A Hidden Secret Lies Underneath This Iowa Town

It's a small town with deep roots. In fact, some of those deep roots can be found underneath the town itself.

It's a special place that only a few have been lucky enough to see up close.

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A Town on Top of a Town

From the outside, Independence looks like any other small Iowa town. If you were to drive through its quaint downtown, you'd likely not notice that something special lies underneath it.

In the mid 1800s, Independence was just getting started as a community when a series of floods hit the town hard. As a result, the decision was made by its founders to raise the growing city's streets to prevent more flooding.

Underneath the current storefronts is the previous main street, dating back to the 1840s-1860s, when the city’s founding fathers decided to raise all the business buildings up because of frequent flooding downtown.  What remains underneath can still be viewed during special underground tours offered by the Buchanan County Historical Society.  The new sidewalks, unique shops, and restaurants make main street an inviting destination.

-Independence, Iowa Website

These days, you can take a special tour of the well-preserved underground streets of Independence and see what life was like for Iowans over 150 years ago.

To find information on the underground tours of Independence, visit the Buchanan County Historical County Website.

And to see the incredible Wapsipinicon Mill of Independence, check out the YouTube video below.

Story Source: Only In Your State Iowa, Independence, Iowa Website