Clayton and Guttenberg, Iowa

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When French missionaries traveled this portion of the Mississippi in 1673, they called this area Prairie La Porte, which translates to "door to the prairie". Guttenberg area was a site of Sac and Fox campgrounds until 1823. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 transferred ownership to the United States and the Black Hawk Purchase of 1833 finally opened the area for legal settlement. This area was settled by German immigrants after the last  Fox Indian settlement was abandoned in 1832. They named this town after Johannes Gutenberg, the fifteenth-century inventor of the first moveable type. A facsimile of a Bible he printed may be seen at the public library.

Guttenberg's riverfront  location influenced early commercial development. The town first served as a focal point for westward settlement and as an early governmental and administrative center. It was the early location of the county seat between 1838-1843. Guttenberg served as a supply center for the general area until the Civil War when railroads and an interior road system combined to decrease Guttenberg's role as a market center.  The earliest businesses included general supply stores, blacksmith, wagon shops, and hotels. The loss of the county seat in 1843 slowed growth and the population declined. Economic revival began in 1845 with the influx of hundreds of German immigrants under the auspices of the Western Settlement Society of Cincinnati and continued with the development of the lead mining industry along Miners Creek.  The German immigration began in 1845 and by 1850 the town was quite sizable and nearly all German.

Guttenberg incorporated in 1851. The influence of the German population was best indicated by the construction during the period between 1845 and 1865 for over one hundred stone buildings. The bluff limestone was easily obtained and good, local clay and lime for construction was available. Four large riverside warehouses opened and a large flour mill, stores, and hotels appeared during this period. The steamboat trade deposited merchandise and picked up farm produce, milled flour and lead ore.  

Guttenberg has experienced its share of floods over the years, the most recent and devastating occurred in 1965. After this flood, a flood control levee was built which protects the community from future floods. Today, Guttenberg's population is 2,500 and is the largest town in Clayton County. Guttenberg has adapted to many changes
that have occurred since its founding over 150 years ago, yet the community continues to flourish both economically and in population.

Take a few minutes to watch barges, fishermen, and pleasure crafts pass through the lock and dam. Enjoy a picnic in the city’s mile long riverside park; or visit the aquarium, old brewery, or museum. You can stroll along the quiet streets and explore the many specialty and antique shops. Guttenberg features many historic limestone buildings built by German immigrants. These beautiful buildings were used for both residential and commercial purposes. Many of these majestic limestone structures are pre-civil war era and are on the national historic register. Enjoy a walking tour of these buildings through the downtown area.

The beauty of the Fall foliage coloring the towering bluffs of Guttenberg is breathtaking. Delighted visitors return year after year to enjoy the spectacular Fall leaf colors which generally reach their peak the first or second weekend in October.

Visit Guttenberg, where you will find the people and the business community friendly and accommodating.

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