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Keokuk. Vacationed there close to 55 years ago on the Illinois side. Swam in the Mississippi at a place called Chutes Beach.

I'm originally from up the line, Davenport. I can remember during WWII and shortly afterwards it was one of the important industrial areas in the country.

Keokuk...< snip >... I can remember during WWII and shortly afterwards it was one of the important industrial areas in the country.

The Down-River area still is. By the way, Keokuk was probably the last area served by a 25Hz Utility Generator at the old UE Station (Now Ameren UE). It was one of two low freq systems I had ever seen. The other served the roller mills at Inland Steel in Hammond IN. I recall these were very popular in the textile industry down south.

In 1972 this county was one of the top 3 places to move in the world for a job, it was a scorching hot economy then. It was a helluva place to live and grow up.

The farm crisis really did us in, as did the unions in subsequent years. Can't believe how many times they and the pro-union elected officials drove away jobs during the 80's and early 90's with the deep farm crisis going on and people begging for jobs. Now we have a reputuation and business won't come here.

The dam is still pumping out 25HZ, and there are heavy load factories that still use it. It is an engineering marvel, built in 1913 by the same guy who built the Hoover I think. Started at both sides, he constantly measured and remeasured, and when the sides met they were only 1/4" off. Took a tour of the plant and was down in one of the intakes they were fixing when I was a kid. Freakin' cool. Amazing example of old school craftmanship.