Bentonsport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bentonsport
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Keosauqua, Iowa |
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| Area | 35 acres (14 ha) |
| Built | 1839 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Gothic Revival, "Steamboat Gothic" |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000482 |
| Added to NRHP | April 25, 1972 |
Bentonsport is a small, historic village in Van Buren County, Iowa. It is located right by the Des Moines River, near Keosauqua, Iowa. In the mid-1800s, Bentonsport was a very busy port for steamboats.
Today, Bentonsport is special because it still looks much like it did back then. In 1972, a large part of the village was recognized as a historic district. This means it's a protected area because of its important history. The district covers about 35 acres. It includes 16 original blocks in the village center. It also has waterfront property and the old wagon bridge. This bridge crosses the river to the village of Vernon, Iowa.
Contents
A Look Back at Bentonsport's History
The village of Bentonsport was first planned in March 1836. It was built near the first dam and locks on the Des Moines River. These were approved by the state in 1839. Soon, Bentonsport had two mills for grinding grain. It also had a mill for cutting wood.
How Bentonsport Got Its Name
The village was named "Benton's Post" after a politician named Thomas Hart Benton. At one time, about 1,000 people lived there.
Changes Over Time
Bentonsport started to become less busy after 1866. That's when the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota Railroad reached Des Moines. The river also became hard to travel on by boat in 1870. The dam and locks fell apart. The dam even "failed" in 1879.
The Bentonsport bridge opened in 1883. It is the oldest wagon bridge of its kind in Van Buren County. In 1940, the village had 150 residents.
Bentonsport Today
Today, about 40 people live in Bentonsport. Many of them are artists. Others run bed and breakfast inns for visitors.
Bentonsport is also home to the Lawrence Sullivan Ross Memorial. This memorial was put up in 2007. It is the only memorial of its kind in Iowa.
Historic Buildings in Bentonsport
The historic district in Bentonsport includes many old and important buildings. These buildings show different styles of architecture. Some styles you can see are Federal, Gothic Revival, and "Steamboat Gothic".
Here are some of the historic buildings:
- Cowles House: Built in the 1840s.
- Blacksmith Shop: Also from the 1840s.
- I.O.O.F. Hall: Built in the 1840s. This might be the oldest Odd Fellows Hall in Iowa.
- Mason House Inn: Built in 1846.
- Sanford House: Built in 1852.
- Bentonsport Academy: Built in 1851. This might be Iowa's oldest high school.
- Presbyterian Church: Built in 1855.
- Methodist Parsonage: Built in 1855.
- Methodist Church: Built in 1857.
- Herman Greef House: Built in 1863.
- Greef Dry Goods Store: Built in 1865.
- Bentonsport General Store
- Bentonsport Bridge: Opened in 1882.
Documenting Bentonsport's Past
A lot of Bentonsport's history was put together in 1940. This was done by the Iowa Writers Program. It was part of a bigger project called the Work Projects Administration (WPA). This project happened during the New Deal era.
The history book is called Bentonsport Memories. It was written just after Bentonsport's 100th birthday. It shares many stories, observations, and facts. This book gives a great look into this historic town.
