Pictured here is the eastside of the Oskaloosa town square (a.k.a. the city park) along South 1st Street. On the left side of the photograph is the Mahaska County Courthouse. Originally built in 1886, the courthouse was one of the oldest buildings…
Road building in Oskaloosa, Iowa began towards the very end of the 19th Century. As time progressed, road building became more prevalent, especially with the creation of the automobile, which generated thousands of miles worth of road construction…
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…
Pictured here is the Oskaloosa City Hall as it appeared around the year 1920. The building was originally finished in 1912. The building still stands in its original location today, but has been renovated as time has passed. Note the various…
Pictured here is the construction of the livestock pavilion at the Southern Iowa Fair in Oskaloosa, Iowa in 1917. The livestock pavilion was designed and built by building contractor P.W. Sparks. The pavilion was eventually finished by 1919. The…
Socializing in and around the Oskaloosa town square was a very familiar sight in the early 1900's. What is fascinating about this photograph is not the two women mingling, but rather the display of various modes of transportation in it. On the left…
In the early 20th Century, towns would publish postcards of the most esteemed businesses and sights in the community. One of the sights in Oskaloosa, Iowa was the Elmhurst Country Club. Established in 1928, the Elmhurst Country Club was an…
This was a photograph taken of a Gaar Scott Threshing Machine owned by Frank Harris in Beacon, IA, in 1901. The threshing machine was a mechanism designed to help farmers separate wheat grain from their stalks. The original threshing machine was…
Pictured on the right of this image is Walter L. McQuiston posing inside his establishment; the McQuiston Grocery Store, around the year 1900. The store was located at 207-209 High Avenue West. The pose in this image was intended to display the…
This is a still photograph taken of Manoah Hedge, who is credited for writing the first contemporary history of Mahaska County, Iowa. This history published was entitled; Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa. The book documented short, yet…
