A ghost town in eastern Iowa is undergoing a revival, of sorts. Shady Grove in its hey-day had about a hundred residents, then sort of faded away. Now, more than 40 new homes are being built in Shady Grove. Long-time Shady Grove resident Bill Reedy says it’s a housing boom.
“I guess if you look at growth in terms of percentages, it’s one of the fastest growing communities anywhere,” Reedy says, laughing. Realtor Rick Schoulte says the housing boom is happening in Shady Grove because of taxes. “It’s just on the edge of Buchanan County, very close to Black Hawk (County) and the taxes are a little lower in Buchanan County,” he says.
Buchanan County supervisors say zoning regulations are part of the reason for the growth in the area. The soil on farmland is rated for its ability to grow corn. If it falls below a certain level, people can build houses on top of it without rezoning the land. But many people who already live in Shady Grove don’t like the idea of new neighbors disrupting the peace.