Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

their annual shoot. The Gun Club was, when first
organized in 1882, called the Sportsmen's Club. The
‘boys" went down to N.S. Noble's tobacco fleld for their
first try at pigeon shooting from traps — that is, at clay
balls thrown in the air by an apparatus made for that
purpose. Eleven contestants appeared that first time
and each was allowed 10 shots. N.S. Noble hit 7 of 10:
John Martin, 4; James Johnson, 9; G.B. Graves, 4: E.C.
Holt, 5: E.W. Gawley. 9: James Oakley. 6: J.H.
Chapman, 4; M.M. Mott. 4: R.M. Bush. 5: J.L. Sheean.
4. This was considered pretty fair for the first round.
The next month, five members of the club supplied
themselves with first-class English double-barrel
breach loaders — four of the Manton make, and one
Bonehill. The owners were R.M. Bush, E.C. Holt, B.F.
Shaw. J.H. Chapman and George H. Higby. The club
ordered 1,000 glass balls and 100 puff-balls, good for
1,000 hits. (When struck, they a emitted a slight puff.
or cloud of dust). The avid trap-shooters continued this
new-found sport with zest and vigor. By June, they
were holding shooting matches for $10 prizes, using
clay pigeons.
In July 1884 they were called the Gun Club and the
purses totaled $200. At the shooting match,in August
of that year, 300 live pigeons were furnished for 15
cents each, and clay pigeons at 5 cents each.
In June 1917. at the Gun Club's annual shoot, held at
the fair grounds. nearly 30 gunners enjoyed the day's
sport, with all but three of those participating shooting
the entire program. of 300 birds. W.D. Sheean held high
gun for the day, breaking 193 out of a possible 200
Old Anamosa Fairgrounds Pavilion — last visible
reminder of thefairs.
birds. Dave Flanagan had a run of 86, and Charles
Hummell. one of the best shots in the state, had a
straight mn of 68. The following are those who shot the
full program of 200 birds: Chas. Hummell, 192: Dave
Flanagan, 166; L. F. Kessler, 186; C.W. Hymer,183: F.
M. Hamblin. 183: J.E. Tyler. 162: L.D. Burrell. 181: Ed
Kessler, 177; H. Muncey, 176; John W. Goodman, 175:
J.O. Miller, 173; D.A. Downing, 171; F.W. Ferring,171;
F.H. Schwarz. 170: A.M.Maurice, 166; H.S. Richardson,
161: George Crompton, 158; C. Bothell, 156; J.A.
Hartman, 156; H.E. Beam, 155: A.H. Cleveland, 154:
C.A. Fairbanks, 153: and Bob King, 153.
in 1931, with the destruction by fire of the major
portion of the main buildings at the fair grounds, and
due to poor economy, the fairs fell by the wayside
and were begun in earnest in Monticello. That town is
the site of the present Jones County Fairs and has been
since the 1930s.
q
Wapsipinicon State Park
Editor's note: This article was compiled and
published in the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the
Anamosa Eureka in 1978.
The lowa Park and Forestry Association was
organized in 1901. to encourage the establishment of
parks. However, little interest was manifested until the
creation of the State Conservation Commission.
The Wapsipinicon State Park, near Anamosa, is one
of 66 parks owned by the state. lt was created in 1921.
and, from time to time, its history has been downright
exciting.
For instance, during the late 1850s, horse thieves
used the inner Dutch Creek Valley to hide stolen
horses, while thieves camped out in the nearby
spacious Horse Thief Cave, which gave the cave its
name. Of course. the desperadoes knew nothing of the
nine human skeletons buried therein that would
eventually be removed from the cave.
The Klu Klux Klan met at the park on at least one
occasion, and for a time, one of the largest swimming
pools in the state was located in the park.
it is believed to be the first time land was donated to
the state of lowa for park purposes.
This came about when Anamosa citizens, to expedite
state plans to locate a site near here, met in the old
courthouse in February 1921, to see if there was
enough interest to purchase approximately 180 acres
and donate the land to the state, free .and clear. The
land in question was located south of the Wapsipinicon
river and was owned by Asa W. Smith. He used parts of
the land to raise horses (legitimately) which he
purchased in the West.
J . August Pearson, of Anamosa, who at that time was
employed at the Iowa Men's Reformatory, explained,
“The meeting took place on a Saturday night. It had
been pre-planned that on Monday morning a crew of
prisoners would be sent to clear out the timber on the
Smith property. The state was to receive one-half of the
wood. The citizens committee working quickly,
pledged enough money to purchase an option on the
property and the trees were left standing."
From that Saturday night meeting, a committee of 15
persons spearheaded a drive that raised $24,000 worth
of pledges in the next few weeks.
The state officials also acted quickly in accepting the
unusual offer. The co servation board formally
approved the site. Also, thgslame day, the state board of
control passed a resolut pledging labor from the
reformatory prisoners to develop the park.
The deed to the site, which originally included
183.49 acres and cost $22,936, was presented to the
State of lowa in April.
Pearson, who was one of the crew chiefs in charge of
building the roads and bridges, recalled." The school
superintendent asked to be informed when we were
ready to dynamite the bluffs at the park entrance. We
gave him a call and the school bell was sounded and the
students were dismissed so that they could watch the
proceedings. "
Thus, students and townspeople observed the start of
the road project that would take nearly five years to
complete. Blasting was necessary at many internals
along the one-mile river road, as well as interior park
bluffs. The work was accomplished by hand, using
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