Page 11 - RAGBRAI2012

Upper: brick cistern THE BURIED PIONEER TOWN OF DAY 7 - ANAMOSA TO CLINTON
of the Bowen’s
Prairie Academy BOWEN’S PRAIRIE
building exposed Located 15 miles north of Anamosa along the Old Military
during archaeological Road, the pioneer community of Bowen’s Prairie was estab-
excavations. lished by 1836, or 10 years before Iowa Statehood. Much
Upper right: of what we now know about this community was gained
advertisement of from archaeological excavations and research conducted by
the Bowen’s Prairie the OSA in 2001. The village had a large Congregationalist
Academy from the population who immigrated from New Hampshire and Ver-
1850s. mont. Located along the important Military Road, the town

blossomed for only a
few years. It failed to
secure a railroad link,
and most inhabitants
moved on. By 1870,
there were probably
about 10 houses left
in town. Today, most
of the town lies under
the four-lane highway
U.S. 151. The Bowen’s
Prairie Cemetery re-
mains preserved, next
to the road.