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John Brown Freedom Trail 1859 through Iowa
Item 6 of 16
This is a contributing entry for John Brown Freedom Trail 1859 through Iowa and only appears as part of that tour.Learn More.
The Underground Railroad in Iowa John Brown Freedom Trail 1859 - Stop Number Six Iowa Freedom Project

The Underground Railroad in Iowa

John Brown Freedom Trail 1859 - Stop Number Six: Dalmanutha, Iowa

Iowa Freedom Project

On February 15, 1859, the John Brown party stopped at Dalmanutha, a settlement on the Middle River. They stopped at the tavern hotel, operated by John Porter, a 49 year old farmer and hotel operator. At that time, Dalmanutha was still a hamlet, with only ten dwellings. The Brown entourage stayed only one night before continuing eastward.

Dalmanutha was laid out in 1855 in Thompson Township in southern Guthrie County. The Western Stage Company was operating stage coaches between Des Moines and Council Bluffs that stopped at Dalmanutha. The community supported a post office from 1863 to 1875. It is now a ghost town approximately five miles northwest of Casey, marked by only a few buildings, historic markers and the Dalmanutha Cemetery. Porter, the abolitionist, is buried at the western edge of the cemetery.

Next Stop: Redfield, Iowa

Iowa and the Underground Railroad

https://iowaculture.gov/sites/default/files/History%20-%20Education%20-%20Lifelong%20Learning%20-%20Iowa%20Underground%20Railroad%20(PDF).pdf