Photos : Top-Left : Clinton City Council At-Large candidates ( Gregg Obren ) with mediator Attorney David Pillars during a forum held in October inside Clinton City Hall Council Chambers . Top-Middle : Clinton History Club President John Rowland speaks to the Clinton History Club at Paddle Wheel Park in 2021 . Top-Right : Gravestones in the Civil War section of Springdale Cemetery .
a historic preservation roundtable .
CIVIL WAR GRAVESTONES AND AUNT LIZ
Of the 10,000 gravesites in Springdale Cemetery , 62 are framed by a cement retaining wall in a section where Civil War veterans were buried . The gravestones marking where they lie started sinking into the ground long ago and the names of the veterans and years they lived have become barely legible over time .
The Gateway History Club , however , has begun the process of obtaining federal government funding to be used for the replacement of the soft limestone grave markers , those besides the approximately 20 already replaced with new granite stones .
One gravestone was replaced with an obelisk that stands taller than those it ’ s in line with . This marks the grave of a woman , Elizabeth Fairfax , who is buried among the soldiers .
Fairfax , known as “ Aunt Liz ,” lived in the south during the Civil War . There , Fairfax escaped from slavery and traveled north with a Union regiment , nursing the sick and wounded soldiers .
When the regiment stopped in Clinton , Fairfax decided to stay , presumably because she felt that she ’ d made it far enough north to be safe . She raised two kids and , according to the Clinton County Historical Society , and made a living selling quilts . Fairfax lived in Clinton until her death in April of 1908 .
“ There ’ s all these kinds of stories that we found through the years ,” Obren says . “ People are so interested to hear ."
OTHER PROJECTS IN THE WORKS
Another project the Gateway History Club is working on is trying , with the Clinton Public Library , to find sources of funding while creating community interest in restoring and preserving historic photos , slides , movies , and videos of Clinton .
“ Especially anything showing the old buildings or historic sites ,” Rowland says .
In April , the club will do a presentation at Fulton Martin House Museum on Little Rock Island .
They ’ re also considering organizing another bus tour .
HISTORY AS AN ALLURE
In regard to Clinton ’ s future , Rowland says the past is the best indicator .
“ There ’ s one trend that ’ s obvious in Iowa , and it ’ s everywhere ,” he says , “ and it ’ s been going on for 100 years . It ’ s that people keep transitioning from the rural small towns to bigger populations .”
According to U . S . Census data , the
Elizabeth Fairfax population of Clinton County grew from 2,822 people in 1850 to 57,122 in 1980 . Steadily decreasing since then , the population of the county in 2022 was 46,344 .
“ That ’ s what the past is telling us , is that these small towns are dying , the the rural area is dying ,” Rowland says . “ If you look at the data on some of the small towns in Iowa , you ’ d be amazed to see that some of those towns had populations of two- , three- , or four-thousand . Today , they ’ re lucky if they have 500 people .”
Obren , though , calls attention to the city ' s efforts toward the contrary .
“ Look at what we are trying to do and have already done , renovating , upgrading buildings in downtown ,” he says , going on to add that people want recreational things to do in Clinton . “ If we can get history as part of that …”
“ There ’ s a lot to offer about small towns ,” Rowland agrees . “ But they ’ ve got a lot of work to do to sell the story .”
If you know of anyone that wants to receive our free Gateway History Club newsletter and photos you can contact us at : Gregg Obren : gobren74 @ live . com or John Rowland : jrow242 @ gmail . com
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