Editing Bonaparte, Iowa (section)

==History==
The area was established in 1837<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/historyvanburen00cogoog | title=The History of Van Buren County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c | publisher=Western Historical Company | year=1878 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyvanburen00cogoog/page/n478 484]}}</ref> by William Meek, and named Meek's Mill.  The lots were resurveyed in 1841, and the name was changed to Bonaparte.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aCQgAAAAIBAJ&pg=4703%2C3464204 | title=Hometown spotlight | work=McCook Daily Gazette | date=Jan 29, 2004 | access-date=2 November 2015 | author=Chapman, Kimbre | pages=41}}</ref>  Another townsite called Napoleon was established across the river, though it was never developed.  William Meek was an admirer of the Emperor, and was responsible for both names.  The town was incorporated in 1899.<ref>{{cite book | last = Savage | first = Tom | title = A Dictionary of Iowa Place-Names | publisher = University of Iowa Press | year = 2007 | isbn = 9781587297595 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=DxagLIZHNv4C&q=inauthor%3A%22Tom%20Savage%22&pg=PP1}}</ref>

The town was flooded during the [[Flood of 1851]].

Bonaparte is located along the historic [[Mormon Trail#Sites along the trail|Mormon Trail]], and there are five sites in or near Bonaparte listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Van Buren County, Iowa|National Register of Historic Places]]:
* [[Aunty Green Hotel]]
* [[Bonaparte Historic Riverfront District]]
* [[Bonaparte Pottery Archeological District]]
* [[Meek's Flour Mill]]
* [[Des Moines River Locks No. 5 and No. 7]]

[[Charles E. Pickett]], who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Iowa's 3rd congressional district, was born near Bonaparte.