Hotel Manning
A lasting impact
Son of Calvin & Desire Gurley Manning.
Edwin was a honored pioneer, and for a half a century made his home in Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., Iowa, which city he was a founder.
On March 8th, 1842 he married Sarah J. Sample. They had three children: Calvin, William, and Anna G. On November 3rd, 1859, he married Nannie Bryant, they are the parent of five children: Albert, Edward Bates, Stanley, Craig and Katie W.
Mr. Manning was a pioneer of Van Buren County, Iowa, and the builder of the first brick courthouse in the state of Iowa in 1842.
He also built the hotel in Keosauqua and the mansion always known as The Manning Brick.
BIRTH: 8 Feb 1810
Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut, USA
DEATH: 15 Aug 1901 (aged 91)
Keosauqua, Van Buren County, Iowa, USA
BURIAL: Oak Lawn Cemetery
Keosauqua, Van Buren County, Iowa, USA
Beautifully restored jewel on the bank of the Des Moines River
A history worth remembering
The Hotel Manning was constructed in the late 1890s by Edwin Manning, one of the founding fathers of Keosauqua. He established a mercantile store in 1839 then added a bank to the location in 1854. Devastating fires in the mid-1890s forced Manning to move his businesses elsewhere in town. Urged by one of his sons, he salvaged the remaining walls and foundation to which a second and third story was added between 1897 and 1899.
Over the years the hotel’s location next to the Des Moines River proved to be both a blessing and a curse, as the river flooded the Manning on at least four occasions; the most significant of these was in 1903 when the hotel was inundated by seven feet of water.
Community Owned
The Hotel Manning was purchased in 2018 by over 80 local investors to restore and revive the iconic landmark of Keosauqua. The Hotel Manning Preservation Group welcomes you with true Midwestern hospitality.
More than history
Visitors can step back in time and relax among the historic treasures that distinguish the hotel, or head out to enjoy serene river views from the hotel’s wrap around porches or from the newly renovated riverside courtyard and bar.
Tour the
Local Sites
Enjoy great hiking, fishing, and paddling at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, Lake Sugema, Indian Lake, Shimek State Forest (equestrian trail also), and the Des Moines River. Golf and swim at the Keosauqua Riverview Country Club and explore the historic Villages of Van Buren.
Four ways to stay
Historic Hotel
Standard
Motel
Riverview
Inn
