Agriculture has always been important to the economic fabric of Ida County and Iowa. Ida County is in the fourth tier of counties from the northern boundary of the state, and is the second east of the Missouri River. It contains 432 square miles or 276,480 acres. The Maple River runs through the county from northeast to southwest. Its principal branches are the Odebolt and Elk, flowing in from the east, and Battle Creek from the west. Soldier River flows westward through the southern tier of townships. There are many smaller streams draining the county in all parts. The valleys of the streams are unsurpassed in fertility of its farming lands. Maple River, in this county, furnishes several mill sites. The general character of the surface is undulating or rolling prairie, though no portion is too broken for cultivation. The soil in the valleys is a dark mould, in many places from three to six feet deep. The uplands contain more clay, and are well adapted to the raising of wheat and all the cereal crops. This, like other counties in this part of the state, has but a limited supply of timber. We have it on authority of the county surveyor that this county has only about 1,000 acres of natural timber, about one-half of this being in Ida Grove, which is situated on Maple River in about the enter of the county. It is mostly oak, walnut, linn, elm and hickory, the white or soft maple skirts the borders of the streams in many places.
Among the wild fruits, the plum, grape, gooseberry and strawberry are found. Stock-raising and dairying succeed well in this county, as it is unsurpassed for pasturage or hay. The wild grass known as the blue-joint predominates in the valleys, and in many places the yield of hay is as high as four tons per acre. Fine well water is found in almost any locality by digging to a moderate depth, rarely exceeding twenty-five feet. No regularly stratified rock formations appear at the surface. The only rocks obtained in the county are the boulders. An abundance of material suitable for the manufacture of brick is found in all parts of the county. The bluff deposit, which overspreads the entire county, has been successfully used for making brick of a good quality. The principal productions are wheat, oats, corn, rye and potatoes. All kinds of vegetables and root crops common to the latitude succeed well. The various kinds of small fruits are easily raised, as well as some varieties of cherries and apples.
The farmers directory for 1884 Ida County, Iowa will provide a list of all residents of the county, and the township they lived in.
Directory by Townships
- Battle Township
- Blane Township
- Corwin Township
- Douglas Township
- Galva Township
- Garfield Township
- Grant Township
- Griggs Township
- Hayes Township
- Logan Township
- Maple Township
- Silver Creek Township
Source
Farmers Directory of Ida County, Arranged by Townships, Davenport, Iowa : Iowa Pub. Co., 1884.