I mentioned in my previous post that we spent the night in Lamoni. It is Amish country.
There is an Amish Country Store there that has Amish crafted items and locally made foods and a restaurant. I have stopped there before.
What I found out as I was reading about the town during breakfast, was that this town is a Mormon town also. What?! The city, population around 2,000, is named after a king mentioned in the Book of Mormon. Joseph Smith, who founded the Mormons, lived here for a time. There is a Mormon university located in the town and a famous sports person attended this university - Bruce Jenner!. They even have a sports complex on campus named after him. The Bruce Jenner Sports Complex. I was rather shocked to hear that they did not rename it after Bruce became Caitlyn.
We usually go up I35 to DesMoines (although we've done other ways too). This time we went from Lamoni up to Leon on 69, then east on Highway 2. It goes across the bottom of Iowa state line.
Along the way, we spotted 3 bald eagles! They are making a comeback! I was so sad that I didn't have my camera ready for good shots!
You have to be patient when on back roads. It is not like the interstate. I much prefer this pace!
They were grading the sides of the highway for buggy traffic.
These horses were out, "mowing" the grass along the road.
I snapped this photo and only later read up that it is actually a little roadside chapel that seats a few people! We should have stopped! It is located on highway 2 west of Centerville.
Found this picture online. Don't you just want to stop here and sit awhile?
Centerville - loving the architecture!
We passed a church named Mt. Ararat. Al said "We found it!"
We passed this round barn with interesting history.
You should read about it! Click the link!
At this point we left highway 2 and got on highway 1 and crossed over the Des Moines River into Keosauqua.
Al said he needed to stretch. There was a gas station right over the bridge. It had hitching posts.
We used the restroom. When I came out, I decided to talk to these locals who were playing cards and cribbage.
"You meet here every week?"
"Every week? Heck no, every day!"
We talked awhile and they told us about what draws people to this town. One of the guys has 2 daughters in Wichita, close to our home!
This was across the street from the gas station. I couldn't find out much about it although there were Duckworths in this town from early history.
There were another group of men meeting in a room downstairs. They were part of the board of this place. We talked with them too. One of the guys, the president of this group, followed us out. He is an architectural historian and was one of the guys who made sure the hotel was remodeled in period style and up to code.
And here is the Hotel Manning that the guys said we needed to see. Built in 1890.
The front door takes you to this little area.
We opened the left door to this lobby area.
Gasp!
A lady at the desk told us to take a look around. We asked if this was an operating hotel. It was! It used to be a hotel for steamboat passengers.
You can still stay there. The following weekend was going to be a sell-out for a pool tournament. All 3 bars were opening up for the pool players. Hunters come for hunting season. Some people have wedding here too. Sunday dinners are served here.
We recognized that barn!
We went upstairs to peek in the rooms. Here was the upstairs lobby.
I want to come back and stay in this room! Room #4.
When it was first built, the rooms had to share a bathroom. Now most of them have private bathrooms.
He told us about the town and mentioned that we shouldn't believe what people say about the name of the town. Some say that Keosauqua was derived from Meskawaki and Sauk Indians meaning "the bend in the river". "Nothing to it" he said. This guy owns the oldest home in the town and refurbished it.
This town is definitely on my bucket list to come back to. There is also a house that was part of the underground railroad that I'd like to visit.
The rest of the way another post....
