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History · Calamus

Calamus dates to 1858, and 35% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 1880.

1858founded
0on the National Register
35%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Calamus began

When was Calamus founded?

1858

Calamus dates its founding to 1858 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 163 in 18802020 census: 356168 years
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1858.The full story ↓

What stands out about Calamus’ past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Calamus are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18924 editions of the USGS map, 1892 to 1991. Watch Calamus change.Old housesHalf of Calamus’ homes were built before 1953.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Calamus’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Calamus’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Calamus on the map, 1892 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Calamus. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Calamus on the 1892 USGS mapCalamus on the 1953 USGS mapCalamus on the 1976 USGS mapCalamus on the 1991 USGS map1892Wheatland sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Calamus.

The story

How Calamus came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Calamus.

Read it all →

In July 1858 the first railroad was built west from Clinton to Clarence, Iowa. It was called the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad, later changed to Chicago Northwestern Railroad Co.. In the same year, Joseph D. Fegan was deputized to go to the cross roads of the Stage Coach Lines and the Indian Trails at Syracuse, which had a small stove and a saloon, to establish a post office in 1858. No one could suggest a name and Mr. Fegan asked "Is there no creek or anything?" "Yes, Calamus Creek." "Then let it be Calamus." Due to the large hazardous swamps, the Post Office and railway station were moved to a more favorable location in what is now the town of Calamus.

ChaptersEarly settlementCivil War

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Calamus, 1876–1930

Passages that mention Calamus, cut from the printed page as they were published.

Calamus was platted in 1860 by R. S. Dickinson, who owned the land on the north side of the railroad, and Milo Smith, who later built the Revere Hotel in Clinton, who owned land on the south side of the railroad. Mr. Dickinson and his son, A. L., built the first store of any consequence and opened …
Clinton county history, written for the children of Clinton County1930Read the page →
Read the text

Calamus was platted in 1860 by R. S. Dickinson, who owned the land on the north side of the railroad, and Milo Smith, who later built the Revere Hotel in Clinton, who owned land on the south side of the railroad. Mr. Dickinson and his son, A. L., built the first store of any consequence and opened a large and complete stock of merchandise. Later they went into grain-buying. Calamus was incorporated in 1876.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Farmers’ Telephone Line In the Farmers’ Telephone Line that was started at Calamus, is one of the most helpful accessories to rural activities. It connects Calamus and Olive Township with Grand Mound, Welton, Elwood, Lost Nation, Toronto, Wheatland, Big Rock and Dixon and has its own modern exchang…
Clinton county history, written for the children of Clinton County1930Read the page →
Read the text

Farmers’ Telephone Line In the Farmers’ Telephone Line that was started at Calamus, is one of the most helpful accessories to rural activities. It connects Calamus and Olive Township with Grand Mound, Welton, Elwood, Lost Nation, Toronto, Wheatland, Big Rock and Dixon and has its own modern exchange at Wheatland as well as one at the main central office in Calamus where their old school building has been rebuilt into a very satisfactory exchange.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Calamus, a post office and small village on the C. & N. W. Railway, was platted in 1860, by R. S. Dickinson, who owned the land on the north side of the railroad, and Milo Smith, who owned that on the south. It was replatted in 1865. James Keith opened the first store here, a small stock of groceri…
The history of Clinton County, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns &c., biographical sketches of citizens1879 · page 633Read the page →
Read the text

Calamus, a post office and small village on the C. & N. W. Railway, was platted in 1860, by R. S. Dickinson, who owned the land on the north side of the railroad, and Milo Smith, who owned that on the south. It was replatted in 1865. James Keith opened the first store here, a small stock of groceries and notions. R. S. Dickinson and his son A. L., in 1861, built the first store of consequence, and opened a large and complete stock of general merchandise, and engaged in grain-buying. Two or three years later, R. E. Houck opened a small store, and has continued in trade there since, building up a successful

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Calamus was first settled by R. S. Dickinson, in 18G0, but the town was not laid out until 1804. The town first began its career outhe north side of the railroad, out in a few years the " business (Renter " was transferred to the more favorable location on the south side.
Gazetteer and directory of Clinton county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, and of the cities of Clinton and Lyons ...1876Read the page →
Read the text

Calamus was first settled by R. S. Dickinson, in 18G0, but the town was not laid out until 1804. The town first began its career outhe north side of the railroad, out in a few years the " business (Renter " was transferred to the more favorable location on the south side.

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Calamus, 1858 to 1892

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1858
    FoundingCalamus is established
  3. 1858Post officeThe Calmus post office opens
  4. 1892On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Calamus, decade by decade

Today12 recent
CalamusIowaPopPlot2021CalamusIowaPopPlotCalumas Iowa Volunteer fire department2016Calumas Iowa Volunteer fire departmentWesley United Methodist Church2014Wesley United Methodist ChurchFaith Lutheran Church2014Faith Lutheran ChurchCalamus, Iowa2014Calamus, IowaPublic School, Calamus, Iowa 19072013Public School, Calamus, Iowa 1907Calamus Iowa 20090712 Welcome Sign2009Calamus Iowa 20090712 Welcome SignCalamus Iowa 20090712 Water Tower2009Calamus Iowa 20090712 Water TowerCalamus Iowa 20090712 Post Office2009Calamus Iowa 20090712 Post OfficeCalamus Iowa 20090712 Fire Station2009Calamus Iowa 20090712 Fire StationCalamus Iowa 20090712 City Hall Library2009Calamus Iowa 20090712 City Hall LibraryIAMap-doton-Calamus2004IAMap-doton-Calamus
People over time

Calamus, census by census

010020030040050018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 452

Between 163 and 452 people in every census since 1880.

15 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Calamus’ Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Calamus

Nobody well known was born in Calamus itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Lara Flynn BoyleAmerican actress · b. 1970
Seth RollinsAmerican professional wrestler and actor · b. 1986
Julia MichaelsAmerican singer and songwriter · b. 1993
Sue LyonAmerican actress · b. 1946
Bix BeiderbeckeAmerican jazz musician · b. 1903
Susan GlaspellAmerican writer · b. 1876

Questions about Calamus’ history

What year was Calamus founded?

In 1858, according to Wikidata. Calamus’ post office opened in 1858, and the census of 1880 counted 163 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (12), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.