Fairmount Cemetery Prairie Remnant

About the Fairmount Cemetery Prairie Remnant

Fairmount Cemetery was established in 1881 and is located on the bluff overlooking the Mississippi River Valley in West Davenport, Iowa. The cemetery houses a 2.7 acre prairie remnant on a steep slope with a southern aspect. Prior to settlement, this prairie stretched across the crest and slopes of the river bluff line, intermingled with savannas and more deeply wooded areas of Oak and Hickory. Today, this small 2.7 acre parcel is all that remains of this once grand expanse of bluff prairie, which serves as a time capsule for those seeking a glimpse of what the first explorers encountered upon crossing the Rock Island Rapids of the Mississippi River. Although most of the original bluff prairie has been lost, reconstructing this prairie across the Davenport bluff line is possible, with the Fairmount Cemetery prairie a significant reference condition on which to base reconstructions. For information on how to reconstruct the Central Mesic Prairie and Midwest Dry-mesic Prairie types, visit the Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Plant Community Restoration Tools Website.

The Fairmount Cemetery prairie is a mesic to dry-mesic tallgrass prairie type, dominated by the tall prairie grasses of Big Bluestem and Indiangrass. Also present are the mid and short grasses of little bluestem, Scribner’s panicgrass, and numerous sedge species. Amongst the grasses, a diversity of forbs can be found, with a floral display that changes every few weeks as bloom periods shift over the growing season. Over seventy native species of plants have been documented in this prairie, including fifty forb (flower) species, eight graminoid (grass or grass-like) species, three shrub species, four tree species, and five species of vines. Exotic, invasive species present in the prairie include white sweetclover, Queen Anne’s lace, reed canarygrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. Invasive native species that pose a risk to the prairie include numerous trees and shrubs that emigrate from adjacent areas.

Because fire and large grazing and browsing game, such as the American bison and elk, have been removed from the current landscape, prairie maintenance requires active management to keep the dominant grasses from overtaking the forbs and to curb tree and shrub invasion. This is especially important for prairies of small size, such as the Fairmont Cemetery remnant.

Amenities

There are roadways with mown lawn areas along the southern and northern borders of this remnant allowing for easy access. In addition, there are stairs that run up the slope the full length of the prairie, affording a better view of conditions within the prairie’s interior as well as shifts in species distribution as one moves up or down the slope.

How to Get There:

To access the prairie from the top of the bluff, take Rockingham Road and turn north onto South Fairmount Street for 0.4 miles. Take a left onto Hobson Avenue and take the two first left-hand roads for approximately 0.2 miles.

To access the prairie from the down slope side, turn north into the Fairmount Cemetery entrance in the 3900 block of Rockingham Road. At the T-intersection, take a left, then take the first right onto a looping gravel road. The prairie will parallel the northern segment of the road loop.

Nearby Sites of Interest:

Nahant Marsh: Take Rockingham Road/Highway 22 South 1.5 miles turn left onto Wapello Avenue and continue for 0.9 miles. The entrance to the Nahant Marsh Education Center will be on the left, just before the railroad tracks.

Credit Island Nature Preserve and the Davenport Harbor: Take Rockingham Road/Highway 22 south 0.8 miles and turn left onto the River Drive/US-61 North ramp. Continue onto River Drive/Highway 61 North for 2 miles, the entrance to Credit Island will be on the right.

Black Hawk State Historic Site and Nature Preserve: Take Rockingham Road/Highway 22 South 1.8 miles and take the I-280 East exit towards Rock Island, Illinois for 2.8 miles. Take exit 11B and continue on IL-92 East for 1.6 miles, then take the 31^st Avenue exit. Turn right onto Sunset Lane and continue onto 31^st Avenue for 0.7 miles. Turn right onto 11^th Street for 1 mile and turn left onto 46^th Avenue/Black Hawk Road and continue for 0.6 miles.

References and Literature of Interest

Moorehouse, Angella K. and Hassen, Harold, "Protecting Pioneer Cemetery Prairies: Balancing the Need to Preserve Cultural and Natural Heritage Values" (2004). Proceedings of the North American Prairie Conferences. Paper 81. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/napcproceedings/81