The town of Cedar was founded after it was forced to pick a town name by the postmaster, R.W. Moore. So, in 1869, after Moore was already appointed postmaster, he chose the name Cedar because it hadn't been picked yet after he perused the postal…
Leighton was founded on February 9, 1865 by William C. Leighton, John Carver, and W.A. Burt. The town was named after William C. Leighton after the town was platted. Today, the town inhabits about 150, but the community never inhabited more than…
Black Oak Township sits on the western edge of Mahaska County. Two communities have summed up the township in its history; Lardeo and Leighton. Leighton is the only community that still exists today in the township.
Lacey was the foremost community within the framework of Adams Township in Mahaska County, Iowa. The community was founded in 1878 by Congressman John F. Lacey in order to make sure the Iowa Central Railroad came through that part of Mahaska County.…
This is a map laying out the township of Adams in Mahaska County, Iowa. The map was most likely compiled in 1936 at the time when all of Mahaska County, Iowa was compiled. The most notable communities of Adams township around this time (1936) were…
This is a map dating to 1890 that shows the importance and extent to which the railroad serviced Mahaska County the later half of the 19th Century. Key railway lines that came through Mahaska County and more importantly the county seat of Oskaloosa…
This map illustrates the location of the 65 cemeteries found throughout Mahaska County, Iowa. The larger numbers on the map go with the names of the following cemeteries: 1) Appel 2) Baldwin 3) Barnes City 4) Beacon 5) Bedwell 6) Bellefountain 7)…
This is a map of Mahaska County, Iowa, as it appeared in 1936. Included in the map are the various townships that exist within Mahaska County (18) and the communities within those townships.
Garfield Elementary School was the last of the elementary schools built to serve a specific ward in Oskaloosa until a major elementary building was opened in 2006. All other elementary schools that serviced independent wards were continually…
