North Skunk Grove, Iowa - A Hamilton County Settlement
By Martin E. Nass
Transcribed for the IAGenWeb Project by Janelle Martin, with permission of Martin "Ed" Nass.
North Skunk Grove - This was never more that a stagecoach stop. It is
located just east of what is now called the Boonedocks, at the
intersection of Interstate 35 and U. S. Highway 20. The location was at
NE Sec. 6-88-23 of Rose Grove Township.
Previously the first stagecoach came into Webster City by way of
Randall, Lakin's Grove, and Skunk Grove (later renamed Rose Grove.)
Later the stagecoach came into Webster City by way of Alden, Hawley, and
Skunk Grove. This necessitated a swing south to match up with Skunk
Grove, so for a short time the stage took this longer route.
In 1865 the North Skunk Grove stagestop was created along the direct
line from Alden to North Skunk Grove, and then to Hawley and into
Webster City crossing the river at the Dubuque Street bridge, now named
the Bank Street bridge. This shortened the previous route by 11 miles.
The settlement has appeared on only one map, dated to 1868, which was
found in the State Historical Library in Des Moines.
When the train arrived in Webster City in 1869, the need for North Skunk
Grove disappeared.
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