IOWA GHOST TOWNS
Marion County, Iowa
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Marion County was named after Francis Marion.
Who was an American Commander in the Revolutionary War.
Established in 1845
Listed below are names and descriptions of Marion 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.
AMERICAN CITY. Laid out as a town in 1848 in Summit Township a short distance northwest
of the present village of Otley, but never developed.
AMSTERDAM. Laid out in 1848 on the location now occupied by the present Wabash Railway
station of Howell. Amsterdam had big plans for a short time.
BARKERSVILLE. The original name of the present village of Attica. Barkersville was
the name of 'the post office from 1849 to 1853.
BENNINGTON. Platted as a town in 1848 on the north side of the Des Moines River about
one and one-half miles west of the present railroad station of Percy.
BETHEL CITY. A post office in the southern part of Clay Township about two miles
west of the present town of Tracy. The name was Bethel City from 1875 to 1883, and
was Bethel until it was discontinued in 1884.
CALOMA. A hamlet in the southeast corner of section 19, Franklin Township. Post office,
1858-1907.
CLOUD. A hamlet in section 35, Dallas Township. Post office, 1888 1906.
COOPER SPRINGS. A post office from 1872 to 1875 in the southwestern part of Indiana
Township.
DELPHI. Platted in an early day in the northern part of Swan Township near the Des
Moines River, directly south of the present village of Percy. It was never built
up.
DIXONVILLE. Laid out in 1856 two miles north of the present town of Hamilton. It
never had more than a store building and was soon abandoned.
DIVIDE. A post office for a few months in 1851 a short distance southeast of the
center of Summit Township, as shown on maps of that period.
DURHAM'S. A post office from 1848 to 1850 in the north section 32 of Clay Township
on the Des Moines River.
ELM GROVE. A post office (1846-53) in the eastern part of Liberty Township. The first
post office in the county.
ELY. The name of the post office of the present village of Marysville from 1853
to 1869.
ENGLISH SETTLEMENT. A post office (1850-78) in the northern part of section 18, Clay
Township.
EVERIST. A coal mining village in section 17, Liberty Township. Post office, 1905-14.
FAIRMOUNT. A post office from 1874 to 1875 in section 25, township 75, range 20,
about three miles south of Knoxville.
FLAGLER. Laid out in 1877 in the southwest quarter of the east section 2, Knoxville
Township. It was a coal mining town. Post office, 1876-1914.
GOSPORT. Laid out in 1853 as New Town, but name changed a few years later to Gosport.
It was in the center of Washington Township, and for some years was a busy village.
Post office, 1854-1905.
HAMAKER'S. A post office in the southern part of section 2, Liberty Township, as
appears on maps of 1868 and 1869.
HARRISONVILLE. Laid out in 1854 in the southeast quarter of the north section 32,
Clay Township, about one mile north of the present village of Durham, but never built
up.
IOLA. A hamlet in the southeastern part of the north section 31, Clay Township. Post
office, 1854-81.
INDIANA. In the eastern part of Indiana Township, two miles south of the present
village of Attica, as shown on maps of 1900.
LAKE PRAIRIE. A post office (1845-47) in the southern part of Lake Prairie Township,
in the vicinity of the village of Amsterdam of the same date.
LEERDAM. Laid out as a town in 1858 in the northeast quarter of the north section
23, Lake Prairie Township, on the south side of South Skunk River, four miles north
of Pella. Never built up.
LUCAS GROVE. A hamlet in the northwestern part of section 21, Union Township, about
three miles north of the present railroad station of Donley. Post office, 1874-82.
MENNON. A post office (1856-67) at or near the present town of Swan.
MERRILL. The name of the present village of Durham when it was first laid out in
1875.
MORGAN VALLEY. A hamlet in the northwestern part of section 9, Perry Township, on
the south side of the Des Moines River. Post office, 1891-1903.
NEWARK. A post office (1857-68) occupying two or more locations in the northern part
of Summit Township, part of the time being about two miles northwest of the present
village of Otley.
NEW CASTLE. Some maps show it as Newark Castle, about two miles southeast of Otley,
as shown on maps from 1856 to 1869.
NEW CHICAGO. A hamlet established in 1867 in the northwestern part of section 17,
Dallas Township.
NEW TOWN. The name first given the town of Gosport, which see above.
OAK. A post office (1871-75) in the northeast corner of section 18, Red Rock Township.
OHIO. The ·name first given the present village of Dallas.
ORADELL. A hamlet in steamboating days on what is now the "Old Bed" of the Des
Moines River, in section 31, Union Township.
PARAN CITY. A post office (1848-52) in the northwestern part of Union Township, at
or near the location of Oradell, which see above.
PERRYVILLE. A town laid out in 1848 in the northern part of section 9, Perry Township,
on the north side of the Des Moines River a short distance east of where the village
of Morgan Valley was located later. It had but a brief existence.
PIXCHEY. Local name of the hamlet of Oradell, which see above.
POPLAR GROVE. Listed as a post office in Marion County from 1856 to 1857, but not
located on the maps.
RED CEDAR MILLS. A post office from 1853 to 1856 in the central part of Liberty Township.
REEDVILLE. Laid out as a town in 1855 in section 8, Red Rock Township, near Prairie
Creek. Never grew much and soon vacated.
ROUSSEAU. Laid out in 1850 in the western part of section 9, Polk Township, on the
south side of the Des Moines River. Prosperous for a few years. Post office, 1873-1903.
STAR. A post office (1867-1902) in the southwestern part of section 14, Franklin
Township.
WESTON. Platted as a town in 1856 in the northern part of section 35, Pleasant Grove
Township, but never built up.
WHEELING. Laid out in 1851 in the northern part of section 5, Pleasant Grove Township,
two and one-half miles north of Pleasantville. Post office, 1852-84.
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