IOWA GHOST TOWNS
Shelby County
WEB SPACE PROVIDED BY:
www.rootsweb.com
Back to:
Shelby County was named after General Isaac Shelby.
The first Govenor of Kentucky.
Established in 1837
Listed below are names and descriptions of Shelby 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.
ALTAMOUNT. A post office (1868-74) in the eastern part of Fairview Township, about
six miles southeast of Harlan.
BOTANY. A post office (1859-71) in the northwestern part of Jackson Township, about
six miles east and a littie south of Harlan.
DEFIANCE. The post office of Defiance was in existence from 1875 until the establishment
of the town of Defiance, which was in 1882, and was in the south part of section
14, Union Township, about one mile west of where the town now stands.
ELKHORN. The post office of Elkhorn was established in 1867 and was located in the
northern part of section 15, Clay Township, about three miles southwest of the present
town of Elkhorn. It was later removed to the village.
ITEN. An embryo town staked out some time in the early 1850's in section 4, Center
Township, about three miles northeast of Harlan, on the West Nishnabotna River. It
attained to one store, was a competitor for the county seat, but when that was settled
in Harlan's favor in 1859, Iten vanished.
MALLORY. A village established in the 1870's in section G, Greeley Township. After
the coming of the Milwaukee Railway in 1882 it had a post office and a railway station
for a few years, when they were both discontinued.
MANTENO. A village platted in 1856 in the northeastern part of section 18, Grove
Township, on Mill Creek. Post office, 1856-58.
MARATHON. The name first given to the prescnt town of Earling when it was platted
in 1882, and which it kept a few years.
POMO. Listed as a post office in Shelby County from 1881 to 1883, but the location
not found.
PRAIRIE ROSE. A hamlet in section 3, Monroe Township. Post office, 1899-04.
RANTOUT. A place in the northwestern part of Clay Township, as shown on maps from
1861 to 1869.
ROACH. A Milwaukee railway station in the northern part of Cass Township in the early
1880's. It had a post office from 1880 to 1882.
ROCHDALE. The name first given the present railway station and village of Botna when
it was established in the early 1880's.
ROCK RUN. A hamlet in the southwestern part of Cass Township, as appears on maps
of the 1870's.
SAMISON. A post office and ~Iilwaukee railway station from 1879 to 1882 in section
32, Cass Township.
SHELBYVILLE. A town platted in 1854 in the eastern part of section 27, Grove Township.
This was the first town platted in the county and was the county seat from 1853 to
1859, when it lost to Harlan. Post office, 1854 to 1862 and again from 1875 to 1881.
SMIDA. Mostly called Simoda. Platted in 1857 in the southeastern ?part of section
8 and the southwestern part of section 9, Center Township, about one and one-half
miles east of Harlan, on the West Nishnahotna River. It was a rival of Harlan for
the county seat, but when it failed in that in 1859 it quickly passed away, Post
office, June 19, 1858 to July 16, 1858.
TIBBOTTSVILLE. A village of rather brief existence about one-half mile southwest
of the business section of the present town of I rwin on the Botna River. It had
a post office from 1880 to 1882.
If you can add any information for the towns above please drop us an email.
Thanks, Mel/Webmaster www.iowaghosttowns.com
Interested in helping maintain this county?
Click on the "SEND EMAIL" link below.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION...Read this first.
All content sent in must be "copyright free"
and be family friendly.
Sorry! but anything that isn't can not be posted.
Everything is subject to the approval of the Web Master.
CLICK
TO SEND EMAIL
NOTE: Please use the subject of "Iowa ghost towns"
Because of all the spam and viruses coming in
I do not open unsolicited email
So Please, use the subject line of "Iowa ghost towns".
RELATED WEBSITES
1. Rootsweb
2. American History and Geneology Project
OTHER WEBSITES OF INTEREST
FREE recipes
Go Back To:
All pages on this site belong to THE IOWA GHOST TOWNS PROJECT
All content is believed to be copyright free,
If you see any that is not
Please bring it my attention - Webmaster
.