Sheldon, Iowa, the largest town in O’Brien County, was established when the Sioux City & St. Paul Railway (now the Union Pacific) reached the townsite on July 3, 1872. Named after Israel Sheldon, a stockholder in the railroad company, the area was known for its Prairie Queen Flour Mill, three railroads, and two major highways. Sheldon was also famous for its air shows; attracting one of the largest audiences in attendance at a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance; and for being a regional business, agricultural, and industrial center. The collapse of the Sheldon National Bank in 1961 became a national story as the largest bank embezzlement in the United States at that time. This book covers from 1872 through the 1970s and shows Sheldon’s growth in business, education, and industry.