History
Montrose has been known by many names. First, it was called Cut Nose, or Cut Nose Village, after an Indian Chief, Wapello. Then it became Mount of Roses after the wild roses that were abundant in the area, especially along the bluff south of town. The name was eventually shortened to Montrose.
The Sac & Fox Indians, including Chiefs Keokuk, Black Hawk & Wapello, lived at Cut Nose. Lee County was divided by the Sullivan Line & the south half became the Half Breed Tract Reservation. The Indians helped Louis Honore Tesson plant apple trees for Iowa’s first orchard. Stephen W. Kearney, who went to be Governor of California, was sent to Cut Nose to establish the 2nd Fort in Iowaland, the First Fort Des Moines. He moved into his new house with his house slave, perhaps the first, and one, of the very few instances of slavery in Iowa. Colonel Kearney’s company of Dragoons included Captain Nathaniel Boone (Daniel’s youngest son), and Lieutenant Albert M. Lea who wrote the first book to be published about Iowa.
The first school in Iowa, located just outside the city limits of Montrose, was Galland School, Established by Dr. Isaac Galland. His daughter, Eleanor, was the first white child born in the Iowa Territory. His son, Washington, became a very prominent citizen of early Montrose.
Being situated at the head of the Des Moines Rapids made Montrose a very bustling town before the Canal and, later, the dam at Keokuk were built. Riverboat pilots who were familiar with navigating this stretch of the river were needed, as were helpers on lighters & keelboats. Hack drivers were needed to transport women & children around the rapids. Boat builders were kept busy building new boats as well as repairing those damaged on the trip through the rapids. Since the dam was built at Keokuk, Pool 19 is the widest spot on the upper Mississippi River.
Montrose had a button factory which were pressed out of clamshells & the remains of the shells were used to pave the streets. There was also a pickle factory, 2 tomato factories, a tobacco factory, and a distillery. Mr. Anderson, who moved on to found what is known today as the Anderson Window Company, owned the sawmill. Ice was harvested from the river in the winter and stored for use the next summer. Other businesses included a ferry, several dry goods stores, photographers (the O.K. Marine View Company), hotels, an Opera House, & a Pool Hall.
The Mormons were another important part of Montrose history. As Mormons across the Mississippi River were building up the town of Commerce, now known as Nauvoo, many Mormons were buying property and settling in the hills surrounding Montrose. In 1846, the Mormons began their trek to Utah by crossing the ice-covered Mississippi River to Montrose.
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