Queen City, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Queen City was an Adams County
, Iowa
farming town located about three miles (5 km) northeast of present day Corning, Iowa
, and northwest of the Icarian
commune with which it shared a post office. Queen City co-existed with the Icarian colony, and was possibly created before the Icarian society was founded in 1854.
The town was officially platted in October 1857, after three men purchased 262 acres (1.1 km²) from landowner Samuel Larimer for development. Larimer was named Queen City's first postmaster in 1858 when the post office was moved from Icaria. The town grew to a population of about 150 at its peak in the 1860s, and had general stores, a drug store, doctor's office, and two hotels. However, Queen City's fortunes declned when Corning was selected as the local railroad stop in 1869, and county seat in 1872. The number of residents dwindled, and the plat for town returned to private ownership in March 1885.
U.S. Census
records reflect that the township
in Adams County where Queen City was located was called Queen City Township as of 1860 (pop. 212). However, the name was changed to Prescott Township
in 1873.
Queen City was all but forgotten, and not a significant part of written Adams County history, until Lake Binder was created as a water supply for nearby Corning. When the lake was dug some tombstones and an estimated 200 gravesites were found. The remains and gravestones were moved to a new location, today just north of the lake, where a monument was built marking the abandoned town in 1980.
Adams County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 4,029 in the county, with a population density of . There were 2,010 housing units, of which 1,715 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
farming town located about three miles (5 km) northeast of present day Corning, Iowa
Corning, Iowa
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,783 people, 803 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,132.3 people per square mile . There were 880 housing units at an average density of 558.9 per square mile...
, and northwest of the Icarian
Icarians
The Icarians were a French utopian movement, founded by Étienne Cabet, who led his followers to America where they established a group of egalitarian communes during the period from 1848 through 1898.-European roots:Étienne Cabet was born in France in 1788...
commune with which it shared a post office. Queen City co-existed with the Icarian colony, and was possibly created before the Icarian society was founded in 1854.
The town was officially platted in October 1857, after three men purchased 262 acres (1.1 km²) from landowner Samuel Larimer for development. Larimer was named Queen City's first postmaster in 1858 when the post office was moved from Icaria. The town grew to a population of about 150 at its peak in the 1860s, and had general stores, a drug store, doctor's office, and two hotels. However, Queen City's fortunes declned when Corning was selected as the local railroad stop in 1869, and county seat in 1872. The number of residents dwindled, and the plat for town returned to private ownership in March 1885.
U.S. Census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
records reflect that the township
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
in Adams County where Queen City was located was called Queen City Township as of 1860 (pop. 212). However, the name was changed to Prescott Township
Prescott Township, Adams County, Iowa
Prescott Township is one of twelve townships in Adams County, Iowa, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 433.Prescott Township was formed in 1873 from the formerly named Queen City Township, to which a portion of Quincy Township was also annexed....
in 1873.
Queen City was all but forgotten, and not a significant part of written Adams County history, until Lake Binder was created as a water supply for nearby Corning. When the lake was dug some tombstones and an estimated 200 gravesites were found. The remains and gravestones were moved to a new location, today just north of the lake, where a monument was built marking the abandoned town in 1980.
External links
- Contemporary map of Adams County which shows Queen City and Icaria