PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 159 



At one time the course of the river passed at the foot of the cliffs, but a 

 flood, in the early '50's I believe, caused a cut off, leaving the bluffs fully 

 half a mile from the new course. The Tiver has been rapidly eating its 

 way back, and a few more high waters will bring it back to the old course 

 at the lower end of the bluffs. 



The place is well known locally sdnnply as "The Bluffs." It is situated 

 on the south side of the Des Moines river, between Knoxville and Oska- 

 loosa. The Tracey-Oskaloosa branch of the C. B. & Q. railroad crossed the 

 river a short way from the bluffs ; Tracey being the nearest regular station. 



The bluffs lie about three miles below the early day town of Bellefon- 

 taine, which if I have my history straight, lacked only one vote of being 

 the first capital of Iowa. The town is now merely a memory. About a 

 mile below the bluffs but on the other side of the river, was another 

 pioneer town called Rochester. These towns witnessed the early naviga- 

 tion of the Des Moines, and later saw the growth of the cities more favor- 

 ably located on the railroads, giving way to them in the development of 

 the country. 



These bluffs are locally known as a beautiful place where nature has 

 been left to have her way. They are well located and should be investi- 

 gated as a park site on the proposed road along the Des Moines river. 



DES MOINES RIVER BLUFFS STATE PARK. 

 By Mrs. Carol Sawyer. 



There is a 300 acre farm owned by Robert W. Campbell, on the Des 

 Moines river, about 13 miles from Oskaloosa, Mahaska county. The 

 "Bluffs," as the place is commonly known, comprises about one-half of this 

 farm. Their highest point is about 300 feet above the river. 

 There is a fine timber, most of it virgin timber, white oak, elm, red oak, 

 hickory, butternut and a few old sycamores. There are an abundance of 

 wild flowers, moss and ferns of all kinds. Not much underbrush, and 

 plenty of blue grass. Cedar Creek curves around the bluffs about a quar- 

 ter of a mile from the river, outlining the proposed park. 



It is a splendid location for a game preserve. There are coons and 

 other native animals and some fox dens on the place. The rock is sand- 

 stone. The site is located on a good county road between Oskaloosa and 

 Bussey, and easy of access to the road. It is about a mile to the bluffs 

 proper, with no ravines to cross, and a half mile from the road to the 

 timber. 



The old stage road that paralleled, the river from Burlington to Des 

 Moines is opposite the Bluffs. A little above is Bellefontaine ,one of the 

 early settlements, which made claim for the state capitol. Opposite the 

 bluffs was Rochester, a stopping place tor the stages, and also possessed 

 the steamboat landing. Many of the farms along the river were laid 

 out before the country was surveyed, and have the same boundary lines 

 at present, as the old claims. 



