IOWA GHOST TOWNS
Louisa County, Iowa
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Louisa County was named after Louisa Massey.
She was famous for avenging her brothers murder by killing the one who murdered
him.
Listed below are names and descriptions of Louisa County towns
and villages, many have long ago disappeared,
Some became a part of other towns, that are still in existance
today.
The list below was taken from the Annuls of Iowa Vols. XVII & XVIII.
Used with permission from the State Historical Society of Iowa
Would you like to help with this project? Do you know of more information about
any of these towns?
We would appreciate it if you would send it to us. Descriptions pictures etc.
For verification purposes, please list where you obtained the information.
You can click on the Towns with an asterisk* for more information.
ALIMEDA. Laid out as a town in 1859 north of and adjoining Fredonia, and later
made a part of that town.
ALTONA. The name of the post office from 1857 to 1859 at Hillsboro, which
see below.
BIG SPRINGS. A post office from 1863 to 1869 in the northeast corner of Oakland
Township on the Iowa River.
BLACK HAWK. The first name of Toolsboro, which see below. Black Hawk was a
post office from 1837 to 1841. The government surveyors of 1938 report in their notes
of finding this village and that it had six or eight houses.
BURRIS. The name of the post office (1858-59) at Burris City, which see below.
BURRIS CITY. A town on the Mississippi River at the mouth of the Iowa, immediately
north of the confluence. It was platted in 1853, and had a boom because of the anticipated
building of the Air Line Railroad. Its population was 600 or 700, had over 5000 lots
in the plat and was doing a big business when the floor (flood) of 1858 came
and destroyed it.
CATTEESE. The name of the hamlet later called Port Allen, which see below.
CANNONBURG. Laid out as a town in the northern part of section 28, Elm Grove
Township, but never grew to be more then a small hamlet.
CLIFTON. A post office from 1851 to 1857 near the southeast corner of concord Township
on the Iowa river.
CUBA CITY. A prospective town of early territorial times, thought to have been on
the Iowa River and quite near its mouth.
ELBRICK. A town in the southwestern part of section 28, and the southeastern part
of 29, Elliott Township. It was laid out in 1891, Its post office was from 1883
to 1924.
FLORENCE. A territorial town in the west section 20 of Elliott Township on the southwest
side of the Iowa River, as found there by the government surveyors in 1838. It was
a place of importance, was known once as Keokuk's principal village, and was also
once the home of Black Hawk. Post office, 1839-46 .
FOREST HILL. A post office from 1857 to 1864 in the northeastern part of Grand View
Township..
HARRISON. A town started in about 1857 in the south section 23, Port Louisa Township,
on the east bank of the Iowa river and about a mile and a half northeast of Wappello.
It was expected by its builders that it would be the county seat. It still has a
few dwellings. Post office, 1840-57.
HOPE FARM. A hamlet a short distance east of the later village of Cairo, which see
above. Post office, 1840-55 .
IOWA TOWN. A trading point as early as 1837, found by the government surveyors in
1838 in section 28, township 73, range 2, just west of the Iowa Slough and on the
south bank of the Iowa River.
LAFAYETTE. The name of the southern portion of Hillsboro, which see above. It was
laid out in 1856, but now is included within the limits of the town of Columbus
Junction.
LONG CREEK STATION. The former name of the present railroad station of Bard.
LAURA CENTER. A post office (1863-65) on the road between Wapello and Columbus City,
not far from the present railroad staion of Bard.
MID PRAIRIE. A post office in the northwestern part of Morning Sun Township from
1863 to 1877.
MOUNT STERLING. A name often applied to Sterling, which see below.
OAKLAND. A town laid out in 1854 in the southern part of section 25 and the northern
part of 36, Oakland Township. Its post office, called Port Allen, was from 1854 to
1861. See Port Allen below.
ODESSA. A town laid out in 1861 in the northern part of the south section 18, Port
Louisa Township., on the west side of the main channel of a lake extending from the
Missisiippi River. It was about five miles northeast of Wapello.
ONONWA. The former name of the present town of Letts. The post office was also Ononwa
from 1857 to 1867.
PALO ALTO. A post office in Elliott Township from 1848 to 1874. It was located according
to the maps part of the time in section 26 and part of the time in 24, south and
east of the Iowa River.
PITTSBURG. A prospective town in territorial times located somewhere in Louisa County,
on the Iowa river, but the exact place not found.
PORT ALLEN. A town laid out in 1841 on high ground between the Iowa and Cedar Rivers
close to their confluence. It was an important place for a little while, there being
a ferry across the Cedar to Fredonia, and another acrosss the Iowa. As the town soon
declined the post office of Port Allen was kept about three-fourths of a mile up the
Iowa River for a few years, and then removed without change of name to Oakland, which
see above.
PORT LOUISA. A town in the southern part of the south section 5, Port Louisa Township,
on the Mississippi River. It was laid out in 1854 and had a large shipping business
for years. Post office, 1847-75.
PORT WASHINGTON. A town laid out in 1848 in the northeastern part of secion 8, township
74, range 2, or about half a mile south of where Port Louisa was later built.
STERLING. A town on the Iowa River which was afterwards added to Toolsboro. It was
sometimes called Mount Sterling.
SPRING RUN. A post office from 1852-1865 in the northeastern part of Elm Grove Township.
TECUMSEH. A prospective town in early territorial times located somewhere on the
Iowa River in Louisa County, but the exact place not found.
TODDTOWN. Another name for Hillsboro, which see above.
TWIN OAK. A post office in the southwestern part of section 23, Oaklanmd Township,
from 1873-1881.
TWIN OAK. A post office in the southwestern part of section 20, Oakland Township,
from 1873 to 1881
VIRGINIA GROVE. A post office (1843-71) in the northernm part of Morning Sun Township.
WALLINGS LANDING. A pioneer hamlet at or near where Port Louisa was afterward established.
WEST PORT LOUISA. A town laid out in 1849 in the south part of section 6 and the
north part of 7, township 74 north, range 2 west. It was about one-half mile west
of Port Louisa and although the older town of the two, became of secondary importance.
YANKEE TOWN. A place in the western part of Columbus City Township, about five miles
west and one north of Columbus City, as shown on maps 1808 and 1809.
YELLOW BANKS. A prospective town on the Iowa River in early territorial times, thought
to have been near where Oakville now stands.
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