The tale of how Oskaloosa earned its place at the center of life in Mahaska County is just the tip of the iceberg – both in Mahaska County history , and in the record of life here preserved in “ The History of Mahaska County , Iowa , 1984 .”
Cindy Godlove , a local history and genealogy specialist at the Oskaloosa Public Library , says the resource , chocked full of rich local history stretching all the way back to the time of the Native Americans and the pioneer era , is a conglomerative effort between local historical societies and individuals who have preserved stories of Mahaska County ’ s beginnings through the generations .
“ It was a collection , a conglomeration , between the Keomah Genealogical Society , and the Mahaska Historical Society , and perhaps even a little bit with Wilcox Library and Oskaloosa Public [ Library ], but most of it they were pulling from the community in general . I think they were using KBOE to request stories , as well as perhaps in the shopper or any ‘ Help Wanted ’ kinds of things . ‘ We ’ re looking for these kinds of articles .’”
The later edition , titled “ The Heritage of Mahaska County , Iowa , 2000 ,” includes a souvenir of photographs and statistics compiled by “ The Oskaloosa Times .” The resources are full of family histories and stories that residents of Oskaloosa and Mahaska County have carried with them through the centuries , preserving the story of Mahaska County – where it has been and how far it has come – for generations to come .
“ As far as for Oskaloosa , the square has changed so much ,” Godlove said . “ Some of the pictures show where they still had the horse rails . And they didn ’ t have cars , and they didn ’ t have concrete streets or sidewalks , for
22 | Now & Then
that matter . The trolleys are pictured in there … so much history .”
“ The History of Mahaska County , Iowa , 1984 ” doesn ’ t just record local history – it connects the community with the wider world and its milestones through the years . Its pages mark the first trolley car used in town , the arrival of various modern conveniences and stores , and an apparent anti-suffrage march in the community , wherein men donned women ’ s clothing and exercised their right to protest giving women the right to vote .
The books record visits from famous historical figures to Oskaloosa .
ABOVE : Community members congregate to watch former President Theodore Roosevelt deliver a campaign speech on the northwest corner of the park during his unsuccessful 1912 bid for a return to the White House . BELOW : Thought to be a photo of an anti-suffrage march in Oskaloosa sometime around 1910 . Note , the figures in view are men dressed in women ’ s clothing . Both photos are from “ The History of Mahaska County , Iowa , 1984 .”
“ Theodore Roosevelt came to Oskaloosa once ,” Godlove said . “ I believe even [ Abraham ] Lincoln was very close . I ’ m not sure if he was actually in Oskaloosa , but he was in Iowa , and it was very close .”
The expansive record of local history helps members of both the Mahaska County community and the wider world place themselves in the world using family history and records to do it .
“ I think that history is a really important part of the human experience and people in general ,” Godlove said . “ If we don ’ t know where our families came from – I mean in our individual families we do have those family stories – but if you don ’ t really feel , you know , where your family ’ s from and how it has grown and brought you to be the person that you are , I think our communities do that , and our histories help us find who we are .”
As Oskaloosa marks 180 years since three men chose it as the new county seat on the rolling prairie , nearly two centuries worth of stories marking the intersection of personal lives with world affairs sits on a shelf in the Oskaloosa Public Library , waiting to be read .