Nominations have been made to select Iola’s own eight wonders, and Iolans themselves will decide which eight will represent the city.
During this Saturday’s Iola Family Reading Festival at Allen Community College, attendees will have the opportunity to vote for what they think should be the eight wonders of Iola.
The Iola Public Library, Chamber of Commerce and Allen County Historical Society have been compiling nominations since Labor Day. After the nominating process ended on Nov. 1, Becky Nilges and other organizers of the Iola Family Reading Festival compiled the top three nominations in each of the eight categories, which include architecture, commerce, art, cuisine, history, customs, geography and people.
Nominations for architecture:
• All WPA•constructed buildings, including the football stadium, pool house, Coon Creek, North Community Building, Lincoln and Jefferson schools, Iola Community Building, and many more.
• Allen County courthouse
• The old Allen County jail
Nominations for commerce:
• Iola candy factories, formerly Sifers and currently Russell•Stover
• Area cement plants
• Hawley Honey Company
Nominations for art:
• Bowlus Fine Arts Center
• Gary Hawk Gallery
• Stained glass windows in Allen County churches
Nominations for cuisine:
• Renee’s Bakery cookies
• King’s Sandwich Shop
• Area Mexican restaurants
Nominations for history:
• The gas boom era, recognized by Gas City and its red water tower
• Pat Haire’s planing mill
• Old Iola cemetery
Nominations for customs:
• Humboldt Biblesta
• Iola Municipal City Band concerts
• Area bean feeds, including Moran Day, Elsmore Day, Biblesta and Veterans Day
Nominations for geography:
• Neosho River
• Elm Creek
• Prairie Spirit Trail
Nominations for people:
• Fred Funston
• Buster Keaton
• Ivan Strickler
Iolans to decide 8 wonders at reading festival
