The Tiny Iowa Town That Experienced Two Historic Events

If you've ever driven through this tiny Iowa town, chances are, you weren't aware of its historical significance. It only takes two minutes to drive through it on Interstate 80 and most passers-by never give it a second thought. But looks can definitely be deceiving. This small town packs one heck of a punch, as not one, but two major (and unrelated) events took place here, decades ago.

Get our free mobile app

Welcome to Adair, Population 791

Credit: Google Maps

Adair is a small town around 50 miles west of Des Moines off Interstate 80. These days, it's a quiet place where news headlines are few and far between. However, that hasn't always been the case. In at least two instances, Adair experienced significant historical events. The first of these took place way back in 1873.

Credit: Canva

Adair had only been officially a town for less than a year, when on July 21, 1873, the James Younger Gang (led by Jesse James) staged the first successful train robbery of the American West. Jesse, his older brother, Frank, and the rest of the gang robbed the Rock Island Express of $3,000 (approximately $72,000 today) by derailing the train southwest of town. A historical site is available for the public at 1156 Anita-Adair Road, Adair, Iowa. One mile and a half west of Adair, Iowa.

Credit: Canva

The second major historic event in Adair took place on June 27, 1953, when one of the most powerful tornadoes in the state's history (an EF5) hit just outside of town, killing one person and injuring two others. Local infrastructure was badly damaged during the storm, with estimates ranging up to $500,000 in damages at the time.