National Register of Historic Places

Reeve Electric Association Plant

Hampton, Franklin County, Iowa
Listed
April 5, 1990
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
89002307

About this property

The Reeve Electric Association Plant, now known as the REA Power Plant Museum, is a historic structure located near Hampton, Iowa, United States. In the 1930s only 10% of rural homes and farms in the United States had electricity. The first mention of rural electrification in Hampton came in March 1936. Are you interested in getting a high line by your farm to enable you to have electricity on your farm? The federal government has made arrangements to finance this program for all interested farmers. To secure this aid we must have enough farmers in the county who are interested to make the construction of the line practical and to organize a cooperative to carry on the work. To get some idea of the amount of interest in this project we would like to have each farmer who would like to see this work started send us a card telling us the location of his farm and if possible the names of any neighbors who are interested. As soon the weather and roads permit we will have a series of meetings at which time we will have a representative of the federal government present to discuss the program with you. It was the first farmer-owned power plant in the United States to receive an REA grant in 1937 and in 1938 it was the second to go on-line. There were four generators powered by diesel engines when the plant was in full production. In 1988 the building was given to the Franklin County Historical Society. It opened a rural and electrical museum in the former plant in 1990. The same year it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2024.

Location

Hampton, Franklin County, Iowa
42.68707, -93.23310

Categories

INDUSTRY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Reeve Electric Association Plant

This page lists Reeve Electric Association Plant. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Reeve Electric Association Plant report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Maysville Schoolhouse
Industrial
2.1 mi
Reeve, Leander, House
Industrial
3.6 mi
Harriman, Dr. O. B., House
Industrial
3.8 mi
Franklin County Courthouse
Industrial
3.9 mi
Boehmler, H. E., House
Industrial
4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Reeve Electric Association Plant listed on the National Register?

Reeve Electric Association Plant was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 5, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Reeve Electric Association Plant?

Reeve Electric Association Plant is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Reeve Electric Association Plant?

The period of significance for Reeve Electric Association Plant is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Reeve Electric Association Plant?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Reeve Electric Association Plant will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Franklin County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Franklin County.

Explore FranklinCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Reeve Electric Association Plant will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report