AUDUBON, a new county towards the S. W. part of Iowa, has an area of about 630 square miles. It is traversed by the Nishnabatona river, an affluent of the Missouri. This county is not included in the census of 1850, and has few if any inhabitants. Named in honor of John J. Audubon, the distinguished ornithologist. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
AUDUBON COUNTY Audubon County is situated in the south-western part of the State being the third county east of the Missouri River, and the fourth north of the State of Missouri. It is bounded on the north by Carroll County, on the east by Guthrie, on the south by Cass and on the west by Shelby.
This county is on the Grand Divide, separating the waters of the Missouri from the waters of the Mississippi. It is watered by Troublesome Creek on the east, East Nishnabotany and Davis Creek in the centre and Buckana and Indian Creeks on the west, all large enough for mill privileges.
In the southern part of the county are fine groves of timber. The prairies are rolling and interspersed with many small streams. The soil is a rich black loam, and unsurpassed in fertility. The county is divided into three civil townships, Audubon, Exira and Oakfield.
EXIRA, the county seat, is situated in the southern portion of the county. It is 75 miles west of DesMoines, and 70 north-east of Council Bluffs, on Section 6, Township 78, Range 85. It contains one hotel, one store, and a public school. It receives three mails per week, and is on the stage route from Adel to Magnolia. Population 100, of township 170.
OAKFIELD is situated in the south-western portion of the county and has one store, one hotel, one saw mill, (water power,) two blacksmith shops, and a public school. There are also in the township two saw mills and one flouring mill. Population of township, 200.
HAMLIN GROVE is situated in the south-eastern part of the county, and has two hotels, two school houses, and a Society of the Methodist Church. It is supplied with a tri-weekly mail. Population of township, 125. (Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer..., 1865)