Fall is a great time of year to explore Iowa’s ghost towns. As the lush summer vegetation begins to die back, it’s much easier to spot what’s left of these long-abandoned places. And if for some reason you can’t find the area you’re searching for because it’s become so well hidden in the trees, you’ve still enjoyed a beautiful drive in what is arguably Iowa’s prettiest season!
One of the ghost towns you might consider adding to your list to track down this fall is the town of Donnan.
Donnan was a small farming town built along the railroad in Iowa's Fayette County in 1874. It was named "Donnan Junction" in 1878. It was incorporated in 1922 so that it could build its own school.
The main feature of Donnan was its railroad depot - Donnan Junction was built at the intersection of two major railroads, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroads. It also supported a school, a post office, a hardware store, a hotel, a livery and blacksmith shop, a restaurant, a grain elevator, and other industries for many years.
Interestingly, Donnan is a prominent family name in Iowa history; William Donnan, for example, was a pioneer lawyer, Civil War officer, and two-term Republican U.S. Representative. It is for him that the city of Donnan was named.
Eventually, though, that small population dwindled down to zero. Officially, Donnan ceased to exist in 1991. Now, just about the only thing left of the town of Donnan Junction is a sign, a plaque, and the stories.
You can find the remnants of Donnan just southwest of West Union, Iowa at the intersection of New Donnan Road and Woodard Street and Woodard Street and Maple Street.
Have you ever visited Donnan? If you love ghost towns, here are a bunch more scattered around the state!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
