This is a photograph of John Mills Lacey, father of Congressman John F. Lacey, who represented the 6th Iowa District in the United States House of Representatives between 1890 and 1906. John Mills Lacey raised his family in West Virginia until he…
This is a photograph of Nancy Lacey Smith, sister of Congressman John F. Lacey from the 6th Iowa District in the U.S. House of Representatives between 1890 and 1906.
This is a photograph taken of Samuel H.M. Byers at the onset of the Civil War in 1861. Byers served in the Union Army during the Civil War and gained a great deal of inspiration for his poetic writing during the war. Byers's most famous work is a…
This is a still photograph taken of Manoah Hedge, who is credited with writing the first contemporary history of Mahaska County Iowa. His book entitled, Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa includes detailed, biographical accounts of citizens who…
Judge M.T. Williams can be credited for helping determine the official town name and Mahaska County seat of Oskaloosa in 1844. Moving from his native home state of Ohio, Williams came to Iowa in 1843 and set up a law practice located in Mt.…
The north half of the east side of Oskaloosa's town square as it appeared in 1868. Notice how roads were not yet paved and wouldn't become paved for almost another 30 years.
The north half of the east side of Oskaloosa's town square as it appeared in 1942. By this point, roads had been paved and the Mahaska County courthouse had taken the place of the once established grocery and clothing stores.
The north side of Oskaloosa's town square as it appeared in 1868. The park stood on the inside of the white fence line, but it was not for some time that the bandstand/gazebo was in existence.
The north side of Oskaloosa's town square as it appeared in 1942. By this point, buildings had been modernized and one could begin to capture the real essence of life around a town square.
The south half of the east side of Oskaloosa's town square as it appeared in 1868. The trees you see in this photograph are located in the middle of the town square today, providing an excellent source of shade for people as they attend concerts,…
