Downtown McGregor benefiting from public, private efforts

MCGREGOR, Iowa — Iowa’s “pocket city” is so named due to its narrow, but relatively long downtown strip, cushioned between the Mississippi River, bluffs and the northern edge of Pike’s Peak State Park. Especially in the summer and fall, tourists flock to McGregor — a seven-minute drive across the river from Prairie du Chien, Wis. — to enjoy the surrounding natural beauty and to shop, wine and dine. Small businesses like Paper Moon, considered one of the most iconic indie bookstores in Iowa, enhance the experience for visitors.

Like most Iowa communities of its size, the city of about 750 residents has its challenges. However, public and private efforts are in full swing to benefit the community by attracting new businesses, enhancing the downtown and renovating historic properties.

“The idea is to all work together so it can go in the direction that benefits the city the most,” said McGregor Mayor Anne Kruse. “It’s a tremendously exciting time to be the mayor in this community.”

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The Pocket City Progress Committee formed in 2024 as somewhat of a “think tank,” according to Brandi Crozier, McGregor’s economic development director and public relations/administrative specialist. The city committee is working on various projects and initiatives.

The city is seeking artists to create a gateway arch at McGregor’s Landing, as well as art on the two columns of City Hall, 416 Main St. The City Hall artwork will be inspired by Andrew Clemens, a 19th-century sand artist from McGregor.

This September, the city organized weekly downtown concerts with local musicians on Saturdays.

“Last fall, we had one event like that on the porch of the Alexander Hotel,” Kruse said. “That was so successful which is why we (decided to) make it (a recurring) event and enhance the environment of downtown.”

Furthermore, the city worked on a renovation of Triangle Park, located at the core of downtown McGregor. This year’s edition of the annual fall arts festival at the newly renovated park was a success, city officials said.

“We redid the antique brick streets downtown. We installed a granite fountain,” Kruse said. “People every day are posting pictures of this fountain. It lights at night. It’s a beautiful thing.”

“We’re testing what the response is to things to see what our community wants more of,” Crozier added. “Everything we’ve done has been (positively received). We just need to figure out how to fund (more of) it.”

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Perhaps the greatest changes to the city will come from the efforts of a passionate native of the community.

Jen Westphal recently launched The McGregor Project, a long-term development initiative for the community.

Westphal’s team in July opened The Station on Main, 127 Main St., a nod to 1930s McGregor burger joint Woerm’s Wiggle Inn. The location was originally a Standard Oil gas station owned by Westphal’s father.

The McGregor Project also oversees a community development fund, a partnership with the city to “support business enhancement with an emphasis on capital upgrades, operational optimization, experience enhancement and preservation and visibility,” per its website.

Representatives of The McGregor Project and Westphal originally agreed to be part of this article but later stopped responding to interview requests.

Among future McGregor Project initiatives, according to city staff, is a major renovation of the historic Alexander Hotel building, which was built in 1899.

“Not a lot of travelers these days would like to have a bathroom down the hallway that they share with other guests in the hotel,” Kruse said. “At (a recent) council meeting, they were discussing 55 modern rooms.”

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The project would include the nearby building, 123 A St., which housed the recently closed Old Man River Restaurant & Brewery. That building would become a restaurant with an addition connecting over the alleyway to the hotel at 213 Main St. The project would also involve buying 211 Main St., a building currently home to The Brim Coffeehouse, and relocating that cafe into the new hotel.

Kruse said The McGregor Project has been a blessing to the community. Few are able to successfully renovate and maintain the town’s historic buildings. Several structures were, until recently, in states of disrepair.

“A lot of people purchase old buildings and then come to find out the costs of renovating are absolutely daunting,” Kruse said. “People from the outside look at these buildings and they don’t always understand, without going through them, how they’re struggling, how we could have lost a significant portion of our historic downtown.”

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Another McGregor Project plan, according to Kruse, is a housing project on a property referred to locally as “the old lumberyard” in the western part of town. The plan calls for two duplexes and a 10-unit building, potentially intended for residents 55 and older.

“The hope is we can help (seniors) stay in the community before a need for assisted living would be in their future,” Kruse said.

Kruse admits some locals might have mixed opinions on all the development happening. However, she cautions that as time marches on, it is impossible for the town — or any town — to stay stagnant. If there is no positive change, there will be negative change, she said.

“There are people who see change and are not comfortable with it because they like their community the way they knew it,” Kruse said. “I guess I would rather have positive change than negative change. The negative change was the deterioration in these buildings — which one was going to fall down or have to be demolished because it became unsafe. That’s change. I find that if you do nothing, you don’t stop change. Things will continue to disintegrate. If the change that occurs, that takes adjustment, is something positive — that we’re able to save these buildings and bring new businesses to the community — that’s the sort of change I’d like to see and it’s very, very exciting to be part of that.”

Downtown McGregor benefiting from public, private efforts

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