Calliope, Iowa facts for kids

Calliope, Iowa was a small town in northwestern Iowa. It officially became a town in 1882. Calliope was once the main town, or "county seat," for Sioux County, Iowa. However, in 1893, the nearby town of Hawarden, Iowa took over Calliope. Today, part of Hawarden is still sometimes called Calliope.

History of Calliope

Calliope was founded in 1860, right next to the Big Sioux River. It was less than a mile north of where the town of Hawarden is now. For a while, from 1860 to 1872, Calliope was the county seat of Sioux County. This meant it was where the county government offices were located.

Dutch Settlers and County Politics

When Dutch settlers arrived in Sioux County, they found that most of the important county jobs in Calliope were held by a few American people. The Dutch-Americans felt they should also have a say in how the county was run, just like other citizens. This led to some disagreements.

One important Dutch settler was Tiete Pool. He was born in Holland and came to America when he was 17. Tiete was very smart and knew many languages. He even worked as a substitute teacher in Holland.

In 1871, Dutch-Americans decided to nominate their own candidates for county jobs. They successfully elected three people: Henry Hospers for the board of supervisors, A.J. Betten as auditor, and J. W. Greattrax as treasurer.

The County Seat Challenge

The newly elected Dutch-American officials were very excited. They traveled a long way from Orange City to Calliope, even through tough winter weather, to start their new jobs. This happened around January 22, 1872.

When they arrived, Henry Hospers was allowed to take his oath of office. But when the other two Dutch-American officials tried to present their official paperwork, the Calliope board members refused to accept it. They wouldn't let them start their jobs.

Feeling unfairly treated, about 150 men, mostly Dutch-Americans, decided to go to the courthouse in Calliope. They wanted to sort things out. When they arrived, the chairman of the board quickly ended the meeting and seemed ready to leave town. The two newly elected officials, with the large group of men supporting them, politely asked to be allowed to start their jobs.

A lawyer from Sioux City tried to explain their side, but the Calliope officials didn't listen. The group of men then asked the county treasurer to give them the key to the county records. They got a key, but it didn't open the safe where the important documents were kept.

Since they couldn't get the documents, the men decided to take action. They backed a sled up to the courthouse, made a large hole in the building, and took the heavy steel safe. They started to take the safe back home across the snowy prairies. It was too heavy, so they left it in a snowdrift, planning to get it the next day.

The next day, when they returned home, they were met with good news. The sheriff announced that the Calliope board of supervisors would finally give in. With this good news, the men went back with oxen to retrieve the safe and its contents. They then returned everything to Calliope.

Changing the County Seat

After this event, the county seat was officially moved from Calliope to Orange City. Orange City was named in honor of the Royal House of Orange in the Netherlands. Tiete Pool later became a Deputy Sheriff in Sioux County and farmed near Orange City.