“History of the Des Moines River” program is today

Today’s the day!

Local historian Al Nelson will give a presentation on “History of the Des Moines River” today. We will meet in the large meeting room of the Fort Dodge Public Library from 1 to 3 p.m.

The presentation will cover some of the factors in settling this area. Maps from the 1600s up to 1850 will illustrate the prominence of the Des Moines River for hundreds of years. Some Indian treaties pertinent to our area will be discussed, along with the impact of the Des Moines River Navigation Act.

Al gave me a brief rundown of the Des Moines River Navigation Act and  how it affected settlement here and it was a real eye-opener. I had never heard of it before and I was surprised at how much of an impact it had on Fort Dodge. I don’t know how much detail he’s going to go into on that, but I will say that it’s a chance to get history of the area in a way that is more personal.

I’ve been watching Crash Course! videos about world and U.S. history. They are interesting and informative, but can only cover the subject in a superficial way. I think today’s program is a chance to get an in-depth look at some local history and there’s a good chance that there will be some real surprises in store.

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