Annotated List of Sac County, Iowa 143 



Correction pond, Lard lake, Rush lake, and many smaller 

 ponds are now farm land. This section is drained by the 

 Raccoon river, locally called the " Coon," and its tributaries. 

 Cedar river and Indian creek. The drainage from Wall lake, 

 the only one remaining, flows into Indian creek. The Rac- 

 coon river enters the county on its north line about six miles 

 from its northeast corner, flowing in a southerly direction 

 about eighteen miles, when it turns and flows eastward, its 

 waters finally reaching the Mississippi. The " Coon " river 

 has cut a broad valley about fifty feet deep. The river fol- 

 lows a winding course through this valley, sometimes cut- 

 ting into the sides and forming steep bluffs. The bluffs and 

 part of the bottom lands are now timbered. At the time of 

 settlement its timber fringe was from one to four miles 

 broad. The enlarged parts were known as Grant Grove, 

 located where the river turns east ; Cory Grove, about three 

 miles south of Sac City ; and Lee's Grove, about eight miles 

 north of Sac City. The first settlements in the county were 

 at Grant Grove, which became Grant City, and at Sac City, 

 in the vear 1854. Until about 1870 there were very few set- 

 tlers other than along this timbered well drained strip along 

 the " Coon " river. Having so limited a habitat the forest- 

 loving game birds were speedily exterminated. 



The western half of the county is within the Kansan gla- 

 ciation and characterized by a gently rolling to roughly roll- 

 ing surface, the highest hills being about sixty feet, with a 

 mature drainage and no lakes, ponds, or marshes. This sec- 

 tion is drained by the Boyer river and a few small creeks 

 tributary to it. all their waters finally reaching the Missouri 

 river. The Boyer river occupies a flood plain about a mile 

 wide, across and down which it follows an exceedingly tor- 

 tuous course. It has a local reputation of being the crook- 

 edest river there is. Its general direction is southerly until 

 within four miles of the south litie of the county, when it 

 turns abruptly southwest. 



The two glaciations are divided by the Wisconsin moraine, 

 which is several miles broad, and partakes of the g'eneral 



