Carbon, Iowa - History

History

Carbon Iowa is located on the Nodaway River. This was home to the Pottawatomie, Oto and Iowa Indian tribes until the treaty of 1851 forced their removal to Kansas or Indian Territory now known as Oklahoma. The first settler to Carbon was Elijah Walters in 1849. He reported seeing huts, old camp fires but stated that the tribes had moved on, only to see an occasional "red man" appear and look over old camp sites and burial sites then move on. Elijah built a mill on the Nodaway river that became a great social center of its time. Carbon is also known for its coal mines. The heyday of the Carbon coal mines lasted approx. 75yrs beginning in the late 19th century and ending in the early 20th century. Carbon has always been known as a lawless town for those that like to fight. Many a gun fight did take place in the streets when the coal mine era was booming. Until 1998 The only water supply was on what is now called the "pump road" Where on the edge of a gravel road sits an old hand pump. The pump has stood for over 100yrs. Horse drawn wagons would carry ice from the river and water from the pump back to town. Only one home within the Carbon city limits had a well until the late 1990s when rural water was finely piped in. As of this writing in 2008, Carbon still stands as a place time forgot. A place that people come to feel miles away from civilization, and they are. Also, the bar has an excellent urinal.