[Kohlsdorf] Dedicated in 1921, Iowa's second ever state park, Lacey-Keosauqua, gained its current name five years later in a nod to Native America roots and to honor influential U.S.

Congressman, lawyer, conservationist and Civil War Veteran John Fletcher Lacey.

[Justin Pedretti] The original name of the park was Big Bend State Park just because of the big huge bend in the Des Moines River right here.

You can look on an Iowa map and when you see the Des Moines River makes a big bend you know right where you're at, you're at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] The park's 1600-acres offer 13 miles of scenic hiking paths, multiple camping sites, family cabins, stone lodges and a manmade lake thanks to the CCC, a Great Depression era New Deal work relief program.

♪♪ [Justin Pedretti] The Civilian Conservation Corps built the park and the structures and put together the trails.

They quarried the stone right out of the park.

They built Lake Lacey, which is about a 30-acre lake.

There's 147 stone steps to go down to the beach.

We have historical markers throughout the park.

Very rich in history here.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] In addition to commemorating a significant 200-year-old Mormon Trail river crossing that happened here, unmarked Indian burial mounds have been found overlooking the river where up to 150,000 annual fishermen, kayakers and hikers have reported wildlife ranging from deer and fox to wild turkey and bobcat, along with unrivaled bird watching opportunities.

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