TELEPHONE COMPANY & SERVICES:
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company provides
Internet access, paging, voice mail, calling cards, cellular service, along
with state of the art 100% digitally switched calling since 1988. Local service
is provided to 580 square miles of Shelby, Pottawattamie, Crawford, and Audubon
counties. Cable TV is provided to Earling, the 59'er Motel and expansion
plans include Westphalia, Kirkman and other FMCTC service areas. We offer free
custom calling features such as: call forwarding, call waiting, speed dialing,
and three-way calling. FMCTC customers enjoy equal access for all long distance
calling.
SCHOOLS:
Youth attend the Harlan Community Schools or the Shelby County Catholic
Schools with centers in Harlan, Panama & Earling.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:
The German Heritage Park is the home of the first constructed
house in Westphalia Township. This house was the site of the first mass,
baptism, and wedding in Shelby County.
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY:
Jay's Woodworking & Cabinet Shop
Gary's Diesel & Repair
Tom's Repair
Town and Country Credit Union
Jerry Gross Painting
D&J Body Shop
Frank's Karpet Kleaning
Marv's Sales & Service
Connie's Beauty Shop
AGRICULTURE:
This is the main industry of the area.
LODGING & RESTAURANTS:
Klub Haus Bar & Grill
LOCAL LEGENDS & HISTORY:
Westphalia Township was set aside by the Chicago-Rock
Island & Pacific Railway to be settled by German Catholics in the 1870's. In
1872 our founder Emil Flusche had a vision of living in a peaceful village in
the center of a farming community where Germans who loved to work the land
could come. Here they would be self-sufficient and help one another. They
would have their own church and priest for their spiritual needs and cultivate
the faith for generations to follow. Westphalia remains a parish community.
It was named for Westphalia, Michigan because the people had been so kind to
Emil Flusche when he lived there. He later moved west again and founded
Westphalia, Kansas.
FESTIVALS & CELEBRATIONS:
St. Boniface Parish Picnic-July 4th. Gesundheit is
a celebration of the German heritage the 2nd Sunday in September. In 1997 we
will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the first settlers.
CHURCHES:
St. Boniface Catholic Church was built in 1881-82 in the very center
of the township. The cost of the church at that time was $17,000. The bricks
were baked by area craftsmen.
BRAGGING RIGHTS:
In 1991 we were placed on the National Register of Historic
Places. The historical district includes the church, rectory, cemetary,
school, Our Lady of Grace Shrine, St. Isadore (patron saint of farmers) Shrine,
Ball Diamond, Klub Haus, and First Fruits (corn crib)
We have one of the oldest credit unions in the state of Iowa and one of the
longest winning amateur baseball teams.
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