Background

I was born and raised in Coon Rapids. Many of you probably knew my dad, Dale and my mom, Adelaide. Suffice to say I have been gone for awhile, more or less 40 years, doing management and engineering things for the Air Force and Federal Aviation Administration. But now I am back. Penny and I are fond of saying we voted with our feet. We came home (my home anyway) because we like Coon Rapids. We want it to be a success, and we want to contribute to its continuing success.

Being away from Coon Rapids, with only periodic trips back, provides an interesting perspective on the town and its residents. What has changed, and what hasn’t? That’s what I am going to talk about today.

1962 What Was it Like?

1962, what was it like? It’s a little hard to remember. But let’s start.

The World

Outside the boundaries of Coon Rapids times were changing. The battle for civil rights continued to heat up. James Meredith, escorted by Federal Marshals, registered at the University of Mississippi. For a short period of time in the summer and fall the Cuban Missile Crisis caught our attention. Marilyn Monroe died, and the first transatlantic television via satellite took place using the Telstar Satellite.

Coon Rapids

In our little town that summer the Mayor was Ted Hupp. Breakfast at Tiffany’s was showing at the Lyric. Malcolm and Thompson was advertising “Schedule your DDT Application”. Frohlich’s was selling 25 pounds of potatoes for 69 cents, lobster tails for 99 cents and two pounds of coffee for $1.19. Morrie Powers was playing at the Starline Ball Room and Garst and Thomas Hybrid Seed Corn Company was continuing to expand its production. 

From our vantage point today, it sure seems like these were the good old days. And, in many respects they were. But times change. Let’s take a look at what happened.

Major Trends

During the last 40 years several major trends have impacted our lives and our town. I want to talk about them next.

Population

Iowa’s population trends are well known. The average age of our population has increased. When Frohlich’s started selling more Grecian Formula than infant formula, it was a sign of big trouble. The bottom line impact here is the scarcity of families with kids. Dan Brutsche pointed out to me that we still have about the same number of houses in Coon Rapids as we did in the sixties. But they are filled with widows instead of multiple-children families. The median age in Coon Rapids is about 43, for the state it’s around 38. And Iowa has the 6^th highest median age in the US.

The second trend is the loss of population in town and in the surrounding area. Coon Rapids has lost over 20 percent of its population in the last fifty years. Due to the agricultural trends I am going to talk about next, the rural areas around Coon Rapids have lost a higher percentage.

The third population trend is the continuing immigration into Iowa. We had Swedes, Germans, Danes, Irish, Italians, and most recently Hispanics. This current wave of immigrants is adding to our cultural diversity and filling important niches in our workforce. It represents both a challenge and an opportunity for Coon Rapids and each of us personally.

Agriculture

You know the trends in agriculture better than I do. Even back in the 60s we saw farms being consolidated. We have gone from maybe 3 or 4 families with kids per square mile to around 1 per square mile. I don’t know what the number is. But the impact on small towns has been tremendous. 

Farm machines have become larger, more complicated and more expensive, and farms have become bigger. The amount of labor required to produce a bushel of corn or beans has decreased tremendously. Bioengineering is reducing the ratio further and will continue to do so. Technology and government programs seem to favor the continuing trend toward ever larger corporate farms.

Transportation

Changes in transportation during the last forty years have had a major impact on small towns. Forty years ago a trip to Carroll to shop was a big event, and a trip to Des Moines was a really big event. People drove to and shopped in the nearest small town. Farmers worked all week and shopped on Saturday. In the 50s and 60s Main Street was a hot place on Saturday nights.

Better roads and better cars have changed this pattern. People in what used to be the Coon Rapids trade area routinely drive to Carroll to shop at Wal-Mart or K-mart, and while they are there eat at McDonalds. It’s the way things are. Carroll retail sales grew last year; ours didn’t. That’s a problem.

Technology

I need to mention the impact of technology. In many ways it’s been good for Coon Rapids. Today people can live in a small town and still be connected to a world as large as they want. Today, using the internet, I can shop at a million different stores. Penny can listen to her favorite classical music on a Washington DC radio station. We can keep in touch with friends, sell products, visit libraries and museums and check the weather forecast from the comfort of our living room.

Our wired town makes it attractive to new residents as well as technology dependent businesses.

Growth of Leisure Time

As productivity has increased over the last forty years so has leisure time. Today people have more time to pursue non work-related interests. There as been a growth of involvement in sports, many forms of recreation, and hobbies. Much of our available free time is absorbed by TV and the internet. However, for many there is a growing focus on outdoor activities. These range from golfing, fishing and hunting to motor sports.

Results – Coon Rapids Today

Look Around

What has been the result of these trends? Well, you only need to look around. The thing is, when you live with them, they are not as noticeable as they would be if you had been away from them like I have been. Here is what I see.

Infrastructure

Coon Rapids has an above average infrastructure. As a town over the years we have been fortunate to have a solid tax base and forward looking leaders. We have paved streets and gutters and storm drains. Big deal you say – but it makes it easier to live here, and supports a prosperous image of the town. In a more visible area we have CRMU and the infrastructure it has developed and maintained over the years. We have natural gas and low electrical rates. We have an excellent electronic infrastructure that forms the basis for quality service and future growth. Finally we have a great library, public parks, golf course and aquatic center. These add to the quality of life of residents and visitors.

School

Thank God, the Coon Rapids-Bayard school system is excellent and viable. To understand its value just look at the surrounding towns that have or don’t have school. Even large towns seem to lose much of their energy when they no longer have a school. This may be tied to the loss of families with children.

Businesses

Population and transportation trends have resulted in the loss of significant retail business since the early 60s. Fortunately Coon Rapids has managed to retain core businesses essential for the continued life of a small town. You know what these businesses are. Many of you own them or work for them. All I will say is “Keep on Trucking.” We are very fortunate to have a viable retail business base in Coon Rapids.

We are also fortunate to have grown some new businesses during the last 40 years. ET-Video, Precision of Iowa, and Garst Farm Resort come to mind. While it’s not exactly a business, the Whiterock Conservancy represents another potentially significant source of excitement and revenue for the Coon Rapids area. Out east they would say “sizzle” rather than excitement, but I figured you might think I was talking about bacon.

Industry

Our industry today is dominated by agriculture, as it always has been. In the 60’s I would characterize Coon Rapids as a “Company Town”. As Garst and Thomas went, the town went. This was good and bad. Probably, in retrospect, it’s been more bad than good. We are suffering the effects today. The future of Garst Seed would probably be the primary topic over coffee at the Southside Café, if we still had a Southside Café.

Fortunately we have had growth in our industrial base. Tall Corn Ethanol is an example of this growth. And, of note, beyond Garst Seed, it brings advanced agricultural and biotechnology practices to Coon Rapids.

I want to acknowledge the birth of other small industries in town. These include the Hobby Corn Company started by Dave Hoffman, Doug Golay’s high tech business, and Mapleshade Pottery started by me. These small industries represent a potential trend that warrants further attention and support. 

Competition

I need to say a word about competition. It seems strange to think about competition in the context of the life of a small town. But it’s important to recognize at the same time we are working toward area-wide economic development we are also competing for scarce resources. Simply put we are in competition with other small towns for residents, retail trade, and new businesses. There are towns in Kansas and elsewhere that are giving away developed lots. They are having great success in bringing in families with kids. There are many towns making successful investments in the high-tech facilities necessary to entice high tech industries to move in and stay. Should we do more to attract new residents and businesses? That’s a question for another day.

What Should We Do About It?

I have covered a lot of territory in a short time. The trends I mentioned have delivered us to where we are today. Some of you may be asking “So what?” What should we do about it? I want to conclude by suggesting a couple of answers to these questions.

The first answer that comes to mind is - Do nothing. Well, it’s too late for this answer. We are already doing something and have been for years. The City Council, CRMU, and Coon Rapids Development Group, as well other groups and individual citizens have supported Coon Rapids with the sweat of their brows as well as their wallets. This group of individuals has made a positive impact, and will continue to do so. 

However, I think we can be more effective. I suggest we need to better understand the trends impacting us, and take advantage of them rather than being pushed around by them. Can we ride the aging population wave by expanding facilities for assisted care and retirement living? Can we ride the bioengineering wave by building on our history of agricultural innovation? Can we respond to the major changes in Iowa’s population by encouraging diversity in our workforce and population? Can we benefit from the growth in leisure time by making additional facilities available for bicycling, motor sports or other popular modern sports? Believe me; I don’t know the answers to these questions. I only suggest that they warrant lively discussion within our community.

Conclusion

In conclusion I want to ask you my favorite Coon Rapids Question. 

When was the heyday of Coon Rapids?

Right now I only want to suggest that the answer may be – it hasn’t happened yet – it’s in the future.

By working together we can make this a reality.

- Doug Carpenter