Keosauqua - Its Early History
Keosauqua - Its Early History
Keosauqua, almost in the center of the natural Horse Shoe Bend of the Des Moines River, lies on its northern shore. It is built on rolling land, surrounded by woodland hillsides.At the center of the highest loop of this river horseshoe is a hill that was named by the Indians "Kat-ua-na," meaning "beautiful valley" or "point overlooking beautiful valley." During the Indian reign over this part of Iowa the hill was used as a lookout where scouts watched the river for traders or the "white people."
Indians originally occupied the site of the town, and later French monks lived on the bend. The site became known among the Indian as Keosauqua (river of the monks) . . . though others have claimed the name to mean "big bend".
White settlers who came here later did not immediately adopt this name for their settlement. Keosauqua was first platted as two small settlements, Des Moines and Van Buren, both of which were laid off in the form of a triangle with a third piece of diamond-shaped ground intervening. This third section was eventually incorporated into the townsite.
John Silvers, who in 1835 built a claim pen of round logs near the banks of the Des Moines River where the Manning Hotel now stands, was soon joined by Elijah Purdom, who took a claim to the north. Purdom built a double log cabin in which the first Methodist class was organized in 1836. Later Silvers sold his claim to the Van Buren Company made up of John Carnes, James Hall, James and Edwin Manning, John J. Fairman and Robert Taylor. In 1837 this company erected the town's first building -- a store kept by Carnes and Fairman. This was the first store in "Van Buren." When Fairman was appointed as postmaster, Van Buren was given the post office name of Port Oro. Fairman wore a high silk hat in which he kept the mail and from which he distributed it.
"Des Moines" was laid out in 1839 with streets and lots irregular in size, since the plat was triangular. The present Hangman's Hollow was almost in the center of the plat. A large brick and stone hotel was erected, as well as a large livery stable. A stone grist mill built on the banks of the Des Moines River attracted settlers from long distances.
The two settlements, at first, contended for the honor of the county seat, but finally the settlers agreed on a plan to combine the two villages. John Carnes suggested the post office name of the Van Buren community, Port Oro, but the people thought it was too "high sounding." At last Judge David Irwin suggested the old Indian name, Keosauqua, and the settlers accepted it.
The surrounding country was thickly settled and the town quickly became a trading center. In 1839 Edward R. Tyler erected the first brick building, and soon Elias Elder erected part of Alexander's block, popularly known as the "Barracks." The first school was in a log building, later used as on office by Sloan and Sloan, attorneys.
In 1839 the district court met for the first time in Keosauqua. Judge Charles Mason presided. The chief business of the court was the awarding of ferry licenses.
After 1840 the settlement's population increased. In 1842 it was incorporated by an act of the Legislature as the county seat, and the building of the courthouse was begun on a hill overlooking the Des Moines River. When completed, the building was considered one of the largest and most beautiful in the State. It remains in use today.
The first county fair was held in Keosauqua in 1842 by the local agricultural society. Only two others were held; then interest lagged.
In 1843 the town had its first newspaper, the Des Moines River Intelligencer, edited by Jesse M. Shepherd and John T. Mitchell. The Des Moines Whig, of which J.P. Howell, was the editor and publisher, was founded at Keosauqua in 1846. In 1854 it was moved to Keokuk, where it later changed its name to the Keokuk Gate City.
The Keosauqua flour mill became the property of J.J. Kinersly in 1843. In 1846 a pottery was opened that operated for five years. In 1847 the stone and brick Pearson residence, the oldest home in Keosauqua, was erected by Franklin Pearson, father of F.A. Pearson, who lived eighty years in the house. In the early days the upper story, on room, was used for religious meetings. Inside and outside stairways reached the second floor.
In 1850 an attempt was made to build a bridge across the Des Moines. The bridge was hardly begun before the completed part fell into the river, and the project was abandoned.
The old ferry at Keosauqua was operated by a cable, one end of which was attached to a point near the present location of the Manning Hotel. There was little current to operate the ferry because of the dam that had been built just below Keosauqua. The ferryman had to use a rope in addition to the cable and frequently called upon his sturdiest passengers to help pull the ferry across the river. At Pittsburg there was a strong current that at times carried the boat across in two minutes. At Keosauqua there was also a small car attached to the ferry cable by a set of pulleys. Two or three could ride across the river in this car, which crossed the river more than half way by gravity, and was pulled on the cable the rest of the way.
In 1850, the little village of Pleasant Hill, now a part of Keosauqua, was established across the river by John Purdom. At one time Pleasant Hill had a hundred inhabitants, a hotel, a blacksmith shop, a store, a school house and a church.
In 1851 interest in an agriculture fair was revived, and a fair was held in Keosauqua. An old settler's meeting was featured, and horse racing provided entertainment.
In 1851 Rev. Daniel Lane opened his first academy in Keosauqua in the basement of the Odd Fellow's Building; he closed it after two years to serve as Principal of the Preparatory department of Iowa College in Davenport, but returned in 1859 to re-open the academy in the basement of the old Methodist Church. The Civil War brought a slump in attendance and forced the school to close.
About 1854 the state began to make improvements along the river and built a lock and part of a dam at Keosauqua. In 1857 an ice gorge knocked the mills from their foundations, causing them to float down the river. After this the state made no more river improvements at Keosauqua.
In 1865, Keosauqua's first independent district school, costing $18,500 was erected. It was a three story brick building.
The Keosauqua monument to the Van Buren County men who died in the Civil War was dedicated in 1868. It stands in the park area opposite the courthouse. A shaft monument with a finial urn was built by public subscription, and is engraved with the names of those who died in the war.
The opera house was opened with a grand festival in 1876. Many road shows later played there. On the second floor of the Opera House were the Masonic rooms.
The Manning and the Jackson brick blocks were destroyed in 1898 by one of the worst fires in the history of the town. Property damage amounted to $35,000. In the same year, the Manning Hotel, was erected on the Des Moines River bank in 1898. It was built from bricks moulded on the Myers land adjoining the town. One end of this block was arranged for a public library. When in 1903, the flood waters rose to a height of nearly seven feet, boats conveyed the hotel guests across the lobby to the stairway, and tied up at the bannisters.
The Black Hawk Medicine Company, incorporated in Keosauqua in 1908, remained in business until 1912. All of its products were known by the trade name, Black Hawk, and its most famous medicine, the Algire Kidney Cure, was made from Iowa herbs.
In 1910 the Ladies Improvement Society erected the first public library building. In 1916 an auditorium was added to the library at a cost of $1,800.
In 1919 the State Board of Conservation inspected the country along Ely's Ford Creek, south of Keosauqua. The region was thick with natural shrubs and was already being used as a recreation ground. Ely's Ford, on the Des Moines, beneath a rocky cliff, had long been a landmark in the vicinity. It was named for the Ely homestead that stood on the river bank. The river had a rocky bottom at this point, and farmers had driven their teams across the river here before the days of bridges. In those day's the youngsters of Keosauqua wandered down the road to Ely's Ford and begged a ride across the river in one of the farm wagons.
The state board also inspected the area surrounding Big Duck Pond near Farmington, and in September, 1919 both areas, more than twelve hundred acres, were acquired at an average cost of $50 per acre. The park, named Lacey-Keosauqua Park, was dedicated in 1920.
Sources:
Van Buren County - Thos. L. Keith, 1940;
History of Van Buren County - 1875Photos:
1. First and Main Street
2. Keosauqua Fire Department
3. W.E. Fosnot, Jeweler
4. General Store of Malbie, Beer & Wright - Manning Bank
5. Keosauqua Opera House
6. Edwin Manning
