Hampton downtown could pass for ‘Main Street USA’
Having grown up in small towns, I can tell you there is nothing like a Main Street. It’s home to Mom and Pop stores and restaurants. It’s where you say hi to someone and they smile back and say “hi” without giving you a weird look.
Hampton, Iowa, has a population of just under 4,500 people. That makes for a great downtown stage.
The downtown area is a few blocks long, but it packs in a lot of options. Coffee? Yep. Bakery? Yep. Local drug store? Yep. Unique shops? You betcha.
We enjoyed our tour of downtown Hampton. We started with coffee at the Rustic Brew. Ok, we ordered vanilla lattes. We are city folk, after all. The coffee house has an artistic style with murals on two walls. One has a coffee theme, while the second has a historical theme.
The Rustic Brew has a deep interior. The backroom has tables for parties or meetings.
Oh, the lattes? Excellent.
Buildings along the street have great architecture designs. They have been well-maintained through the years. A couple of them were being renovated as apartments.
An old hotel – the Coonley – has been renovated as an apartment building. The building takes up a good portion of a city block.
Stopping in at the Korner Bakery was an excellent decision. We grabbed a couple of blueberry and glazed donut holes. The bakery was close to selling out its day’s inventory, and it was only a little past 9 a.m. that tells you the treats are delicious!
As we strolled along Main Street, we took in the sights – streets decorated with fall themes, including hay bales.
We stopped at a few stores, including the Wood Cellar, Orange Possum and the Whipple Pharmacy. We bought our daughters a couple of gifts.
The Franklin County Courthouse is downtown. The courthouse is an attractive accent for the area. Original construction on the courthouse started in 1890 and was completed in 1891.
The courthouse grounds are home to military memorials.
Hampton’s downtown was interesting and a fun experience. You can tell the business owners and community groups strive to make it successful. It was a fun way to spend about 90 minutes on a brisk Saturday morning.
