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History / Clermont, Iowa
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Listed
on the National Register of Historic Places:
Lincoln
Park, Abraham Lincoln Statue, Sen. David
B. Henderson Statue, Episcopal Church,
Montauk, Union Sunday School, Blacksmith
Shop, and Larrabee School.
State-owned
Historic Places:
Montauk, Union Sunday School, Clermont
Museum. |
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This amazing
little town packs a large historical
punch. Nowhere in any other
surrounding town will you find the treasures
that Clermont has to offer. This is in
large part due to the philanthropy of
the town's most well-known residents, the
Larrabee family. William Larrabee was
the 12th governor of Iowa from
1886-1890. Along with his wife, Anna,
and their seven children, they have left a
legacy of monuments and historic
buildings. The grandest of which is
his own residence, Montauk, which overlooks
the town.
Another factor that
makes the town so unusual is its high number
of brick buildings. Clermont enjoyed a
thriving brickmaking industry in the second
half of the nineteenth century. They
were so famous for their brick, the town
earned the name the "Brick
City." If you would like
to read more about historic Clermont, the
Clermont Historical Society offers books
for sale. Following are some
highlights from their book, "Historic
Clermont" and the Elgin/Clermont book "Echoes
from the Valley.": |
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Timeline of Clermont, Iowa History |
| 100 BC - 1492 |
Red Ochre and Hopewell Indians
settled the area followed by the Effigy
Mound builders. |
| 1492-1848 |
Sioux, Algonquin, Illini, Sac, Fox
and Winnebago Indians lived in the
region. |
| 1846 |
Iowa statehood. |
| ? |
Andrew Moates first settler. |
| 1848 |
A man named Delaplaine lays claim to
lands of present-day Clermont - builds
cabin. |
| 1849 |
Carlton & Thompson (mill firm at
Elkader) buy claim from Delaplaine and
erect sawmill on Turkey River. |
| June 1849 |
Sawmill contracted to Carlton &
Thompson. Two log cabins built
(first houses in Clermont after
Delaplaine's rude cabin claim). |
| Fall 1849 |
Mr. Carlton opens first stock of
goods . |
| 1850 |
Township established, originally
spelled "Claremont." |
| 1850 |
Edwin Stedman, John Hendershott,
Chancy Leverich, J.B. Hough, and Andrew
Martin families settle in vicinity. |
| 1851 |
Town of Clermont laid out by John
Thompson & C.D. Carlton, proprietors.
Yankees, Swiss, Irish, Swedes, and
Norwegians settle in the area. |
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Log workshop converted to school
building and public meeting place by
Edwin Stedman with wife as teacher. |
| 1851 |
Rev H.S. Brunson delivers first
sermon. Mr. Brunson came to
Clermont to build hotel, but after
completing only about half of what was
later known as the "Clermont or Browns's
House," he left. Hotel was
completed by the mill company and opened
to the public by C.D. Carlton. |
| 1851 |
First Elections held. |
| 1854 |
Thompson & Carlton begin
construction of the Clermont flour mill.
The same year they also opened the White
store. |
| 1855 |
Merchandising was carried on by
Thompson & Carlton and blacksmithing by
William Davis. This same year the
Dibble brickyard was in operation.
Since barrels for the flour mill were
needed, a cooper shop was started that
also supplied barrels for pork and tubs
for butter. |
| 1855 |
*Although the town of Clermont was
laid out by John Thompson and C.D.
Carlton, the plat was not laid recorded
until 1855. Mr. Thompson later
purchased his partner's interest and
decided to call the town "Norway."
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| 1856 |
Residents objected to the name of
"Norway" and it was decided to call the
town the original name of "Claremont."
When recorded by legislature July 15,
1856, it was spelled as "Clermont."
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| 1875 |
Clermont was incorporated as a town
on August 16, 1875.
First mayor was S.G. Clark; John Crowe
and Alex McKinley were among the first
councilmen. |
| Jul 4, 1859 |
First celebration held at Clermont.
A celebration of Independence Day fed
500 people (8 years earlier only nine
voters participated in the first
election). |
| 1886 |
Clermont native William Larrabee
becomes 12th governor of Iowa serving
two terms. (Mr. Larrabee held
interest in the Clermont Mill,
eventually owning it, started a private
bank in Clermont, served as a
representative for Fayette County in the
State Senate for 18 years, wrote the
valued work entitled, "The Railroad
Question." and donated the Larrabee
School to the town of Clermont to name
just a few of his
accomplishments/donations). |
| 1909 |
Mill converted to an electric power
plant. The plant furnished power
and light to the towns of Clermont and
Elgin , and later expanded to Central
States Power and Light, servicing a
major part of northeast Iowa. (This was
the nucleus that later became of what is
now the Interstate Power Company). |
| 1909 |
Height of Clermont brick-making.
Large brick yards in the Clermont area
employed many people and supplied brick
to surrounding states. The name
"Brick City" has stuck to Clermont from
early days, probably because brick was
made there in pioneer times and
continued without intermission for about
75 years. |
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