Cascade Historic Limestone Silo

Welcome to Cascade, Iowa—a place with a history that stretches back thousands of years. Long before European settlers arrived, Indigenous people made this land their home. The Maquoketa River Valley was an important resource, providing food, shelter, and trade opportunities for generations of Native peoples.

The first known inhabitants arrived around 13,000 years ago, during what archaeologists call the Paleoindian period. These early people hunted large Ice Age animals like bison and gathered plants, roots, nuts, and fruits. Over time, as the climate changed, so did their way of life.

About 10,000 years ago, the Archaic period began, bringing a greater reliance on gathering plant resources and, eventually, early farming. People continued to hunt, fish, and use rock shelters and caves in this area for seasonal living. By 2,800 years ago, the Woodland culture emerged, introducing pottery and archery. This period also saw the rise of extensive trade networks and large earthen mounds built for ceremonies and burials.

By the 1200s, the Oneota culture dominated the region. These people lived in earthlodge villages, farming and hunting bison. The Ioway tribe, who later lived here, descended from the Oneota, as did the Ho-Chunk people to the north.

In the 1600s, the arrival of European explorers, traders, and missionaries dramatically changed Indigenous life. European diseases devastated Native populations and struggles over land forced many to move west. The Sauk and Meskwaki came to dominate this region, and by the 1800s, many tribal groups passed through Iowa, displaced from their original lands. Some Meskwaki families refused to leave, eventually establishing the Meskwaki Settlement in Tama, which remains today. Indigenous peoples shaped this land for thousands of years, leaving behind evidence of their cultures, traditions, and innovations. Cascade, the place we call home, has been a good place to live for a very, very long time."

The Historical Limestone Silo you see here, amidst the beauty of Cascade, stands a testament to both the town's agricultural legacy and its spirit of community resilience.

The journey of the silo begins with the remnants of an old bridge, a relic of a bygone era washed away by the unforgiving currents of a historic flood. As the waters receded, a resourceful local farmer saw an opportunity. Rather than letting the limestone from the bridge go to waste, he repurposed the stone to build a sturdy silo on his farm along the river. This act of ingenuity not only preserved a piece of history but also exemplified the thrifty and resilient spirit of Cascade’s citizens