The town is well supplied with churches, having four protestant and one Catholic society. In the order of their organization they are: Methodist Episcopal, Free Methodist, Catholic, Presbyterian, Christian. The first church organized in the town was in 1874 by the Wesleyan Methodist, but that denomination has since passed from the field.
That the town and surrounding country are prosperous and rapidly growing in wealth is shown by the fact that Walker now boasts of two strong banks having resources reaching a half a million dollars, and with deposits steadily increasing. Its business men are enterprising and progressive.
Regularly laid out, its streets lined with shade trees, bordering permanent walks and well kept lawns, the town presents a pretty appearance, and town officials and citizens seem to vie with each other in their efforts to maintain its reputation as being one of the prettiest towns in the county.
MAINE TOWNSHIP
We are indebted to a loyal citizen of the county for the following historical sketch of one of the finest districts in the county—Maine township. Dr. Ward Woodbridge has treated sympathetically the early days in and around Central City. He long has lived there, has been a potent factor in the development of his community, and knows whereof he speaks.
Maine township geographically is located in the northeast corner of Linn county, being in the second row of townships from both the north and east.
Its shape is an irregular triangle, containing forty-seven square miles, making it one-third larger than the average township. This is due to an early arrangement whereby a portion of Buffalo township became a part of Maine. The Wapsie river divides Buffalo township nearly in the middle. In its early history the larger number of people resided south of the river, as there were no bridges in those days, and the river held a high stage of water, making it difficult to cross. These people finally asked to be attached to Maine township for administrative purposes, and all that portion of Buffalo on the south side of the river was made a part of Maine, and has never been restored.
The Wapsie river runs along the northeastern border of Maine, and is the dividing line between it and Buffalo.
Along the river, and from one to three miles in width on either side, the land is somewhat hilly, sandy, and has been heavily timbered. When the more level country is reached it becomes a gently undulating plain, rich black loam and very productive.
As we turn in retrospect, seeing its growth and development, we can see the work of the hardy and determined pioneers on every hand. It was they who blazed the way. It was they who built this Appian way of progress. It was their devotion and privation, patiently endured, that have caused not two, but myriads of blades of grass to grow where hitherto the one blade was trampled under foot by the roving Indian and buffalo, and although their forms have vanished and their voices are stilled, and the hands roughened by honest toil lie quiet, yet their work lives after them. They left that imprint on both descendants and administration which makes of the Maine township citizenship today a sturdy, hard-headed class, whose public opinion always crystallizes on the side of righteousness, of truth and justice. Its people never have to apologize for their course.