Confidence is a small unincorporated community in
Wayne County,
Iowa, United States.
Located in south central Iowa, the community lies along County Highway J18 in the northeastern corner of its county, just west of
Rathbun Lake
Rathbun Lake was constructed and is operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Located at Chariton River mile marker 142, approximately 7 miles north of Centerville, Iowa, in Appanoose County, it is one of the largest lakes in Iowa. The lake ...
.
History
Confidence was originally platted in 1858, and its population and economic activity peaked in the 1920s, the peak of coal mining activity in the area. The first coal mines in the area date from approximately the 1860s, although in the 19th century, they were small, serving only the local market. By the end of the 19th century, L. Frye was the principal mine owner in the area. Frye's mines were in the
Mystic coal seam, which was not much over thick in this area. In 1905, he opened a new mine with a shaft and a steam hoist. This mine was just 1/4 mile south of an older Frye mine that had mined out just of coal. Other mines in the area included the J. Hayhurst Bank and the Jared Bank.
Confidence's population was 51 in 1902, and 77 in 1925.
The town changed drastically as a result of the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. In its prime, the town boasted a millinery, a tavern, a shoe shop, and a bank. The bank paid off all its deposits upon closing in 1935.
The population was 77 in 1940.
By the end of the 20th century, Confidence was a virtual ghost town, with only a handful of occupied houses, a derelict church, a cemetery, a park, and the New Providence Baptist Churc
housed in its current building since 1981. Its postal address designations are split between
Melrose, Iowa, Melrose, ZIP code 52569, and
Plano, ZIP code 52581. Its area is part of the Wayne Community School District
based in
Corydon, Iowa, Corydon.
Other nearby towns include
Russell
Russell may refer to:
People
* Russell (given name)
* Russell (surname)
* Lady Russell (disambiguation)
* Lord Russell (disambiguation)
Places Australia
*Russell, Australian Capital Territory
*Russell Island, Queensland (disambiguation)
**Ru ...
, in
Lucas County;
Albia, seat of
Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe:
* Monroe County, Alabama
*Monroe County, Arkansas
* Monroe County, Florida
* Monroe County, Georgia
*Monroe County, Illinois
*Monroe County, Indian ...
;
Centerville and
Moravia, in
Appanoose County
Appanoose County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,317. Its county seat is Centerville.
History
Appanoose County was formed on February 17, 1843, from open territory. It was named for the ...
.
References
External links
Wayne County websitePrairie Trails Museum of Wayne CountyTintype of Confidence, Iowa, 1879
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Unincorporated communities in Wayne County, Iowa
Unincorporated communities in Iowa
1858 establishments in Iowa