Pictured here is the way in which North 3rd Street in Oskaloosa, Iowa appeared around 1910. Today, North 3rd Street houses the Oskaloosa YMCA, Oskaloosa Junior High, and Oskaloosa High School. Though these institutions exist along this road, it has…
New Sharon was settled by unexpected pioneers of the day, back in the 1840's and 1850's. John Hiller, a biracial person, was the first inhabitant of Prairie Township, and established an illegal trading post in the region in 1844, one year after the…
This is a picture of the New Sharon High School baseball team in 1935-36. Baseball in Iowa has always been followed very closely at the local and professional levels. Competitiveness amongst high school teams was no different.
Muchakinock, formerly known as Coal Valley, was a town created solely for the purpose of coal mining. H.W. McNeil (a.k.a. Big Mac) and his younger brother W.A. McNeil (Little Mac) were responsible for the founding of the town. At one point,…
This is a photograph of the Muchakinock Coal Mine in 1896. Muchakinock was located a few miles south of Oskaloosa, located in Mahaska County, Iowa. Today, like many other communities in Mahaska County, there is nothing left in the once thriving…
Monroe Township in Mahaska County is situated on the eastern border of Mahaska County, with Keokuk County just to its east. Monroe Township can be credited for having the first iron bridge constructed in Iowa, taking place in 1907 in the village of…
It was not uncommon to see vendors, residents, and visitors mingle with each other on the streets of downtown Oskaloosa, Iowa in the early 20th Century. It was a great way to promote a business, make a friend, or just be courteous. In this…
The Village of Milbourn came into existence on November 4, 1854. At first the village fell into Adams Township, but William and Rebecca Kirk consented to have the village fall into their land, therefore placing Milbourne in Monroe Township. …
This photo was taken for the Heritage Documentation Programs, a division of the National Parks Services. The Heritage Documentation Programs is responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey, Historic American Engineering…
