Brighton

History

Brighton was laid out in 1840. During the 1840s and 1850 quickly developed into one of the largest centres of hog production west of the Mississippi. In 1854 Brighton was sorely afflicted by the Cholera. Both lines crossed the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad on the east side of town. The Burlington and Western was later widened and taken over by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy and the Iowa Central was taken over by the Minneapolis and St. Louis. There were three railroad depots in town. The Burlington and Western (after 1902, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy) depot was on the east side of town, at the south end of Liberty St. The Iowa Central (after 1901, the Minneapolis and St. Louis) depot was on the west side, between Mechanic St. and Harrison St. The Rock Island depot was several blocks south, also between Mechanic and Harrison. The Rock Island had a stockyard west of its depot, while the Burlington and Western stockyard was east of its depot.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land. Brighton is located where Iowa State Road 78 and Iowa State Road 1 meet and is located near the Skunk River and near Lake Darling State Park.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  866
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  811
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  768
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  762
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  618
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  603
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  582
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  569