LONE TREE

“What is absolutely true about Lone Tree that you can’t generalize to any other community in the Johnson County area?”

That’s the question five Lone Tree natives contemplated Monday afternoon when asked by Robyn Hepker, a designer with Benson & Hepker Design of Iowa City. Their task? Brainstorm some ideas that will give Hepker material to work with when creating a logo and tagline for the newly formed Lone Tree Economic Development Committee.

Every one of the members has a stake in the future and prosperity of Lone Tree. Caitlin Ford owns Deeply Rooted Beauty and Boutique. Kim Hamm is on the city council. Gus Jones owns Gussie’s Paw Spa. Sam Nelson is vice president at F&M Bank. And Tyler Hotz is the superintendent of Lone Tree Schools.

Generations. Lineage. Pride. Tightly knit. A K-12 school, all in one building. Relationships. Community. Women-owned businesses downtown. Strong farming ties, they suggest.

The LTEDC has this opportunity to create a brand because they received a 2025 Community Branding Grant from Greater Iowa City, Inc., funded by Johnson County. At the end of March, they were awarded $5,000 to develop and establish a new brand, $1,500 of which must be used for brand development with a professional designer – Hepker – and up to $3,500 in matching funds for marketing materials like signage, murals, and decals.

“Lone Tree’s application stood out for its compelling vision and commitment to fostering a strong community identity,” Sarah Thompson, director of rural development, wrote in the award letter. “We were particularly impressed by the committee of business owners and city council members working together to make this happen. Your dedication to creating a cohesive brand that honors Lone Tree’s past while embracing its future is truly commendable.”

The committee members sit around the table, their eyes reflecting that juncture as they look back at what Lone Tree has been, and try to visualize what it could be, what they want it to be.

“Why do you think people aren’t beating a path to your door?” Hepker asks.

Lack of housing. That farming identity. Close connections that could make outsiders feel unwelcome.

“What one word [do you hope] positively sticks in [people’s] heads about Lone Tree?”

Pride. Visionary. Prosperity. Growth.

Why build a brand? “Branding plays a crucial role in rural communities by fostering a strong sense of identity and civic pride among residents,” materials from Greater Iowa City, Inc. say. “It helps to highlight the unique characteristics and strengths of the community, making it more attractive to visitors, potential residents, and investors.”

An effective brand can create a memorable image that boosts business; it can unite residents around a shared vision. “Overall, strong branding can be a powerful tool for rural communities to thrive and prosper.”

The group looked at the words ‘Lone Tree’ in a dozen different typefaces, checking the ones they preferred. They considered the visual elements they wanted to see in a logo, like a tree (“it has to be an elm tree”), a lion (“no lion, no paw”), or a tank (“we do like our tanks”). They contemplated colors; maybe greens, maybe golds, but not too John Deere, not too Green Bay Packers.

Now it’s up to Hepker to design a few logo prototypes for the committee’s consideration next month.

“We’re excited to see the positive impact this grant will have on Lone Tree,” Thompson, who also attended the April 7 meeting, said in the award letter. “Your branding committee, led by your group and including key community representatives, is well-equipped to guide this transformative process.”

This is just the beginning. Let’s watch the process unfold.