Grant - A city in Montgomery County, Iowa, United States. The population was 92 at the 2010 census.
History - Grant is named for Ulysses S. Grant, 18th President of the United States.
Its commercial district, which was developed from 1871 to 1952, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
The median income for a household in the city was $21,806, and the median income for a family was $42,917.
Greenville - A city in Clay County, Iowa, United States. The population was 75 in the 2010 census, a decline from 93 in the 2000 census.
History - The Greenville post office opened in 1871. The town was named for its first postmaster, A. W. Green.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,531, and the median income for a family was $37,500.
Notable Natives - Medal of Honor recipient Col. Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen, USAF, was born in Greenville. He died on December 14, 1987 and was subsequently buried in Section 65 of Arlington National Cemetery.
Merlyn Hans Dethlefsen (June 29, 1934 – December 14, 1987) was a United States Air Force officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.
Early life - Dethlefsen was born June 1934 in Greenville, Iowa. After attending Iowa State University for two years, he joined the Air Force from Royal, Iowa in 1953, and was commissioned through the aviation cadet program in 1955.
Read more https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlyn_Hans_Dethlefsen
Hayesville - A city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 50 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,125, and the median income for a family was $36,250.
Gruver - A city in Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 94 at the 2010 census.
History - Gruver was laid out in 1899. The town was called Luzon until 1900, when it the name was changed to Gruver.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,125, and the median income for a family was $37,813
Guernsey - A city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 63 at the 2010 census.
History - Guernsey was platted in 1884. It was named after Guernsey County, Ohio. A post office was first established in Guernsey in 1884.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,250, and the median income for a family was $46,250.
Hansell - A city in Franklin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 98 at the 2010 census.
History - Hansell was platted in 1880. It was named by its founders, George W. Hansell and his wife, Laura B. Hansell.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,250, and the median income for a family was $47,500.
Hardy - A city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 47 at the 2010 census.
History - Hardy had its start in the year 1881 by the building of the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Falls and Northwestern Railway through that territory.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,929, and the median income for a family was $26,250.
Hartwick - A city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 86 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,250, and the median income for a family was $43,750.
PV4
Gray - A city in Audubon County, Iowa, United States, along the East Branch of the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 63 at the 2010 census.
History - Gray was laid out in 1881 by George Gray, and named for him.[4][5] The Northwestern railroad was extended to the town in 1882.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,750, and the median income for a family was $48,750
Elevators, Gray, Iowa.
Divided back post card
postmarked Aug 17, 1913.
Gray Cemetery is located on a hill overlooking the town of Gray. The Gray Community History book indicates the land was originally owned by George Gray, founder of the town. It was surveyed in June, 1882 by H. S. Wattles, county surveyor, and was named "Gray Cemetery."
PV4
PV4
PV4
PV4
PV4
A fire caused extensive damage to a Greenville house. Fire departments from Royal, Webb and Dickens were dispatched to the fire at 1:55 p.m. When firefighters arrived 10 minutes later, heavy fire was seen coming from the house
(See Larger Image)
PV2
PV2
PV2
PV2
PV2
PV2
Single story wooden depot
with sign for Hansell.
Buildings behind depot.
Railroad signal.
PV2
Large Hay Field
Erickson Show Stock
Gold Eagle Cooperative
4-Paws Inn
County Bank in Hartwick
201 Vine Street / Hartwick, IA 52232
Heartland Coop
PV2
PV2
This image has no larger view
Former West Lancaster School #9 (Hayesville, Iowa)
In 2009, the city council in the Keokuk County town of Hayesville voted unanimously to demolish West Lancaster School #9, which had been a fixture in the community for over a century.
Single story wooden depot with sign for Hayesville.
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail Road Co.
PV1
PV1
PV1
Hepburn - A city in Page County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23 at the 2010 census.
History - Hepburn was platted in 1873, and a post office was opened that same year. It is named for William Peter Hepburn of Clarinda, Iowa, a Civil War veteran (Lt. Col., 2nd Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry), and later a prominent Congressman and staunch political ally of Theodore Roosevelt.
Imogene - A city in Fremont County, Iowa, United States. The population was 72 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,250, and the median income for a family was $46,667.
Jackson Junction - A city in Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 58 at the 2010 census.
It is the home of Turkey Valley Community School District, which serves the nearby communities of Waucoma; Lawler; Fort Atkinson; St. Lucas and Protivin as well as its rural areas.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $41,563.
Jolley - A city in Calhoun County, Iowa, United States. The population was 41 at the 2010 census.
History - Jolley was platted in 1883. The town was incorporated in 1895.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,286, and the median income for a family was $48,125.
Keomah Village - A city in Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 84 at the 2010 census.
Located on the eastern shore of Lake Keomah, the city was incorporated in 1973 from lakeside plat consisting of 150 lots laid out for summer cabins.
The median income for a household in the city was $63,750, and the median income for a family was $71,750.
Kinross - A city in Keokuk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 73 at the 2010 census.
The community is named after a place in Scotland. Kinross is now essentially a ghost town, having no public businesses or schools; the large closed brick school and an abandoned gas station are the only indicators of a town.
Hepburn had a depot on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,500, and the median income for a family was $10,833
The McCoy Polygonal Barn is an historical structure located near Hepburn in rural Page County, Iowa. It was built in 1914 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986. The hexagon shaped building features white horizontal siding, a large cupola with 12 windows and an aerator.
PV1
PV1
PV1
Click on Images for Larger View
Imogene Trailhead Campground
Ebay - 1913 Imogene Iowa IA Postcards
Baile Market
Baile Market at 211 Railroad St. We carry potted plants, vegetables, flowers, fresh produce, pots, planters, pottery, hanging baskets—anything a garden center would have, can be found at Baile Market..
Mark Costello - State Senator - Republican
PV1
PV1
PV1
PV1
Turkey Valley Community School
(Click on images for larger view)
Turkey River Overflow Bridge
Jackson Heights Golf Club
PV1
PV5
PV5
PV5
Cannon Firing
HINES Family
1 cent Americana Issue
The Hines Family
Lee’s Quilt Shed
Residents wanted to live there permanently, so they remodeled their existing cabins or built new homes. The lake is part of the DNR managed Lake Keomah State Park.
Most homes have a view of the 80+ acre lake allowing residents to interact with nature right outside their back door. The city is an all residential community and has street lights, hard surface roads, and a city owned sewer system.
Keomah Village, read more here…
Lake Activities (swimming, boating, fishing)
Spring and summer fishing for crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish is excellent. Ice fishing is popular in winter.
History - Kinross was created by people moving to be close to a new railroad depot in 1879 by moving both houses and businesses. This move along with other departures effectively turned their prior community, Hinkletown, Iowa, into a ghost town.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,563, and the median income for a family was $33,750.
Kinross City Hall
Revival Candle Company
Kinross, Iowa, Brick Block in the Early 1900s
Kinross Old Schools
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
Closed brick school
Former Kinross School
( Click on the image to discover a lot more… )
Numa - A city in Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 90 in 2017, a decline from 109 in 2000.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,625, and the median income for a family was $27,344.
Numa was laid out in 1871.
Orchard - A city in Mitchell County, Iowa, United States. The population was 71 at the 2010 census.
History - Orchard had its start in the year 1869 by the building of the Illinois Central Railroad through that territory. It was named for Moses Orchard, a pioneer settler
The median income for a household in the city was $19,583, and the median income for a family was $21,250
Kirkman - A city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States, along the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 63 as of 2014.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,375, and the median income for a family was $55,000.
History - Kirkman had its start by the building of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad through that territory. Kirkman was established by the Western Town Lot Company in 1880, and incorporated in 1892.
The town was named after M.M. Kirkman, a railroad official, and the first house in the town was Kirkman House.
Bank robbery of 1901 - On November 16, 1901, one Mr. Brown opened the bank in Greenville and discovered that the bank had been robbed. The vault handle had been removed, explosives placed into the opening, and the vault door blown off.
Three men were seen later in Spencer, then Webb, and finally Albert City where they were cornered at the depot. A gunfight ensued, during which one of the gunmen was killed. The other two were captured and later sentenced to life terms in Fort Madison, while the dead gunman was buried in an unnamed grave in Fairfield Cemetery in Albert City.
PV5
Notable people - Kirkman was the birthplace of Lew Anderson, who played Clarabell the Clown on Howdy Doody. More about Kirkman here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Anderson
Lew Anderson delighted millions of children across the nation as Clarabell the Clown on the iconic "Howdy Doody" television show.
Lew Anderson
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
Knierim - A city in Calhoun County, Iowa, United States. The population was 60 at the 2010 census. The median income for a household in the city was $26,667, and the median income for a family was $41,528.
History - The city was founded by William and Wilhelmina Knierim in 1899, and incorporated in 1901.
( Reminder: Click on images for larger views )
Le Roy - A city in Decatur County, Iowa, United States. The population was 15 in the 2010 census, an increase from 13 in the 2000 census.
In the 2000 census, Le Roy had the distinction of being the second smallest populated incorporated city in Iowa, with the increase in the 2010 census of both Le Roy and Beaconsfield, Iowa (population 11 in 2000) they now share the title of being the smallest populated incorporated cities in Iowa.
City Hall
Leroy Depot
Leroy Main Street
Click on Picture for Larger View
Pictures and more info found at http://iagenweb.org/decatur/earlydecDocs/leroy.html
History - Le Roy had its start in the year 1880 by the building of the Humeston and Shenandoah Railroad through that territory. It is named for Leroy Buffman, an early settler.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,125, and the median income for a family was $34,375.
Luzerne - A city in Benton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 96 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History - Luzerne had its start by the building of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway through that territory. Luzerne was platted as a town on the railroad in 1868. It was named after the city of Lucerne, in Switzerland.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $34,688.
More info found at Benton County IAGenWeb Project http://iagenweb.org/benton/history/town_histories/luzerne-cen.htm
St Paul’s Lutheran Church (Luzerne) burned down in January of 2001.
Pictures found at http://www.datpub.com/gen/html/luzerne__iowa.html
All of the B&W pictures above were taken by Charles W Waterman, blacksmith and amateur photographer. Charles was a member of St Paul’s and was baptized by Rev Phillip Studt.
Mission Festival
Blacksmith
Church Fire
Cooks celebration
Depot
Parsonage
Main Street
St Paul Church
People at Church
Main Street Winter
Switchboard - Grocery
Maloy - A city in Ringgold County, Iowa, United States, along the Platte River. Population was 29 at the 2010 census.
History - Settlement of the western part of Ringgold County began in the 1850s. Maloy was platted in 1887, in the same year as the railroad arrived. Maloy was incorporated as a city in 1901.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,250, and the median income for a family was $13,750.
In 1917, the two-story brick Maloy High School was built; after serving from 1920 to 1952, it became an elementary school in the Mount Ayr Community School District.
A major fire on June 17, 1931, razed the Catholic Church, five businesses, a house, and a barn.[4] The school closed in 1972 and was torn down in 1987. The railroad, which once offered both freight and passenger service, was dismantled in 1985.
Today, the city is governed by a mayor and three-member city council.
( History of Maloy, Ringgold County, Iowa )
MALOY, IOWA CENTENNIAL HISTORY: 1887 - 1987
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Ebay - Sign Post
Auto Stickers
Maloy Elementary & High School
Read more here …
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
PV5
Marysville - A city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 66 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $53,750.
History - There are numerous coal exposures on the banks of the branches of Cedar Creek both north and south of Marysville. In 1846, one exposure south of Marysville was found to be on fire, and this fire continued until June 1851, when heavy rains and flooding extinguished the fire.
The county surveyor, Joseph Brobst, filed a plat for Marysville on March 4, 1851, creating 26 lots and a public square that was later subdivided into additional lots. Marysville was named after the 5 members of the Brobst family who were named Mary. Originally, the Marysville post office was named Ely or Ely's.
A Methodist church was established in 1867. A weekly newspaper, the Marysville Miner, was established in 1871, and a woolen factory was opened in 1872.
Marysville was officially incorporated as a town in the late 1870’s, and by 1910 it had three general stores, a post office, a
4-teacher public school, and telephone service.
A five-foot bed of coal was exposed along North Cedar Creek about 2 miles north of Marysville, and by 1867, several coal banks were open in the Marysville area and Jacob Kline had opened a mine about a mile north of Marysville, where the coal was 10 feet thick. By 1908, eleven different mines had been worked in the Marysville area, primarily by the Mammoth Vein Coal Company, which took over from the O.K. Coal Company in 1903. The Wabash Railroad built a 7-mile spur line to serve the mines
Read more at http://www.onlinebiographies.info/ia/mar/t-marysville.htm
( Reminder: Click on images for larger views )
Marysville Cemetery
Photo taken by Sean Flynn in March 2008
Marysville Covered Bridge
Map showing the railroads and coal mines from 1908
Matlock - A city in Sioux County, Iowa, United States. The population was 87 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,750, and the median income for a family
Was $41,875.
Auto Value - 588 Main Street - Matlock, IA
Bruce’s Auto Repair
Cancel Postmark Postcard 1888-1972
Matlock Iowa Remains after fire on Main street RPPC
Students Teachers Photo Postcard
PV 5
PV 5
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
(No larger view of this image)
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
PV6
Millerton is A city in Wayne County, Iowa, United States. The population was 45 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $19,286, and the median income for a family
was $43,750.
(Click on Picture for larger view)
Millerton, Iowa Rail Station
Railroad stations - Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail Road Co.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, preached up to 40,000 sermons in his lifetime. He was an “itinerant” preacher, traveling from town to town in England, setting up Methodist societies.
Peter Cartwright - Memorable Methodist Circuit Rider
This colorful, early Methodist challenged Abraham Lincoln for political office and won 8-10,000 souls for Christ.
O. B. Smyth General Store
Historic Iowa Postcard Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Grinnell College Libraries.
When forbidden from preaching from the pulpits of parish churches, Wesley began open-air preaching.
Gravestone
Wesley Oil Painting
PV 6
PV 6
PV 6
PV 6
PV 6
Millville - An unincorporated town in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 29 in 2014 census, up from 23 at the 2000 census.
History - The city of Millville was incorporated in 1967. The city lies along the Turkey River and is located on US Highway 52. The city limits is only 0.76 miles long. In October 2013, the city started undergoing the process of unincorporating itself, and formally became unincorporated in July 2014.
Millville is best known for the Millville Poltergeist that shook the small sub-division of Guttenberg in 1960. http://www.prairieghosts.com/millville.html
The median income for a household in the city was $29,583, and the median income for a family was $29,583
Millville Gazette
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/clayton-county-city-millville-disincorporates-20140723
Click on pictures for larger view
Millville Mudslide
Millville Road Bridge
Milk Truck Crash Near Millville
Morrison - A city in Grundy County, Iowa, United States. The population was 94 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,250, and the median income for a family was $31,875
Morrison Inn Steak House
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup
Cooley Pumping
Mount Sterling - A city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 36 at the 2010 census.
Mount Sterling was first settled in the late 1830’s when George and Horace Wood established a sawmill and corn-cracker to serve the small farms of southern Van Buren County and the northern portion of nearby Scotland County, Missouri. Within a decade the Woods were joined by several other businesses.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $34,375.
Through out this section “Small Towns” - Click on the Images for Larger View
A steam-powered flour mill was erected in 1855, but the lack of business forced its closure and relocation to Keokuk, Iowa in 1861. Other industry and business included a distillery, a second sawmill, a barrel hoop factory, a blacksmith, several general mercantile stores, a shoemaker and a lumber yard. In addition to establishing the first sawmill, George Wood also built and operated the town's first inn and served as the area's first postmaster. The first child born in the town was to Dr Joel Knight, a purveyor of a patent medicine product known as "Dr Joel Knight's Celebrated Screw Auger Pills."
The first school was built in the area in 1841.
Mount Sterling never exceeded more than 300 residents. After incorporation in 1907, the town reported a peak population of 232 souls in the 1910 U.S. Census. The population of the town and surrounding farms continued to dwindle throughout the 20th century, particularly after World War II, leading to business closures.
Mount Sterling became something of a bedroom community with residents forced to find work in larger area towns like Keosauqua, Keokuk, and Fairfield Iowa.
Current-day Mount Sterling has only two businesses, a bar & grill and an auto repair shop, and a hunting lodge. The town made national news in 2003 after then Mayor Jo Hamlett proposed an ordinance that would fine residents and visitors for lying. Although it was made in jest, the proposal pointed out the chronic lack of cash in a town whose yearly budget never exceeded $5,000. The story of the ordinance was covered by news outlets as far away as Australia.
In April 2012 the Mount Sterling city council voted to disband the town, the first Iowa town to take such a step since 2005.
No candidates filed to run for Mayor or city council in the November 2011 election, prompting the vote to become an unincorporated area of Van Buren County. The county government will take over all street maintenance and the towns street lights will be discontinued. The towns' sewer system will continue to be operated by the county. The city officially became unincorporated on November 11, 2012, when the Community Development Board of the Iowa Economic Development Authority voted unanimously to accept the city's resolution of discontinuance
Mount Sterling Map
More Information in The Gazette
No one ran for mayor or the city council in Mount Sterling's last city election.
At first, the small village had no official name and was often referred to as "Dogtown" by the early residents. This came from the fact that nearly every farmer who came to the mill brought at least two or three dogs along, and also from the fact that Horace Wood had three hounds who loved to devour the corn meal as it left the grinder. Other early names for the village were Wood's Mill and Union Corners until finally Mount Sterling was selected.
City Limit Sign
Check out the antique church on the way into town, the locals have been trying to maintain it for a while now.
Antique Church
AJ’s Bar and Grill, this is a Hunters Lodge with exposed concrete floor, wood paneling and particle board walls, along with taxidermy animals of all local varieties mounted on the walls between beer signs. The windows have a great view overlooking the Fox River Valley, and its acres of protected wetlands and tree groves.
A J's Bar & Grill
Tiny Iowa town prepares to disband after 105 years
PV7
PV7
Northboro - A city in Page County, Iowa, United States. The population was 55 as of July 1, 2017
The City of History - Northboro was platted in 1881, shortly after the railroad arrived into the neighborhood.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,536, and the median income for a family was $36,429.
Reminder: Click on images for larger view
Nemaha - a city in Sac County, Iowa, United States. The population was 85 at the 2010 census.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,708, and the median income for a family was $31,250
Churches
Rail Depot - Nemaha Wide View - Sign - Bookl
Ebay
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV6
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
United Methodist Church
Old Northboro Church
History - In 1907, fire destroyed the surface equipment of the Numa Block mine, then the most productive mine in the county. The Numa Block shaft was 150 feet deep, giving access to a 30-inch coal seam. The Numa Block Coal Company also owned mines in Seymour, (about 8 miles to the west). In 1912, Local 875 of the United Mine Workers, based in Numa, had 392 members.
In 1911, the Numa Block Coal Company started a new mine, about a mile east of Numa. When fully developed, this mine employed 155 men, hoisting 300 tons of coal daily to ship 175 carloads of coal monthly.
The original Numa Block mine was closed in 1915, after having undermined 240 acres.
A new company town, Martinstown, was platted around this mine in 1913. The approximately 40 houses in Martinstown were frequently known as Shantytown. The mine closed in 1937, after undermining 96 acres. Aside from the blackened remains of the Martinstown slag pile, little remains of this mine today. In 1914, the Numa Block Coal Company produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state.
The following and more found at: http://iagenweb.org/mitchell/localdat/orchardm.htm
In 1869, the Illinois Central Railroad was completed through Lincoln Township, and a village, platted by that company, was called Orchard. It was named after Moses Orchard, the first permanent settler who gave the land for the village site. The usual pioneer town businesses were started.
In the fall of 1869, G. A. Wright with Moses Orchard started a grain business, and in 1878, built a large round elevator. In later years two elevators were in operation. Today Earnest Smolik operates the elevator, a well stocked hardware store and a modern feed store.
After the fires in 1889, in which all but one of the places of business, and some of the homes, were destroyed, Orchard came back with numerous business places and seemed to thrive beyond expectations, until the thirties, when cars and better roads spelled the doom of the small town.
Transcribed in July 2002 by: Neal Du Shane - Contact Information n.j.dushane@comcast.net
Stillwater Greenhouse offers a wide variety of quality, locally-grown plants bursting with color and freshness ready to beautify your outdoor living spaces. Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs, Trees, Evergreens, Herbs, Vegetable Plants, Garden Fresh Vegetables, and so much more.
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
No larger view available for this picture
Orchard Cemetery
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
PV7
SMALL TOWNS - 3
Page
Page
©2005-2018 Iowa Ghost Towns - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No larger image available
No Larger Image Available
PV7
| EZ County Index with Towns |
| EZ Town Index with Info |
| Map Index |