The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911.
Rock County Village (continued from 02-11-20 edition of the Star Herald)
At this early stage of Manley’s development an invitation was extended to both Beaver Creek and Valley Springs to join forces with the new town, before circumstances should force such a procedure.18 The boom that was expected to eventuate in 1890 did not materialize so fully as anticipated. In April an elevator was erected by C. N. Bell, of St. Paul, and F. C. Bell was placed in charge. After much bargaining, L. K. Lee was induced to build a roller mill at Manley. The enterprise was launched early in August. Late in July a postoffice was established and Miss Mary E. McCallen appointed postmistress. The office was housed in a small building erected for the purpose.
To encourage the development of the town the townsite owners extensively advertised and held an auction sale of town lots that resulted successfully so far as their pockets were concerned. The sale was held on July 30, 1890. For the occasion a free excursion train was run from Sioux City, which carried prospective investors, the majority of whom were laboring men. It was reported that 588 persons were entertained by the company on the day of the sale and that seventy-five lots were sold.19 The many promises of building projects that were made before the wholesale disposal of lots were not fulfilled. The activities of the year 1890 from the first of August may be summarized: A small bottling works was put in operation; several small residences, one by E. M. Percival and another by Mr. Sturtevant, were erected; the first and only store in the town was established by H. H. Loeffler in December; the firm of Rood Bros. engaged in the fuel business and stock buying; an ice house with a storage capacity of 160 tons was completed by Albert Johnson in December.
There were a few additions to Manley in 1891. John Butler erected a 24x50 feet grain warehouse in time for the fall season, and in December a blacksmith and wagon maker located in the town. The Manley mill was closed in March, 1892, and from that time the deadline of the junction city was rapid, while Beaver Creek and Valley Springs continued to prosper. In the course of the next few years every industry in the town, with the exception of the grain elevators, were withdrawn.
The store building and the few residences remained unoccupied for a period and were eventually moved away.20 A fire on the morning of October 8, 1901, destroyed one of the two elevators, entailing a loss of $2500. In 1904 the station was closed but was later opened for a period. No agent is maintained at Manley at the present time.
18“A representative of the Northern Land company, which owns the towns along the Sioux City & Northern railway, has been interviewing the merchants and residents of the towns of Beaver Creek and Valley Springs, with a view to induce the two towns to unite and form a thriving town and the junction of the Sioux City & Northern and Omaha railways.”—Beaver Creek News-Letter, November, 1889.
19“The sale of town lots at Manley last week is said to have been a big affair, the purchases aggregating about $4000, at prices ranging from $50 to $150 a lot. The free excursion from Sioux City drew a big crowd.”—Rock Rapids Review, August, 1890.
20“Manley will soon be a has-been town. One by one the buildings of that place are being taken away. The last building to be removed, and about all that remains of Manley, will be the two story building. The building was sold this week to A. N. Nerison, of Hills. The building will be removed to Hills and used as a dwelling.”—Valley Springs Vidette, March, 1900.
The story of other places will start in the Feb. 25 edition of the Star Herald.
Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.