Council Bluffs Historic Sites & Interpretive Centres
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide to Historic Sites & Interpretive Centres in Council Bluffs, IA, Iowa.
Known as the Squirrel Cage Jail for its unique cylindrical design, this discontinued prison has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. The jail has three floors of pie-shaped cells that were originally designed to be rotated by a hand crank. The jail was eventually closed due to safety concerns, but the site is open to the public. Individual and group tours are available from the Historical Society of Pottawatamie County.
Owned and operated by the State Historical Society of Iowa, the center includes the Path of Names and the Lied Historical Building, which hosts educational exhibits on the history of Iowa's western trails. Visitors can receive information and an orientation on the famous northbound Lewis and Clark trail or other westward routes such as the Oregon, Mormon and California trails. The center is open year round and group tours are available by appointment.
