IAGenWeb Project

Warren County Iowa GenWeb
HOME

US GenWeb

Lake Ahquabi State Park & Camp Allerton

In 1934 an area of 770 acres in Warren County was purchased to construct an artificial lake and park, located about 5 miles south of Indianola.  Most of the work was done by Company 769 of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1934 to 1936, with the park opening May 29, 1936.  Beside the 130 acre lake was a boating ramp area, a main lodge, bathhouse, parking ground, and eight cabins.

During the two years that the CCC constructed the lake and buildings in the park they were stationed in barracks which they built and named Camp Allerton, located at the Warren County Fairgrounds in Indianola.

Camp Allerton Barracks		 Lake Ahquabi
The Chief newspaper

The men at Camp Allerton published a newspaper called The Chief from May 1934 through September 1936 telling about events of life at the camp. The Warren County Historical Society Library has a scrapbook compiled by Edith Conn of photos taken during and after the construction as well as copies of some of the issues of The Chief.

lodge at Lake Ahquabi cooks at Camp Allerton

Below is a Company Roster of the 470 men who built Lake Ahquabi and its buildings, listed in the April 17, 1935 issue of The Chief:

Adams, Paul – Des Moines Graham, James – Des Moines Nelson, Willard – Neola
Anderson, Bernard – Des Moines Gray, Frankie – Murray Ness, Robert – Des Moines
Anderson, Charles – Des Moines Greenwalt, Lawrence – Clinton Neve, Albert – Des Moines
Anderson, Gerald – New Market Gregg, Orville – Lindan New, Harold – Indianola
Anderson, Martin – Princeton Gregory, Roy – Kellogg Newmann, Howard – Davenport
Andrews, Lyle – Tracy Griffin, Ralph – Bettendorf Nichols, Lester – Peru
Andrle, Joseph – Cedar Rapids Grund, Sam – Des Moines Nichols, Lloyd – Ackworth
Archer, Merle – Villisca Grunsky, Harold – Bettendorf Nicholson, Marvin – New Virginia
Bacon, Kenneth – Murray Habick, Edward – Des Moines Norris, Merrill – Indianola
Bailey, Dallas – Council Bluffs Habick, John – Des Moines O’Hara, James – Council Bluffs
Bailey, Patrick – Davenport Hack, Lester – New Virginia Ogle, Wayne – Spirit Lake
Baker, Fred – Des Moines Hail, George – Norwalk Oliphant, Alger – Cedar Rapids
Baker, Robert – Perry Hall, Alfred – Glenwood Orr, Dale – Winterset
Ballew, Keith – Queen City, MO Hall, Ernest – Cedar Rapids Oswalt, Albert – Albia
Banks, Dean – Council Bluffs Halley, Clarence – Lorimor Owen, Kenneth – Spirit Lake
Bardsley, John – Council Bluffs Halloway, William – Woodburn Page, Glen – Osceola
Barenthin, George – Wheatland Hammond, Leo – Davenport Parish, George – Council Bluffs
Barnhill, Merle – Knoxville Hans, Carl – Elwood Park, Arnold – Bettendorf
Bartram, Jack – Melcher Hansen, Howard – Council Bluffs Parker, Elza – Casey
Bash, Clifford – Des Moines Hanson, George – Cedar Rapids Parker, Vincent – Des Moines
Bass, Pascal – Des Moines Hanson, Harry – Cedar Rapids Patten, James – Des Moines
Bath, Frank – Dean Harkins, Paul – Cumming Peace, Elvis – Davenport
Bauer, Virgil – Cumming Harper, Walter – Albia Pearson, William – Ackworth
Beaman, Owen – Murray Harris, James – Council Bluffs Perry, Harold – Nemaha
Beardsley, Milton – Burlington Hartl, Milo – Cedar Rapids Phillips, James – Earlham
Beeler, Eugene – Des Moines Harvey, Fred – Council Bluffs Phillips, John _ Camanche
Beezley, Elden – Oakland Hauxby, Reuben – Melcher Picken, Albert – Atlantic
Belvel, Ted – Lineville Heaberlin, Edward – Pleasantville Ping, Albert – Walnut
Benham, Charles – Des Moines Heath, Bernard – Neola Piper, James – Sioux City
Bennett, Clarence – Osceola, IA Henning, William – Council Bluffs Ploog, Duane – McClausland
Bennett, Lester – Bloomfield Henson, Ralph – Indianola Podvant, Louis – Council Bluffs
Berg, Albert – Hiteman Herbold, Glen – Newton Poling, Kenneth – Mt. Sterling
Biggart, Harry – Council Bluffs Herman, Harry – Burlington Porter, John – Des Moines
Biggs, Orville – Anita Hesseling, John – Indianola Poulson, Lyle – Valeria
Bishop, Bernard – Cedar Rapids Hessenflow, Harold – Council Bluffs Powell, Rex – Winterset
Bishop, Donald – Indianola Hetherington, George – Dallas Purcell, Robert – Burlington
Blessing, Van – Cedar Rapids Hetzler, Wilbur – Des Moines Putney, Melvin – Dexter
Boat, Francis – Vinton Hewitt, Charles – Knoxville Ragan, Benjamin – Winterset
Boll, Myrell – Indianola Hickey, Edward – McClelland Raine, Ralph – Pacific Junction
Borrall, Walter – Ackworth Hickman, Worley – Perry Randall, Clyde – Fort Des Moines
Boyd, Edward – Calamus Hill, Kenneth – Clinton Reed, Leland – Pershing
Brafford, Everett – Indianola Hoagland, Leroy – Monroe Reineke, John – Davenport
Breckenridge, Burton – Newton Holdsworth, Jess – Knoxville Reistroffer, Robert – Davenport
Brown, Lorando – Davenport Holets, Leonard – Cedar Rapids Reynolds, Burt – Newton
Bryant, Clyde – Council Bluffs Hotchkiss, Sam – Cedar Rapids Riche, Aaron – Council Bluffs
Bubon, John – Melcher Houghtaling, Paul – Indianola Ridlen, D. – Knoxville
Bucklin, Ransom – Baxter Howe, Arthur Jr. – Council Bluffs Ridout, Wayne – Winterset
Burch, Clifford – Clinton Hoyt, Dale – Winterset Rifenbury, Norman – Osceola
Burgus, Homer – Des Moines Hueser, Hubert – Davenport Rinker, James – Colfax
Burson, Frank – Indianola Hunter, Charles – Davenport Roemer, Peter – Davenport
Butler, Earl – Indianola Huss, Ralph – Prole Roger, Riley – Winterset
Buxton, Fred – Des Moines Irwin, Gordon – Council Bluffs Rolland, Walter – Knoxville
Buxton, Kenneth – Wheatland Iwed, Thomas – Osceola Romans, Clifford – Reasnor
Campbell, Floyd – Perry Jabens, William – Council Bluffs Rossiter, Gerald – Davenport
Campbell, James – Norwalk Jacobs, Edward – Davenport Roush, Harold – Newton
Carel, William – Burlington Jacobs, Giles – Indianola Runyan, Robert – Colfax
Cargin, Keith – Cedar Rapids James, Raymond – Osceola Rupe, Hobert – Pacific Junction
Carlson, Albert – Des Moines Jenkins, James – Council Bluffs Sage, Clarence – Des Moines
Carlson, Lawrence – Burlington Jennison, Howard – Albia Salazar, Jesse – Omaha, NE
Carstens, Herbert – Davenport Jensen, Wilbur – Muscatine Salmon, Max – Des Moines
Cawiezell, Lawrence – Stockton Johns, Rolland – Cedar Rapids Sawdey, Clayton – Davenport
Champlin, Paul W. – Adjutant Johnson, Delbert – Woodburn Scherz, Edwin – Davenport
Christenson, Arthur – Council Bluffs Johnson, Glen – Winterset Schildgen, John – Davenport
Citanyan, Joe – Bettendorf Johnson, Max – Des Moines Schlotter, William O. – Captain
Clark, Deloss – Des Moines Johnston, Ralph – Davenport Schmutz, Edward – Davenport
Clark, George – Council Bluffs Johnston, William - Pershing Schneider, Edwin – Council Bluffs
Clark, Richard – Monroe Jones, David – Newton Schultz, Alfred – Princeton
Clark, Roland – Indianola Jones, Delno – Pershing Schultz, Clyde – Cedar Rapids
Clark, Warren – Monroe Jones, Lowrie – Coin Schute, Thomas – Des Moines
Cleland, Maunt – St. Charles Jones, Richard – Des Moines Sejba, Lumir – Cedar Rapids
Cly, William – Winterest Jumper, Ivan – Corning Shaffer, Carrol – Lynnville
Collins, Edward – Buffalo Kean, Bernard – Des Moines Shannon, Leslie – Ackworth
Coltrane, Eugene – Indianola Kelley, Thomas – Davenport Shannon, Lyle – Baxter
Conn, Roger – Indianola Kellogg, Winston – Cedar Rapids Sherman, Rodney – Calamus
Consolver, Lawrence – Fort Des Moines Kelly, John – Cedar Rapids Shipman, Ivo – Des Moines
Coop, Dale – Attica Kensinger, Lawrence – Albia Shull, Robert – Carlisle
Cooper, Arthur – Council Bluffs Kerr, Roy – Indianola Simmons, Glynn – Davenport
Cooper, Charles – Council Bluffs Ketelsen, Gilbert – Clinton Simons, Robert – Davenport
Coughlin, Ralph – Davenport Key, Ovid – Attica Simpson, Donald – Winterset
Cowdin, Garland – Spring Hill Kimzey, John – Milo Skow, Robert – Council Bluffs
Cozad, Roy - Albia King, Dale – Bussey Slayden, Amon – Des Moines
Cragan, George – Des Moines King, Francis – Atlantic Sloan, William – Albia
Craig, Daniel – Des Moines King, John – Indianola Slone, Diamond – Osceola
Craig, Daniel – Des Moines Kirk, Allen – Denison Smith, Claude – Clarinda
Craig, Melvin – Des Moines Kissell, Arden – Council Bluffs Smith, Francis P. – Colfax
Crandle, E. R. – Camp Surgeon Kleeman, Edward - Council Bluffs Smith, Harry – Blakesburg
Crew, George – Osceola Klein, Carl – Lacona Smith, Jesse – Oskaloosa
Crocheck, Robert – Peru Knostman, Ralph – Davenport Snyder, Harold – Burlington
Crocker, Albert – Council Bluffs Knouse, Woodrow – Indianola Sohn, Adolf – Des Moines
Cruchelow, Kenneth – Indianola Koenig, Carl – Princeton Sokoll, Frank – Davenport
Cummings, Guy – Winterset Koopman, Neal – Knoxville Specketer, Herbert – Burlington
Damoulin, Jesse - Davenport Kotek, Fred – Fairfax Spellmeyer, Eugene – Council Bluffs
Damuth, Billy - Des Moines Kouri, Thomas – Des Moines Spencer, Lambert – Perry
Daniels, Charles – Des Moines Kremheller, Robert – Davenport Spillane, Donald – Cedar Rapids
Darling, Charles – Atlantic Lafferty, Junior – Perry Sprague, Earnest – Davenport
Darnold, George – Council Bluffs LaFrentz, Raymond – Davenport Stanley, Elmer – LeClaire
David, Isaac – Floris Lamb, Duane – Carlisle Stark, Orris – Osceola
Davis, Carl – Earlham Landon, Everett – Dow City Statts, Prentice – Floris
Davis, Crowlen – Davenport Lathrum, Roland – St. Charles Stevens, Harold – Cedar Rapids
Davis, Leslie – Perry Lauderman, Harvey – Dunlap Stevens, Robert – Osceola
Davison, William – Dallas Leatherman, Raymond – New Sharon Stieger, Adalbert – Cedar Rapids
Deaton, Merle – Ira Lee, Clifford – Albia Stitt, Jack – Carson
Dees, Lahoma – Des Moines Leonard, Harold – Lacona Stoops, Leslie – Council Bluffs
DeLeeu, Matthew – Monroe Lessinger, Lloyd – Albia Stovall, Woodrow – St. Louis, MO
Dennis, Carl – Peru Levine, Lester – Clinton Stover, Harry – Newton
Derrickson, James – Pleasantville Liddicoat, John – Des Moines Strawn, Ronald – St Charles
Dey, Delbert – Indianola Lillie, LeRoy D. – Captain Stuart, Donald – Lorimor
Diehl, Wallace – Cedar Rapids Lines, Ivan – Cedar Rapids Stuart, James – Winterset
Diekema, John - Otley Lodge, Frank – Davenport Stubbs, Homer – Osceola
Dietz, Floyd – Davenport Lorenzen, Forrest – Des Moines Stump, Hugh – Albia
Dluhos, Joseph – Colfax Lyman, Keith – Cedar Rapids Sullivan, Eric – Woodburn
Donnelly, John – Knoxville Lyon, Gene – Winterset Swanson, Howard – Bettendorf
Donnelson, Roy – Missouri Valley Lytton, Harold – Truro Tarrence, Max – Bunch
Dorland, Leo – Cedar Rapids Macumber, Rolland – Des Moines Taylor, Walter – Ira
Duggan, Thomas – Davenport Maier, Carl – Davenport Teed, Lloyd – Commerce
Duncan, Oral – Milo Mallory, Clarence – Attica Thomas, Walter – Pershing
Dye, Marion – Cedar Rapids Marcum, Wilford – Grinnell Thompson, Charles – Osceola
East, Edwin – Des Moines Martin, Charles – Parma, MO Thompson, Ernest – Bloomfield
Eaton, Claude – Bettendorf Mason, Earl – Newburg Thompson, Wilbert – Walnut
Eaton, Jess – Des Moines Maughan, John – Oskaloosa Thorpe, Everett – Council Bluffs
Edwards, Elmer – Linwood McCaull, Charles – Crescent Tool, Marion – Newton
Eikam, Herman – Davenport McComas, Clifton – Cedar Rapids Turner, Edd – Oakland
Ekland, Clinton – Clinton McCulley, Robert – Des Moines Utsler, Ralph – Indianola
Ellis, Earl – Neola McDaniel, Harley – Monroe Vanderly, Wilbur – Des Moines
Ellis, Elmo – Oakland McGee, Harold – Bussey VanHoosen, Marion – Newton
Elston, Russell – Des Moines McKeever, Wallace – Peru Villont, Raymond – Bussey
Engel, Fred – Burlington McKibben, Norman – Earlham Wade, William – Council Bluffs
Erost, Fred – Buffalo McLeaney, Eugene – Davenport Wagner, Benjamin – Des Moines
Fairholm, Leo – Winterset McMahon, Thomas – Calamus Wagner, George – Des Moines
Finch, William – Davenport McManus, John – Albia Wallace, Donald – DeSoto
Fink, Dail – Council Bluffs McMeel, Jerry – Cedar Rapids Wallace, Howard – Marysville, MO
Fitzsimmons, Lyle – Cedar Rapids McRoberts, Wilton – Melcher Waskiewiez, Michael – Omaha, NE
Fleming, Ross – Fort Des Moines Merical, Lester – Earlham Watson, John – Blanchard
Foley, Truman – Bedford Mesecher, Cheral – Indianola Weatherwax, Raymond – Oskaloosa
Followill, Norman – Cumming Michaelson, Alfred – Des Moines Welch, James – Davenport
Foreman, Thomas – Monroe Michl, Joseph – Bettendorf Wetzel, Portus – Stanley
Foss, John – Davenport Milburn, Edwin – Council Bluffs Wheeler, Frank – Prole
Fuller, Harold – Murray Miles, Clark – Council Bluffs Whitmore, Ray – Albia
Gamble, Charles – Des Moines Milkovich, John – Davenport Whitney, Clair – Des Moines
Gamble, Leslie – Des Moines Miller, Clare – Des Moines Wilkinson, Lyle – Indianola
Garcia, Joe – Council Bluffs Milman, John – Bettendorf Williams, Robert – Des Moines
Gardner, Ashley – Ackworth Miner, Frederick – Des Moines Willoughby, Warner – Des Moines
Garrett, James – Glenwood Miner, Marion – Council Bluffs Windle, Osmer – Council Bluffs
Garrett, Paul – Glenwood Mingus, Donald – Council Bluffs Winters, Don – Cedar Rapids
George, Arthur – Council Bluffs Moore, John – Corning Woodard, Clarence – St. Charles
Gering, Herman – Des Moines Moore, Ronald – Cedar Rapids Wooden, Glenn – Davenport
Gernandt, Paul – Davenport Morales, Alphonse – Davenport Worrell, Joe – Bloomfield
Getty, Albert – Clinton Morris, Scott – Sioux City Wright, Charles – Des Moines
Giebrick, Paul – Des Moines Morrison, Darwin – Lewis Wristen, Paul – Davenport
Gilmore, Warren – Council Bluffs Mouradin, Mikitar – Bettendorf Wynia, John – Rock Rapids
Gitt, Clarence – Cedar Rapids Muenxenmeyer, Earl – Burlington Young, Arthur – Cedar Rapids
Golbski, Edward – Bettendorf Muller, Lyle – Grant Young, Harry – Council Bluffs
Goodwin, Robert – Muscatine Music, Billy – Des Moines Younkin, Lionel – Davenport
Gordon, C. C. – Education Adviser Myers, Russell – Cedar Rapids Zier, Donald – Cedar Rapids
Gordon, Charles – Des Moines Myers, Wayne – Council Bluffs Zimmerman, Albert – Davenport
Gove, Harold – Des Moines Nasal, Frank Jr. – Clinton Zoutte, Amos – Knoxville
  Neelans, Dean – Lost Nation Zoutte, Casey – Knoxville