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         VILLAGE OF ALIMEDA. This village was laid out by D. C. Maxson and James Waterbury, July 22, 1859, and was located on the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 20, township 75, range 4 west, and was surveyed by J. R. Sisson. It is part of the original town laid off as Fredonia, before the title was acquired by the United States Government. A Mr. Maxson purchased it from a Mr. Fletcher, and in connection with his partner, James Waterbury, had it resurveyed in 1859. The first house built on the plat was a storehouse by Maxson & Waterbury. The next was built by J. B. Van Dyke. It being practically a part of Fredonia, its history is the same.

The ferry at Fredonia was established by Alvin Clark in 1836, and consisted of a little flatboat capable of carrying one team and wagon at a time. The boat was built of lumber obtained by the use of a whip-saw. An Indian canoe sufficed to transport foot passengers. The Iowa River was much deeper than now, and the stream much narrower, the timber being cleared that lined its banks, and the soil being of a sandy nature, successive freshets have widened it until now it is quite shallow. The ferry boat was rented from Mr. Clark, and run by . . .

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. . . various persons, among whom were E. K. Maxson and E. C. Whipple. The latter bought it from Mr. Clark, and later sold it to C. W. Ellsworth and N. Burrus. In 1856 it passed into the hands of D. C. Maxson and Mr. Chapman. After operating it for a time Mr. Maxson sold his interest to his partner, who in turn disposed of it to a Mr. Hicox. It was finally sold to a Mrs. Shonnesy, and from that on went into decay.

William Todd ran a ferry at one time just above on the Iowa River, near where the Red Cedar empties into it.