5 Surprising Belle Plaine Facts: The Early Years

1860s cabin in Belle Plaine area

​1. John Insley Blair, a railroad magnate and Blairstown's namesake, platted Belle Plaine as well as Boone, Ogden, and Ames.

2. Belle Plaine's first mayor was D. A. Kennedy, a Civil War Veteran who had been in the 28th Iowa Infantry. He returned to teach in Belle Plaine's first public school and take up duties as mayor.

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Belle Plaine Main Street 1860s or 1870s

​​3. Belle Plaine's first postmaster was D.C. Forbes who took the position in the 1860s. His office was a shack on 12th Street, and 9th Avenue. 

4. William Dana Ewart was an early Belle Plaine resident who was in business with CW Gore (see left). He opened Ewart Manufacturing Co. and invented a square detachable link for chain belts that eventually led to the Link Belt businesses.

Belle Plaine Main Street 1870s

​5. By the end of 1868, Belle Plaine had over 100 businesses, including 3 hotels, 4 boarding houses, 2 hat shops, 3 tailors, and 9 saloons. 

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