Keosauqua, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keosauqua, Iowa
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City
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Keosauqua welcome sign
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Location of Keosauqua, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Van Buren |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.58 sq mi (4.10 km2) |
| • Land | 1.46 sq mi (3.78 km2) |
| • Water | 0.12 sq mi (0.32 km2) |
| Elevation | 581 ft (177 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 936 |
| • Density | 641.54/sq mi (247.74/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
52565
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| Area code(s) | 319 |
| FIPS code | 19-40935 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0458057 |
Keosauqua ( KEE-ə-SAW-kwə) is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 936 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.
History
Keosauqua was laid out in 1839. The word Keosauqua derives from the Meskwaki and Sauk name for the Des Moines River, "Ke-o-saw-qua", which literally translates as "Bend in the River". The Hotel Manning, a three story relic from the Des Moines River's steamboat days, is Keosauqua's most notable landmark. Also located in Keosauqua are many other notable historic sites. The 1847 Pearson House was a stop on the underground railroad.
The Honey War was fought south of Keosauqua in what is now Lacey-Keosauqua State Park. Lacey-Keosauqua is one of the largest state parks in Iowa and was built by the Civil Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Keosauqua hosts its annual Fall Festival the second full weekend in October.
Geography
Keosauqua is located at 40°43′56″N 91°57′47″W / 40.73222°N 91.96306°W (40.732089, -91.963027).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.57 square miles (4.07 km2), of which, 1.45 square miles (3.76 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.31 km2) is water.
Demographics
| Historical populations | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1850 | 705 | — |
| 1870 | 869 | +23.3% |
| 1880 | 883 | +1.6% |
| 1890 | 831 | −5.9% |
| 1900 | 1,117 | +34.4% |
| 1910 | 1,009 | −9.7% |
| 1920 | 851 | −15.7% |
| 1930 | 855 | +0.5% |
| 1940 | 1,040 | +21.6% |
| 1950 | 1,101 | +5.9% |
| 1960 | 1,023 | −7.1% |
| 1970 | 1,018 | −0.5% |
| 1980 | 1,003 | −1.5% |
| 1990 | 1,020 | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 1,066 | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 1,006 | −5.6% |
| 2020 | 936 | −7.0% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
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2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,006 people, 459 households, and 251 families residing in the city. The population density was 693.8 inhabitants per square mile (267.9/km2). There were 515 housing units at an average density of 355.2 per square mile (137.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 0.4% African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.
There were 459 households, of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.3% were non-families. 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.79.
The median age in the city was 50.9 years. 17.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.5% were from 25 to 44; 28.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.
Gallery
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Historic Hotel Manning, built in the 1890s.
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Closeup of Hotel Manning, showing the "steamboat style" design.
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Street scene, downtown Keosauqua.
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Franklin Pearson House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Education
The community is served by the Van Buren County Community School District. It was previously in the Van Buren Community School District, until it merged into Van Buren County CSD on July 1, 2019.
Keosauqua is home to the Van Buren Warriors at Van Buren High School; Harmony High School consolidated into it at the end of the 2015–2016 school year as part of a grade-sharing arrangement. In 2018 the Van Buren district voted to merge with the Harmony Community School District.
Notable people
- Josiah H. Bonney (1817–1887), Iowa Secretary of State and territorial legislator.
- Smith W. Brookhart (1869–1944) US Senator from Iowa
- Henry Clay Caldwell (1832–1915) United States federal judge and Union Army officer.
- Caroline Matilda Dodson (1845–1898), physician
- Sallie Fox (1845–1913), California pioneer who spent her childhood in Keosauqua
- James B. Howell (1816–1880), newspaper editor and U.S. Senator, resided in Keosauqua
- Leonard John Rose (1827-1899), California pioneer and leader of the Rose–Baley Party who lived in Keosauqua from 1848 to 1858
- Theodosia Burr Shepherd (1845–1906), botanist
- Phil Stong (1899–1957), an American author, journalist and Hollywood scenarist. He is best known for writing the novel State Fair, upon which three films were based; one starring Will Rogers (1933) and two that were Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals (1945 and 1962).
- Voltaire P. Twombly, (1842–1918), Iowan politician, businessman and Medal of Honor recipient for the American Civil War, is buried in Keosauqua. Twombly briefly served as mayor of Keosauqua, where he had worked as a merchant.
- Edward K. Valentine (1843–1916) US Representative from Nebraska
- George G. Wright (1820–1896) US Senator from Iowa
See also
In Spanish: Keosauqua (Iowa) para niños
