Sunbury ghost town in Cedar County Iowa was deserted in the 1900s only a few years after it was established in 1902 when the railroad reached the region. The town had major hopes of development but was later deserted and abandoned by its residents and is currently a ghost town.

The beginning of an era

The town of Sunbury was established in 1902 when a railroad station was built in the area. Originally, the small town had a population of fewer than 50 residents. The residents in the early years of the town only engaged in small-scale farming for domestic consumption. A major development of the town was seen as the population rose drastically. Banks, businesses, saloons, restaurants, and schoolhouses later sprawled the small town. Over the next two decades, the population fluctuated but a major decline was recorded in the late 1900s. Sunbury town was known for its famous dance hall and Sunbury bank.

Thriving days of Sunbury

Sunbury town became popular in the county of Cedar when Sunbury dance hall was established. Various dancing competitions in the 1900s were hosted in the town's hall. The dance hall was the lifeline of the town as it brought various communities into the town. Some of the residents who relocated and permanently stayed in the area were brought by the famous Sunbury dance hall.

The town’s downfall

Sunbury town was never a stable town even though it had a railroad and small-scale farming as its main economic activities. These led to a fluctuating number of residents in the town. Sunbury dance hall was later closed in 1964 after sixty-nine years of operations. This was after the town’s only bank, Sunbury bank shut its doors due to the effects of the great depression. The residents have left with no other source of income apart from small-scale farming. They left one by one rendering the town of Sunbury a ghost town.

Sunbury Today

Sunbury town is a ghost town that has not yet been made official due to a few diehard residents that still reside in the old town. Most of the town’s original buildings like the Sunbury dance hall still stand but are in a dilapidated state. Sunbury bank and other minor buildings were brought down by the effects of Mother Nature over the years. Concrete ruins are the only visible signs of the existence of collapsed structures. Most of the 1880's buildings in the town have been weakened and can collapse at any given time. There is also a likelihood of the presence of asbestos in the buildings which are toxic when inhaled. Sunbury town is open to the general public for visits. Take a trip back in memory lane as you enjoy the rich history of the townsite.