ALTAMOUNT. A post office (1868-74) in the eastern part of Fairview Township, about six miles southeast of Harlan.


BOTANY. A post office (1859-71) in the northwestern part of Jackson Township, about six miles east and a littie south of Harlan.


DEFIANCE. The post office of Defiance was in existence from 1875 until the establishment of the town of Defiance, which was in 1882, and was in the south

part of section 14, Union Township, about one mile west of where the town now stands.


ELKHORN. The post office of Elkhorn was established in 1867 and was located in the northern part of section 15, Clay Township, about three miles southwest

of the present town of Elkhorn. It was later removed to the village.


ITEN. An embryo town staked out some time in the early 1850's in section 4, Center Township, about three miles northeast of Harlan, on the West Nishnabotna

River. It attained to one store, was a competitor for the county seat, but when that was settled in Harlan's favor in 1859, then vanished.


MALLORY. A village established in the 1870's in section G, Greeley Township. After the coming of the Milwaukee Railway in 1882 it had a post office and a

railway station for a few years, when they were both discontinued.


MANTENO. A village platted in 1856 in the northeastern part of section 18, Grove Township, on Mill Creek.  Post office1856-58.


MARATHON. The name first given to the prescnt town of Earling when it was platted in 1882, and which it kept a few years.


POMO. Listed as a post office in Shelby County from 1881 to 1883, but the location not found.


PRAIRIE ROSE. A hamlet in section 3, Monroe Township. Post office, 1899-04.


RANTOUT. A place in the northwestern part of Clay Township, as shown on maps from 1861 to 1869.


ROACH. A Milwaukee railway station in the northern part of Cass Township in the early 1880's. It had a post office from 1880 to 1882.


ROCHDALE. The name first given the present railway station and village of Botna when it was established in the early 1880's.


ROCK RUN. A hamlet in the southwestern part of Cass Township, as appears on maps of the 1870's.


SAMISON. A post office and ~Iilwaukee railway station from 1879 to 1882 in section 32, Cass Township.


SHELBYVILLE. A town platted in 1854 in the eastern part of section 27, Grove Township. This was the first town platted in the county and was the county seat

from 1853 to 1859, when it lost to Harlan. Post office, 1854 to 1862 and again from 1875 to 1881.


SMIDA. Mostly called Simoda. Platted in 1857 in the southeastern ?part of section 8 and the southwestern part of section 9, Center Township, about one and

one-half miles east of Harlan, on the West Nishnahotna River. It was a rival of Harlan for the county seat, but when it failed in that in 1859 it quickly passed away.   Post office, June 19, 1858 to July 16, 1858.


TIBBOTTSVILLE. A village of rather brief existence about one-half mile southwest of the business section of the present town of  Irwin on the Botna River.

It had a post office from 1880 to 1882.

Shelby County

Named after General Isaac Shelby.

The first Govenor of Kentucky.




Established January 15, 1851

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Iowa Ghost Towns

Shelby County