UNION CITY

Union City was surveyed August 1, 1855, by John D. Wright, county surveyor.  The town was located in the Northwest quarter of section 21 of Platte Township, the towns main street being located on the north-south line between sections, 20 and 21 and was designated Second Street.  Three other streets running north and south were Third, Fourth and Fifth streets.  The town was located on the old state road that ran through Afton to Bedford, and became a stopping point for wary travelers due to the long distance between these points.  The stagecoach carrying mail stopped here twice weekly.  The town was established by Edd Orr and his partner Cy Wynn, who came from Connecticut and bought out a small general store that had belonged to Samuel Clem.  Orr and Wynn ran the store for about two years before returning to Connecticut. This was the first established store in Platte Township.  The goods for the store were brought by ox teams from Maryville, Missouri and later, Keokuk, Ottumwa, Osceola, Afton, and Cromwell as the railroad came nearer.  At it’s high point the town contained about a dozen log homes, the general store, post office, a cabinet maker, blacksmith shop and a Christian Church.  At the conclusion of the Civil War, the post office was removed to Madden’s Grove and then to Kent by 1874.  Eventually, the only remaining building was the school house which continued to carry the Union City name.