Out of the Way and Interesting Places in SW Iowa

[JRHawk2003]

The GF and I have kind of started a tour of our state and traveling the various regions. I am not that familiar with SW Iowa. Can anyone give me a place that is interesting to visit there? We enjoyed Bentonsport and Bonaparte along with the Shimek Forest area in SE Iowa. Then the American Gothic House in Eldon.

You can save the meth jokes. I heard em all.

 

[cigaretteman]

The Bertrand Steamboat Museum at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is pretty interesting:

DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, located near Missouri Valley, Iowa, is home to a premier archeological collection of over 250,000 artifacts excavated from the buried wreck of the Steamboat Bertrand. On April 1, 1865, the sternwheeler hit a submerged log, thirty miles north of Omaha, Nebraska. Bound for the newly discovered goldfields of Montana from St. Louis, Missouri, the Bertrand sank into the depths of the Missouri River; and after initial salvage efforts, her cargo was written off as complete loss.

Using historical documents and a flux gate magnetometer, modern treasurer hunters, Sam Corbino and Jesse Pursell located the wreck on DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge in 1968. As the boat was on federal property, the salvors agreed under the requirements of the American Antiquities Preservation Act of 1906, to turn over all recovered artifacts to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for permanent exhibition and preservation in a public museum.

By 1969, the vessel's cargo was completely excavated from its thirty feet deep, mud tomb. Unfortunately for the salvors, the treasure they sought had eluded them. Insurance company divers had apparently removed most of the mercury and other valuables soon after the ship sank. However, what had been left was a diversity of tools, clothing, and food items. The Bertrand's cargo was remarkably well preserved and the refuge's collection is a unique time capsule for researchers and visitors interested in America's 19th century material culture.

http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Desoto/wildlife_and_habitat/steamboat_bertrand.html

 

[cigaretteman]

The GF and I have kind of started a tour of our state and traveling the various regions. I am not that familiar with SW Iowa. Can anyone give me a place that is interesting to visit there? We enjoyed Bentonsport and Bonaparte along with the Shimek Forest area in SE Iowa. Then the American Gothic House in Eldon.

You can save the meth jokes. I heard em all.

There's always the squirrel cage jail in Council Bluffs:


BACKGROUND-



The Jail was built in 1885 and was in continuous use until 1969. It was acquired by the Council Bluffs Park Board in 1971 for preservation, and was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 by the United States Government. The Historical Society led an effort in 1977 to save the jail, and today owns and operates the facility.



The design and size of the Historic Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail make it a one-of-a-kind structure. It was one of 18 revolving (“squirrel cage”, "human rotary", or "lazy Susan") jails built. It is the only three-story one ever built. Built at a cost of about $30,000, our unique jail has three floors of revolving pie-shaped cells inside a cage. The front part of the building had offices for the jailer, kitchen, trustee cells, and quarters for women.



The design was the invention of William H. Brown and Benjamin F. Haugh, both of Indianapolis, Indiana. A patent issued to them on July 12, 1881, declared, "The object of our invention is to produce a jail in which prisoners can be controlled without the necessity of personal contact between them and the jailer." It was to provide "maximum security with minimum jailer attention." As one deputy put it, "If a jailer could count ... and he had a trusty he could trust ... he could control the jail".



The cell section remains much as it did in 1969 when it was closed by the county. The signatures and dates of many of its' infamous prisoners remain scratched in the cell walls. It remains a well restored snapshot of an interesting era of our society.

Today, only 3 revolving jails remain: a one-story structure in Gallatin, Missouri; a two-story jail in Crawfordsville, Indiana; and the unique three-story jail here. All three are preserved as museums.



The Squirrel Cage Jail provides students and adults the opportunity to experience first-hand a unique piece of cultural and architectural history and to gain an understanding of this building’s unique place in cultural and national history. Its one-of-a-kind structure is unlikely to be duplicated again.

http://thehistoricalsociety.org/museums/squirrel-cage-jail.html

 

[cigaretteman]

Also in Council Bluffs, the Union Pacific Railroad Museum and the Western Historic Trails Center:

http://www.uprrmuseum.org/

http://www.iowahistory.org/historic-sites/western-historic-trails/index.html

 

[cigaretteman]

Harrison County Historical Village & Welcome Center near Missouri Valley:

http://www.harrisoncountyparks.org/welcome/index.html

 

[cigaretteman]

Hitchcock House (underground railroad stop) in Lewis:

http://www.hitchcockhouse.org/

 

[cigaretteman]

Museum of Danish America in Elkhorn:

http://www.danishmuseum.org/

 

[Wendy79]

Spend some time in the Loess Hills.

 

[cigaretteman]

Mills County Historical Museum in Glenwood:

http://www.millscountymuseum.qwestoffice.net/

 

[Carolina Hawk]

As someone who is from Council Bluffs Cigaretteman is proving how much that area SUCKS!!!

Squirrel cage jail,, LO mother funkin L...


Dont forget the Dodge House in CB. or the Golden Spike monument. Drive up and down Broadway and check out all the buy here pay here lots and pay day cash advance places.

 

[JRHawk2003]

Thanks all. I was thinking more the small towns rather than CB. I will look into these for sure though.

 

[DanL53]

Glad to hear you liked Van Buren County! Did you get a chance to see the guys little arrowhead museum?

I've not visited SW Iowa yet, so I'll be interested in hearing your impressions and what neat stuff you find.

 

[cigaretteman]

As someone who is from Council Bluffs Cigaretteman is proving how much that area SUCKS!!!

Squirrel cage jail,, LO mother funkin L...


Dont forget the Dodge House in CB. or the Golden Spike monument. Drive up and down Broadway and check out all the buy here pay here lots and pay day cash advance places.

Hey, I do what I can!

 

[JRHawk2003]

No, we did not stay long unfortunately. We went to Old Threshers for a few hours in the blazing heat then drove down. We are planning an overnight in Bentonsport sometime. Interesting place. Does not "feel" like the rest of Iowa down there.

 

[cigaretteman]

Thanks all. I was thinking more the small towns rather than CB. I will look into these for sure though.

You can always swing by Audubon and check out Albert the Bull!

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11321

 

[DanL53]

I stayed a night in the Bed and Breakfast in Bentonsport. Very accommodating people and an enjoyable stay. That was about 15 years ago or so, it has been awhile. It is worth it for the history, but at night don't expect that there will be much to do.

In Franklin, there is a winery that was once a stage coach shop. You can't go wrong with that if you are into walking into the past.

I strongly suggest another trip if you haven't to the Driftless Area of North East Iowa. Effigy Mounds is a great hike. But it sure sounds like you've got a good sense of how to find a good time without an old fart like me making suggestions.

 

[cigaretteman]

Then there's Iowa's Antique City, Walnut:

http://www.iowasantiquecity.com/

 

[jpphawk]

Visit the Villisca axe murder house. Creepy.

 

[cigaretteman]

Visit the Villisca axe murder house. Creepy.

Great suggestion!

http://www.villiscaiowa.com/

 

[cigaretteman]

There's also the French Icarian Village near Corning:


French Icarian Village

Visit the French Icarian Village just 3 miles east of Corning. The Icarian Village is the longest-lived non-religious colony in the United States. Established in 1852 and disbanded in 1898, the colony is one of the beloved things to do in Iowa. See the restored communal dining hall (refectory), the schoolhouse, and cemetery. Join in at one of their events. Fête du Mais; May Day Ladies' Afternoon Tea and Country School Reunion. Help raise money by joining in the Icarian Foundation Golf Tournament. Bring a busload of children to experience a half-day or full-day of learning at the school.

http://www.icaria.net/

 

[ping72]

I heard they are thinking about putting a McDonald's in SW Iowa...you could check that out.

But that may be just a rumor.

 

[Lone Clone]

Loess Hills, although you'll be disappointed. I grew up in them, and didn't know there was anything special about them until I got to college and somebody mentioned it.

You might be interested in DeSoto Bend wildlife refugee and the Bertrand museum, between Missouri Valley and Blair, NE.

 

[whatsup12579er]

Isn't out of the way and SW Iowa a little redundant?

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Tree in the middle of the road.
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/8830
And while you are in Audubon county, plow in the oak park on hiway 71, Darrels Tavern(best tenderloins in Iowa), and Albert the Bull.

 

[aflachawk]

Spend some time in the Loess Hills.

Watch out for the rattle snakes.

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Watch out for the rattle, snakes.

FIFY