March 31 Minutes. Our task force met with the Des Moines River Recreational River and Greenbelt Committee at the Des Moines Water Works. Thanks to their education specialist, Gail Peckum for arranging the meeting. Jim Mills (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) reviewed the status of the Greenbelt projects. Dick LeCroy led the discussion of the water trail projects.

Projects Update. We circulated a letter from the governor’s office expressing support for the water trail. Dusky Terry, coordinator of Natural Resources and Environmental Issues, will work with our group. Gerry Rowland reported that Kossuth county signed the water trail resolution bringing the number of supporting counties to 17.

Dragoon Update. Dick LeCroy presented a map showing where the Dragoons (mounted cavalry) moved through Iowa and Minnesota in 1835. The last column of the newsletter contains additional info.

Map/Brochure. Michelle Wilson of the DNR met recently with the County Conservation Directors to discuss our map/brochure. Each director now has a county map with GIS info on access points, parks, rec areas, potable water, bridges, and portages. GIS Specialist Michelle Lanterman asks the directors to make any needed corrections on their county. The finished products will show the entire water trail on one side and a detailed map of each county on the other.

Trail Signs. Donna Phipps, Polk County Conservation, is working on our logo design. The DNR is looking into grants to fund the signs at access points. We’re planning to show a prototype at the water trail dedication in June.

Governor’s Canoe Trip. June 24 Gov. Vilsack will paddle from Fraser to Boone. DNR expects the governor to make the water trail official on that date. Donna Phipps reports that most counties have been contacted re other events along the river on the same day.

Next Meeting. Our water trail task force meets next in Keosauqua, Thursday April 27 at 10 am at the historic Hotel Manning. Stacey Glandon, Executive Director of Tourism and Economic Development for the Villages of Van Buren, will host the meeting.

Dragoon Information. June 7, 1835 three companies of dragoons left Fort Des Moines #1 (near Montrose in Lee County) on a 1,100 mile march. Their marching orders sent them on the high ground between the Skunk and Des Moines Rivers to Raccoon Forks (now Des Moines) then to continue northeast to the Mississippi River near Winona, Minnesota. Their return marched them westward to the Des Moines River, which they followed from Emmetsburg southeast back to Fort Des Moines #1.

On the return march, the dragoons camped along the Raccoon River four miles west of the Des Moines. Albert lea (the march’s chronicler and topographer), one private, and an Indian guide floated down the Des Moines to assess its potential for steamboat traffic.

The entire march lasted 74 days, involved 60 campsites, and wended through every county represented on our task force.

For more dragoon information, read Albert Lea’s Notes on the Wisconsin Territory: Particularly with Reference to the Iowa District. Albert Lea’s biography, A Hero Nonetheless by Robert Merryman contains more information.

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