Missing Montezuma Boy

[deadeyededric]

Probably a dumb question...but are there any towns in Iowa that "vanished" (lack of a better term relatively recently (decades)? What becomes of those towns? Fascinating.

There used to be a town a few miles from Diagonal in SW Iowa named Knowlton.

Knowlton Now a Ghost Town, Remembered Southwest Iowa

DIAGONAL, Iowa- The former town of Knowlton, in Ringgold County voted to unincorporate in 1926. The town is now, all but gone, but it is still remembered in nearby Diagonal. Arlene Sobotka is a par…

who13.com

 

[Cyismymonkey]

Here's a SE Iowa town (near Albia) that went from over 4,000 to 0 ->

Buxton Historic Townsite - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There were a lot of coal camps that supported small towns as long the mines were active. Most are just wide spots in the road now. Buxton, had a hell of a baseball team, the Buxton Wonders. Their big local rivals were the Swede’s who mined just west of Munterville.

 

[khardbored]

I hear some on here complaining about rural Iowa, but it makes me wonder how much these people have been to rural areas in other States. Iowa rural communities look high dollar compared to a lot of them around the country. And you do not have to go that far out of Iowa to see those that are much worse.

The Dakotas, Appalachians, South, Southwest, all have rural and small towns that look much much worse than any in Iowa, and it really is not even close. Cities around the country have a lot of rat holes too.

I like to get off the interstate and take the less traveled roads on trips and you will really see how much worse off some areas are. There are some really poor areas around, the country, and Iowa is not really close to as poor as some.

Within the past 2 years, I've been to both Clinton, Iowa (the supposed fastest-shrinking city in the state) and Wheeling, WV.

Wheeling is noticeably worse in terms of poverty and all the stereotypes mentioned in this thread.

 

[deadeyededric]

There used to be a town between Ames and Boone named Jordan that was destroyed by an F-5 tornado in the 70s.

 

[Peter]

Hopkinton is an interesting place. Town is still around but there is an old men’s college there from the turn of the century. Pretty much the entire school perished in WWI and the flu pandemic and the campus has been boarded up since. When you snuck into the buildings it was a time capsule from 1918. Haven’t been back in 20 years. Wonder if it is still there.

 

[1100011CS]

Hopkinton is an interesting place. Town is still around but there is an old men’s college there from the turn of the century. Pretty much the entire school perished in WWI and the flu pandemic and the campus has been boarded up since. When you snuck into the buildings it was a time capsule from 1918. Haven’t been back in 20 years. Wonder if it is still there.

Was there a few years ago for the start of the Boston Marathon

 

[2speedy1]

There were a lot of coal camps that supported small towns as long the mines were active. Most are just wide spots in the road now. Buxton, had a hell of a baseball team, the Buxton Wonders. Their big local rivals were the Swede’s who mined just west of Munterville.

There is a site somewhere that overlays the historical coal mine maps in Iowa over Google maps. Its shocking to see how much of Iowa has an old mine under it. I bet there are a lot of people that have homes and property that they have now idea there is an old abandoned coal mine shaft somewhere below their house.

I really was amazed just how much of Iowa was mined, and really it was not all that long ago the last mines closed. Even with that almost everywhere you go if you aren't specifically looking for it you will see very little to no remnants of any mining activity, beyond some towns having a historical marker or something in a park here or there.

The old newspaper articles of the mine accidents etc. are quite interesting when you run across them.

I have spent some time in and around Albia researching some of my family history. Need to go back at some point.

 

[frackincygy]

Was there a few years ago for the start of the Boston Marathon

Respect.

 

[cy90]

Emmons Minnesota is basically identical to emmons iowa.

but they used to have stronger beer on the Minnesota side.

 

[NoCreativity]

I hear some on here complaining about rural Iowa, but it makes me wonder how much these people have been to rural areas in other States.

Ever been to rural Florida? I'm talking about the interior part around Lake Ochochobee, rural Iowa has nothing on parts of the country like that.

I drove through it once and thought I was in Haiti instead of Florida.

 

[Cyrocks]

I’d like to know they’re backgrounds before calling these guys Iowans.

Were they living in Iowa? Then they are Iowans

 

[1100011CS]

View attachment 105597
Respect.

Google must think I'm slow

 

[ScottyP]

There is a site somewhere that overlays the historical coal mine maps in Iowa over Google maps. Its shocking to see how much of Iowa has an old mine under it. I bet there are a lot of people that have homes and property that they have now idea there is an old abandoned coal mine shaft somewhere below their house.

I really was amazed just how much of Iowa was mined, and really it was not all that long ago the last mines closed. Even with that almost everywhere you go if you aren't specifically looking for it you will see very little to no remnants of any mining activity, beyond some towns having a historical marker or something in a park here or there.

The old newspaper articles of the mine accidents etc. are quite interesting when you run across them.

I have spent some time in and around Albia researching some of my family history. Need to go back at some point.

My great grandfather worked in the mines around the Madrid area.

There are a lot of towns that no longer exist that were big mining camps. Some of these mining towns were actually pretty big and had multiple businesses and stores. Once the mine shut down, the town pretty much disappeared.

Lake Red Rock has six old towns under it.

https://khak.com/six-buried-towns-lake-red-rock/

 

[Gunnerclone]

There used to be a town between Ames and Boone named Jordan that was destroyed by an F-5 tornado in the 70s.

Is Luther still kicking it?

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Not illegal ones.

Go forbid there are people that want to come to this country and work the jobs that nobody else will for absolute crap wages.

 

[ScottyP]

Is Luther still kicking it?

Yes. They have a great BBQ place there now. Not much else besides that and a grain elevator though.

 

[ScottyP]

Go forbid there are people that want to come to this country and work the jobs that nobody else will for absolute crap wages.

They tookrrr jerbs! (South Park reference)

Edit: Post went through slow. BillBraskyCy beat me to it.

 

[BikeSkiClone]

Is Luther still kicking it?

Now that's a throwback to my summer 4H camp days!

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

They tookrrr jerbs! (South Park reference)

Haha I was literally trying to post that pic but it wasn't working! It's on there now.

 

[Turn2]

Here's a SE Iowa town (near Albia) that went from over 4,000 to 0 ->

Buxton Historic Townsite - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The town is gone but her legacy lives on.

Cory Booker recounts roots in Iowa town of Buxton, where blacks and whites lived in peace

Black and white coal miners lived and toiled together in the Monroe County town of Buxton. "It was this ideal of what our country really stands for."

www.desmoinesregister.com