This church was built by Thomas Mitchell. Thomas Mitchell was born in New Hampshire in 1816. he came to Iowa Territory in 1840, and in 1844 became the first white settler of Polk County. He built cabins and later inns to feed and shelter the hundr…
Marker Front:The fork of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers was recognized as an ideal site a military post as early 1834. Fort Des Moines was established in 1843, but was abandoned in 1846 following the treaty whereby the Sauk and Mesquakie Indian…