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Fourth of July in Creston Is Full of Family Fun |
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 The Fourth of July festivities in Creston always seem to be better than the year before. 2013 will prove no different. There are many fun activities planned for the family and most are free.
One of the highlights of the event is the annual 4th of July Parade held on July 4th in Uptown Creston. Creston is known for their parades and the July 4th Parade is one of the best and usually lasts at least 45 minutes. Before and or after the parade many people enjoy shopping the Flea Market set in Uptown Creston.
McKinley Park is the center of many other Fourth of July events. The Union County Historical Complex holds their annual Pioneer Days Celebration, Old Tyme Power displays their classic and antique machinery, there is a classic and antique tractor pull as well as games of bingo, food and several other activities taking place.
Another highlight of the 4th of July Celebration in Creston each year is the annual fireworks display at 10 p.m. in McKinley Park. While fireworks are a staple of many Independence Day celebrations, Creston’s are well above standard. Visitors from around the area, SW Iowa and northern Missouri come again and again to enjoy the show.
In addition to these activities on the 4th, street dance is always held on the 3rd July.
If you are looking for a place to spend the 4th of July Weekend, remember Creston. You won’t be disappointed.
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Quilts and Other Notions and Maple Street Memories Make Uptown Creston a Must Stop |
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Quilts & Other Notions located at 209 West Montgomery Street in Creston is one of the finest quilt stores in southwest Iowa. Here you can find over 7000 bolts of quilting fabrics, notions, books and patterns. Celebrating over 30 years in business, Joyce and her staff are very knowledge and more than willing to assist the novice quilter to those who have been quilting for years. Their phone number is 641-782-8874 or you may contact them by email at
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Quilts & Other Notions is “your total sewing store”.
Maple Street Memories scrapbook store is located in the Old Post Office in Uptown Creston. Rehabilitation of the build is ongoing. Maple Street Memories has become well known to crafters around the state and nation for their full line of scrapbook supplies, including over 3000 kinds of papers. They offer specialty die cuts and papers that can be customized to a customer’s projects.
You can vi sit Maple Street Memories in person at 222 North Maple Street in Uptown Creston, or at www.maplestreetmemories.com or on Facebook. You can also visit their ebay stores at http://stores.ebay/better-letter-stamp and http://stores.ebay/gotta-notion
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No Place like Creston for the Holidays Celebration |
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“No Place Like Creston for the Holidays,” now in its eighth year in 2013 and is quickly becoming one of the most popular events in Creston and southwest Iowa.
 The Lighted Christmas Parade, which has long been a tradition, will be held on Thursday, December 5th, beginning at 7 p.m.
This is a fun and spectacular event with many lighted floats, Santa, and much, much more.
Of course, no Holiday Celebration is complete without a visit from from Santa. Santa’s first visit to Creston will take place on November 29th at the restored Depot. Numerous soup suppers can also be found around Creston on this kick-off Thursday.
The No Place Like Creston Celebration will feature the Eleventh Annual Comfort and Joy Quilt Show, sponsored by the Patches and Pieces Quilt Guild, American Home Design Center and Quilts and Other Notions. The exhibit is free and open to the public to enjoy from December 5 through December 8th.
Also during this time the Festival of Trees will be taking place. A Quilt Block Walk will will be held at several of the businesses in Uptown Creston. In addition to these events, several musical events will take place during the celebration.
Come for a day or enjoy the entire weekend of holiday magic. For more information please call 641-782-7021 or www.crestoniowachamber.com.
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Hunting and Fishing in Union County |
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 Union County is rapidly becoming southwest Iowa's wildlife and outdoor recreation capitol. Located along and near Highway 34, with easy access to Interstate 35 and Interstate 80 its lakes and beautiful landscape are easily accessible to the avid outdoorsman and those who enjoy the outdoors and the beauty which Southwest Iowa offers.
Whether its deer or turkey, waterfowl or pheasants, wall-eye, Muskie or the lowly catfish, opportunities for hunting and fishing are plentiful in and around Union County. Union County’s High Lakes offer an array of outdoor recreational opportunities unmatched in southern Iowa. Five lakes including award winning 3-Mile Lake and Green Valley Lake State Park along with 2,500 acres of publicly owned woodland and prairie….all conveniently located within a 20-mile radius of each other.
Opened in the fall of 2012 was a shooting range, which will add even more to what Union County already offers.
The lakes offer opportunities for water-skiing, boating, camping, hiking and picnicking and some great ice fishing during the winter months for the entire family.
The duck and goose hunting is excellent. Turkeys were stocked in the  area in the late 70's and have expanded to the point where just about every patch of woods has turkeys now.
The region has become a favorite for deer hunters as well.
Thousands of acres of CRP and cropland furnish an excellent habitat for wildlife. Or, if you prefer, you can hunt along the banks of Three Mile and Twelve-Mile Lakes, where hundreds of acres of cover and food plots have been created to draw wildlife.
Three great golf courses can also be found in Union County along with an expanding hiking and biking trail which now runs from McKinley Park in Creston north to Green Valley State Park. This Park to Park Trail is paved over five miles and once at Green Valley State Park you can enjoy the over 9.5 miles of grass trails around Green Valley Lake. These trails are suitable for hiking and mountain bikes.
For more information on hunting, fishing or other activities in the area please call Union County Conservation at 641-347-5100. Call Creston/Union County Tourism for a free travel guide at 641-782-7022 or visit our website at www.unioncountyiowatourism.com.
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Union County Historical Complex and Museum Is a Must See |
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 The Union County Historical Complex and Museum is located in Creston just off West Highway 34 in beautiful McKinley Park. Here you can find buildings reminiscent of a prospering village in early Iowa around the 1890’s. You can see the fully furnished last operating rural school in Union County. Other original buildings brought to the complex include an 1855 log cabin, a barn originally built in 1896, a house built before 1900 and the Spaulding Methodist Church, built in 1878 where weddings still take place today. A depot, originally from Lucas and later used at Brooks, along with a signal tower from the Creston rail yards and a caboose, emphasize the importance of the railroad heritage to the area.
Replicas in the village include a general store, harness shop, barbershop, blacksmith shop, fire station, machine shed and gristmill. A museum adjoins the village and contains hundreds of artifacts and Union County memorabilia.
The Complex hosts the annual Pioneer Days event on the 4th of July. Demonstrations and music representing Union County’s heritage are presented.
The Complex is from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Memorial Day through Labor Day or by appointment and is free to the public. Tours can also be scheduled during the year. For more information please call Don at 641-782-4352 or Dick at 641-782-4000.
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Afton – Gateway to Three Mile Lake |
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Afton, located at the intersection of Highways 169 and 34, is the southern Gateway to Three Mile Lake, in Union County.
It is a community that meets you and greets you o  n the square. Every Tuesday evening from June through August, the community still gathers in the City Park, located in downtown Afton, to enjoy Lawn Chair nights and a Farmers Market complete with music and food. The Lion’s Club holds a Pre-Fourth of July celebration in the park the Sunday before the Fourth. A Community Church Service, food, entertainment and games are some of the activities on the day’s agenda.
Afton has been host to the Union County Fair in July for as long as anyone can remember. A parade, rodeo and demolition derby headline the fair. While at the fair, visit the industry booths, tour the animal barns, 4-H booths and enjoy the great cooking and homemade ice cream. In December enjoy the Holiday Extravaganza.
Be sure to add Afton to your travel agenda. It is a great place to visit. Please call 641-347-5224 for further details or visit their website at www.aftoniowa.com
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Visit the Historic Mormon Trail and Mount Pisgah Mormon National Monument |
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Mt. Pisgah located four miles south and one mile west of Lorimor,  just off Highway 169, was the first white settlement in Union County. This site founded by Mormon Scout, Parley Pratt, served as a way station on the original Mormon Trail from 1846 until 1852.
Between 1846 and 1852 more than 2,000 people made their homes here while thousands of others simply passed through on their way west. Even those headed west to the gold fields in California stopped at Mt. Pisgah for supplies and rest.
Today you can tour a cabin that was built as a reproduction of the type built as shelter by those early travelers. You can pause at the monument erected on this site in memory of the residents who did not survive their journey. Three hundred Mormons were buried here in just the first few months. You can trace wagon tracks across the prairie grass trail that eventually became a main thoroughfare to the west. You may picnic in the park near the site.
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Come Enjoy Hot Air Balloon Days in Creston |
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Creston and Southwest Iowa’s rolling hills and blue skies are a perfect setting for nearly 60 hot air balloons participating in the Hot Air Balloon Days the third weekend in September – September 20. 21 & 22, 2013. Now in it’s 36th year, the event is the second largest of its kind in the state of Iowa.
In addition to the balloon races during the weekend there is also the annual  Balloon Days Parade with high school marching bands from across the area, along with balloonists and many others on Saturday morning. The Creston City Center is the site of various activities for spectators of all ages as well. A Flea Market and Craft Fair in and around the Depot is a must see as well as a stroll through town to visit the local merchants open for your shopping pleasure during the day.
On Saturday afternoon you can continue to enjoy your day at the airport and participate in or enjoy the pedal pull and Pet Show. The very popular NightGlow begins at dusk. The event wraps up on Sunday morning with the last balloon race, weather permitting.
Mark your calendar and make your plans now to attend. For more information please call the Creston Chamber of Commerce at 641-782-7022 or visit their website at www.crestoniowachamber.com.
Up, Up and Away
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Experience Creston’s Historic Railroad Depot |
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Creston began as a railroad town in 1869. It was located at the high point on the Burlington Line between the two great rivers, the Missouri and Mississippi.
In 1960 Creston was cut from the division title and the h  istoric 1899 Rail Depot was closed and sold to the city of Creston for $1.00. Originally, the building was condemned and scheduled for demolition, but citizens of Creston saved the historic landmark. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and in 1978 the Creston City offices located to the restored Depot.
Today, besides Creston City offices you can find the Union County Congregate Meal Site located in the building as wekk as Creston: Arts, the Gallery. Also, the restored Depot now houses a Presidential Doll Collection, given to the city by a long-time resident, which depict all first ladies in their inaugural gowns through Mrs. Clinton. In the Memorial Room on the first floor, designed as a waiting area from long ago, the Creston Model Railroaders have built a working replica of Creston during its railroad hey-day.
Many train lovers visit the Depot to enjoy the atmosphere and the over forty plus trains that still pass or stop in Creston on a daily basis. For more information please call 641-782-7022 or visit our website at www.unioncountyiowatourism.com
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Welcome to Creston--The Hub of Southwest Iowa |
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Welcome to Creston, a community located in the beautiful
rolling hillsides of southwest Iowa. The citizens are.png) proud
of their community and look forward to sharing it with you. As the regional hub of Southwest Iowa for shopping, education, medical services, industry and fun, Creston caters to residents and visitors wanting personal service, in a gorgeous setting.
Creston offers a wide variety of services and businesses. It has several motels and bed and breakfast with more than 200 rooms and excellent meeting facilities. National and regional chains along with locally owned shops provide a real shopping treat.
We invite you to visit Creston during one of our annual events or anytime during the year. Come and discover the opportunities that await you in Creston. For more information or a free guide please call the Creston Chamber of Commerce at (641) 782-7021 or visit our website at www.crestoniowachamber.com.
Creston, a great place to visit, work and call home.
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Experience Union County |
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