MONTROSE, a post-village of Lee county, Iowa, on the Mississippi river, at the head of the lower rapids, 12 miles above Keokuk. The inhabitants are mostly employed in "lightening" steamboats over the rapids, which obstruct the navigation of the river. It has a line of omnibuses to Keokuk. Population, about 800. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
MONTROSE is on the Mississippi river, and the Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant and Muscatine R. R., twelve miles from Keokuk. It has five churches, Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Mormon and Presbyterian; also a Masonic Lodge No. 136, Odd Fellows No. 66, and Good Templars No.33; also one drug store, four general stores, two saw mills and one distillery. Population 800.
Montrose was at first called Fort Des Moines, and troops were stationed at that point from 1834 to 1837. Some remains of their cantonment are still standing, and among them what is now called the “River House,” then used by Kearney and Mason as their headquarters. First there was Lieut. Col. S. W. Kearney, who was afterwards relieved by Col. R. B. Mason. Their command consisted of three companies of the 1st regiment of U. S. Dragoons—Company C, Capt. E. V. Sumner; Company H, Capt. Nathan Boone: and Company I, Capt. J. B. Browne.
In the spring of 1837 the troops were removed from Fort Des Moines to Fort Leavenworth, and soon afterwards Mr. D. W. Kilbournet laid off a town at the former place, which he called Montrose—the name it now bears. (Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer..., 1865)