Editing Underwood, Iowa (section)

==History==
Underwood is located in [[Norwalk Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa|Norwalk Township]], so the early history of the township is also of the town. The historical information provided here was taken from a book on [[Pottawattamie County, Iowa|Pottawattamie County's]] past. The principal early settlers of the area arrived during the period from 1845 to 1850. In 1847, a flour mill and a saw mill were built on [[Mosquito Creek (Iowa)|Mosquito Creek]], southwest of the present site of Underwood. In 1850, the flour mill was destroyed by a flood. The first school was built in 1863, and soon more homes were built near the school and saw mill. It became known as Downsville. A post office was established there.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=About Underwood – UnderwoodIA.Com|url=http://underwoodia.com/about-underwood/|access-date=2020-09-06|language=en-US}}</ref>

With the coming of the [[Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad]] in 1869, the town of Underwood was established three miles northeast of Downsville, which was later abandoned and has entirely disappeared (with the exception of a cemetery). In 1882, the other railroad that crossed through Norwalk Township, [[Chicago]], [[Milwaukee]] and [[St. Paul, Missouri|St. Paul]], built a station house, erected a water tank and laid a switch. These improvements were on portions of the farms owned by two men and their farms were to be surveyed and divided into town lots. The name Underwood comes from the name of the first engineer to run a train over the Milwaukee tracks. Two farmers cut the corn stalks off to make a road to the Milwaukee tracks so the depot could be built. This path later became "Main Street".<ref name=":0" />

In 1902, the town was incorporated, a town marshal appointed, sidewalks constructed and a jail built at the cost of $140. The first addition to the town was presented to the town council in 1903. The old school house was moved onto town property and made into a town hall. In 1905, five street lamps were purchased, sidewalks and streets were extended. From 1907 to 1910 the telephone came to town, a water works system was installed and cement sidewalks constructed. By 1917 a fire department was organized. In 1926 a new consolidated school was built at the cost of approximately $75,000. There were 62 students in high school and 116 in the grades with seven teachers in charge.<ref name=":0" />

In 1965, sewer mains were installed. The new Western Electric plant was finished in 1974 and they helped bring the town's sewer plant up to date.<ref name=":0" />

In 2012, [[Jack Link's Beef Jerky|Jack Links]] opened a distribution center in Underwood, providing a $15,000 donation to the community.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-11-19|title=JACK LINK'S® GIVES BACK TO THE UNDERWOOD, IOWA COMMUNITY – Jack Link's|url=http://www.jacklinks.com/blogs/newsroom/17633697-jack-link-s-gives-back-to-the-underwood-iowa-community|access-date=2020-09-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119034245/http://www.jacklinks.com/blogs/newsroom/17633697-jack-link-s-gives-back-to-the-underwood-iowa-community|archive-date=2015-11-19}}</ref>