City of Eldon

Eldon is located in the southeast corner of Wapello County eleven miles southeast of Ottumwa. Eldon’s origin is due to the construction of the Keokuk and Des Moines Road. In 1861, the site was settled by a few men, which was the beginning of the town.

 Chartered in 1853, for the express purpose of building a rail route through southeastern Iowa, the Keokuk, Fort Des Moines and Minnesota Rail Road Company reached Ashland Crossing in 1859, with the route being completed seven years later. Ashland Crossing would later become known as Williamsburg, but ultimately incorporated as Eldon in 1872. By 1874, the Keokuk and Des Moines (KD) Railway Company had been incorporated and had taken ownership of the original line through Eldon. Eldon quickly became a busy hub for railway activity after the Chicago and Southwestern Railway Company added an additional line through Eldon that linked portions of the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railway Company with Leavenworth, Kansas.

The City of Eldon has a total area of 1.12 square miles, with .01 of that being water. The city is situated on the north bank of the Des Moines River.

Some statistics about Eldon:

• The population is around 900 people.

• Eldon’s cost of living is 27% lower than the United States average.

• May, June, and September are the most pleasant months, while December and January are the least comfortable.

Click HERE for a video featuring highlights of the Eldon area. Or click HERE to see a map and details of surrounding attractions.