In a grassy clearing on the edge of a large heavily wooded area west of Mallard Avenue, not too far south of Bailey creek and north of the fields there, you can find a small partially fenced off area with a weathered gravestone in the center. If you're at that spot, you've found Shobe's Grove Cemetery. The cemetery is one of the smallest, if not the smallest, cemeteries in Iowa containing only a single known grave.

The Hampton Chronicle’s first annual pumpkin and gourd giveaway was a smashing success! On Friday Mid-America Publishing publisher of the Chronicle announced via social media that it was giving away colorful pumpkins and gourds on a first come, first served, grab and go basis and within two hours all of the pumpkins and gourds had been given away.

In 1954 Vernon Butson bought a tractor, his first. It was a red IH 1954 Farmall MTA and he needed that tractor because well, he wed Lena Cornelia Smidt of Kanawha back on February 17th in 1953 and he had work to do.

The baton has been passed, Hampton officially hands off the Police Chief position to Mark Morrison.

Thursday was a “bittersweet day” as Bob Schaefer served the citizens of Hampton for one last time before completing his final shift and ultimately turning over the police chief role to Captain Mark Morrison.
 

Jack Zimmerman isn’t what you’d call a showy guy even if he does flash everyone on god’s green earth with a sheepish smile at the slightest provocation, a virtue we’re sure he’s had most of his life even though we can’t be entirely certain due to the fact he’s 81 years old and we haven’t always borne witness to his demeanor, though others have and may confer.

Early morning thunderclaps and cloudbursts had many worried as dawn broke on Saturday, the eve of the Access Golf Extravaganza at Hampton Country Club but luckily the skies parted before the shotgun start at 9:15am and the 21 eager teams and attendees enjoyed perfect weather for the event.

As trains could be heard rolling through Hampton on Monday September 12th it hardly seemed like it had only been a week since Franklin County residents awoke to the news that a 44 car Union Pacific train traveling south from Chapin had derailed over Otter Creek just north of 190th and the Mollenbeck farm at approximately 3:30 am on the 5th, spilling “asphalt and mixed commodities,” (lumber products) destroying the bridge and piling up the cars

Many in Hampton may not know the history, but the farmers market that crops up on HWY 3 east of Hardees twice a week from May to October can trace its roots back to 1974 when the food pyramid made its debut and bell bottoms were hot but farm to fork and whole foods movements were not. The food pyramid has changed over the years, as has location and makeup of The Hampton Farmers Market and the way we look at our diets and the food we eat.

As part of the process of hiring a new chief, The City of Hampton will be hosting a public meet and greet for Police Chief candidates on Friday, September 16, 2022 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm at the Franklin County Law Enforcement Center (105 5th Street SW, Hampton).
The public is invited to attend and meet the candidates in person before a decision is made.

Union Pacific railroad has a reported a train derailment today near Hampton involving 44 railcars. No injuries were reported.
According to Robynn Tysver Union Pacific spokesperson, the 44 car train carrying mixed commodities and tank cars of asphalt was going south over Otter Creek at appx. 3:30am September 5th when it derailed, spilling asphalt into the water below and pilling up the cars like jackstraws.

The continuing development of the county's new wind farm ordinance was back on the agenda at the Franklin County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, August 29.

More than a hundred pristine motor vehicles were parked for display at Band Shell Park for the Hampton Car Show on Sunday, August 28.
Rainy weather from the previous night had event organizer Jeff Spear a little worried, but the weather quickly cleared up in the morning to offer a beautiful day for the show with 115 entries, some coming from as far as Florida and South Dakota, lined up around the park and adjoining streets.

Online security was the topic of the evening as business leaders met at Rustic Brew for a North Iowa Tech Talk presentation.

The Hampton-Dumont Community School Board held their final meeting before the start of school on Monday, August 22.
At the meeting received reports from various department heads as they prep for classes. In something of a good problem to have, an influx of new students at the middle school has left the school short on iPads, prompting the need to purchase additional tablets to equip staff and students.