There's a particular quiet you only find where a town used to be. Strahan has it. Oscar William Strahan (August 10, 1891 – August 21, 1978) was an American football, basketball, and track coach and college athletics administrator.
Strahan is the lone documented ghost town in Mills County — for now.
The story of Strahan
Iowa's ghost towns are coal camps and railroad towns in a state that farmed too well to need many of them.
Oscar William Strahan (August 10, 1891 – August 21, 1978) was an American football, basketball, and track coach and college athletics administrator. He was a student-athlete at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa where he was a recipient of the school's Double D Award. After coaching high school athletics in Iowa for three years, he became the head football coach (1919–1934) and head basketball coach (1920–1924, 1944–1946) at Southwest Texas State University–now known as Texas State University.
What you'll find today
The on-the-ground condition of Strahan is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.
Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.
Getting there
Here's the honest truth: access to Strahan is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Strahan is roughly 40.9497, -95.4992 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.
Good to know
Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.
Survey Map
Approximate position — verify access locally before visiting
Strahan FAQs
01Where is Strahan located?
02What county is Strahan in?
03What is the history of Strahan?
04What remains at Strahan today?
05Can you visit Strahan?
Sources: account based on Wikipedia (“Oscar W. Strahan”), CC BY-SA.
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