Cottonwood

Recognized Firewise Community/USA

The Cottonwood Firewise board was formed in April 2007 and the community earned Firewise Community/USA recognition in November 2007.

Cottonwood Firewise board members are Bill Webb, president; Dwight McKee, Tim Creamer, Traci Neal and Tom Creamer. The board's purpose was to increase homeowners' awareness of wildland fires and the risk they pose to the community.

There are 42 square miles in the fire district with 627 homes and 1568 residents. Harrison city limits extends to one and a half miles on Cottonwood Road since it was paved in 1965. On that portion of road, there are four subidivisions consisiting of approximately 200 homes and another 30 homes along the road.

For its first mitigation project, the board cleaned a one-acre yard belong to an elderly resident who was no longer able to maintain the property on her own. The property had not been cleaned in approximately five years, and posed a serious hazard.

History of Cottonwood

In 1832, a road was constructed from Carrollton to the Dubuque Landing at the mouth of West Sugarloaf Creek on the White River. This road is still called Dubuque Road and is the northern boundary of the Cottonwood Fire District. Early settlements in this area were Cottonwood, Self and Myrtle. Cottonwood had a church, school, Masonic Hall and possibly a general store. Myrtle had a railroad, and was a thriving community with cattle pens to load cattle on the trains, a general store and a school.

There were numerous schools in the community early on. A child was not to walk more than two miles to attend school. Therefore a community of this size required several schools. There was Dubuque, Cottonwood, Myrtle and Hopewell to name a few. Consolidation was on the minds of the people in the early days as it is now. Myrtle consolidated with Hopewell in 1928. Hopewell consolidated with Bergman in 1949. Today Bergman has more than 1,000 students.

Two of the early churches were Hopewell Baptist and the Iron Stob Chapel. In 1886, the Baptist church was built. A passerby riding a horse stoped for a rest and upon leaving said "I hope you well." It seems that is the origination of the church name. In 1914, the chapel was built with a group from the Baptist church. This location was much closer, and services are still conducted at the church.

In 1977, the community saved the swinging bridge constructed by the WPA in 1938 from demolition by the county. A plank sale was conducted and supporters could purchase boards for $10. The purchasers' names were placed on the boards to be used to restore the bridge. The original concrete abutments, cables and suspension towers are still intact. the Haggard Ford Swinging Bridge has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Cottonwood Rural Fire Association was formed April 1, 1987. The department was built in the beginning with donations from 83 of the community landowners and the establishment of yearly fire dues.