The History of Durant, Iowa
Our History
1835 | David W Walton, first settler in this vicinity, which later becomes Durant.
1853 | The Mississippi and Missouri Railroad come to Iowa and survey across the northern part of Muscatine county.
1854 | Benjamin Brayton, a civil engineer for the Rock Island Railroad, comes to the area to negotiate railroad business. Brayton with friends, John Dix and Thomas Durant, change the course of the railroad to go through Cedar County. A town is laid out and platted by Brayton and Mr. Durant donates $800.00 for the erection of a schoolhouse. Brayton names the new town “Durant” in honor of his esteemed friend. Village well dug in June 1854.
1855 | Durant is recorded as a town June 27, 1855. First building in town erected by James Young, a carpenter, in August. Shortly thereafter the hotel and depot were built.
1858 | First schoolhouse built in the Spring of 1858.
1867 | Durant is incorporated on July 5th, Mr. Allen Nesbitt is elected as first Mayor.
1835 | David W Walton, first settler in this vicinity, which later becomes Durant.
1853 | The Mississippi and Missouri Railroad come to Iowa and survey across the northern part of Muscatine county.
1854 | Benjamin Brayton, a civil engineer for the Rock Island Railroad, comes to the area to negotiate railroad business. Brayton with friends, John Dix and Thomas Durant, change the course of the railroad to go through Cedar County. A town is laid out and platted by Brayton and Mr. Durant donates $800.00 for the erection of a schoolhouse. Brayton names the new town “Durant” in honor of his esteemed friend. Village well dug in June 1854.
1855 | Durant is recorded as a town June 27, 1855. First building in town erected by James Young, a carpenter, in August. Shortly thereafter the hotel and depot were built.
1858 | First schoolhouse built in the Spring of 1858.
1867 | Durant is incorporated on July 5th, Mr. Allen Nesbitt is elected as first Mayor.
Tri-County Heritage/Genealogy Museum
Tri-County Heritage & Genealogy Museum
820 5th Street
PO Box 845
Durant, IA 52747
Hours
The museum hours are Wednesdays from 3:00pm – 6:00pm, and Saturdays from 9:00am – 12:00pm. Appointments by calling 563.320.5809.
Tri-County Heritage & Genealogy Museum Board Members
Dale Trede, President 563.370.4994
Annette Richardson, Vice President 563.260.4538
Brad Mumm, Treasurer
Mary Erickson, Secretary 563.320.5809
Dawn Smith, Board Member 563.785.6831
Erna Cielecki, Board Member 563.785.4830
Member of the Iowa Museum Association
NOTICE: FOR CITY NOTIFICATIONS SUCH AS SNOW EMERGENCIES….
Effective July 1, 2021, Cedar County Emergency Management has a new notification system that will also affect the City of Durant. We now use Alert Iowa. If you were signed up prior to July 1, 2021 with WENS-Wireless Emergency Notification System - you will need to sign up under Alert Iowa. It does not matter what county you live in, if you sign up you will receive local alerts and notification. In order for anyone to receive local notifications such as boil orders or snow emergencies, please go to https://ema.cedar-county.org/. Under “Sign Up Now” an account can be created so you can receive the county and local city alerts. You can also text CedarIA to 672-83 to create an account.
ALL PHONE CONTACT INFORMATION - EVEN LAND LINES - WILL NEED TO SIGN UP UNDER ALERT IOWA.
If you do not sign up there will be no notifications from the City of Durant. Unfortunately that is how this system is designed under Iowa Homeland Security.
If you have general questions, please call City Hall at 563-785-4451. If you need help creating an account please call Cedar County Emergency Management and Jodi or Kate can assist with helping you create an account: 563-886-3355. We are hoping in the future to have a direct link from our website to Cedar County EMA to make it easier to sign up. If you do not have a computer or smart phone and would like to sign up, you may call Cedar County EMA, or you may use the computers at the Durant Branch, Scott County Library to set up an account.