Business & Economic Development
Mount Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce
Supporting local businesses through networking, training, and community events. Learn more about upcoming business luncheons, ribbon cuttings, and membership benefits.
Area Development Commission
Mount Pleasant offers prime sites for industrial, commercial, and residential growth. Crossroads and Hayes Industrial Parks provide shovel-ready lots with easy highway access, while Crossroads Business Park and the Grand Avenue Commercial Area offer high-visibility spaces for retail, restaurants, or multi-family housing. A housing needs study confirmed strong demand for new homes, making this a great location for residential development. Maps and additional site details are available through the Mount Pleasant Area Development Commission.
Main Street Mount Pleasant
Main Street Mount Pleasant is a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing and preserving the historic downtown district of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Established in 2002, its mission is to stimulate economic development by promoting downtown as an exciting place to live, shop, and invest, while enhancing the area’s historic character and beauty. The organization operates through four core committees: Design, Promotion, Organization, and Economic Restructuring, focusing on improving the appearance of downtown, fostering a vibrant business environment, and strengthening community engagement.
Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission (SEIRPC)
Established in 1973, SEIRPC is a public, non-profit organization serving Des Moines, Henry, Lee, and Louisa counties. It collaborates with local governments, businesses, and residents to enhance regional development and quality of life. SEIRPC provides a range of services, including comprehensive planning, grant writing, housing assistance, transportation planning, and economic development support. Notably, it administers the Revolving Loan Fund, which offers gap financing to small businesses, and manages the Great River Housing Trust Fund to assist with home repairs and down payments. Additionally, SEIRPC operates SEIBUS, a regional transit service offering accessible transportation options across the four-county area.
Education & Childcare
Mount Pleasant Community School District
The Mount Pleasant CSD is a public K-12 school system in Henry County, Iowa (with small parts in Jefferson, Lee, and Van Buren counties), serving roughly 1,850 students. It includes four elementary schools (Lincoln, Harlan, Van Allen, and Salem), a middle school, a comprehensive high school, and the WisdomQuest Education Center. Recently, the district even acquired parts of the old Iowa Wesleyan University campus for use in athletics and other district needs.
Mount Pleasant Childcare Center
MP Childcare Center provides safe, nurturing childcare in Mount Pleasant for infants through preschool age. The center focuses on early childhood development through play, social interaction, and structured learning activities. They also offer Panther Zone, an after-school program providing care and enrichment for school-aged children.
Health & Human Services
Henry County Health Center
Henry County Health Center is a 74-bed, full-service hospital in Mount Pleasant. It includes 25 acute care beds plus a 49-bed long-term care facility called Park Place. They’ve been serving the community since 1921, and in 2021 they joined Great River Health to strengthen services while staying locally managed. Services offered include 24/7 emergency care, primary care, women’s health, mental health services, pharmacy, preventative screenings, nutrition counseling, and multiple outpatient/rural health clinics with same-day appointments.
Henry County Public Health
Henry County Public Health works to prevent illness, protect against hazards, and promote wellness for all residents of Mount Pleasant and surrounding areas. Their services include immunizations, newborn nurse‐visiting, lead testing, STI testing & treatment, senior health programs, blood pressure monitoring, car seat safety checks, and more. They also lead the “Healthy Henry County Communities” wellness coalition, bringing together partners to improve community health through education, prevention, and outreach.
Fellowship Cup
A Christian-focused nonprofit in Mount Pleasant that offers food, clothing, and shelter to underserved individuals and families in Henry County.
They run a variety of programs: a weekly food pantry, Summer Sacks lunch program for kids, holiday food boxes, a thrift store (“Quarter Maybe More Store”), community garden, medical equipment library, emergency aid (utilities, rent, etc.), and more.
Welcome Home Center
Located at 107 W. Broad St., Mount Pleasant (Belle Center Building)
Service Area: Henry County (Primary focus: Mount Pleasant)
Organization Type: Non-partisan, nonprofit
Phone: (319) 217-8841
Email: welcomehomecenter217@gmail.com
The Welcome Home Center provides resource navigation and referrals for education, employment, healthcare, and other essential services. We offer school support, language assistance, youth and family programming, public health collaboration, and community cultural events. We support families from diverse backgrounds, providing culturally responsive services for individuals experiencing language or access barriers. Our mission is to help families build stable, healthy, and connected lives within our community.
Community Action of Southeast Iowa
Dedicated to alleviating the conditions and causes of poverty, we provide several different supports to individuals and families struggling financially with a low income. This includes Head Start (childcare and preschool for prenatal through five years old), Family Development and Self Sufficiency, Utility/Energy Assistance, Housing Assistance, Food Pantries, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), Hygiene Assistance, and other programs and services as funding allows.
Meals by Nutrimos
PFLAG Mt. Pleasant
Recreation & Culture
Mount Pleasant Public Library
Located at 307 E. Monroe St., the Mount Pleasant Public Library has been serving the community since 1875. The library offers a wide range of services, including book lending, e-books, audiobooks, and access to public computers. Programs for all ages are available, such as story hours for children, book clubs for adults, and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides free books to children from birth to age five. Additional services include genealogy resources, notary and fax services, and proctoring for exams. The Children’s Discovery Center, located adjacent to the library, offers interactive learning experiences for young children. Library hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
KILJ Radio
KILJ is a local radio station network serving southeast Iowa (including Mount Pleasant, Fairfield, Fort Madison). Broadcasts on several frequencies (105.5 FM, 98.5 FM, 1130 AM) with programming that includes music, local & state news, weather, sports (especially local high school and college), community announcements, and ag/market reports.
Mount Pleasant News (Southeast Iowa Union)
Part of the Southeast Iowa Union, Mt. Pleasant News delivers local journalism: community stories, local government, events, obituaries, public notices, etc.
It covers news relevant to Henry County residents, giving insight into what’s going on in Mount Pleasant and the surrounding area.
Volunteer & Civic Groups
Henry County Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1993, Henry County Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing safe, affordable housing to families in need throughout Henry County, Iowa. Through partnerships with local volunteers, donors, and community organizations, they build and renovate homes, offering families the opportunity for homeownership with zero-interest, 20-year mortgages. Applicants contribute “sweat equity” hours and complete financial literacy courses as part of the process. Since its inception, the organization has assisted over 50 families, fostering community development and stability.
Museums & History
Henry County Heritage Trust
Located in the former Saunders Elementary School at 403 W. Madison St., Mount Pleasant, this museum showcases exhibits on local veterans, rural schools, churches, arts, industries, and townships. Adjacent to the museum is the circa 1862 Van Allen House, the boyhood home of Dr. James Van Allen, a renowned space scientist. The museum is open Saturdays, 1–4 PM, from May through October.
Harlan–Lincoln House
The Harlan-Lincoln House is a historic house museum, the home of U.S. Senator James Harlan. Harlan’s daughter Mary married President Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert. Their three children spent summers here. The house contains artifacts owned by the Harlan and Lincoln families. Located at 101 West Broad Street, it is open Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., March through October, and by appointment by contacting www.harlanlincoln.org or calling 319-931-3984. Admission: free will donation.
Richard E. Oetken Heritage Museums
Part of the Midwest Old Threshers organization, this museum displays antique tractors, farm equipment, a 1915 farmhouse, and a historic mill, showcasing the county’s agricultural heritage.
Theatre Museum of Repertoire Americana
Dedicated to the history of repertory theater, preserving artifacts, photographs, and memorabilia from theatrical productions in the region. Located at 115 N. Main St., Mount Pleasant, this museum celebrates the history of repertory theater. Open by appointment only until Memorial Day 2026.
Transportation & Infrastructure
Amtrak
Located at 418 North Adams Street in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the historic Amtrak station serves as a key transit point for travelers along the California Zephyr route. Originally built in 1912 by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, the station is a pressed brick depot that reflects the city’s rich educational heritage. The station features two side platforms and is equipped with basic amenities, including an enclosed waiting area and accessible facilities. While there is no ticket office or checked baggage service, the station operates daily, providing convenient access for passengers traveling between Chicago and Emeryville, California.
Iowa DOT
Located at 906 E. Harvest Drive in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the Iowa DOT Mount Pleasant Maintenance Garage is a key facility within District 5, serving Henry County. This garage is responsible for maintaining state highways and roadways in the area, ensuring safe and efficient transportation infrastructure. While the garage is not open to the public, it plays a crucial role in regional road maintenance and emergency response