This was a picture taken from the 2000 block of High Avenue East in downtown Oskaloosa, Iowa, circa 1900. The store in the right corner of the photograph is Huber and Sons. All other stores/buildings in the photograph are actually on South Market…
This is a picture of downtown Beacon, Iowa, circa 1910. Note the railroad track running straight through the middle of the busy downtown block pictured here. Beacon used to service more people via railroad than its neighbor, Oskaloosa.
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…
This is a photograph taken of Elizabeth Michener, one of the first head librarians of the Oskaloosa Public Library. Ms. Michener dedicated much of her time and energy to the well-being of the public library, giving service to the institution for…
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 around 1940 of the Oskaloosa town square along with the many businesses that encompass it at nighttime in the winter. Note the blanket of snow that covers the ground allowing the lights to illuminate the entire scene with…
This photograph captures legitimate panic and hysteria from a fire in downtown Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1900. No records of the fire and the damage it did to people and stores in the downtown area can be found on the incident however. What evidence does…
Religion has always played a very important role in Mahaska County, Iowa. One of the credits to the county has been its people's tolerance for others to worship freely without fear. This photograph shows the First Congregational Church located in…
The first Woolworth's store opened in Oskaloosa in 1905 and was situated on South Market Street. The establishment was independently owned and operated. Today, Woolworth's is no longer in operation in Oskaloosa, but functioned in the community for…
This 1904 photograph depicts men performing telephone line repair after a major ice storm hit Oskaloosa in 1904. The workers are looking east on B Avenue in the picture.
