The seventh chapter in Iowa, Stars and
Stripes, was officially chartered April 28,
1897, at the home of Edith Crapo.
Mrs. Alice Little, last of the twenty-one
charter members, died in 1964 at the age of
101.
The following
article with no masthead included, published
in a local Burlington newspaper, recounts a
chapter meeting during the organizational
process: "Stars and Stripes Chapter was
organized on January 20, 1897, and the
name chosen and constitution adopted
January 23. On February 22, there
being fourteen members, the first
programme meeting was held at the home of
Miss [Edith] Crapo, our indefatigable
young Regent, who has given unlimited time
and thought and energy to the forming of
this Chapter. The parlor was draped
with flags, and the tea table trimmed with
patriotic colors and appropriate flowers.
Tiny flags were presented to the
members, and to each flag was tied a cord
bearing some stirring extract from
Washington's writings or addresses."
Throughout the years, the chapter has
supported projects of the national and
state societies and endeavors to
perpetuate the memory of history-making
events by placing bronze markers at local
sites of historical significance.
Historical
markers have been placed by the
Stars and Stripes Chapter at the following
Des Moines County sites:
- Stagecoach
Depot
at Jimtown Road, 2 miles west of
Danville on US Highway 34
- Lt.
Zebulon Pike¹s Landing, Crapo Park in
Burlington, overlooking the
Mississippi River. Pike unfurled
the Stars & Stripes August 23,
1805. Organizing Stars and
Stripes regent, Edith Crapo, was a
member of the Crapo family for which
Crapo Park was named.
- Blackhawk
Springs,
Crapo Park in Burlington, overlooking
the Mississippi River was named for
the Sauk warrior leader Black Hawk.
- First
Legislative Assembly of Iowa
Territory, west side of 3rd Street
between Washington and Columbia
Streets in Burlington
- Pathway
of the Pioneers, at Agency and Curran
Streets in Burlington. Wagons
circled west on this hilltop, Agency
Hill.
- Solar
Eclipse of 1869, South Hill Park at
7th and Elm Streets in Burlington
- James
Wilson Grimes Homesite, 700 Pine
Street in Burlington. Grimes was
a prominent lawyer and legislator.
- Seven
Revolutionary War soldiers buried in
Des Moines County. A bronze
plaque is located at the Des Moines
County Court House in Burlington.
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