The history
of Southwest Iowa glitters with a parade of famous western explorers, fur
traders, military figures, engineers and great Indian nations. Abraham
Lincoln had the foresight to realize Council Bluffs should be the eastern
terminus of the transcontinental railroad. Known as the Gateway to the
American West, Council Bluffs has a proud and rich history we would like
to share with you.
French and Spanish explorers and traders were in Council
Bluffs for almost a century before the Lewis and Clark expedition stayed
five days at White Catfish Camp, known today as Long’s Landing. Lewis and
Clark later met with Missouri and OTO Indians 10 miles north of Omaha.
This historic council in the bluffs provided the model for future meetings
with Indians and the name of our city.
Numerous Indian tribes shared hunting rights
in the Council Bluffs area and made great contributions to its history.
All of Southwest Iowa was purchased in 1830 by the United States government
from the Indians. Between 1847 and 1856, tribes were moved to reservation
lands.
More than 30,000 Mormon refugees flooded through
Kanesville (Council Bluffs) in the mid 1800’s on their way to the Great
Salt Lake Valley. The Mormons built more than 80 communities in Southwest
Iowa, organized churches, tuition schools, city and county governments,
courts, band and choral concerts and four newspapers. Their scores of businesses
boomed when the California Gold Rush of 1849 started flooding through Kanesville.
Kanesville was named for Thomas Kane, a man sympathetic to the plight of
the Mormons. Kanesville was renamed Council Bluffs in 1853.
Abraham Lincoln visited Council Bluffs in 1859.
He met Grenville Dodge, a railroad engineer and later a Civil War general.
This meeting developed a strong friendship. They spent three days discussing
the possibility of a coast-to-coast railroad. After elected to the presidency,
Lincoln designated Council Bluffs the eastern terminus of the transcontinental
railroad.
A leading citizen of Council Bluffs, Dodge was
advisor to Presidents Lincoln, Grant, Johnson, Hayes, McKinley, Roosevelt
and Taft. Although he never technically ran for office, Dodge was elected
to congress. His elegant Victorian-style Council Bluffs home, where five
presidents were overnight guests, is open to the public for tours. Railroad
service came to Council Bluffs in 1867. Eventually, it would be served
by seven railroads and became the great mail-handling terminal for the
American West. Railroads developed Council Bluffs into a bustling center
of commerce. This pattern continues today with a variety of industries
thriving in the city.
Today, Council Bluffs businesses make a national
and international impact. Local industry includes frozen foods, robotics,
dairy products, plastics, cassettes, CD-ROMs, railroading, electrical products
and pork and beef packaging, among many other industries. Recent changes
in state law allowed gambling expansion, boosting the local economy and
providing hundreds of new jobs.
As we approach a new century, our city prepares
for changes to come. The Council Bluffs of the 21st century will certainly
provide more rich history and additional progress. We invite you to share
in the exciting future of a city on the move.
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