Dows

History

Dows got its start in the year 1880, following construction of the railroad through that territory. Dows is named for a railroad contractor, Col. William Greene Dows. The Dows Historical Society and community volunteers have restored several historical buildings, three of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Rock Island Depot in Dows was built in 1896. The historical society purchased and restored the depot in 1988 that houses an Iowa Welcome Center and historical railroad and community memorabilia. The Quasdorf Blacksmith and Wagon Museum was built in 1899 and was restored in 1990. This is one of the best equipped blacksmith shops in the Midwest. The Fillmore Building, a large cornerstone building on the south side of Main Street, was built in 1894 and has housed many businesses over the years. In 1987 the building was purchased by the historical society and restored. In 1989, the Dows Mercantile, an antique mall covering three floors, opened in the building. Image:Dows Depot.jpg|Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Passenger Depot (later part of the Rock Island Railroad) Image:Quasdorf 2.jpg|Quasdorf Blacksmith and Wagon Museum Image:Fillmore Block Dows.jpg|Fillmore Building The Vernon Township Schoolhouse was built in 1887 and is a typical of what one-room, country schoolhouses were like in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The building was moved to town and was restored both inside and out. The schoolhouse is furnished with original desks, blackboards, and books. Another historical building located in the downtown area is the Evans Prairie Home, located across from the Welcome Center.

Geography

Dows is located west of Interstate 35. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity