Keokuk

The city of Keokuk, Iowa was just a short drive from Nauvoo, about 15 minutes south along the eastern shore of the Mississippi River and across the bridge. We visited several times, once because the Peña family invited us for dinner, and several times for shopping. 

Keokuk has a number of abandoned buildings, including this church.  

One of the church spires now sits 

on the ground in the back alley. 

A brick spire...

A stone reads: "This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." St. John XVII.III.

A corner sign reads: The Tee-Pee Lounge Cocktails. A Confederate flag is in the window. It was just too racist to ignore. 

Keokuk was named for a Sauk leader who lived in that area during the 1800s. He was removed to make way for white settlement, but ironically, images of Indians are now common throughout the city.