The NASA website says the crater, which is about 35 kilometers in diameter, is the largest impact crater recognized in the United States. That crater gives a point of pride that is shown in such ways as the annual June town festival dubbed Greater Crater Days.

However, it also impacted access to ground water that people can drink, and a long saga of Manson city officials trying to land a reliable water source seems to be nearing an end.

“We have started our water project, which will connect with the Fort Dodge water system,” said Manson Deputy Clerk and Economic Development Coordinator Macie Schoon. “It has been a long time coming.”

That long time of having inadequate water and digging test wells that didn’t pan out, due to the crater remnants that are underground, dates back nearly 20 years.

-Submitted photo
The city of Manson has contracted with Fort Dodge to connect with the neighboring city’s water system, solving the longtime problem of having inadequate water. Construction crews have been working throughout the fall and winter in preparation for the new water line in Manson

Schoon says finally contracting for the water via Fort Dodge is both an exciting and a bit of a nervous step, as people have waited so long.

“I think we will be connected, possibly by 2026, or 2027,” she said. “Once the water is hooked up, the town will be set up for more growth.”

Like many communities, Manson has a few longstanding organizations that work toward the betterment and promotion of the town of nearly 1,700 people.

In Manson, that list includes the Manson Chamber of Commerce, the Manson Economic Development Corporation, and, most recently, the Manson Betterment Group.

Schoon said those groups have had successes, but in some ways were siloed from the others. She pointed to a late January meeting with lots of people, where the Manson Betterment Group identified gaps of where the other two had holes.

-Submitted photo
The city of Manson has contracted with Fort Dodge to connect with the neighboring city’s water system, solving the longtime problem of having inadequate water. Construction crews have been working throughout the fall and winter in preparation for the new water line in Manson

“We (three) have been talking about where Manson needs to go,” Schoon said.

That resulted in signing with Emerge Marketing, of Manning, to craft a city communication plan. That plan will aim for more online and social media promotion, or perhaps a website that groups all three entities’ efforts together.

“Everybody is excited to see where we may go (with this) in 2025. There is a common goal with all three of us. We want to move Manson forward,” she said. “All these groups had been siloed for so long. We have so much opportunity.”

One ongoing endeavor in Manson is an incubator building on the high-traffic Iowa Highway 7. That facility serves as a large place where start-up businesses can be located.

Some businesses in Iowa towns have trouble finding modern buildings where they can begin, so the incubator building solves that problem, Schoon said.

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A new December holiday event called Countdown to Christmas was held for the first time in 2024, featuring a lighted parade, tour of homes and more.

“It has super-low rent as they get off the ground,” she said. “The City Council and mayor are very forward thinking; things like this really show that.”

In 2024, Double D’s Ice Cream Company opened on Main Street, and Lucky 7 Coffee Shop opened in the incubator.

In addition, a new December holiday event called Countdown to Christmas was held for the first time. Schoon said that turned out to be a popular event, with a lighted parade downtown and more.

“It had a lot of nostalgia,” she said. “It is coming back.”