This Big City in Iowa Began With an Identity Crisis

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter It's one of the bigger cities in the state, but it used to be called something completely different. In fact, it was actually founded by... Pilgrims? I know what you're thinking. The Pilgrims (the ones you learned about in grade school) weren't anywhere close to Iowa when they set up shop in what would one day become the United States, right? And that's absolutely correct. But... those weren't the only pilgrims in history in search for a better life. These pilgrims came a few centuries later, and they were also looking for a better life, but just so happened to be passing through the state of Iowa along the way. In doing so, some of them set up shop in the far-western part of the state and founded a small town of Kanesville. The town of Kanesville no longer exists because it would later change its name to Council Bluffs. And those who call that area "home" can thank the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for the town's existence.

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