Gifford is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in southeastern Hardin County,

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, United States. It lies along local roads south of the city of Eldora, the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Hardin County. Its elevation is 945 feet (288 m).

History

Gifford was laid out in 1875. It was named for C. T. Gifford, who was instrumental in bringing the railroad there. By 1880, Gifford was at junction of two railroads. Gifford's population was 70 in 1902. Gifford's post office was established on November 9, 1875, and discontinued on February 28, 1907. Although the post office was reopened on February 17, 1908, it was again discontinued on October 31, 1954, and attached to the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

post office. Although its post office is gone, Gifford has its own ZIP Code, 50259, even though the ZIP Code system was not implemented until nearly nine years after Gifford's post office was attached to Union's.The Two "Mr. ZIP Codes"
Zip-Codes.com, 2008. Accessed 2008-06-11.

References

Unincorporated communities in Hardin County, Iowa Unincorporated communities in Iowa Populated places established in 1875 1875 establishments in Iowa {{HardinCountyIA-geo-stub