Fishing, Effigy Mounds draw visitors

By  B.J. Smith

If you find yourself trout fishing in Iowa or simply enjoying the quiet beauty of a chilly Iowa trout stream, chances are good you’re in Allamakee County in the far northeast corner of the state. That’s especially true if majestic bluffs loom along the Mississippi River not far away and you followed a winding trail to find your secluded spot.

This area may be best known for the Effigy Mounds National Monument,  where ancient burial mounds in the shape of bears and birds commemorate long ago Native American lives. Other mounds can be found here, too, at the Fish Farm Mounds State Preserve a few miles south of New Albin.

The county is dotted with other historical sites, as well. Many of them are on the National Register of Historic Places.  One good place to start a tour is the Allamakee County Historical Center and Old Courthouse Museum  in Waukon.

Lansing,  Postville,  Waterville and other communities here offer their own fascinating stories and places to explore. Postville, for example, isn’t just a recent tale of broken immigration rules and a big meat processing plant.  It was once the home of John R. Mott, who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1946,  and it is one of Iowa’s most culturally diverse communities. The Old Stone School in Lansing  was in continuous use for 108 years and is one of many buildings in the area dating back to the mid-1800s.

While quiet parks and campgrounds, the Mississippi and the Yellow River State Forest offer lots of opportunities to relax and enjoy the outdoors, Allamakee County also offers comfortable bed and breakfasts and a variety of unique specialty shops.

Allamakee County’s largest employers include AgriProcessors,  the Allamakee Community School District, engineering firm Norplex and Quillin’s Foods in Waukon.

Source: Allamakee County Economic Development.

Cities in Allamakee County

Harpers Ferry pop. 330
Lansing pop. 1012
New Albin pop. 527
Postville pop. 2273
Waterville pop. 145
Waukon pop. 4131

Source: Iowa League of Cities