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…
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…
The town of Fremont was established in 1848 by William Morrow, who deeply admired General John C. Fremont, also known in American history as the "Great Pathfinder". In honor of him, Morrow named the town after Fremont. This is a town plat of…
Indianapolis, located on the northwestern portion of Monroe Township, was the most significant community ever to rise in the township, being founded in 1845. At its high point in the 1880's, Indianapolis was a booming community, with saw mills,…
Agricola was a farm community that came about from the Latin word meaning "farmer" on January 27, 1855. Most of its residents, like most in Mahaska County, came from Ohio. When New Barnes, now called Barnes City, was founded, Agricola residents…
Barnes City was founded under the name of New Barnes until the town of Barnes City was chartered in 1898. Barnes City came about as a result of the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad needing a central link between Montezuma and Thornberg. …
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…
Granville was platted by Theodore Spain on June 18, 1851. By January of 1883, the post office of this town closed, because like so many other small communities in Mahaska County, the railroad missed them. This is a town map in 1913. Notice how the…
Peoria was first referred to in old history books as "Warrensville", after an early settler named James L. Warren, but the first log cabin built in Peoria was by a man named Bukley. The town was platted by Theodric Spain, George Westlake, and…
Bellefountaine came one vote shy of being Iowa's state capital on the first ballot to move the state capital from Iowa City on December 4, 1854. Bellefountaine was once a part of Jackson Township, but was changed to Scott Township after the…
