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Map showing the distribution of potteries along the Des Moines River, same time glass bottles and canning jars were becoming cheaper and more
after Rogers et al. 1995. readily available. These were very popular with homemakers because it
was easy to tell if they were clean, and the clear glass allowed them to see
the contents of the jars. Refrigeration was also becoming more widely
used. In homes it replaced salt preservation and, when it was introduced
into railroad cars, food distribution was revolutionized. The demand for
stoneware dwindled to almost nothing. The sprawling railroad networks
also changed transportation and settlement patterns and relocated cen-
ters of commerce. By 1943 there were only 28 potteries operating in
Iowa, many only part time. These produced primarily flower pots and art
pottery.
The Bonaparte Pottery – 13VB200
The Bonaparte Pottery is identified as an archaeological and architectural
property designated 13VB200. After careful examination by archaeolo-
gists and architects, it was nominated to the NRHP in 1999 as a significant
of 251 named potteries in 34 counties was compiled by Rogers and Grad- Detail of “fachwerk” construction at the Bonaparte Pottery, 13VB200.
wohl (Rogers, Gradwohl and Peterson 1995:14, see table). This list may The University of Iowa Off ice of the State Archaeologist
be somewhat inflated because some potteries were sometimes renamed
when they changed hands. The largest pottery in the state was White’s
Pottery (a.k.a. Fort Dodge Stoneware Company) in Fort Dodge which
operated from around 1879 until 1906 (Rogers 1999:8).
The greatest concentration of potteries was along the Des Moines River
valley, where coal deposits were abundant and had been worked from
an early date. A total of 128 potteries are known from the nine primary
counties through which the Des Moines River flows. Fourteen of these
have been recorded as archaeological sites. Forty potteries were located
in Van Buren County. Four of these, including the Bonaparte Pottery, are
documented archaeological sites.
The pottery industry declined rapidly early in the 20th century. As coal
mining became less profitable in Iowa, clay supplies dwindled, and it be-
came increasingly expensive to obtain the raw materials needed. At the
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