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| Chief
Keokuk |
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This
statue of Chief Kiyo' kaga, (one who moves about alert),
1788-1848, later known as Chief Keokuck, or Chief Keokuk,
stands in Rand Park, the front yard of the city named after
him. It is unclear why the city was named after a man who
barely if ever spent any of his life in the town named after
him but one thing is clear, the town was christened with
whiskey. It is said that on July 4, 1829, at a river party
celebration held upon a steamboat here, Col. George Davenport
proposed the name of Keokuk. As they were non-residents,
the official naming of the town took place 5 years later
in 1834 by 9 citizens here. In John Gaines saloon a decanter
of whiskey was set on the bar and at Gaines' suggestion,
all those present who wanted to name the settlement "Keokuk"
were to step up to the bar and have a drink. The vote carried
8 to 1. The town when named contained one frame house and
ten log cabins. Kiyo' kaga was not a full blooded Indian,
and was not in line to be the Chief that he later was acknowledged
to be. His father was 1/2 French and 1/2 Indian. His mother
was a full blooded Indian, in fact, if surnames were used
as they are today, his last name would have been LaMott(e).
According to the records, he was more of a politician than
a brave leader. |
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| Rand
Park |
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| Scenic Rand Park
was formed in 1882 from former cow pastures. The park is named
for George Rand, Keokuk’s mayor at the time. Rand Park
is home to the Chief Keokuk Gravesite. His body was exhumed
from his 1848 grave in Kansas and reburied in the park. Chief
Keokuk’s gravesite is marked with a monument and statue
created by female Iowa sculptor Nellie Walker, which was dedicated
in 1913. Rand Park is located on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi,
giving the spectator a breathtaking view of the river. Other
features of the park are a beautiful flower garden and fountain,
pond, eighteen-hole disc golf course, playground equipment,
shelter houses and picnic tables. It is also the site for April’s
Civil War Re-enactment. The number to reserve a shelter house
at Rand Park is 319-524-2050. |
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| The
Lock and Dam of Keokuk |
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Construction on
U.S. Lock and Dam #19 began in 1910, and when completed
in 1913, it was the largest electricity generating plant in
the world. Lock 19 is the largest lock on the Mississippi and
is on the National Register of Historic places. The area
is open 24 hours a day for viewing of river traffic. Call (319)
524-6363 for information.The lock and dam, as well as the rest
of the river, can be viewed from a distance on the Observation
Deck of the old bridge. |
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long and 110 feet wide, with a lift of over 38 feet. The present
lock was put into operation in 1957 at a cost of 13.5 million
dollars. It is owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Power House and spillways (shown above) are owned and operated
by Union Electric Company. |
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| Miller
House Museum |
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| Observation
Deck |
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| George
M. Verity Riverboat Museum |
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| The George M. Verity River Museum
is located in Victory Park on the riverfront. The paddle boat
was built in Dubuque, Iowa by the U.S. Government in 1927
to revive river transportation and move barges from St Louis
to St. Paul. It was then known as the S.S. Thorpe. Armco Steel
Corporation bought the boat in 1940 and put it into service
on the Ohio River, renaming it after the founder of their
company, George M. Verity. The George M. Verity was donated
to the City of Keokuk in 1961 after being retired from service.
The museum is open April 1 - October 31. The hours are 9 AM
- Noon & 4:00 PM - 6:00 P.M., Thursday, Friday and Monday,
then 9:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. Saturday and Sunday. Admission
is $3 for adults and $1.50 for children.To learn more, write
for a free brochure at P.O. Box 400, Keokuk, IA 52632-0400,
or call (319) 524-4765. |
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| Keokuk's
Historic Riverfront on the Mississippi |
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Riverfront
Statue of General Samuel Curtis
General Samuel Ryan Curtis
commanded the Union Army to victory at the Battle of Pea
Ridge. This statue of him sits on the Riverfront in Victory
Park. It originally was located in the intersection of Third
and Main Streets. |
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| Keokuk
National Cemetery |
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Keokuk National
Cemetery is located at 1701 J. Street. It is one of 12 original
national cemeteries designated by the U.S. Congress. During
the Civil War, the presence of the College of Physicians and
Surgeons caused the federal government to locate a military
hospital in Estes House (formerly at 500 Main Street), and four
other sites in Keokuk. The sick and wounded were transported
to the hospitals in Keokuk by riverboats on the Mississippi
River. Many soldiers, from the North and South, died at the
hospitals in Keokuk during the Civil War, and were buried in
what became Iowa’s only National Cemetery. The cemetery
is currently the final resting place for the remains of over
4,000 American soldiers. In 1997 the Cemetery was added to the
National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery
is open seven days a week from dawn to dusk.Contact the
Cemetery at 319-524-1304. |
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| The
Grand Theatre |
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| The Grand Theatre,
located at 26 North Sixth Street, is a completely restored 1920’s
opera house. It is one of few remaining "hemp" houses.
Built it 1924, it replaced the previous theatre which was destroyed
by fire in 1923. It is still in use today for special cultural
events. |
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| Historic
Homes and Sites |
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Many
historic homes and buildings of Keokuk’s
glorious past still stand, restored to their original
grandeur. Drive around the historic streets of
Keokuk to experience these beautiful sites. Brochures
of walking tours of dozens of historic homes and
sites are available at the Keokuk Area Convention
and Tourism Bureau. Call them at (319) 524-5599.
Or write them at: KACTB, 329 Main Street, Keokuk,
Iowa 52632. The brochures provide routes, addresses,
and historical information about the homes and
sites. |
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