HISTORY OF IOWA.
104
DESCRIPTIVE AND GEOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH.
Extent - Surface -
Rivers - Lakes - Spirit Lake-Lake
Okoboji - Clear Lake -
Timber -Climate- Prairies - Soils.
Extent
— Iowa is about three hundred
miles in length, east and west, and
a little over two hundred miles in
breadth, north and south; haying nearly
the figure of a rectangular parallelogram.
Its northern, boundary is the parallel
of 43 degrees 30 minutes, separating
it from the State of Minnesota. Its
southern limit is nearly on the line
of 40 degrees 31 minutes from the
point where this parallel crosses
the Des Moines river, westward. From
this point to the southeast corner
of the State, a distance of' about
thirty miles, the Des Moines river
forms the boundary line between Iowa
and Missouri. The two great rivers
of the North American Continent form
the east and west boundaries, except
that portion of the western boundary
adjoining the Territory of Dakota.
The Big Sioux river from its mouth,
two miles above Sioux City, forms
the western boundary lip to the point
where it intersects the parallel of
43 degrees 30 minutes. These limits
embrace an area of' 55,045 square
miles; or, 35,228,800 acres. When
it is understood that all this vast
extent of surface, except that which
is occupied by the rivers, and the
lakes and. peat beds of the northern
counties, is susceptible of the highest
cultivation, some idea may be formed
of the immense agricultural resources
of the State. Iowa is nearly as large
as England, and twice as large as
Scotland; but when we consider the
relative area of surface which may
be made to yield to the wants of man,
those countries of the Old World will
bear no comparison with Iowa.
Surface.
—The surface of the State is
remarkably uniform, rising to nearly
the same general altitude. There are
no mountains, and yet but little of
the surface is level or flat. The
whole State presents a succession
of gentle elevations and depressions,
with some bold and picturesque bluffs
along the principal streams. The western
portion of the State is generally
more elevated than the eastern, the
northwestern part being the highest.
Nature could not have provided a more
perfect system of drainage, and at
the same time leave the country so
completely adapted to all the purposes
of agriculture. Looking at the map
of Iowa, we see two systems of streams
or rivers running nearly at right
angles with each other. The streams
which discharge their waters into
the Mississippi flow from the northwest
to the southeast, while those of the
other system flow towards the southwest,
and empty into the Missouri. The former
drain about three-fourths of the State,
and the latter the remaining one-fourth.
The water-shed dividing the two
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systems of streams,
represents the highest portions of
the State, and gradually descends
as you follow its course from northwest
to southeast. Low water mark in the
Missouri river at Council Bluffs is
about 425 feet above low-water mark
in the Mississippi at Davenport. At
the crossing of the summit, or water-shed,
245 miles west of Davenport, the elevation
is about 960 feet above the Mississippi.
The Des .Moines river, at the city
of Des Moines, has an elevation of
227 feet above the Mississippi at
Davenport, and is 198 feet lower than
the Missouri at Council Bluffs. The
elevation of' the eastern border of
the State at McGregor is about 624
feet above the level of the sea, while
the highest elevation in the northwest
portion of the State is 1,400 feet
above the level of the sea. In addition
to the grand water-shed mentioned
above, as dividing the waters of the
Mississippi and Missouri, there are
between the principal streams, elevations
commonly called "divides,"
which are drained by numerous streams
of a smaller size tributary to the
rivers. The valleys along the streams
have a deep, rich soil, but are scarcely
more fertile than many portions of
those undulating prairie "divides."
Rivers.
— As stated above, the rivers
of Iowa are divided into two systems,
or classes-those flowing into the
Mississippi, and those flowing into
the Missouri. The Mississippi river,
the largest on the continent, and
one of the largest in the world, washes
the entire eastern border of the State,
and is most of the year navigable
for a large class of steamers. The
only serious obstruction to steamers
of the largest size, are what are
known as the Lower Rapids, just above
the mouth of' the Des Moines. The
government of the United States has
constructed a canal, or channel, around
these rapids on the Iowa side of the
river, a work which will prove of
immense advantage to the commerce
of Iowa for all time to come. The
principal rivers which flow through
the interior of the State, east of
the water-shed, are the Des Moines,
Skunk, Iowa, Wapsipinicon, Maquoketa,
Turkey, and Upper Iowa. One of the
largest rivers in the State is Red
Cedar, which rises in Minnesota, and
flowing in a southeasterly direction,
joins its waters with Iowa river in
Louisa county, only about thirty miles
from its mouth, that portion below
the junction retaining the name of
Iowa river, although above the junction
it is really the smaller stream.
The Des Moines
is the largest interior river of the
State, and rises in a group or chain
of lakes in Minnesota, not far from
the Iowa border. It really has its
source in two principal branches,
called East and West Des Moines, which,
after flowing about seventy miles
through the northern portion of the
State, converge to their junction
in the southern part of Humboldt county.
The Des Moines receives a number of
large tributaries, among which are
Raccoon and Three Rivers (North, South
and Middle) on the west, and Boone
river on the east. Raccoon (or 'Coon)
rises in the vicinity of Storm Lake
in Buena Vista county, and after receiving
several tributaries, discharges its
waters into the Des Moines river,
within the limits of the city of Des
Moines. This stream affords many excellent
mill privileges, some of which have
been improved. The Des Moines flows
from northwest to southeast, not less
than three hundred miles through Iowa,
and drains over ten thousand square
miles of territory. At an early day,
steam boats, at certain seasons of
the year, navigated this river as
far up as the "Raccoon Forks,"
and a large grant of land was made
by Congress to the State for the purpose
of improving its navigation. The land
was subsequently diverted to the construction
of the Des Moines Valley Railroad.
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107
Before this diversion
several dams were erected on the lower
portion of the river, which afford
a vast amount of hydraulic power to
that portion of the State.
The next river
above the Des Moines is Skunk, which
has its source in Hamilton county,
north of the center of the State.
It traverses a southeast course, having
two principal branches-their aggregate
length being about four hundred and
fifty miles. They drain about eight
thousand square miles of territory,
and afford many excellent mill sites.
The next is Iowa
river, which rises in several branches
among the lakes in Hancock and Winnebago
counties, in the northern part of
the State. Its great eastern branch
is Red Cedar, having its source among
the 1akes in Minnesota. The two streams,
as before, stated, unite and flow
into the Mississippi in Louisa county.
In size, Red Cedar is the second interior
river of the State, and both are valuable
as affording immense water power.
Shell Hock river is a tributary of
Red Cedar, and, is important to Northern
Iowa, on account of its fine water
power. The aggregate length of Iowa
and Red Cedar rivers is about five
hundred miles, and they drain about
twelve thousand square miles of territory.
The Wapsipinicon river rises in Minnesota,
and flows in a southeasterly direction
over two hundred miles through Iowa,
draining, with its branches, a belt
of territory only about twelve miles
wide. This stream is usually called
"Wapsie" by the settlers,
and is valuable as furnishing good
water power for machinery.
Maquoketa river,
the next considerable tributary of
the Mississippi, is about one hundred
and sixty miles long, and drains about
three thousand square miles of territory.
Turkey river is about one hundred
and thirty miles long, and drains
some two thousand square miles. It
rises in Howard county, runs southeast,
and empties into the Mississippi near
the south line of Clayton county.
Upper Iowa river
also rises in Howard county, flows
nearly east, and empties into the
Mississippi near the northeast corner
of the State, passing through a narrow,
but picturesque and beautiful valley.
This portion of the State is somewhat
broken, and the streams have cut their
channels deeply into the rocks, so
that in many places they are bordered
by bluffs from three to four hundred
feet high. They flow rapidly, and
furnish ample water power for machinery
at numerous points.
Having mentioned
the rivers which drain the eastern
three-fourths of the State, we will
now cross the great "water-shed"
to the Missouri and its tributaries.
The Missouri river,
forming a little over two-thirds of
the length of the western boundary
line, is navigable for large sized
steamboats for it distance of nineteen
hundred and fifty miles above the
point (Sioux City) where it first
touches our western border. It is,
therefore, a highway of no little
importance to the commerce of Western
Iowa. During the season of navigation
some years, over fifty steamers ascend
the river above Sioux City, most of
which are laden with stores for the
mining region above Fort Benton. We
will now refer to the larger tributaries
of the Missouri, which drain the western
portion of Iowa.
The Big Sioux
river forms about seventy miles of
the western boundary of the State,
its general course being nearly from
north to south. It has several small
tributaries draining the counties
of Plymouth, Sioux, Lyon, Osceola,
and O'Brien, in northwestern Iowa.
One of the most important
108
of these is Rock river,
a beautiful little stream running
through the counties of Lyon and Sioux.
It is supported by springs, and affords
a volume of water sufficient for propelling
, machinery. Big Sioux river was once
regarded as a navigable stream, and
steamboats of a small size have on
several occasions ascended it for
some distance. It is not, however,
now considered a sate stream for navigation.
It empties into the Missouri about
two miles above Sioux City, and some
four miles below the northwest corner
of Woodbury county. It drains about
one thousand square miles of Iowa
territory.
Just below Sioux City, Floyd river
empties into the :Missouri. It is
a small stream, but flows through
a rich and beautiful valley. Its length
is about one hundred miles, and it
drains some fifteen hundred square
miles of territory. Two or three mills
have been erected on this stream,
and there are other mill sites which
will doubtless he improved in due
time.
Little Sioux river
is one of the most important streams
of northwestern Iowa. It rises in
the vicinity of Spirit and Okoboji
lakes, near the Minnesota line, and
meanders through various counties
a distance of nearly three hundred
miles to its confluence with the Missouri
near the northwest corner 'of Harrison
county. With its tributaries it drains
not less than five thousand square
miles. Several small mills have been
erected on this stream, and others
doubtless will be when needed.
Boyer river is
the next stream of considerable size
below the Little Sioux. It rises in
Sac county and flows southwest to
the Missouri in Pottawattamie county.
Its entire length is about one hundred
and fifty miles, and drains not less
than two thousand square miles of
territory. It is a small stream, meandering
through a rich and lovely valley.
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad
passes down this valley some sixty
miles. Going down the Missouri, and
passing several small streams, which
have not been dignified with the name
of rivers, we come to the Nishnabotna,
which empties into the Missouri some
twenty miles below the southwest corner
of the State. It has three principal
branches, with an aggregate length
of three hundred and fifty miles.
These streams drain about five thousand
square miles of southwestern Iowa.
They flow through valleys of unsurpassed
beauty and fertility, and furnish
good water power at various points,
though in this respect they are not
equal to the streams in the north
eastern portion of the State.
The southern portion of the State
is drained by several streams that
flow into the Missouri river, in the
State of Missouri. The most important
of these are Chariton, Grand, Platte,
One Hundred and Two, and the three
Nodaways—East, West and Middle.
All of these afford water power for
machinery, and present splendid valleys
of rich farming lands.
We have above
only mentioned the streams that have
been designated as rivers, but there
are many other streams of great importance
and value to different portions of
the State, draining the country, furnishing
mill-sites, and adding to the variety
and beauty of the scenery. So admirable
is the natural drainage of almost
the entire State, that the farmer
who has not a stream of living water
on his premises is an exception to
the general rule.
Top
LAKES OF NORTHERN
IOWA.
In some of the northern
counties of Iowa there are many small,
but beautiful lakes, some of which
we shall notice. They are a part of
the system of
109
lakes extending far
northward into Minnesota, and some
of them present many interesting features
which the limits of this work will
not permit us to give in detail. The
following are among the most noted
of the lakes of northern Iowa: Clear
Lake, in Cerro Gordo county; Rice
Lake, Silver Lake and Bright's Lake,
in Worth county; Crystal Lake, Eagle
Lake, Lake Edward and Twin Lakes,
in Hancock county; Owl Lake, in Humboldt
county; Lake Gertrude, Elm Lake and
Wall Lake, in Wright county; Lake
Caro, in Hamilton county; Twin Lakes,
in Calhoun county; Wall Lake, in Sac
county; Swan Lake, in Emmet county;
Storm Lake, in Buena Vista county;
and Okoboji and Spirit, Lakes, in
Dickinson county. Nearly all of these
are deep and clear, abounding in many
excellent varieties of fish, which
are caught abundantly by the settlers
at all proper seasons of the year.
The name 'Wall Lake,' applied to several
of these bodies of water, is derived
from the fact that a line or ridge
of boulders, extends around them,
giving them somewhat the appearance
of having been walled. Most of them
exhibit the same appearance in this
respect to a greater or less extent,
Lake Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Storm Lake
and Clear Lake are the largest of
the Northern Iowa lakes. All of them,
except Storm Lake, have fine bodies
of timber on their borders. Lake Okoboji
is about fifteen miles long, and from
a quarter of a mile to two miles wide.
Spirit Lake, just north of it, embraces
about ten square miles, the northern
border extending to the Minnesota
line. Storm Lake is in size about
three miles east and. west by two
north and south. Clear Lake is about
seven miles long by two miles wide.
The dry rolling land usually extends
up to the borders of the lakes, making
them delightful resorts for excursion
or fishing parties, and they are now
attracting attention as places of
resort, on account of the beauty of
their natural scenery, as well as
the inducements which they afford
to hunting and fishing parties.
As descriptive
of some of the lakes of Northern Iowa,
the author would here introduce some
former correspondence of his own on
the occasion of a visit to Spirit
and Okoboji Lakes, in Dickinson county.
At that time he wrote in regard to
Spirit Lake:
With a party of delighted friends—seven
of us in all—we made the circle
of Spirit Lake, or Minne-Waukon as
the Indians called it. Starting from
the village of Spirit Lake early in
the morning, we crossed the upper
portion of East Okoboji on a substantial
wooden bridge about three hundred
feet in length, a half mile east of
the village. Going around a farm or
two, we proceeded up along the east
shore of Spirit Lake to what is known
as "Stony Point." Here a
point of land has been gradually forming,
for, we do not know how many years,
or even centuries, but large trees
have grown from the rocks, gravel
and sand thrown together by various
forces far back in the past. From
the inner edge of the growth of timber,
a ridge of rocks extends some forty
rods into the lake, gradually lessening
until, at the further extremity, it
only affords a dry foot-way by stepping
from rock to rock. This point is said
to be constantly extending and it
is not improbable that in time, two
lakes may be formed instead of one.
"Stony Point" is almost
wholly composed of boulders of various
sizes and shapes, brought together
by the action of water, on either
side. It is the resort of innumerable
birds and water fowl of various kinds,
including pelicans, black loons and
gulls. When we approached they were
holding high carnival over the remains
of such unfortunate fish as happened
to be thrown upon the rocks by the
dashing of the waves. Our presence,
however, soon cleared the coast of
its promiscuous
110
gathering of feathered
tenants, but after we left, they doubtless
returned to their revelry.
We continued our
journey up the lake a mile further
to the "inlet." Here a small
stream makes its way in from the east,
and, having high steep banks, all
we had to do was to go round its mouth
through the lake, the water being
very clear, with a fine gravel bottom,
and sufficiently shallow for good
fording. Just above this, a sand-beach
extends for some distance, portions
of which are covered with clumps of
willows and other small trees. No
heavy groves of timber border on the
east side of the lake, but scattered
trees and small groves extend all
the way along. The adjoining prairie
land is generally dry, rolling and
well adapted to farming purposes.
Several farms are in cultivation along
the banks of this part of the lake.
Nearly east of
the north end of the lake, we crossed
the Iowa and Minnesota line. Our road
led us about a mile further north,
where it diverged westerly to the
south bank of a pleasant little sheet
of water, known as Loon Lake. This
has an outlet connecting it with other
small lakes, which lie near the head
of Spirit Lake, and which were doubtless
once a part of the same. In a pretty
little grove on the shore of Loon
Lake, in the sovereign State of Minnesota,
we paused for our nooning.
From Loon Lake
the road turns southward, passing
several miles through groves of timber
that border the west shore of Spirit
Lake. A number of clear and quiet
little lakes are nestled romantically
in the groves west of Spirit Lake
with only sufficient room in many
places for a roadway between them
and the latter. Of these charming
little lakes, the three principal
ones are Lake Augusta, Plum Lake,
and Round Lake. In the formation of
the last named, nature has indulged
in one of her most singular and interesting
freaks. It is something over a quarter
of a mile in diameter, and so nearly
round that the eye can detect no irregularity.
The bank, all around, rises to the
uniform height of about thirty feet,
sloping at an angle of forty-five
degrees, and giving the lake the appearance
of a huge basin. A dense forest approaches
on all sides, with large trees bending
over the water, which is so deep down
in its reservoir that tile wind rarely
ruffles its surface. There is no visible
inlet or outlet, but the water is
always deep and clear. It is indeed
worth a day's journey to see this
charming little gem of a lake, reposing
so quietly in the midst of its wild
surroundings of lofty trees, tangled
vines and wild flowers.
Plum Lake is so
called from the fact that there are
many groves of wild, plums around
it. It lies between Lake Augusta and
Round Lake. Near the north end of
Plum Lake is a commanding elevation
caned "Grandview Mound."
From the summit of this mound there
is a fine view of Spirit Lake, and
a portion of the surrounding country.
There is every appearance that these
little lakes were once a portion of
the greater one that lies east of
them, and they are now separated from
it by a strip of land only wide enough
in many places for a good wagon road,
but it is gradually increasing in
width from year to year. It is covered
with a growth of cottonwood, soft
maple, elm, wild plum, and other trees,
with a dense profusion of wild grape
vines clinging among the branches.
The beach along the edge of Spirit
Lake here is composed of gravel, sand
and shells, with a ridge of boulders,
rising and extending up to the timber,
through which the road passes.
Round Lake, above
mentioned, is situated in what is
known as "Marble Grove,"
one of the finest bodies of timber
to be found about the lakes, and is
so named from its early occupant,
who was killed by the Indians. It
was in
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111
this grove, after the
massacre, that the Indians peeled
the bark from a tree, and with a dark
paint, made a picture-record of what
they had done. The killed were represented
by rude drawings of persons in a prostrate
position, corresponding with the number
of victims. Pictures of cabins, with
smoke issuing from their roofs, represented
the number of houses burned. In the
murder of Marble and his child,
and the capture of Mrs. Marble,
the Indians completed the annihilation
of the settlement at the lakes, and
thus left a record of their fiendish
work. "Marble Grove" at
that time was doubtless a scene of
savage rejoicing over the perpetration
of deeds which cast a gloom over all
Northwestern Iowa, and which the lapse
of years only could remove.
From the south
end of "Marble Grove" to
the village of Spirit Lake, the road
passes over undulating prairies for
some three or four miles, with several
new farms now being improved on either
side. The principal groves of timber
about this lake are at the west side
and the north end, while a narrow
belt extends around the other portions.
The water is deep, and the wind often
dashes the waves against the banks
with great violence. At other times
the surface is smooth and placid.
There is a legend
which we give briefly, for the benefit
of those who may be curious to know
the origin of the name of Spirit Lake.
Many moons before the white man took
up his abode or built his cabin on
the shores of the lake, a band of
Dakota warriors brought a pale-faced
maiden here, a captive taken in one
of their expeditions against the whites
who had ventured near their hunting
grounds. Among the warriors was a
tall young brave, fairer than the
rest, who had been stolen from the
whites in infancy by the wife of Um-pa-sho-ta,
the chief: The pale-faced brave never
knew his parentage or origin. but
the chief's wife called him Star of
Day, and he knew not but that she
was his own mother. All the tribe
expected that he would sometime become
their chief, as no warrior had proved
so brave and daring as he, Star of
Day, only, had performed deeds which
entitled him to succeed to the honors
of the aged Um-pa-sho-ta. But all
the distinctions or titles that his
nation might bestow, possessed no
attraction for him while he beheld
the grief of the beautiful pale-faced
captive. He therefore determined to
rescue her, and also made up his mind
to flee, with her from the tribe and
make her his wife. The maiden had
recognized in the blue eyes and fair
face of her lover, something which
told her that he, like herself, was
a captive. One night, while all the
warriors were asleep in their lodges,
Star of Day and the maiden slumbered
not. He silently unbound the thongs
which fastened her to the lodge frame.
Only a few paces through the thick
forest brought them to the lake shore,
where, under the willows, his light
canoe was in readiness. Soon the lovers
were midway across the lake, but the
Great Spirit who ruled in the wind
and the water, as well as in the forest,
willed that their home should be together
beneath the waters where no Dakota
should henceforth ever disturb them.
And so a breath of the Great Spirit
in the wind dashed a wave over the
little canoe, and it went down with
the lovers. Since that time no Indian's
canoe has ever dared to venture upon
the lake. Only the white man's canoe
is always safe, for the spirits of
Star of Day and the maiden still abide
under the, water, in a beautiful cave
of shells, guarding only the white
man's canoe from danger, as spirits
ever know their own. From that time
the Dakotas called the lake Minne-Waukon,
or Spirit-Water.
Okoboji.—Okoboji
is the most beautiful of all the lakes
of Northwestern Iowa. Walter Scott
could not invest the historic lakes
of Scotia with more
112
of the wild beauty of
scenery suggestive of poetry and romance,
than we here find around this loveliest
of Iowa lakes.
Okoboji lies immediately
south of Spirit Lake, and is of very
irregular shape. Its whole length
is at least fourteen miles, but it
is nearly separated into two parts.
The two parts are called, respectively,
East and West Okoboji. A wooden bridge
has been erected across the straits,
on the road from the village of Spirit
Lake to that of Okoboji, the water
here being ordinarily not over a couple
of hundred feet wide and about fifteen
feet deep. West Okoboji is much the
larger body of water, stretching west
and northwest of the straits some
eight miles, and varying in width
from one to two miles. As you pass
around this lake, the scene constantly
changes, and from many different points
the observer obtains new views, many
of which might furnish inspiration
to the pencil of the artist. The water
has a deep sky-blue appearance, and
the surface is either placid or boisterous,
as the weather may happen to be. The
dry land slopes down to the margin
on all sides.
Huge boulders
are piled up around the shores several
feet above the water, forming a complete
protection against the action of the
waves. These rocks embrace the different
kinds of granite which are found scattered
over the prairies, with also a large
proportion of limestone, from which
good quick-lime is manufactured. This
rock protection seems to be characteristic
of all that portion of the lake-shore
most subject to the violent beating
of the waves. But there are several
fine gravel beaches, and one on the
north side is especially resorted
to as being the most extensive and
beautiful. Here are immense wind-rows
of pebbles, rounded and polished by
the various processes that nature
employs, and in such variety that
a single handful taken up at random
would constitute a miniature cabinet
for the geologist. Agates, cornelians,
and other, specimens of exquisite
tint and beauty, are found in great
profusion, being constantly washed
up by the water. The east end of West
Okoboji, at the straits, is some five
miles south of Spirit Lake, but the
extreme west portion extends up to
a point west of Spirit Lake. East
Okoboji is not so wide or deep as
the other part, but is nearly as long.
It extends up to within a quarter
of a mile, or less, of Spirit Lake,
and is now connected with it by a
mill-race, being some four or five
feet lower than that lake. At a narrow
place near the upper end of this lake,
a bridge some three hundred feet long
has been erected on the road leading
to Estherville. The Okoboji outlet
heads at the south end of East Okoboji,
and in its passage flows through three
lakes called Upper, Middle and Lower
Gar Lakes. These little lakes are
so named because large quantities
of the peculiar long-billed fish designated
by that name are found therein. This
outlet has a rapid fall all the way
to its junction with the Little Sioux
river, some five miles below, and
is about being turned to good account
by the erection of machinery on it.
This outlet is also the greatest of
the fishing resorts about the lakes
The groves around
Lake Okoboji embrace over one thol1sand
acres of good timber. The larger groves
are found on the South side, where
the principal settlement was at the
time of the Indian massacre. There
are two or three fine bodies of timber
on the north side of West Okoboji,
and a narrow fringe of timber borders
nearly all the lake shore between
the larger groves. On the north side
of West Okoboji, near the west end,
is a splendid grove of hard maple,
of large size, while none of this
kind of timber is found else where
about the lake. On the same side in
another grove, we observed many red
cedars of large growth. We noticed
one nearly three feet in
113
diameter, and a fine
crop of young cedars, from three to
ten inches high, have taken root along
the shore, Burr oak seems to predominate
among the various kinds of timber,
and the groves on the south side are
mainly composed of this kind, with
considerable ash, elm and walnut.
In many places the ground is covered
with a dense growth of wild gooseberry
and wild currant bushes, all now giving
promise of a fine yield of fruit.
Many plum groves are scattered about
the lake; and grapes also grow in
profusion. We noticed, however, that
the wild crab-apple, so plentiful
in other parts of the State, was wanting.
The land rises
from the lake nearly all the way round,
with a gradually sloping bank, to
the height of' some thirty feet, and
then stretches away in undulating
prairie or woodland, as the case may
be. In some places, the unbroken prairie
extends to the beach without a tree
or shrub. A splendid body of prairie,
embracing several thousand acres,
lies in the peninsula, formed by Lake
Okoboji with its outlet and the Little
Sioux river. Between Okoboji and,
Spirit Lakes, there is also a good
body of prairie with some well improved
farms. A lake of considerable size,
called Center Lake; with a fine body
of timber surrounding it, lies between
Okoboji and Spirit Lakes.
In point of health,
as well as in the beauty of its natural
scenery, this locality far surpasses
many others that have become fashionable
and famous resorts. A month or two
in the summer season might be spent
here with constant change, and a pleasing
variety of attractions. The invalid
or pleasure seeker might divide the
time between hunting, fishing, driving,
bathing, rowing, sailing, rambling,
and in various other ways adapted
to his taste or fancy. He could pay
homage to Nature in her playful or
her milder moods; for sometimes she
causes these little lakes to play
the role of miniature seas by the
wild dashing of their surges against
their rocky shores, and then again
causes them to become as calm and
placid as slumbering infancy.
Clear Lake.—Clear
Lake, in Cerro Gordo county, is among
the better known lakes of the State,
on account of its easy accessibility
by rail, as well as its many and varied
attractions. It is a beautiful little
sheet of water, and as a pleasure
resort has for several years been
constantly growing in favor. This,
and Storm Lake, in Buena Vista county,
as well as some others, are deserving
of special description, but what is
already given will afford some idea
of the lakes of Northern Iowa.
Timber.—One
of the peculiar features of the topography
of the northwest, is the predominance
of prairies, a name of French origin,
which signifies grass-land. It has
been estimated that about nine-tenths
of the surface of Iowa is prairie.
The timber is generally found in heavy
bodies skirting the streams, but there
are also many isolated groves standing,
like islands in the sea, far out on
the prairies, The eastern half of
the State contains a larger proportion
of timber than the western. The following
are the leading varieties of timber:
White, black and burr oak, black walnut,
butternut, hickory, hard and soft
maple, cherry, red and white' elm,
ash, linn, hackberry, birch, honey
locust, cottonwood and quaking asp.
A few sycamore trees are found in
certain localities along the streams.
Groves of red cedar also prevail,
especially along Iowa and Cedar rivers,
and a few isolated pine trees are
scattered along the bluffs of some
of the streams in the northern part
of the State.
Nearly all kinds
of timber common to Iowa have been
found to grow rap-
114
idly when transplanted
upon the prairies, or when propagated
from the planting of seeds. Only a
few years and a little expense are
required for the settler to raise
a grove sufficient to afford him a
supply of fuel. The kinds most easily
propagated, and of rapid growth, are
cottonwood, maple and walnut. All
our prairie soils are adapted to their
growth.
Prof. C. E.
Bessey, of the State Agricultural
College, who supervised the col1ection
of the different woods of Iowa for
exhibition at the Centennial Exposition,
in 1876, has given a most complete
list of the native woody plants of
the State. Below we present his list.
When not otherwise stated, they are
trees. The average diameters are given
.in inches, and when the species is
a rare one, its locality is given:
(Click on image for full size)
Prof. Bessey's list.
115
Total
number of species, 104; of these,
fifty-one species are trees, while
the remaining- ones are shrubs. The
wood of all the former is used for
economic purposes, while some of the
latter furnish more or less valuable
fuel.
Climate—Prof.
Parvin, who has devoted great attention
to the climatology of Iowa, in a series
of observations made by him at Muscatine,
from 1839 to 1859, inclusive, and
at Iowa City, from 1860 to 1870, inclusive,
deduces the following general results:
That the months of November and March
are essentially winter months, their
average temperatures rising but a
few degrees above the freezing point.
Much of the former month is indeed
mild and pleasant, but in it usually
comes the first cold spell, followed
generally by mild weather, while in
March the farmer is often enabled
to commence his spring plowing. September
has usually a summer temperature,
and proves a ripening season for the
fall crops, upon which the farmer
may rely with safety if the spring
has been at all backward. May has
much more the character of a spring
month than that of summer, and "May
day" is not often greeted with
a profusion of flowers. The average
temperature of May during thirty-two
years was 59.06 degrees, while that
of September was 63.37 degrees. Prof.
Parvin states that during thirty-five
years the mercury rose to 100 degrees
only once within the region of his
observations in Iowa; and that was
during the summer of 1870. It seldom
rises above ninety-five degrees, or
falls lower than fifteen degrees below
zero. The highest temperature, with
very few exceptions, occurs in the
month of August, while July is the
hottest month as indicated by the
mean temperature of the summer months.
January is the coldest month, and
in this, only once in thirty-two years
did the mercury fall to thirty degrees
below zero. The prevailing winds are
those of a westerly direction, not
for the year alone, but for the several
months of the year, except June, July,
August and September. August is the
mouth in which the greatest amount
of' rain falls, and in January the
least; The greatest fall of rain in
anyone year, was in 1851-74.49 inches,
and the least in 1854-23.35 inches;
The greatest fall of snow for anyone
year, was in 1868-61.97 inches. The
least was in 1850-7.90inches. The
earliest fall of snow during twenty-two
years, from
1848 to 1869, inclusive, was October
17th, 1859, and the latest, April
29th, 1851. The greatest fall was
December 21st, 1848-20.50 inches.
During that time no snow fell during
the months of May, June, July, August
and September, but rain usually occurs
in each of the winter months.
The clear days
during the time embraced in Prof.
Parvin's observations, were thirty-two
per cent; the cloudy twenty-two per
cent, and the variable forty-six per
cent.
Top
116
The
year 1863 was very cold, not only
in Iowa, but throughout the country,
and there was frost in every month
of the year, but it only once or twice
during thirty years seriously injured
the corn crop. .When the spring is
late the fall is generally lengthened,
so that the crop has time to mature.
The mean time for late spring frosts
is May 4th; that of early fall frost
is September 24th. The latest frost
in the spring during thirty-one years,
from 1839 to 1869, inclusive, was
May 26th, 1847; and the earliest,
August 29th, 1863.
Prairies.—The
character of surface understood by
the term prai1ie, is not a feature
peculiar to Iowa, but is a characteristic
of the greater portion of the Northwest.
Dr. C. A. White, late State
Geologist of Iowa, in his report says:
"By the word prairie we mean
any considerable surface that is free
from forest trees and shrubbery, and
which is covered more or less thickly
with grass and annual plants. This
is also the popular understanding
of the term. It is estimated that
about seven-eighths of the surface
of Iowa is prairie, or was so when
the State was first settled. They
are not confined to the level surface,
but are sometimes even quite hilly
and broken; and it has just been shown
that they are not confined to any
particular variety of soil, for they
prevail equally upon Alluvial, Drift
and Lacustral soils. Indeed, we sometimes
find a single prairie whose surface
includes all these varieties, portions
of which may be respectively sandy,
gravelly, clayey or loamy. Neither
are they confined to the region of,
nor does their character seem at all
dependent upon, the formations which
underlie them, for within the State
of Iowa they rest upon all formations,
from those of Azoic to those of Cretaceous
age inclusive, which embraces almost
all kinds of rocks, such as quartzites,
friable sandstone, magnesian limestone,
common limestone, impure chalk, clay,
clayey and sandy shales, etc. Southwestern
Minnesota is almost one continuous
prairie upon the drift which rests
directly upon, not only the hard Sioux
quartzite, but also directly upon
the granite.
"Thus, whatever
the origin of the prairies might have
been, we have the positive assurance
that their present existence in Iowa
and immediate vicinity is not due
to the influence of climate, the character
or composition of the soil., nor to
the character of any of the underlying
formations. It now remains to say
without the least hesitation, that
the real cause if the present existence
of prairies in Iowa, is the prevalence
of the annual fires. If these had
been prevented fifty years ago Iowa
would now be a timbered instead of
a prairie State.
"Then arises
questions like the following, not
easily answered, and for which no
answers are at present proposed:
"When was
fire first introduced upon the prairies,
and how? Could any but human agency
have introduced annual fires upon
them? If they could have been introduced
only by the agency of man why did
the forests not occupy the prairies
before man came to introduce his fires,
since we see their great tendency
to encroach upon the prairies as soon
as the fires are made to cease? The
prairies, doubtless, existed as such
almost immediately after the close
of the Glacial epoch. Did man then
exist and possess the use of fire
that he might have annually burnt
the prairies of so large a part of
the continent, and thus have constantly
prevented the encroachments of the
forests? It may be that these questions
will never be satisfactorily answered;
but nothing is more evident than that
the forests would soon occupy a very
large proportion of the prairie region
of North America if the prai-
117
rie fires were made
to cease, and no artificial efforts
were made to prevent their growth
and encroachment."
Soils.—Dr.
White has separated the soils of Iowa
into three general divisions, viz:
the Drift, Bluff, and Alluvial. The
drift soil occupies the greater portion
of the State, the bluff next, and
the alluvial the least. The drift
is derived primarily from the disintegration
of rocks, to a considerable extent
perhaps from those of Minnesota, which
were subject to violent glacial action
during the glacial epoch. This soil
is excellent, and is generally free
from coarse drift materials, especially
near the surface.
The bluff soil
occupies an area estimated at about
five thousand square miles, in the
western part of the State. It has
many peculiar and marked characteristics,
and is believed to be lacustral in
its origin. In some places the deposit
is as great as two, hundred feet in
thickness, all portions of it being
equal in fertility. If this soil be
taken from its lowest depth, say two
hundred feet below the surface, vegetation
germinates and thrives as readily
in it as in the surface deposit. It
is of a slightly yellowish ash color,
except when mixed with decaying vegetation.
It is composed mainly of silica, but
the silicious matter is so finely
pulverized that the naked eye is unable
to perceive anything like sand in
its composition. The bluffs along
the Missouri river, in the western
part of the State, are composed of
this material.
The alluvial soils
are the "bottom" lands along
the rivers and smaller streams. They
are the washings of other soils mixed
with decayed vegetable matter. They
vary somewhat in character and fertility,
but the best of them are regarded
as the most fertile soils in the State.
As to the localities
occupied by each of these different
soils, it may be stated that the drift
forms the soil of all the higher plains
and woodlands of the State, except
a belt along the western border, which
is occupied by the bluff soil, or
bluff deposit, as it is generally
called. The alluvial occupies the
low lands, both prairie and timber,
along the streams. It may be remarked
that t.he alluvial soil composing
the broad belt of "bottom"
along the Missouri, partakes largely
of the bluff soil, owing to continued
washings from the high lands or bluffs
adjacent.
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