The town square in many small towns across America served as a link for town members to connect with one another. In this photograph, for example, the square allowed for casual socialization among friends, spouses, and business owners. From the…
Much of the livlihood of Mahaska County, and for that matter, Iowa, has depended on farming, and the success each year brings. Pictured here is a scene on Tom Schultz's farm during the Great Depression in the 1930's. By no means was farming a…
Tioga was established as a meeting place for coal trains coming from the Muchakinock mines, so the town of Tioga was established and platted on August 24, 1886. The most memorable occurence in Tioga was the train wreck that took place on September…
Much of the livelihood of Mahaska County, and for that matter, Iowa, has depended on farming, and the success each year brings. Pictured here is a scene on T.B. Emmert's farm in the small community of Cedar, Iowa, in 1898. The process that is…
Thomas Gray enlisted in the Union Army on August 24, 1861. He was from the booming river town of Eddyville, Iowa, located in Mahaska County. After being mustered up the next month, Gray was engaged in some of the earliest battles of the Civil War. …
The bandstand pictured here replaced the old wooden bandstand that was built back in 1882. This bandstand was erected in 1912 and still stands and is made use of to this day.
The Oskaloosa City Park has been a center of activity in the community for over a century, as events and entertainment have been conducted within the realm of the park. Also known as the town square, many businesses surround the park, so in many…
The old wooden bandstand was built back in 1882 so that performers like C.L. Barnhouse's Iowa Brigade Band could entertain spectators from around the county. The bandstand was originally built to cover the cap underneath that came about as a result…
This is a photograph taken of the home of W.A. McNeill, which was built between the years 1908-1909 by the architecture firm Hallett and Rawson. The outside of the home is built with limestone. Today, the home is host to a bed and breakfast and is…
In Oskaloosa, Iowa, music has always been appreciated and taken seriously by its bands. One of the first bands in Oskaloosa was the Knights Templar Band, formed out of the musical brotherhood that existed within the town. On weekends and on special…
