Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs, city (1990 pop. 54,315), seat of Pottawattamie co., SW Iowa, on and below bluffs overlooking the Missouri River, opposite Omaha, Nebr.; inc. 1853. It was first settled by whites when the Mormons came in 1846 and dubbed the site Kanesville; when they left in 1852, the settlement was renamed Council Bluffs. An important supply point during the gold rush (1849–50), Council Bluffs was made the eastern terminus of the Union Pacific RR in 1863. The city has become an important trade and industrial center for a large agricultural area; casino gambling is also economically important. It has grain elevators, and manufactures include processed foods, metal and wood products, farm equipment, chemicals, and furniture. Among the points of interest in the city are Dodge House, the former home of Gen. G. M. Dodge, founder of the Union Pacific RR; the Lewis and Clark Monument; and the Lincoln Monument, built in honor of Abraham Lincoln's visit to Council Bluffs. Lake Manawa State Park lies within the city limits.