A look back at the Winfield Community Building in the ‘60s, 70s, and 80s

Through the 60s, 70s and early 80s the community building continued to play a major role in the Winfield community, but funds to maintain it never ceased to be a concern. As far back as February 1963 a headline in the Beacon declared, “Winfield Community Building Needs Your Help.”

Ladies of the Chamber of Commerce with the help of a few civic minded men were trying to pull the community building financial situation “out of the mire” by having a rummage sale. This was the beginning of the annual rummage sales with all proceeds going to support the community building.

Thanks to support from the community there was enough money for the Board to purchase a humidifier and five new chairs for the basement, lower the ceiling upstairs, repair the back wall, and construct a stage.

A few years later, when funds were again in short supply the annual rummage sale became a biannual event to help keep up with the needs of the community building. It wasn’t long before, even with two rummage sales a year, plus fees to use it and donations from individuals, organizations and businesses, income could not keep up with the need for maintenance.

A capacity crowd of 130 people attended a ham supper put on by the Chamber to help raise funds. Other organizations and businesses in town held various kinds of events to support the community building throughout the years. In January 1963 the building had been used 31 times.

Early on there were problems with the roof but the board managed to do enough work on it to keep the building usable. There weren’t enough band aids, however, to cover the roof and eventually a portion of the roof fell in and one of the walls upstairs was damaged rendering the upstairs unusable.

For nearly 25 years the Winfield Community Building was “the place to go” for entertainment, business, and social events. It was well used by not only Winfield and the Winfield area, but county wide as well. Wedding receptions held at the community building included those of Larry and Sue Rodruck and Leonard and Irene Heseltine’s. Many wedding anniversary parties such as Mr. and Mrs. Clair Mullen’s 40th used the building, too.

In 1969 The yearly budget needed to maintain the building was approximately $1,700. Once again, a plea for financial help went out and once again the need was met.

Through the 70s and early 80s the Board managed to keep the building in repair, and it was still ‘the place to be.” People who were teens in the 70s remember the many dances held in the building. Nothing lasts forever and eventually the dances lost their popularity. Pat Fricke remembers well when dances were a major part of a teen’s life. Why and when they faded out, she said she really doesn’t remember.

“Perhaps the garage bands who often provided music for the dances grew up and moved away and no one took their place,” Fricke said.

Sometimes teens brought their own records to share using the equipment they had helped purchases for the basement.

One, one of a kind event held at the community building included a visit from a 550-pound bear named Vic who entertained attendees by wrestling Jim Odell from Wapello, and anyone else that dared.

Winfield resident Jerry Linder said he didn’t wrestle the bear, but he remembers Vic taking a cookie out of his hand. Other events on the bill that night included a girls wrestling match, a tag team match, and an outstanding match featuring Dick Snell, a U.S. Army judo expert who made his home in Wapello against an opponent from Missouri. It was billed as an “All Star Wrestling Program.”

Board officers elected in 1970 included President, Lester Meeker, Vice President, Maynard Hill, Secretary, Melba Hewitt and Treasurer, Marjorie Carden. The Community Building had been used 300 times in that year.

The 70s were the last years the community building maintained its importance in the community. In the early 80s the building began to deteriorate faster than funds could be raised to maintain it. Use of it also began to decline. The upstairs became unusable, and the time was coming when a decision of what to do next was not far off.

The next article will follow the demise of the Winfield Community Building and the final article will consist of memories from people who remember the building in its heyday.