IOLA, Kan. — Thrive Allen County has received a $56,640 Heritage Trust Fund grant to repair the south face of its headquarters in downtown Iola. The building once housed the Kress Five and Dime Store.
Thrive says the work will help protect people who work in, visit and pass by the building while extending its life. The organization purchased the Kress Building in 2016 and renovated it for use as its central office.
Built in 1908, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places. It was one of more than 200 Kress stores built across the United States. The Kansas Historical Society lists the Iola project among its 2026 Heritage Trust Fund grant awards.
