The story of Humboldt County begins with a settlement of progressive dissenters and New England conservatives in north central Iowa. It is the tale of land-starved Scandinavian and Northern European immigrants who traveled to the area seeking rich soil for their farms. Early settlement in the county began in 1854, and Dakota City became the county seat. In 1863, the Reverend Stephen H. Taft brought a colony of his followers to form Springvale, now...