6 Iconic Buildings to Explore in Keokuk County

Checkout places to visit in Keokuk County

Keokuk County

Keokuk County, located in southeastern Iowa, offers visitors a blend of historical attractions, outdoor recreation, and community events. It features historical sites and landmarks that provide insight into its past. The Keokuk County Historical Society Museum and other historical sites showcase the county's cultural and architectural heritage.

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Iconic Buildings to Explore in Keokuk County

Bruce Goldfish Fisheries

Bruce Goldfish Fisheries is located in rural Keokuk County, Iowa, United States east of the village of Thornburg. It was established in 1877 by Elgin K. Bruce, who had started raising goldfish in Pittsburgh in 1845. His son, E.K. Bruce, Jr., took over the business in 1900 and he had the 1½-story, frame, Queen Anne-Neoclassical style house completed in 1910.

C.F. and Mary Singmaster House

The C.F. and Mary Singmaster House, also known as Maplehurst Ranch, or more simply Maplehurst, is located near Keota, Iowa, United States. C.F. Singmaster, a Pennsylvania native, moved to Keokuk County with his parents in 1843 and settled near Talleyrand, south of Keota. His father Samuel established the home farm, Singmaster Ranch. The family became known for the importation and breeding of draft horses.

Keokuk County Courthouse

The Keokuk County Courthouse located in Sigourney, Iowa, United States, was built in 1911. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. In 1999 it was included as a contributing property in the Public Square Historic District. The courthouse is the fourth building the county has used for court functions and county administration.

Lancaster School

Lancaster School is a preserved 1881 two-story schoolhouse located in rural Keokuk County, Iowa, United States southeast of the county seat of Sigourney.It is the last remaining public building in what was the former county seat of Lancaster. It occupies the ground that was the courthouse square. The school was one of six two-story buildings built by the county for educational purposes in the 1870s and early 1880s.

Masonic Opera House

The Masonic Opera House, also known as the What Cheer Opera House, is a historic building located in What Cheer, Iowa, United States. It is a Romanesque Revival style building from 1893. The 100-by-50-foot (30 by 15 m) facility has served as a clubhouse, an auditorium, a music facility, and a cinema.

Ramsey Building

The Ramsey Building is a historic building located in Keota, Iowa, United States. Eben J. Ramsey had the two-story, brick, Romanesque Revival commercial building constructed in 1895. Its significance is derived from its association with both the furniture and funeral business. Ramsey had both businesses in the building until 1907.

Map of Iconic Buildings to explore in Keokuk County