwy 6 was Drew's Chocolate in Dexter (the original one horse town). We would go there to buy chocolate on the way to Des Moines to visit my Grandmother or on the way back from visiting Dr. Chapler & Osborn with my Grandmother from Casey. The hair netted ladies were alway glad to see you. If you were lucky enough, you could see them making the candy. The smell of chocolate was wonderful. We would stop several times a year.
In my 20's, I moved to Waukee and took a part time job at Lundy's Hallmark aIong with my full time job. I can remember helping and waiting on Del Hoover, former Dexter Resident and Mr. & Mrs. Tony Pivonka. We would talk about people and events happening in Dexter. I never heard them speak of the Dexter Community House (aka Roundhouse).
When I met and married my husband Brian, we lived in Des Moines. He is into Bonnie & Clyde and reads books on them. It was nice to be able to go shopping and not spend time traveling to Des Moines. After a couple years,Brian and I wanted to have the small town feel. We looked and looked. We finally found the Fagen home and knew it was the right place for us at first sight. When we finished all the paperwork, we gave our Realtor a box of Drew's Chocolate! She hadn't heard or tasted them before, she loved them.
It is ironic that after many years on the farm, Gene and Mary Ellen Simons now live on a farm near Casey. I drive past their old house on the way in and out of Dexter and remember the fun times that we had when our families were together. The big Dexter sign standing in the Findley Farm was always a welcome sight to see, which is now replaced with a smaller sign up the way into town.
I never thought that I would live in Dexter. We have lived here with our two inside cats, Sunny and Joey for 5 years. We have our own business, DexterPC. It is funny how things come full circle. I live by the train tracks that goes by my parents house and 2 doors down from my favorite Dexter place, Drew's Chocolate and there is a field backed up to my backyard. I now volunteer at the Dexter Community House with Tony Pivonka (until last year) and Wanda Osborn(who was my Grandmothers nurse). It is a small world after all!
Linda (Ludwig) SmithDexter Resident since 2003