Carbon, Iowa

A small town located on the Middle Nodaway River in the western part of Adams County, surrounded by fertile valleys, steep hills and timber. Elijah Walters was the first white man to settle in Adams County in 1849. With his son, Issac, he built a "saw mill" on the river. In June 1853 he obtained the deed to this 40 acres from the land office in Council Bluffs (Kanesville at the time). May 2, 1855, John Barnett became the first owner of the 40 acres adjacent on the east. In the mill the first saw was 'up and down' and sawed lumber for rough houses and barns and slabs for the first side walks in Carbon.

With 3three houses (Adam Poor & Morgan Warren) in the settlement, it was called Walter's Mill. With the help of Samuel Hardisty, they built a grist mill to make meal. The mill was made of hewn oak timber, but by 1862 Thomas Nelson turned it into a 'flour mill'. The mill served many purposes such as the first Post Office with William Cormack as the first Postmaster. Three different pastors also held services and Sunday school at the mill and baptized people in the river. Next to the mill was a stone building used as a store and the first school with Miss Bell as the teacher. The mill was tore down in 1918.

Coal was discovered and a village sprung up in 1870. The workable beds of coal were alont the Middle Nodaway and its tributaries with a vein of twenty inches in thickness. Coal was taken to Council Bluffs, Omaha, Nebraska City and other points west from 1860-1865. By 1870, settlers came from as far away as England because the wanted to mine. Carbon produce a soft coal in 22 coal banks with more than 150 workers. Some men worked for 25 years spending all day, lying in a tunnel no more than 24 to 28 inches high, picking black fuel from the wall in front of them. Pay varied from 4 to 10 cents a bushel of 80 pounds of coal. Digging 2400 to 2800 pounds a day gave a daily wage of $1.20 to $3.50 a day, which was a good living for a family. About 1942 the last coal was closed.

1904, Carbon was incorporated with Kute Kudson as First Mayor.

Schools: 1902 a 40 x 50 ft four room two story building was constructed. In 1953, a one story addition was added for a gymnasium and auditorium and HS classes for 9th & 10th grades. The last classes of Carbon Independent School District were the spring of 1960, but Corning Community School System used the buildings until 1968, when the school and land was sold. 

Businesses: Free Methodist Church built in 1894 & still stands; 1932-33 Ladies Aid built and paid for the church hall & had electric lights put in it; Businesses included a brick yard, creamery, butcher, shoemakers, blacksmiths, restuarants, grocery store, barbers, doctor, apple orchard, hotel, locker, movie theater, gas station & garage,  dance hall, telephone office with swtitchboard, egg buying station, bait shop and taverns.

Events: Champion county basketball team; Outdoor Movies (sat on planks resting on blocks of wood; Carbon Cornet Band with 16 members; carnivals; and boxing shows.

For more information see the Adams County History Book. 

Adams County         Carbon         Corning         Nodaway         Prescott