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41-660: Bentonsport , a village on the Des Moines River near Keosauqua , in Van Buren County, Iowa , was recognized in 1972 for being very little changed since its historic heyday as a thriving steamboat port in the mid-1800s. A 35-acre (14 ha) historic district covering 16 original blocks in the historic center of the village was then approved for listing on the National Register of Historic Places . The district also included waterfront property and

82-529: A drift mine four miles northwest of town. By 1872, Brown and Godfrey employed 300 men and had an annual production of 77,000 tons. In 1880, the Phillips Coal and Mining Company opened a mine two miles northwest of town. In subsequent years, they opened 5 more shafts in the Phillips and Rutledge neighborhoods, just north of Ottumwa. The Phillips number 5 shaft was 140 feet (43 meters) deep, with

123-632: A 375-HP steam hoist . By 1889, the state mine inspector's report listed 15 mine shafts in Ottumwa. In 1914, the Phillips Fuel Company produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state. Coal mining was so important to the local economy that, from 1890 to 1892, the Coal Palace was erected in Ottumwa as an exhibition center . John Morrell & Company and their meat packing comples played

164-465: A bridge, and a number of additions had been made to the city during the first thirty years, all located on the north side of the Des Moines River. As development (almost exclusively residential) climbed the bluffs, the streets on top of the hills were laid out to compass points, rather than parallel to the river. Although there was some development on the south side of the river, South Ottumwa

205-671: A record that holds to this day. The worst flooding occurred May to June in the Des Moines River Basin. Major flooding in 1851 occurred in Bentonsport , Croton , Bonaparte , Des Moines , Eddyville , Farmington , Iowaville , Keosauqua , Muscatine , Oskaloosa , Ottumwa , Red Rock , and Rochester . The river has a history of seasonal flooding. For example, in May 1944 the Riverview Park had just opened for

246-467: A regional campus located here. Paired with Kirksville, Missouri , Ottumwa is a media market region, ranked #201 by Nielsen . Television stations include Fox / NBC / The CW+ affiliate KYOU-TV ( channel 15 ) and K18GU-D ( channel 12 ; translator of KIIN channel 12 in Iowa City ). Dual ABC / CBS affiliate KTVO ( channel 3 ) is licensed to and has its main offices near Kirksville, but has

287-462: A regional dial-a-ride service throughout Appanoose, Davis, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lucas, Mahaska, Monroe, Van Buren, Wapello and Wayne counties. Currently, U.S. Route 34 and Iowa Highway 149 serve the town, replacing a former segment of U.S. Highway 63 . Route 63 now bypasses the town as part of the Burlington to Des Moines expressway. The Jefferson Street Viaduct over the Des Moines River

328-733: A second studio and news bureau in Ottumwa. The Ottumwa Courier is the primary daily newspaper. "Ottumwa Radio" is the primary regional radio provider with multiple stations. Ottumwa Regional Airport is a general aviation airport owned by the City of Ottumwa and is operated by the Airport Advisory Board. Amtrak , the national passenger rail system, provides service to the Ottumwa Amtrak station , operating its California Zephyr daily in both directions between Chicago , Illinois , and Emeryville , California, across

369-572: A significant role in the development of Ottumwa from 1877 to 1973. When the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad arrived in Ottumwa in September 1859, it ran parallel to the river channel. The availability of rail transportation encouraged both commercial and industrial expansion along the northwest to southeast axis. Access to the south bank of the river at first was by ferry from the foot of Green Street. By 1875 this ferry had been replaced by

410-588: Is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The BNSF Railway has tracks through Ottumwa. This is a major corridor in the Chicago-Omaha line that is double track, and western coal makes up a large percentage of the freight carried on this line. The BNSF tracks travel under U.S. Highway 34, pass through the business district, under the U.S. Highway 63 bridge, cross the Iowa, Chicago and Eastern Railroad tracks at grade, exit Ottumwa, and later cross over

451-671: The Blue Earth and Minnesota Rivers . The Des Moines River rises in two forks. The West Fork (the main branch) rises out of the wetlands surrounding Lake Yankton and Long Lake in Lyon County in southwestern Minnesota. The small stream flows southwest into Lake Shetek , then through Windom and Jackson, Minnesota , and near Estherville , Iowa. The East Fork rises out in rural Martin County, Minnesota, just north of Interstate 90 . It then flows through Okamanpeedan Lake on

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492-697: The San Francisco Bay from San Francisco. Ottumwa Transit Authority operates bus services throughout the Ottumwa area. The fixed-route system includes five routes and a shopping shuttle. It also operates a para-transit service known as Ottumwa Transit Authority Lift and Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC), a dial-a-ride service geared towards employees. The five routes that operate Monday through Friday are: #1 North, #2 East West, #3 South Residential, #4 South Commercial, and #7 Airport. There are also two routes that operate on Saturday only; no routes operate on Sunday. 10–15 Regional Transit Agency provides

533-434: The Des Moines River has also been known as: Ottumwa, Iowa Ottumwa ( / ə ˈ t ʌ m w ə / ə- TUM -wə ) is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County , Iowa , United States. The population was 25,529 at the time of the 2020 U.S. Census . Located in the state's southeastern section, the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River . The city's name derives from

574-600: The Iowa-Minnesota border, then south, through Algona . The two forks join in southern Humboldt County , approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of Humboldt at Frank Gotch State Park . The combined stream flows roughly southward through Fort Dodge . South of Boone it passes through the Ledges State Park . It flows through downtown Des Moines, then turns generally southeastward, flowing through Ottumwa . It forms approximately 20 miles (32 km) of

615-953: The Mississippi. William Bright writes that Moines was an abbreviation used by the French for Moingouena or Moingona , an Algonquian subgroup of the Illinois people . The Native American term was /mooyiinkweena/ , a derogatory name applied to the Moingouena by the Peoria people , a closely related subgroup. The meaning of the native word, according to an early French writer, is visage plein d'ordure , or in plain English, "shit-face", from mooy- , "shit", -iinkwee , "face", and -na , "indefinite actor". The 1718 Guillaume Delisle map (pictured) labels it as "le Moingona R." During

656-599: The National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Des Moines River The city of Des Moines, Iowa, was named for the river. In Minnesota, the upper forks of the Des Moines River drain the plateau and moraines between the Coteau des Prairies to the west, which is drained by the Big Sioux River , and the lower lands to the east which drain northward into

697-637: The Native American Meskwaki language, translating to "tumbling waters" in reference to the Appanoose Rapids on the Des Moines River. In May 1843, several investors formed the Appanoose Rapids Company and staked claim to 467 acres of land in the present site of Ottumwa. Their colonization involved claiming land supporting three indigenous settlements. The first official cabin was built in May 1843 after

738-570: The Southern side of the city, and James, Horace Mann, Wilson, Eisenhower, and Fahrney Elementary serving the Northern side. Ottumwa is the home of Indian Hills Community College , a two-year community college. Between 1928 and 1980, it was also home to Ottumwa Heights College , a women's college that merged with Indian Hills in 1979 to create one institution. Indian Hills is located at the former Ottumwa Heights campus. Buena Vista University has

779-639: The World" in 1982. The city's proclamation was recognized by U.S. Senator Charles Grassley . The city hosted the first North American Video Olympics in 1982. In 2009, an International Video Game Hall of Fame was planned. The city of Ottumwa and the surrounding rural areas of Wapello County are served by the Ottumwa Community School District . Ottumwa is served by Ottumwa High School , Evans Junior High, and multiple neighborhood elementary schools including Douma and Liberty on

820-426: The age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.4% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in

861-530: The age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88. Age spread: 22.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

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902-477: The area was opened to settlement (an earlier cabin built in defiance of this date was destroyed by Army troops at that time). The original platt was titled Louis Ville. In 1844 the city was named as the county seat. The town was severely damaged during the flood of 1851 . In 1857, coal was being mined from the McCready bank, a site along Bear Creek four miles west of Ottumwa. In 1868, Brown and Godfrey opened

943-625: The border between Iowa and Missouri before joining the Mississippi from the northwest at Keokuk . It receives the Boone River from the northeast approximately 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Fort Dodge. It receives the Raccoon River from the west in the city of Des Moines. Above the city of Des Moines, it is impounded to create the Saylorville Lake reservoir. About midway below Saylorville and above Ottumwa, near Pella ,

984-520: The city of Des Moines and nearby communities. In another period of flooding, on June 13, 2008, officials issued a voluntary evacuation order for much of downtown and other areas bordering the Des Moines River. The river had reached flood stage in many locations, and Mayor Frank Cownie said the evacuations were an attempt "to err on the side of citizens and residents." According to the Geographic Names Information System ,

1025-413: The city was 37.4 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 16% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female. As of the 2000 United States Census , there were 24,998 people, 10,383 households, and 6,530 families residing in the city. The population density

1066-442: The city. The population density was 1,589.5 inhabitants per square mile (613.7/km ). There were 11,254 housing units at an average density of 700.7 per square mile (270.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White , 5.4% Black or African American , 0.8% Native American , 2.3% Asian , 2.0% Pacific Islander , 8.6% from other races and 6.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 15.7% of

1107-468: The city. The population density was 1,577.7 inhabitants per square mile (609.2/km ). There were 11,257 housing units at an average density of 709.8 per square mile (274.1/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 90.2% White , 4.06% Hispanic or Latino , 1.6% African American , 0.6% Native American , 0.9% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 4.5% from other races , and 1.8% from two or more races. There were 10,251 households, of which 30.0% had children under

1148-652: The dam and locks deteriorated, with the dam "failing" in 1879. The Bentonsport bridge opened in 1883 and is the oldest wagon bridge of its type in the county. The population was 150 in 1940. Today the village has 40 residents, many of them artists and bed & breakfast keepers. Bentonsport is home to the Lawrence Sullivan Ross Memorial. Erected in 2007, it is Iowa's only Confederate memorial. Its historic district includes: The district includes Federal , Gothic Revival , and " Steamboat Gothic " architecture. A rich history of Bentonsport

1189-632: The mid-19th century, the river supported the main commercial transportation by water across Iowa. River traffic began to be superseded by the railroads constructed from the 1860s. Catastrophic flooding occurred along the Des Moines River during the Great Flood of 1851 , nearly destroying the new town of Des Moines . Residents had never previously experienced a major flood, and river towns lacked levees and substantial bridges that could withstand flooding. In 1851, 74.5 in (191.5 cm) of rain fell in Iowa,

1230-451: The population. Of the 10,098 households, 30.8% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 8.5% were cohabitating couples, 30.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 21.4% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 40.1% of all households were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, 14.8% had someone living alone who

1271-456: The poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. According to Ottumwa's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: The Quincy Place Mall is a Shopping mall in Ottumwa. Twin Galaxies , a social media platform, is located in Ottumwa. For this reason, Ottumwa's mayor proclaimed the city the "Video Game Capital of

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1312-630: The region, which played an important role in the industrial development of Ottumwa. Ottumwa is the center of the Ottumwa Micropolitan Statistical Area which includes all of Wapello County . According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ottumwa has a hot-summer humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps. As of the census of 2020, there were 25,529 people, 10,098 households, and 6,048 families residing in

1353-816: The river is impounded to create the Lake Red Rock reservoir. One of the earliest French maps that depicts the Des Moines (1703) refers to it as "R. des Otentas," which translates to "River of the Otoe"; the Otoe Tribe lived in the interior of Iowa in the 18th century. The Meskwaki and Sauk people referred to the river as " Ke-o-shaw-qua " (Hermit's River), from which Keosauqua, Iowa , derives its name. The Dakota Indians , who lived near its headwaters in present-day Minnesota, referred to it as " Inyan Shasha " in their Siouan language . Another Siouan name

1394-459: The season on May 19, 1944. At around dawn on May 23, the levee began to collapse. The river was too much to hold back. Quickly the breach in the levee grew to nearly 100 feet (30 m) wide, and the river water quickly enveloped all of the park and the surrounding area. The Great Flood of 1993 on the river and its tributary the Raccoon, in the summer of 1993, forced the evacuation of much of

1435-614: The village's historic wagon bridge across the river to the village of Vernon . The village was platted in March, 1836, and was located at the first dam and locks on the Des Moines River authorized by the state in 1839. Soon it had two grist mills and a saw mill. It was named "Benton's Post" for Thomas Hart Benton and once had a population of about 1,000. It declined after the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota Railroad reached Des Moines in 1866. The river became non-navigable in 1870 and

1476-454: Was " Eah-sha-wa-pa-ta, " or "Red Stone" river, possibly referring the bluffs at Red Rock or the reddish Sioux Quartzite bedrock near its headwaters. The origin of the name Des Moines is obscure. Early French explorers named it La Rivière des Moines , literally meaning "River of the Monks." The name may have referred to early Trappist monks who built huts near the mouth of the river at

1517-481: Was 1,582.2 inhabitants per square mile (610.9/km ). There were 11,038 housing units at an average density of 698.6 per square mile (269.7/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 95.33% White , 1.27% African American , 0.33% Native American , 0.78% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 1.38% from other races , and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% of the population. There were 10,383 households, out of which 28.1% had children under

1558-411: Was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 30,174, and the median income for a family was $ 37,302. Males had a median income of $ 31,222 versus $ 20,934 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 16,040. About 10.9% of families and 15.2% of the population were below

1599-427: Was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 36.7 years. 27.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 6.3% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 26.0% were from 25 and 44; 22.9% were from 45 and 64; and 17.0% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female. As of the 2010 United States Census there were 25,023 people, 10,251 households, and 6,208 families in

1640-606: Was compiled by the 1940 Iowa Writers Program, a project of the Work Projects Administration (WPA) during the New Deal era. Written just after Bentonsport's 100th anniversary, and called Bentonsport Memories , it includes a variety of stories, observations, and facts that that provide an compelling look into this historic town. This article about a property in Van Buren County, Iowa on

1681-506: Was not brought into the city limits until the 1880s. Visits by a sitting U.S. president include: According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 16.53 square miles (42.81 km ), of which 15.86 square miles (41.08 km ) is land and 0.67 square miles (1.74 km ) is water. Northeastern Wapello County contains large deposits of coal, and there are also large deposits of clay in

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