Audubon Public Library
Location
Carnegie Grant Information
Town & County
Twelfth Census of the United States — 1900. p. 448.
Thirteenth Census of the United States — 1910. 1,923. This was the population figured utilized for the Carnegie grant.
Audubon is the county seat of Audubon County, which was established on January 15, 1851. The county was named for the ornithologist John James Audubon (1785-1851). In 1855, the first county seat was established in Dayton, but soon moved to Hamlin’s Grove. In 1861, the county seat was moved to Viola, which was renamed Exira. In 1878, the Rock Island Railroad founded the town of Audubon, and after an election, it became the permanent county seat.
(Source: Pratt, LeRoy G. “The Counties and Courthouses of Iowa.” Mason City, Ia; Klipto Printing & Office Supply Company, 1977, p. 29-30.)