White Oak Township is located in the eastern central portion of Mahaska County. The communities that can still be found in White Oak Township today are Rose Hill and Wright. Tioga, Gainford, and White Oak were other communities that once existed in…
Lakonta was created by Congressman John F. Lacey in 1900 for the purpose of coal mining extraction. The railroad came right through this community and served the coal mining industry there very well. Lakonta is now called Traux. It is speculated…
West Des Moines Township is located south of the Des Moines River and represents part of the southern border between Mahaska County and Monroe County. The only community that the township consists of is Bluff Creek. Lakonta used to exist in the…
Union Mills is one of the oldest communities in all of Mahaska County, first being settled in 1844 and establishing a post office by 1850. By the 1850's, Union Mills had a saw mill, the first carding machine in Mahaska County, a brick factory,…
Established as a religious community under the leadership of W.R. and Eloise Gilmore, University Park was officially established with a post office dating back to May 15, 1909. The Gilmore's wanted to start a religious school and found 121 acres due…
Union Township, located in the north central portion of Mahaska County, was once the most prosperous place in all of Mahaska County. It is also home to one of the oldest communities in all of Mahaska County, Union Mills.
Carbonado was a community whose sole purpose was to extract coal. It was founded in on May 6, 1890 by the Excelsior Coal Company. The coal was exhausted by 1898. The mine had self-dumping cages and quick methods of loading box cars. The Iowa…
Spring Creek Township is located in the central part of Mahaska County and is situated directly east of Oskaloosa and Lincoln Township, the Mahaska County seat. Two communities still thrive within this township; University Park and Keomah Village. …
Rochester was established as a community in 1850 and served as a major trading center between Eddyville to the southeast and Bellefountaine to the northwest. When transportation needs outside of water changed, the town dried up as families moved…
Olivet was created by the Civil Enginner Free Tufts on June 13, 1877, but the plat of the community wasn't created until July 10th of that year. Coal mining was the chief source of employment for people in this community and all seemed like this…
