Buxton
Equality in Coal Country
State: Iowa
County: Monroe County
Founded: 1895
Abandoned: 1927
Peak Population: 5,000
Buxton was Iowa's most remarkable town - a coal mining community where Black and white workers were paid equally and lived in integrated neighborhoods. At its peak, half the 5,000 residents were African American. When the coal ran out, this unique experiment in equality vanished.
Integrated Utopia
Consolidation Coal Company recruited Black miners from Virginia. They lived in the same neighborhoods, shopped at the same stores, and earned the same wages as white miners.
Coal Exhaustion
By 1927, the coal was gone and so was Buxton. Residents scattered, and the buildings were dismantled.
Timeline
- 1895 - Founded Coal mining began
- 1910 - Peak 5,000 residents, half Black
- 1927 - Abandoned Coal exhausted
Plan Your Visit
Best Time: Spring or fall
Difficulty: Moderate - finding the site
Time Needed: 1 hour
Quick Facts
- Iowa's largest Black community at the time
- Truly integrated schools and businesses
- YMCA served Black and white members
Location
Address: Near Lovilia, Iowa
Coordinates: 41.0347, -92.9633