History
The site for the county-seat town of Lewis was
selected in 1853. The following year the town was
platted and lots were sold. From the beginning, Lewis
was a thriving community: several four horse coaches
arrived daily traveling the State road between Des
Moines and Council Bluffs. A road from Oskaloosa joined
the State road at Lewis. Another route went to Glenwood,
IA. In the spring of 1868 the Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific Railroad was built through Cass County -
signaling an end to the trails era. With the trains came
a large influx population in the northern part of the
county, and the county seat, by popular vote, was moved
to Atlantic in 1869. A branch of the Rock Island
Railroad was built to Lewis in 1879, and the line
operated until the 1940's.
Lewis is one of the oldest
towns in the area, has always been a progressive farming
community. Over the years, purebred cattle, hogs and
horses were proven by many livestock breeders to be the
way for progress. Resident Oliver Mills also assisted in
the establishment of Iowa State University where various
crops were developed for maximum yields. In other areas,
William "Bill" Brown was a major engineer in the
development of microwaves. Edwin Perkins, born in Lewis,
later developed Kool-Aid.
Hitchcock House , and the Nishnabotna Ferry House are
historical attractions of national importance to the
area. Both are on the National Register of Historic
sites and the Network to Freedom. The Mormon Pioneer
National Historic Trail crossed the East Nishnabotna
River about a mile downstream from Lewis, and in later
years passed directly through Lewis as did the 1856-57
handcart trail.
Lewis, Iowa is accessible from Highways 6, 71, 92 and
I-80. |
