For Students:
Introduction Quick Facts Pioneer Homes
Scavenger Hunt Life as a Pioneer History Detective
Mystery Photo Pioneer Library

Building Towns

Pioneer settlers moved into Iowa and established farms.

As more and more settlers came towns began to develop. Pioneer farmers wanted to get and send mail. They wanted to buy products such as cloth, tools, and special food items.

At first, towns were located only in eastern Iowa. Later as railroads connected the whole state, towns could be found from east to west and north to south. By 1870, Iowa was dotted with towns.

Directions - Build a Frontier Town

• What did a frontier town look like?
• What were the main buildings?
• Why was each important?

1. Research what a frontier town looked like.
   
   The village of Walnut Hill found at Living History Farms gives us an idea of what an early frontier town might have looked like.With its seventeen buildings this village includes everything from a doctor's office to a general store.
   
   
2. After researching the buildings that might be found in a frontier town, develop a map of your town.
   
   A map of Walnut Hill shows that it has one main street lined with several buildings.
   
   
3. Your own hometown may provide ideas for your model town. Search the American Memory Collection for the name of your town. This collection contains many historic panoramic photographs of main streets across America.
   
   
4. More information about pioneer towns and model buildings and patterns for making your town buildings can be found at the Hoover Library in West Branch.
   
   
5. When you have completed your town map, build the structures that would be found in your town. Be sure to label each part and give your town a name.

Life as a Pioneer Continued...

• Why Move West
• Traveling West
• Building Towns
• Frontier Problems
• American Gothic

  For Students:
Introduction Quick Facts Pioneer Homes
Scavenger Hunt Life as a Pioneer History Detective
Mystery Photo Pioneer Library