Editing Elkader, Iowa (section)

==History==
The city is named after a Muslim Algerian leader, the Emir [[Emir Abdelkader|Abdelkader]]. When the community was platted in 1846, the founders, [[Timothy Davis (Iowa politician)|Timothy Davis]], John Thompson and Chester Sage decided to name it for the young Algerian who was leading his people in resisting the [[French conquest of Algeria]].<ref>[http://www.elkader-iowa.com/History.html The History of Elkader, Iowa]</ref>
[[File:Elkader Keystone Bridge.jpg|thumb|[[Elkader Keystone Bridge]] is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Clayton County, Iowa|NRHP]]]]
[[File:St. Joseph, Elkader OldRockChurch.jpg|thumb|19th-century view of the original<br>Saint Joseph's Church]]
[[File:ElkaderIowaPopPlot2020.png|thumb|left|alt=The population of Elkader, Iowa from US census data|The population of Elkader, Iowa from US census data]]

The town is known for the [[Elkader Keystone Bridge]] over the [[Turkey River (Iowa)|Turkey River]], said to be the largest [[Arch bridge|stone arch bridge]] west of the [[Mississippi River]]. It, and many of the local buildings, are made from locally quarried sandstone. The town's grocery store, Wilke's, is the oldest continuously operated grocery store west of the Mississippi, as well.{{Citation needed|date=July 2022}} The city is also home to the renovated Victorian-era [[Elkader Opera House]], and the Turkey River Mall, a 29-room hotel converted into antique stores.