History of Pleasant Grove
Rooted in Iowa’s proud agricultural history, Pleasant Grove Heritage Park began as a family farm owned by John and Mary Ringer in 1860.
In 1881, Jacob E. and Amanda Meyers purchased and farmed the property. Jacob was a bricklayer and mason by trade. The Meyers raised hogs, dairy cows, cattle, and poultry. They also grew corn, oats, wheat, sorghum, and potatoes and had four acres of apple trees.
The Meyers Family
The Meyers family were among the earliest settlers of Lisbon, arriving in 1853, less than a decade after Iowa gained statehood.
They brought their farming methods, cultural traditions, and a shared heritage to Linn County.
The farm’s proximity to the railroad – the line extended through the north side of the farm property – and Lisbon depot allowed for the direct shipping of hogs and cattle to market. The local creamery operated on Main Street, one block over from the Meyers farm, providing easy access to sell the farm’s dairy products. The Co-op Creamery would later open a few blocks away on the corner of West Market and North Washington.
A tornado in 1908 caused significant damage to the farm buildings, leveling the cattle barn and tearing the roof off the main barn. The insurance payout allowed the Meyers to rebuild their farm and expand their dairy production, which helped them weather uncertain economic times heading into the Great Depression.
In 1940, Jacob’s son John retired from farming and sold off his equipment and livestock, including a nearly 20-head dairy herd and several horses. After his retirement, John rented the land to local farmers.
One hundred years after Jacob Meyers first purchased the land, Steve and Doris McElmeel bought the property in 1981 from John Meyers after renting for several years.
The McElmeel family raised Suffolk and Dorset sheep. At one point, they had nearly 20 ewes in their flock! Doris led live sheep shearing demonstrations in the barns for kindergarten students from Lisbon Schools. They also grew corn, beans, and hay.
Later, the barns would become home to the family’s horses Cherokee and Shenandoah.
In 1989, the McElmeels built a pond on the property, later expanding it to its current size in 2011 and placing the “Pleasant Grove” marker nearby.
The McElmeel Family
Steve and Doris McElmeel grew up in rural eastern Iowa, moving to Cedar Rapids after getting married in 1964. After a year in the city, they were eager to return to small-town life and found a home in Lisbon in 1965.
Their children – Michele, Michael, Colene, and Jenny – helped tend crops and raise the family’s sheep and horses during the farm’s working years.
The family sold the 15-acre property to the City of Lisbon in January of 2019 with the understanding that it would be developed into a permanent park and that the barns would be restored for public attractions. But after several years with little progress on the park and the upcoming council decision to demolish the barns, the McElmeel family formed a non-profit corporation called Pleasant Grove Heritage Park, Inc. This organization reacquired the property and barns from the City of Lisbon in February of 2025.
Plans are underway to develop the park and rehabilitate the barns with the assistance of numerous volunteers along with grants and donations.