Historic photos on display in Latimer

A new attraction in downtown Latimer is keeping the past alive.

The Latimer Development Committee has turned an unused patch of land on Main Street into a small park where people can enjoy a look at the community's history.

From the vintage point of the newly installed bench, visitors can enjoy a small gallery of historic photos presented on the exterior wall of the Farm Bureau Office building.

"I looked at this and said we need to do something," said Wayne Pralle. "I wanted to do something to make the area look nicer."

The historic photos showcase Latimer as it was more than a century ago, from a bird's eye view of the city in 1901 to a look at the town's hardware store and harness shop in 1913.

Costing roughly $6,000 in materials and donated labor, the project took a few weeks to complete. North Country Landscaping cleaned up the area and planted trees and plants around display while Precision Signworks in Winterset created the weatherproof photo enlargements. DeBour Electric installed new lighting and additional contributions were made by First Bank Hampton, Meilin Hoyer, Mildred Menning, Donna Halfwassen Shirley Strong, and Wayne and Amy Pralle.

"Hopefully people will come to sit and enjoy," said Pralle.

Pralle says that he has enjoyed seeing people sit and look at the photos, with some older residents looking at the overhead view of town to reminisce about buildings that are long gone.

The display can even be enjoyed at nighttime, as dedicated lights illuminate the photos

"I just love it," said Pralle. "I'm really happy with the way it all turned out."