Nestled between the Cedar and Wapsipinicon Rivers in Cedar County, with the Old Lincoln Highway running through its middle, lies a small town with a big history. Original settlers to this area actually built log cabins, a general store, a sawmill, and even a post office about a mile north of where the present city of Mechanicsville lies. They chose this area because of the timber and water supply there. This sector was known as Pioneer Grove.
The ridge to the south of Pioneer Grove, where Mechanicsville now stands, was once a swampy, wooded area, with open prairie on its south side. In 1850, this land was claimed by Joseph Stratton, to be later sold to George Weaver. Weaver, in turn, sold 60 acres to partners John Onstott and Daniel Comstock. In 1855, the land was surveyed and plotted. Soon after, Comstock sold his interest to Onstott, leaving him sole owner of the village.
The original pioneers who settled here were a hearty lot. Many were masons, carpenters, wheelwrights; artisans or “mechanics” by nature. Onstott thought the name mechanics and village combined would be a good name, so the name Mechanicsville was struck and remains to this day.
In 1857, more land, known as the Iroquois tract, to the east of the original plot was purchased and the village expanded to 120 acres. An agreement was made with the Northwestern Railroad and a depot was built, The first depot was fashioned from a box car and served until 1879 when a new one was built. That depot burned in 1910 and a new one was erected which served until August 12, 1958 when it was closed by the railroad.
The village began to take shape and grow into a bustling town. The post office was moved in from Pioneer Grove, a one room school was built, and soon after came a tavern, a general store, and homes. In 1867, a petition to incorporate Mechanicsville and the Iroquois plot was presented to the Cedar County Courthouse. The request was granted and signed on November 25, 1867.
Mechanicsville once boasted a huge fair. The counties of Cedar, Jones, Linn, and Johnson formed the Union Agriculture Society and held the first fair there in September of 1870. It was done on a grand scale located at the northeast edge of town. As many as 4000 people attended in a single day. The fair continued for over 30 years, when due to financial difficulties, among other reasons, was discontinued.
Mechanicsville’s claim to fame, however, is being known as “The Pork Center of the World.” This started as an event organized by the Commercial Club in 1958. Concession stands, rides and parades were all part of the fun. Plans were once drawn up to erect a building on Highway 30 to sell pork products and label them as coming from the Pork Center of the World. The building never materialized, but the title has remained.
A quote from Peter Westbrook states “so much of our future lies in the past.” Even though Mechanicsville has seen many changes in its 167 years, roots run deep in this small town of consisting of approximately 437 households, a population of around 1020, and the motto of “Heaven Amongst the Cedars.” Many generations of past pioneer families still live here. They care about our past and feel the need to preserve it for future generations. For years, many long time Mechanicsville residents have dreamed of having a history center. A Facebook page named “Mechanicsville Iowa Remember This” was started by one of our citizens and has grown to 1.3 thousand members. It has been a popular place for people to share photos, memorabilia, and memories.
This made the urge to form a history center even greater. In the spring of this year, a small group of citizens decided to investigate how other small communities in the area had taken their dreams of a history center and made them a reality. The group was warmly welcomed by the Lisbon and Alburnett History Centers. The people at both centers were more than happy to share information about how they got started and how they operate. A visit was also made to the Cedar County Historical Society for a meeting with some of their members. They were very enthusiastic to hear Mechanicsville wanted to start their own history center and shared a lot of information they needed to get started, with promises to help guide them along the way.
The small group returned home, excited to proceed, but they realized it would take more than a few people to make this happen. Word was spread and a community meeting was held in March 2022 to determine if there was enough interest to move forward. Over 30 interested community members showed up voicing support. The project was off the ground. An Organizational Committee was formed and met weekly to work on legal hurdles. By mid May, with the help of various knowledgeable volunteers, 501©(3) nonprofit status was attained. Other committees including finance, building, publicity, and museum were formed, and the Mechanicsville Iowa History Center was officially established. The Mechanicsville Iowa History Center has a Facebook page, an Instagram gallery, and a website mechanicsvilleiahistorycenter.org. Mechanicsville Iowa History Center’s regular meetings are held monthly, the first Wednesday of each month, 6 pm, at the Memorial Building. The public is invited and encouraged to attend and express ideas and have input.
Moving forward, however, requires funding. If you have interest in making this dream a reality, you may mail your donation to Mechanicsville Iowa History Center, PO Box 399 Mechanicsville 52306 or drop off or mail to Bridge Community Bank in Mechanicsville at 200 S Cherry Street. All donations are tax deductible.

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A historic photo of downtown Mechanicsville.