Mahaska History Is Storied And Awaits Discovery

Mahaska County, Iowa – We often drive the gravel roads of Mahaska County, and today we mostly see rolling hills with fields of corn and beans planted on them. Sometimes, a growth of trees and homes dot the landscape.

History explorer Dave Baker saw the history of his home state and its diverse and storied past and wanted to share it with others.

So in 2009, Baker started out visiting the towns in Iowa but quickly realized that there was much more to Iowa than the towns that currently exist as incorporated communities.

Already curious about his past from an early age, Baker set out to further explore the history of Iowa, its counties, and the past and present communities that make that state so unique.

We got the pleasure of meeting Baker, and we planned a visit to Nelson Pioneer Farm, which is home to the Mahaska County Historical Society. There we met with John Jacobs, an individual that has helped to catalog and document the county.

So we’ve decided to help bring some of that history to you, and hopefully, along the way, develop more interest in your communities and their history.

For now, you can keep up with Baker on his Facebook page ‘The 29th State’ as he roams Iowa and brings its rich history to life.

For now, enjoy this brief look at the Mahaska County ghost community of Carbonado, which existed just northeast of Oskaloosa.