IOWA GHOST TOWNS
Story County
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Story County was named after Joseph Story.
An associate justice of the Supreme Court.
Established 1846
Listed below are names and descriptions of Story 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.
ASHURST. The name for a brief time of the present town of Zearing during its founding
in the early 1880's.
BLOOMINGTON. A town laid out in 1857 in the central part of section 25, Franklin
Township, about two miles north and one east of the business section of the present
city of Ames. The first term of the District Court was held there. Its post office
(1858-67) was called Camden.
BOARDMAN. A railway station on the Northwestern, and a post office from 1878 to 1883
in the southern part of Lafayette Township, about two miles north of Gilbert.
CAMDEN. See Bloomington above.
COLBYVILLE. A post office from 1871 to 1875 in the southeastern part of Palestine
Township, a short distance south of the present town of Huxley.
COLLEGE FARM. A post office (1862-66) at the location where the state Agricultural
College was established a little later.
COLLEGETON. Laid out as a town in 1863 in the northwest quarter of the northeast
quarter of section 9, Washington Township, now included in that part of the present
city of Ames south of the State College grounds. It was expected the railway station
would be located there instead of where it now is, at Ames.
COLLINS CENTER. A post office (1879-81) in the central part of Collins Township.
DAYTON. Laid out as a town in 1854 in the northwest quarter of section 9, Indian
Creek Township, about one mile west of the town of Iowa Center, which see below.
But little improvement was made there.
DEFIANCE. A town laid out in 1856 in the northern part of section 36, Collins
Township.
FAIRVIEW. The original name of the present town of Story City. Fairview was laid
out in 1855, and the name changed to Story City in 1881.
GOSHEN. A post office (1854-58) in the northeastern part of section 21, Indian Creek
Township.
IOWA CENTER. A town laid out in 1855 in the southeastern part of section 9, and the
southwestern part of section 10, Indian Creek Township, three miles north and one
mile west of the present town of Maxwell. It was a prosperous town, the second largest
in the county, until after the coming of nearby railroads. Occupying the geographical
center of the state, it had aspirations for the state capital. A store and a few
dwellings remain. Post office, 1858-1913.
JOHNSON'S GROVE. A post office from 1877 to 1880 in the eastern part of Richland
Township.
NEW ALRANY. A town laid out in 1855 in the west half of the southeast quarter of
section 18, New Albany Township, about two miles southwest of the present town of
Colo. It vanished after the coming of the nearby railway.
NEW PHILADELPHIA. A town laid out in 1856 in the east half of the northeast quarter
of section 6, and three blocks in the northwest part of section 5, Washington Township.
Post office, 1859-69. It prospered as a town until the coming of the Northwestern
railway in 1864 when a station was located about one-half mile to its north, and
the town of Ontario was built up there. It is now embraced in the southern part of
the village of Ontario. Post office, 1858-68.
PALESTINE. A town laid out in 1857 in section 14, Palestine Township.
PEORIA CITY. A portion of this important pioneer town was in the south edge of section
35, Indian Creek Township. See Polk County list.
POINT PALESTINE. A post office (1861-69) at the town of Palestine, which see above.
PRAIRIE CITY. Laid out as a town in 1854 in the central part of section 31, Milford
Township. It is said it never had but one house.
SHEFFIELD. A hamlet in the southwestern part of Howard Township. Post office, 1857-60.
SMAYVILLE. A pioneer hamlet in the northeastern part of section 31, Sherman Township.
Post office, April 14, 1886 to July 28, 1886.
SMITHFIELD. A town laid out in 1854 in the central part of section 18, Howard Township.
It was built up but little.
STORY. A post office (1877-78) at or near Sunset, which see below.
SUMMIT. Listed as a post office in Story County from 1894 to 1901, but its location
not found.
SUNSET. A place about two miles west of the town of Zearing. Post office, 1878-81.
WILLOW GROVE. A post office (1871-79) in the southeastern part of Lafayette Township.
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