Quasqueton

History

Quasqueton is the oldest community in Buchanan County. It first appears in the 1840 Census, The first grist mill in Quasqueton was built in 1842. The Quasqueton post office was established in 1844. The second newspaper in Buchanan County (after only the Independence Civilian), the Quasqueton Guardian, was founded in Quasqueton in December 1856. The founders of the paper were Jacob Rich and George C. Jordan. The founders moved the paper to Independence in 1858 and changed the name to the Buchanan County Guardian. Jordan died during the Civil War, while fighting on the side of the Union. The paper was sold to S.B. Goodenow in 1864 and became the Guardian of Independence. In 1866, the Guardian was sold to J.L. Loomis, who merged the paper with the Buchanan County Bulletin. The merged paper was named the Buchanan County Bulletin and Guardian. The paper was sold to William Toman in 1869, and the name was changed back to the Independence Bulletin. In 1891, the paper was merged with the Independence Journal, becoming the Independence Bulletin-Journal. The paper was later merged with the independence Conservative, becoming the Independence Conservative Bulletin-Journal. Today it is known as the Independence Bulletin Journal. In 1858 the Quaqueton Mutual Protection Company was organized to prevent against horse thievery. In 1904 most of Quasqueton was destroyed in a fire.

Geography

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

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,000
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  892
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  718
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  705
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  702
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  679
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  645
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  585