Exploring Iowa Ghost Towns

I recently visited Maquoketa Caves State Park for the first time and really enjoyed exploring the caves and trails there. I hope to return for some camping fun later this summer.

Still feeling adventurous on my return trip to Cedar Rapids, I proceeded to take the back roads through Jackson and Jones County, a beautiful winding journey on 150th St, then onto County Road E-17.

On Hwy E-17, I recall passing through an intersection (it may have been 110th St.) where I noticed a group of small, nameless vacant buildings. At first  I thought it was the infamous ghost town of Buckhorn, but it was not. Then I remember reading that there are quite a few ghost towns, right here in Iowa.

According to Only In Your State, we have several "ghost towns" in Iowa, including Buckhorn. Let's take a tour here and see what we can discover:

Here is another image of Buckhorn:

This is Downey, Iowa:

Here is another nearby ghost town, Elkport:

[source: Only In Your State, Instagram]