what county is harlan ia in
Harlan is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, United States, along the West Nishnabotna River. The population was 5,282 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Shelby County. Harlan was named for one of Iowa's early U.S. Senators, James Harlan. The town was incorporated on May 2, 1879. When Nelson G. Kraschel was elected Governor of Iowa in 1936 he was a resident of Harlan.