Dalmanutha
Introduction
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Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Underground Railroad in Iowa
John Brown Freedom Trail 1859 - Stop Number Six: Dalmanutha, Iowa
Iowa Freedom Project
On February 15, 1859, the John Brown party stopped at Dalmanutha, a settlement on the Middle River. They stopped at the tavern hotel, operated by John Porter, a 49 year old farmer and hotel operator. At that time, Dalmanutha was still a hamlet, with only ten dwellings. The Brown entourage stayed only one night before continuing eastward.
Dalmanutha was laid out in 1855 in Thompson Township in southern Guthrie County. The Western Stage Company was operating stage coaches between Des Moines and Council Bluffs that stopped at Dalmanutha. The community supported a post office from 1863 to 1875. It is now a ghost town approximately five miles northwest of Casey, marked by only a few buildings, historic markers and the Dalmanutha Cemetery. Porter, the abolitionist, is buried at the western edge of the cemetery.
Next Stop: Redfield, Iowa
Sources
Iowa and the Underground Railroad
https://iowaculture.gov/sites/default/files/History%20-%20Education%20-%20Lifelong%20Learning%20-%20Iowa%20Underground%20Railroad%20(PDF).pdf