Fort Dodge

In November 1850, at the juncture of the Des Moines River and the Lizard River, the US Territorial Army established a post named Fort Clarke. The following year, it was renamed Fort Dodge in honor of US senator Henry Dodge of Wisconsin. After the troops were disbanded in 1854, Maj. William Williams purchased the existing buildings and infrastructure from the US government and platted the city. Over the course of the 19th century, Fort Dodge developed into a booming city known as the leading...