The Humboldt County town of Pioneer has unincorporated. After reading the funeral announcement — aka the City Development Board minutes of August 12 — it died of loneliness and apathy. (The word “apathy” is actually in there. There were only three families inside city limits.)
The Mayor of Pioneer went into rehab at a care center and then COVID hit and his rehab did not happen, so she does not think he will ever come home. The City doesn’t have enough members to hold a City Council meeting the way it should be held.
The Fort Dodge Messenger reported in 2018 that the town was thinking of unincorporating. I haven’t seen a follow-up on last month’s state action.
Pioneer is halfway between Gilmore City and Clare on a Union Pacific Railroad line, five miles south of IA 3. In 2010 it had an official population of 23 and was the fourth-smallest incorporated community in Iowa.
See also: Pioneer Town History on IAGenWeb