WAPELLO, a post-village, capital of Louisa county, Iowa, on the right bank of the Iowa river, about 12 miles from its mouth, 42 miles S. S. E. from Iowa City, and 5 miles W. from the Mississippi river. The Iowa river is navigable for steamboats during three months in the year, and affords motive-power at this place to a large flouring mill, saw mill, and carding machine. A weekly newspaper is published here. Laid out in 1839. Population in 1853, estimated at 800. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
WAPELL0, the county seat [Louisa County, Iowa], is, by virtue of a special act of the legislature, passed in 1855, an incorporated city, located on the Iowa River, at a distance, following the river, of about eighteen miles from the mouth, six miles from the nearest landing on the Mississippi, and fifteen miles from the most convenient station on the M. & M. R. R., (Southern Branch,) which furnish the principal means of transportation. The nearest points of note are: Burlington, twenty-eight miles south, and Muscatine twenty miles northeast. The first settlement was made about the year 1836.
There is a good flouring mill at this place, and the best of water power can be obtained from the Iowa River, in almost unlimited supply. As yet, there is no permanent educational institution, other than the public school of the city, which is furnished with an excellent building, and teachers of the first class are employed. There are three churches, German Methodist, Congregational and Methodist Episcopal. Also one Masonic and Odd Fellows Lodge, (Wapello Lodge, No. 5, A. F. & A.M., meets Saturday, on or before full moon, and Louisa Lodge, No. 19, I. O. O. F., meets Monday of each week.) There is one weekly paper, the Wapello Republican, published by Dr. S. E. Jones, on Tuesdays. Also six general stores, two drug stores, three grocers and one agricultural implement dealer.
The site of this town, before its settlement by the whites, was that of an Indian village of the Musquakas. The Chief, Wapello, had here his residence, for a long time, and from him the place derives its name. Population, 900. (Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer..., 1865)