IOWA GHOST TOWNS
Polk County, Iowa
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Polk County was named after James k. Polk.
He was the 11th President of the United States.
Established in 1846
Listed below are names and descriptions of Polk 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.
ANDREWS. A town laid out in 1857 in the eastern part of section 9, Jefferson Township,
about one mile west of the Des Moines River. The name of its post office was Lincoln
(1861-86) and the town in later years went by that name. It was also sometimes called
Dogtown. A store still remains.
APPLE GROVE. A post office (1849-68) in the southeastern part of Beaver Township,
some three miles south of Mitchellville.
AVON. The original town of Avon was laid out in 1855 in the southeast quarter of
section 29, Allen Township, about one mile northwest of the present Avon Station.
It was a flourishing town in the 1860’s. Post office, 1857 to 1871, with two short
intermissions.
AYER'S GROVE. Listed as a post office in Polk County from 1880 to 1882, but the
location not found.
BLOOMINGTON. A post office (1856-64) near the southwest corner of Elkhart Township.
BROOKLIN. Platted as a town in January, 1846, and "situated on the north bank of
the Des Moines River * * * and 112 chains east from the mouth of the Raccoon River
at Fort Des Moines." It contended against Fort Des Moines for the county seat in
1846.
CAMP. A post office in section 10 from 1882 to 1887 in Camp Township.
CARBONDALE. A former coal mining town in the western part of Four Mile Township along
Four Mile Creek. Carbondale was the name of its post office from 1899 to 1901.
CHESTERFIELD. A village that became a part of the town of Gilbert, which sea below.
Chesterfield had a post office by the same name from 1883 to 1903.
CIRCLEVILI.E. A place in section 34, Allen Township, some two miles southeast of
the old town of Avon, as shown on maps from 1855 to 1868.
COMMERCE MILLS. The name of the post office at the present village of Commerce from
1870 to 188l.
COPE. A post office (1880-85) in Franklin Township.
CORYDON. A village in the southern part of section 12, Madison Township, one and
one-half miles south of Polk City, on the Des Moines River, as appears on maps from
1868 to 1880.
CORY'S GROVE. A place near the southeast corner of Elkhart Township as appears on
maps from 1855 to 1868.
DELAWARE. A post office (1854-55) in the eastern part of Delaware Township.
DOGTOWN. See Andrews.
DUDLEY. A town of some importance in the 1850's near the southeast corner of Allen
Township and on the Des Moines River just south of the mouth of North River. It had
a post office named Dudley from 1850 to 1852.
ELKHART. The original town of Elkhart was laid out in 1853 in section 2, Douglas
Township, about two miles southeast of the present town of Elkhart. Its post office
was of the same name, but on the decline of the town the post office was removed
one mile north to Ottawa, which see below, and later to the present town of Elkhart.
ENTERPRISE. A former coal mining town in the center of Douglas Township. Post office,
1903-19.
FORT DES MOINES. The name of the present city of Des Moines from the time it was
occupied by the dragoons in 1843 until the name was changed to Des Moines in 1857.
The military evacuated it in 1846 and it at once became a village and was made the
county seat the same year. Its post office was Raccoon River at first, which see
below, but was Fort Des Moines from December 31, 1846, to July 30, 1857. From the
original plat of Brooklin 011 file In the office of the county recorder of Mahaska
County.
FREEL. Listed in the U. S. Official Register as a post office in Polk County
from 1850 to 1859, but the location not found.
GILBERT. A town incorporated in 1882, occupying all of section 12, Township 78, Range
24, north of the Des Moines River, now included in the southeastern part of the city
of Des Moines.
GREENWOOD. A hamlet and post office in the southeast corner of section 32, Douglas
Township, as shown on maps of 1861 to 1886.
GREENWOOD PARK. A town incorporated in 1881 occupying the south half of section 6,
all of 7 and all of 18 north of the Raccoon River, all in township 78, range 24,
but now included in the southwestern part of the city of Des Moines.
HANOVER. Listed in Index Plat Directory to Towns, etc., in Polk County, by George
A. McVicker, 1884, as an obsolete town in Polk County, but its location not found.
HARVEY'S POINT. A post office (1850-52) in Clay Township.
HATTON. Listed as a post office in Polk County from 1882 to 1891, but its location
not found.
HOPKINS GROVE. A post office (1850-56) in the central part of Madison Township.
HUNTSVILLE. A town in very early times in sections 36, .Jefferson Township, about
one and one-half miles west of the Des Moines River, as stated in McVicker's Index
Plat Directory to Towns, etc., in Polk County, 1884.
JERICO. A place in the southeastern part of Beaver Township, slightly west of Apple
Grove post office, which see above, as shown on maps from 1855 to 1868.
KEEN. The name of the post office (1898-1905) at the old village of Saylorville.
KELSEY. A village and station on the C., M. & St. P. R. R. in section 31, Jefferson
Township, about two miles north of Granger.
KIRKWOOD. A post office (1858-64) in the eastern part of Webster Township, between
Beaver Creek and the Des Moines River, and a mile or two northwest from their junction.
LAFAYETTE. A town in sections 3 and 10, Camp Township, on the north bank of the Des
Moines River. A town of importance in 1849 and 1850.
LINCOLN. See Andrews above.
LORING. A Village and station on the former Newton & Northern Railroad in the north
part of Washington Township. There is still a store there. Post office, 1905-10.
LOVINGTON. Laid out in 1854 in the southeastern part of section 18, Webster Township,
near the mouth of Beaver Creek. It had great expectations, but was short-lived.
McDEVITT'S GROVE. A post office (1879-84) a short distance north of the present town
of Urbandale.
MIDWAY. A post office (1855-57) in the central part of Camp Township about three
miles northeast of Adelphi.
MITCHELL. A town in the southern part of Beaver Township, as shown on maps of 1856
and 1857, and referred to in McVicker's Index Pint Directory to Towns, etc.,
in Polk County, 1884, as an obsolete town.
MONTACUTE. The name of the post office at Polk City from 1849 to 1852.
MOUNT AUBURN. Listed in the Index Plat Directory to Towns, etc., in Polk County,
by George A. McVicker, 1884" as an absolete town in Polk County, but location not
found.
NOBLETON. Name of a former station on the Keokuk branch of the Rock Island Railway
about two miles south of Mitchellville. Post office, 1872-78.
NORTH DES MOINES. A town incorporated in 1880, occupying the southeast quarter of
section 33, and the south half of 34., township 79, range 24" now all being in the
north central part of the city of Des Moines. Post office, 1888-89.
OAKWOOD. A hamlet and station on the Rock Island Railway near the northwest corner
of Four Mile Township, about two miles west of Rising Sun. Post office, 1885-9l.
OLDFIELD. A post office (1880-1900) on the east side of section 25, Washington Township.
OTTAWA. A Village laid out in 1856 at the corners of sections 26, 34, and 3.5, Elkhart
Township, about one and one-half miles east of the present town of Elkhart. The name
of Ottawa's post office was Elkhart, which see above.
PALMER. A post office (1871-85) in the southeastern part of section 21, Lincoln
Township.
PELTON. The former name of the present village and railway station of Crocker.
PEORIA CITY. Laid out in 1856 in the northwest corner of section 1, Washington Township.
A prosperous town for many years. Post office, 1856-83.
PETERSBURG. A hamlet in the northeastern part of Douglas Township some two miles
southeast of the town of Ottawa, which see above, and existing for a time in the
1850's or 1860's.
RACCOON FORKS. A name applied in pioneer times to the location that became the city
of Des Moines.
RACCOON RIVER. The name of the post office from March 2, 1846, to December 31, 1846,
at Fort Des Moines, which see above.
REDHEAD. A station on the Chicago & Great Western Railroad at above the point where
now that railroad intersects Avenue Frederick Hubbell in the eastern part of the
city of Des Moines, as shown on maps of 1887.
RIDGEDALE. A post office (1858-1902, except a few intermissions) about four miles
southeast of Lincoln, which see above, near the present site of Camp Dodge.
SEVASTOPOL. A town laid out in 1862 and incorporated in 1878, ?occupying the northeast
quarter of section 15 and the northwest quarter of 14, township 78, range 24, south
of the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, and now included in the southern part of the
city of Des Moines.
SPRINGFIELD. Listed in the Index Plat Directory to Towns, etc., in Polk County,
by George A. McVicker, 1884, as an obsolete town in Polk County, but location not
found.
TIBDITT. Listed as a post office in Polk County from 1880 to 1883, but location not
found.
TOWNER. See Towner Lake below.
TOWNER LAKE. A post office (1879-83) in the ·southwestern part of Jefferson Township.
It continued as Towner from 1883 to 1885.
TRENT. The name of the post office (1874-94) at the present C. & N. W. Ry. station
of Carney, in section 36, Crocker Township.
TYNER. A small village in the central part of Elkhart Township with a post office,
1877-1902.
ULM. A former station on the C. & N. W. Ry. on the west line of section 19, Lincoln
Township, as appears on maps of 1875.
UNION. A place a short distance east of where Sevastopol which see above, was later
established, as appears on maps of 1855 and 1856.
UNIVERSITY PLACE. A town incorporated in 1883, located in the southwest quarter of
section 33 and the east half of the southeast quarter of 32, township 79, range 24,
now included in the northwestern part of the city of Des Moines. Post office, 1886-89.
WAHKONSA. The name popularly given to the present town of Polk City at the time of
its establishment in 1850. An Indian village by that name preceded the white settlement
at that place.
WALNUT CREEK. Listed in 1857 as a post office in Polk County, but the location not
found.
WEST LIBERTY. A place about two miles south of Fort Des Moines, which see above, as
shown on maps of 1855 to 1868.
YOUNGSTOWN. A coal mining village in the east part of Lee Township near Four Mile
Creek. It still has a store. Post office, 1891-99.
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