Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-06-18
EARLY MILITARY
HIGHWAYS IN IOWA
f. f.. Fellows of Fayette Writes Of
Pioneer Days in Hawkeye
State.
ONLY TWO IMPORTANT
POINTS IN NORTHERN IOWA.
Fort Atkinson and Prairie du Chen
Were About the Only Settle
ments i'm This Section.

Prior to the year 1910 there were
only two settlements of any impor-
tance in or adjacent to northeastern
Iowa. These were Prairie du Chen.
just across the Mississippi river in
Wisconsin, and Dubuque on the Iowa
side.
Previous to the date mentioned
the Winnebago Indians, tribe Pc
culiar to themselves, had sold their
lands in Wisconsin to the United
States-lands they had undoubtedly
claimed at least as far back as 1884
when Jean Nicollet found a Winnie
bago village upon the shores Of
Green Bay. According to their trad
itions they must have migrated to
Wisconsin many years prior to that
time. After disposing of these lands
they were removed to a reservation
in northeastern Iowa. This was af-
ter the Black Hawk war, which oc-
Cured in 1882. On the Iowa reser-
vation they remained for several
years or until about 1S4S, when they
were removed to a new reservation
in Minnesota. Whenever the white
man looked with coyetous eyes upon
the Indian lands he said, Move on"
And the Indian eventually moved.
Coming to northeastern Iowa put
the Winnebagoes, so to speak, be-
tween two fires. To the north was
the mighty nation of the Sioux with
an estimated 10000 braves: to the
south were the hostiie and powerful
Sacs and Foxes. &
Z For the purpose OF affording pro-
ttection to the somewhat less warlike
lWinnebagos, the government erect
ed fort upon land included with
in their reservation. The site it select
ed was rock ribbed hill overlook
ing the Turkey river with its pic
turesque scenery. To the northeast,
ley of the Turkey rose the wooded
hills; while to the south and south
east, beyond the creek, lay the tim
bered slopes. Work was begun
June 9, 1910, about fifty mechanics
being employed. Much of the ma
terial was transported by team from
Prairie du Chen, fifty miles away.
The main buildings were of stone,
strong, massive structures. This fort
was named Fort Atkinson after Cen
eral Atkinson.
From the west side of the Missis-
sippi river and opposite to Prairie
du Chen, was the beginning of
highway over which material and
supplies were transported and called
the military road. Its course was
generally westward to the site Of
the present town of Postville, where
a sort of hotel was kept by one Joel
Post, after whom the town of POST
vile was named. This road passed
through the present counties OF
Clayton, Allamakee and Winneshiek.
At that time Fort Atkinson was in
the very midst of a bowling wilder
ness, isolated from the civilized
world and dependent upon supplies
hauled by team from the outposts Of
the frontier lying miles to the east
ward. Everything was carried
across the Mississippi river by ferry
to the site of the present town OF
McGregor. From here the team
sters hauled 1t along the military
road out into the very heart of the
wilderness. a,a
But rivaling even this highway in
mileage was another military thor
oughfare, winding among the hills
and stretching across the luxuriant
prairies. Starting from Dubuque,
this road lay among the hills In Du-
buque county. finally emerging upon
the beautiful prairies in southern
Clayton, northern Delaware and in
Fayette counties, reaching at last
the timbered and hilly regions along
the Turkey river.
In 1912 a missionary by the name
of Rev. David Lowry came to the
Winnebago reservation where mis-
sion had been established among the
Indians, five miles south of Fort At
kinson upon the banks of the Tur-
key river. Here school was open
ed for the Indians and it is said that
at one time fully forty pupils, both
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