Osceola, Iowa crews unearth 150-year-old structure during project
A surprising discovery emerged during the City of Osceola’s main street reconstruction project as crews unearthed a buried building beneath a sidewalk along the town square. The structure, believed to be over 150 years old, was found in near-perfect condition.”You never know what kind of treasures you’re going to find,” said City Administrator Ty Wheeler.Wheeler explained that their architect had previously identified a cavity beneath the current doctor’s office in the area. However, the extent of the discovery exceeded expectations.”What we didn’t quite expect to find was what we found, which was pretty much an intact below-grade stone wall structure, floor included, that was in relatively good shape,” Wheeler said.The architect estimates the brick walls of the structure predate 1876. Wheeler expressed amazement that the building remained undiscovered during previous infrastructure projects, such as the installation of water lines and storm sewers.”To find something as intact as this was in 2025 was pretty exciting,” he said.Despite the excitement surrounding the find, the city has no plans to restore the buried building. Foam blocks have been placed in the cavity, which will soon be filled with recycled asphalt. Due to the building’s age, its original purpose may remain a mystery, leaving its history to speculation.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
A surprising discovery emerged during the City of Osceola’s main street reconstruction project as crews unearthed a buried building beneath a sidewalk along the town square. The structure, believed to be over 150 years old, was found in near-perfect condition.
“You never know what kind of treasures you’re going to find,” said City Administrator Ty Wheeler.
Wheeler explained that their architect had previously identified a cavity beneath the current doctor’s office in the area.
However, the extent of the discovery exceeded expectations.
“What we didn’t quite expect to find was what we found, which was pretty much an intact below-grade stone wall structure, floor included, that was in relatively good shape,” Wheeler said.
The architect estimates the brick walls of the structure predate 1876. Wheeler expressed amazement that the building remained undiscovered during previous infrastructure projects, such as the installation of water lines and storm sewers.
“To find something as intact as this was in 2025 was pretty exciting,” he said.
Despite the excitement surrounding the find, the city has no plans to restore the buried building. Foam blocks have been placed in the cavity, which will soon be filled with recycled asphalt.
Due to the building’s age, its original purpose may remain a mystery, leaving its history to speculation.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
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