Rockville isn't even a town anymore is it? And there are not 62,000 people in it.
Rockville was founded in 1845 by Oliver A. Olmstead.
[1] Second only to
Delhi, it was one of the oldest towns in Delaware County. The area served as an important trading point and included a
sawmill, a
gristmill, a
blacksmith, hotel, and various stores. Slightly predating Rockville's establishment, a log schoolhouse was built in 1843. This would be rebuilt in brick after burning down ten years after its founding.
During this era, Rockville served as a
stagecoach stop for those heading west of the
Mississippi River. The Rockville post office opened June 15, 1846 with Olmstead serving as postmaster, and a hotel was opened for travelers of the Western Stage Company. The town's popularity even saw Charles W. Hobbs, one of the first settlers in Delhi, relocating to Rockville in 1850. Hobbs subsequently opened a store which allegedly found great success.
However, Rockville's prosperity would not last in the face of its developing neighbors. The town's proverbial death knell came not long after the
Dubuque and Pacific Railroad Company began building rails in the newly formed town of
Dyersville. Rockville's post office closed for the second and final time on May 31, 1898.
[2] As Delhi and Dyersville grew, the town's role as a stagecoach declined and would virtually vanish by the end of the 19th century.
[3] Today, the area is recognized simply as a
rural area on the outskirts of Worthington. Remnants of its history can be seen in Rockville Cemetery, which includes veterans of the
Civil[4] and
Mexican Wars,
[5] and the nearby remains of an old
mill, which resides at the North Fork of the
Maquoketa River. The hilly area, still traversed by
gravel roads, now consists primarily of farms and
woodland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockville,_Iowa
