Hometown History - Ottumwa Radio

Historic Home Towns In Iowa. Iowa’s past is one rich with history, and even now, you can visit these historic towns to get a little glimpse of how life was back in the day.

Featured Place: Monroe County

Tune in to Classic Rock 101.5 KISS FM and Today’s Hits & Yesterday’s Favorites 92.7 KTWA this week for our coverage of Monroe County Hometown History!

Monroe County, originally named Kishkekosh County after a Fox Indian chief, honors James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States and author of the Monroe Doctrine. The county was officially established in 1843. Early settlement sparked a heated debate over the location of the county seat, with Princeton (now Albia) and Clark’s Point (now Clarksville) competing for the designation.

On August 5, 1845, a committee tasked with choosing the county seat selected Princeton. The following year, the Iowa Legislature renamed Princeton to Albia, since another Princeton already existed in the state. Albia was incorporated in 1856 and took its name from Albia, New York, the former home of one of its early settlers.

In the early 20th century, Monroe County became a hub for bituminous coal mining, with a population exceeding 25,000 in 1910. As mining declined, many residents left in search of employment elsewhere. By the 2020 census, the county’s population had decreased to 7,577.

The town of Buxton, located in southeastern Iowa, was notable for its predominantly African American population. Founded in 1873 by the Consolidation Coal Company, which worked for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Buxton was created to attract African American workers from southern states, as the company struggled to recruit enough white miners. The town quickly grew, eventually becoming one of the largest coal towns west of the Mississippi. By 1905, Buxton had 2,700 African American residents and 1,991 white residents. Coal production peaked during World War I, but the shift to diesel engines and increased mechanization reduced demand. By 1919, Buxton’s population had fallen to just 400, and the final mine closed in 1927. Today, little physical evidence of the town remains.