Central Addition may be gone, but is not forgotten

This is a historical map of the Central Addition in Ottumwa.

OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The riverfront housing known as the Central Addition in Ottumwa is long gone, but on Thursday night it was brought back to life as part of the Wapello County Historical Society's lecture series.

Wapello County Supervisor Jerry Parker, who was raised in the Central Addition, made the presentation about the district to the standing-room only crowd.

The Central Addition was founded in 1890 and contained around 600 housing lots.

It was located south of the downtown area on the Des Moines River, exposing the district to heavy flooding almost annually.

Parker said the district provided cheap land and provided a safe haven for the less fortunate residents, especially during the great depression.

The Central Addition was also known for its rugged and individualistic residents.

Central Addition was right in the middle of Ottumwa, and you would expect them to be more of a part of Ottumwa than anywhere else; then anyone out on the fringes. But that wasn't so, they were their own island there, Parker said.

Parker also said that the Central Addition was an area of town that the police were cautious to patrol because of the criminal enterprises that were run from the district.

The government eventually forced residents to move out of the Central Addition after a devastating flood in 1947.

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Central Addition may be gone, but is not forgotten