Dateline – April 1950
Iuka’s Final Push in the National Build a Better Community Contest
In mid-April 1950, the people of Iuka, Mississippi, weren’t just cleaning up—they were preparing for history. The Iuka Twentieth Century Club had made it to the final round of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs’ “Build a Better Community Contest.” At stake: a $10,000 prize, national headlines, and the chance to show what a small Southern town could do when it came together.
On Tuesday, April 11, Mrs. J.E. Thomas, the club reporter, took a call from Mrs. Bob Lambert, Mississippi’s contest chair. The message was simple and electrifying: Iuka was in serious contention to win. That call sparked a wave of excitement across town.
As the local paper reported at the time:
“The battle is not won. We will have visitors in our town, and very soon. Time is short, and the 20th Century Club urges you: clean up your premises this week. Do a little painting too. Make your home or business more attractive. It could mean our winning the national prize of $10,000—to be spent in Iuka for Iuka.”
The movement was contagious. One anecdote said it best: Gene Reynolds finally painted the front of the café after months of putting it off. His wife asked what had changed. “The 20th Century Club told me to,” he said. “And I’m going to do it.”
Mayor Storment soon declared the next week “Clean-Up Week,” with city trucks scheduled for extra garbage pickup. His proclamation called for Iuka to become not only “The Friendly Town,” but also “America’s Town Beautiful.”
There was more than paint and pride at stake. The president of the winning club would be honored in Washington, flown to New York for press events at the Waldorf Astoria, and featured in national media. The $10,000 prize would be awarded at the General Federation’s convention in Boston, where Iuka’s winning report—affectionately called by one local child “our book with an Indian on it”—would be placed on display.
“If Iuka could be number one, think of all the publicity she would receive,” the paper urged. “There is still hope until the last day. Don’t let national judges come here and find us lacking… Our report is beautiful! Let’s make our town its match. Now is the time. Clean up today!”
Seventy-five years later, that same spirit still lingers. The pride that stirred Iuka in 1950 wasn’t about trophies or titles—it was about neighbors working for something bigger than themselves. As we remember that hopeful spring, maybe the real question isn’t what we’ve lost since then—but what we’ve always known: community, determination, and local leadership still hold the power to change everything.
About This Series
“Iuka Remembers” marks the 75th anniversary of our town’s 1950 triumph in the national “Build a Better Community” contest. Led by the Iuka Twentieth Century Club, the effort earned Iuka national recognition as “America’s Friendliest Town.” This series looks back at the people, pride, and impact behind that moment—and what it still means today.
By Frank Thomas