The Mississippi and Des Moines rivers meet in Keokuk, Iowa's southernmost city on the tripoint between Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. Boat clubs and wildlife share the waterfront with freight rail headed across state lines and barges passing through Lock and Dam 19. The 4-million-gallon water tower rising above the waterfront is courtesy of starch byproduct manufacturer Roquette, which employs most of this smaller neighbor to Fort Madison and Burlington. "[People] definitely get more for their money here, and they really like the small town, calm, easy living," says Lisa Johnson, an agent with Weichert Realtors who was born and raised in Keokuk. Besides its riverfront history, local tourism cashes in on the city's nickname: "Geode Capital of the World." Excavators and tourists search for riverbed treasure formed over thousands of years from the remains of ancient sea creatures in the Lower Warsaw Formation. "So many people come for the geodes," Johnson says. "They love them and appreciate them, and it makes you learn to appreciate them more too when you see the excitement that it brings everybody."
Keokuk is famous for being home to the largest hydroelectric plant in the world back in the early 1900s.
Keokuk residents take pride in their city and their smaller communities.
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Homes with Mississippi views or acres of land
Keokuk's median home price is well below the national median and on par with Fort Madison and Burlington at under $120,000. Homes here date as far back as the 1890s, some including sizeable backyards overlooking the Mississippi or Rand Park. "It's just a mix of everything," Johnson says. "I have clients who are fixer-uppers, and we have people looking for move-in ready." Ranch-style homes line streets closer to the town center and sit on several acres along winding country roads. Though buildable lots hit the market often, new construction is a rare find. "There's been a few of course, but it's usually due to somebody having to relocate due to work or family," Johnson says.
Large and custom homes occupy prime real estate on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River in Keokuk.
Smaller bungalows and other home styles make up much of Keokuk.
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Eagle hunting at Rand Park and boating the Mississippi
A monument to Chief Keokuk of the Sac and Fox Indians overlooks the Mississippi at 50-acre Rand Park. Visitors may catch a glimpse of eagles on the river using the park's telescopes. "Down at the Lock and Dam 19, they have a live footage cam of an eagle's nest so you can watch them," Johnson says. Along with geode displays, the Keokuk-Hamilton Dam Museum chronologizes Keokuk's hydroelectric plant history. "They show real footage of back in the day when they were building it and what they were using for construction," Johnson says. Wave runners, kayaks and larger craft take off from Mississippi-front boat launches. Residents also get outdoors at pocket parks, a public golf course and Keokuk National Cemetery, the only remaining national cemetery in Iowa.
The views from Rand Park in Keokuk are unmatched.
Keokuk National Cemetery is the last of its kind in the state of Iowa.
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Geode hunts to welded Christmas displays
Yacht and boat club members enjoy private riverfront events, from a Mardi Gras Shrimp Boil to tribute bands and pool tournaments. Locals break out their welding equipment and power tools to craft the annual drive-by Display of Lights at Rand Park. "It takes about a month to get it all ready, and they open up the day after Thanksgiving," Johnson says. "It really brings a lot of people together." The First Christian Church parking lot serves as home base for Bald Eagle Appreciation Days in January and Geode Family Fest, a 3-day hunt with award categories like Rarest, Largest and even Ugliest Geode.
Southside Boat Club is a social club and music venue open to members and the public alike.
Geodes are east to come by in Keokuk, being found near streams and in creek beds.
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Local digs, chains and essentials on Main Street
Main Street is the commercial drag for Keokuk, collecting everything from locally owned shops and dive bars to chain restaurants and several hardware stores. Though many storefronts are vacant, revitalization efforts from Main Street Keokuk and gap financing from the Keokuk Revolving Loan Fund encourage new blood in the business district. Along with Hy-Vee and Aldi, the city has one of three Walmart Supercenter locations in southeast Iowa. "We pretty much have everything here, but if you wanted to do any big mall shopping, you'd definitely need to go outside of town," Johnson says.
Downtown Keokuk's Main Street is lined with historic buildings that house local businesses and restaurants.
Keokuk residents have easy access to Walmart, a great all-around shopping store.
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Traveling to Fort Madison or Burlington for some essentials
U.S. Route 61 leads 22 miles to Fort Madison and 40 to Burlington, two neighboring river cities with more shopping options and some services not found in Keokuk. Though Insight Medical Group agreed to reopen Keokuk's recently shuttered hospital, the Fort Madison campus of Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center serves the community for the time being. Flights to St. Louis and Chicago take off from Southeast Iowa - Burlington Regional Airport, the closest option besides Eastern Iowa Airport, 112 miles away in Cedar Rapids. Regional manufacturers in these cities supplement Keokuk's employer base, and Johnson adds that many Keokuk employees commute to the Koch Fertilizer plant in Wever, just northwest of Fort Madison. "It's probably a 30-minute drive," she says.
Keokuk schools and SCC dual credit
The Keokuk Community School District scores a B-minus from Niche. Some students start as young as 3 years old at Torrence Preschool, which plans to relocate from its current building in the coming years to accommodate more students. The district also buses to rural areas to the north and west. One of two Southeastern Community College campuses is in Keokuk, and high school students apply for the Jump Start Dual Credit program and work towards their bachelor's or associate degrees.
Keokuk High School serves around 600 students in grades 9-12.
Keokuk students have the opportunity for close-to-home secondary education at Southeastern Community College.
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Tracking crime and wind events in Keokuk
Though Lee County is no stranger to tornado and wind events, not many reach as far south as Keokuk. “We did have a derecho go through 2 years ago that did some damage, but nothing that we couldn’t recover from,” Johnson says. “It didn’t take out buildings or homes, just trees, fencing, things like that.” FBI data shows that property crimes in Keokuk have been on a steady downward trend since 2017. While violent crimes spiked in 2021, they have since decreased continually.
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