Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-11-14
EARLY LANDMARKS IN HARDIN
COUNTY TO BE PRESERVED
FOR FUTURE.
o. A. r. CHAPTER TAKES
UP IMPORTANT WORK
Sites of Pioneer Buildings and Early
Trails to Waterloo and Iowa City to
Have Permanent Markers, With First
Buildings Erected and House Where
First Child in Eidora Was Born.

=
Eldora, Nov lit is said that Who
ever does a work that makes for per-
nanency deserves not alone common
dation of the present generation bn'
also of those which are to follow. IN
Eldora is an organization OF women.
about twenty i'll number, who some
tinis since formed a societ. known as
the Open Fire chapter. Daughters OF
the American Revolution. part Oh
the work of this noble band OF women
IS TO perpetuate and mark IN some
suitable. manner the early landmarks
of this section of Iowa. To TINS era
movement is now being made 10 marx
for the years that are 10 come the
things of interest TO the pioneers OF
Hardin county, SUCH as The location Oh
tho first school house, the first house
erected or the location upon which II
stood and the trail from this section OF
Iowa 10 Iowa City and Waterloo, 10
which points the early settlers hauiea
the ripened grain to mill and then TOOK
UP the trail back again with their ioao
of -four or corn meal.
At a recent meeting OF the chapter
discussion was INDUCED in regarding
methods to be pursued in this com
mendable enterprise and a committee
appointed 10 locate the various Things
of interest because Of their relation 10
the pioneers of this section or Iowa
Since the meeting the committee theh
appointed mas discovered many things
of interest along historical lines. nota-
bly, the location Of the first schoo.
house and the boulder in the Iowa
river lust east of Eldora- near which
the pioneers ''forded' the stream ano
which marked the place where the
river could be crossed in safety. The
boulder a massive niggerhead, pro-
iected out Of the water at all times ana
lust to the south Of this was the t0ro-
ing place. The trail then leads south
and easterly thru Grundy and Tama
counties. hugging az nearly as possioie
the bend in the river, for the pioneers
early came to know that the water OF
the Iowa offered a sure guide back
home should they perchance lose their
way.
Old Stage Route
After the trail across the sparsely
settled district came the stage route
between Eldora and Grundy Center.
the trip being made once, daily. This
trail Is likewise. to be marked, for it
ran in those days not by straight lines
as it Is today, for the reason that there
were few bridges and in the spring OF
the year particularly the trip endan-
gered the lives OF the driver OF the
route as well al passengers. Grundy
Center Is almost directly east OF Ell
dora, distance OF about twenty miles,
but the old tran and the later. stage
route added several miles to this in or
der to make the Journey: - ~
In the early days, too. there were
despera does OF almost every descrip-
ton in this region, notably horse
thieves. II was TO break up this band
OF rnarauders that the pioneers organ
lied a vigilance committee OF some
twenty members. A COMMITTEES OF this
organization one day rode TO the home
OF a family named Bunker. living in
the timbered section southeast Of Ell
dora. The spokesman Of this commit
tee told the Bunkers the object OF the
visit and that none of the Bunkers
would fare we'll If found in this section
twenty-four hours later The Bunker
family. II is now believed, or at least a
part OF Il. was later hung in Tama
county. The location Of the Bunker
cabin on a hillside Of the Iowa river
east of Eldora is to be marked thru
the efforts of the Daughters of the
American Revolution.
The spot upon which the house stood
wherein was born the first white Mild
in E!acra is also to have a suitable
marker Together with keeping
abreast of the times in current events
the ladies of this worthy organization
are TO at all times endeavor to per-
petuate for future guidance the initial
things Of the pioneers who brought
with them to Iowa the rugged virtues
Of sturdy race OF men and women.