In the NW corner of the county, these communities are rich in Indian lore and history. A battle was fought here when a Sac & Fox war party attacked the peaceful Iowans. Chief Blackhawk and Chief Keokuk spent time in this area. Blackhawk died in 1838 of natural causes and was originally buried near Iowaville. The Iowaville cemetery has stones dating back to the mid 1800s and originated with Indian burials. S E L M A / I O W A V I L L E villagesofvanburen.com 13 C A N T R I L Cantril (pop. 221) was founded in 1872. A highlight for thousands of visitors is the Dutchman’s Store. The beautiful 23-acre Waubonsie Trail Park has a campground, 1-mile trail, and disc golf. 319-397-2295 cantrilia.com Milton (pop. 418) was founded in 1847, platted in 1851 and incorporated in 1878. Milton is home to Milton Creamery and historic sites, Heritage House Museum & Milton Depot. M I L T O N 641-656-4454 Douds and Leando are fondly referred to as Van Buren County’s “Twin Cities”. Leando (south side of Des Moines River) was settled in the 1830s. Douds was platted about 30 years later but never incorporated. From 1830 to 1990 there was no buying or selling intoxicating liquor in Douds. The two towns saw much rivalry until the river bridge was built in 1898. Today the two cities have joined and are regarded as one community, Douds. Douds is home to the largest underground limestone mine in the state, which is operating today as Douds Stone, Inc. D O U D S / L E A N D O Birmingham (pop. 441) was laid out in 1839. The city park features a new park shelter, a restored gazebo and historic log cabin. This outdoor setting provides an excellent environment for weddings, receptions, family reunions and community events. B I R M I N G H A M 319-498-4296 showcase.netins.net/web/djnsweb/bham/ T H E V I L L A G E S bentonsport.com Bentonsport National Historic District was once a thriving port of call on the Des Moines River with an estimated pop. of 1000 people. Today, there are approx. 40 residents, most of them living in the original 1840 structures. The picturesque village was named 1 of the 10 most beautiful towns in Iowa by Culturetrip.com. You’ll discover historic bed & breakfasts, rental cottages, antique and craft shops, resident artisans such as potters, blacksmith, quilters, sculptors and more. The old truss bridge is now a pedestrian bridge and the former mill site has been transformed into a beautiful Rose Garden. A visit to this Village is truly a step back in time. B E N T O N S P O R T 319-592-3579