Anamosa - A Reminiscence 1838 - 1988

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from the Archaic period and that the site was occupied
as early as 4000 years ago.
During the winter of 1923, an additional 20 acres of
virgin timber was donated to the state by R.F. and W.E.
Daly, to be added to the park.
A totem pole was placed on the first lower flat of the
park during the summer of 1923. It was carved by two
of the Alaskan prisoners incarcerated at the
reformatory and it was a duplicate of the totem poles
used for worship in Alaska. The Alaskans were federal
prisoners who were sent to the reformatory. The state
was reimbursed by the U.S. government. For a time
prisoners under 18 years old were sent to Anamosa.
while those above that age were incarcerated in
Colorado.
By the summer of 1923 over 100,000 persons had
visited the newly created park. One of the big
attractions was the reformatory band and vocal
concerts held on the weekends. However, these ‘free‘
concerts drew the wrath of the Cedar Rapids Musicians
Union Local 137. Efforts to halt the performances were
unsuccessful. The concerts were continued until World
War ll. When the most popular entertainers were
released from prison, it was duly noted in the
newspapers of the day, and was read with great
disappointment to the concert-goers.
In 1924, approximately 100 limestone steps were
laboriously put into place ascending from the lower
road, up between two bluffs, to be used as a short-cut to
the country club area. These limestone blocks were
formerly used as curbing for Anamosa streets, and
similar ones may still be seen on Booth street, between
First and Second streets. They were taken to the park
from other streets during a street project that year. The
steps are still used by hikers and sightseers.
The year of 1924, nationwide, officials were trying to
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The cannon. that was on display for years in the
Wapsipinicon State Park. was donated for scrap
during the war eflort, during World War Ii.
pull the sheets off of the Klu Klux Klaners. Jones
county was no exception. In June a county Klan
meeting was held in the Wapsipinicon park. The local
papers noted that there were 38 known members from
the Anamosa area. The Klan uprisings caused a state
law to be enacted prohibiting, masked or disguised
people to prowl, travel, ride or walk within this state to
disturb the peace or intimidate any person. The Lone
Ranger would not ride again!
The Wapsi Park was laid out by a state-hired
landscape gardener who supervised the planting of a
variety of over 100.000 trees in the nursery and
throughout the park. Many of the trees were left for two
years and then replanted in other state parks.
For a time, in the early days of the Wapsipinicon
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Swimming pool at the Wapsipinicon State Park. (Submitted by Jw16’SChYT1idI)
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