WELCOME TO POTTAWATTAMIE CO., IOWA

HISTORY OF IOWA AND POTTAWATTAMIE CO.

Early inhabitants were Mound Builders who dwelt on Iowa's fertile plains.  Later, Woodland Tribes including the Iowa and Yankton Sioux lived in the area.  The first European, Marquette and Joliet, gave France its claim to the area, 1673.  In 1762, France ceded the region to Spain, but Napoleon took it back, 1800.   It became part of the U.S. through the Louisiana Purchase, 1803.  Native American Sauk and Fox Tribes moved into the area from states further east but relinquished their land in defeat, after the 1832 uprising led by the Sauk chieftain, Black Hawk. By mid-19th century they were forced to move to Kansas.  Iowa became a territory in 1838, and entered as a free state, 1846, strongly supporting the Union.

Council Bluffs was first called Kanesville.  Lewis and Clark made their journey up the Missouri River in 1804.  Later they held a council with the Missouri, Pottawattamie, and Otoe Tribes on the bluffs above the river.  It was then suggested that Kanesville be called "Council Bluffs".

In the 1840's several thousand Mormons arrived in the area from Nauvoo, Illinois.  It was here that Brigham Young was elected President of the Mormon Church and it is here were Brigham Young had his followers stay until he called for them.   He found the valley of Salt Lake City, Utah and the trail thru Council Bluffs was called the Mormon Trail until gold was discovered in California and then the trail was called the Oregon Trail.

Council Bluffs was the hub for the building of the transcontinental railroad and thus became a major rail center.  Many immigrants from Europe helped build and worked for the railroad.