Or...Where in the world
is Bentonsport, Iowa?
Directions from Des Moines: Take 163, south and east. The number changes to 63 at Oskaloosa, but it is the same road. Continue to Ottumwa, the number changes to 34, but it is the same road. When you get to Fairfield, go south on Hwy. 1. Go through Keosauqua and turn left on J40. (It is not well marked, so watch for it.) Stay on J40 till you cross the bridge into Bentonsport. Turn right on the fifth street on your right, Sanford Street. Go one block and turn left onto Hawk Drive. Park anywhere on Sanford St. or Hawk Drive.
Directions from Chicago: Take 80 to Iowa City. Then take 218 south, about 1 1/2 hours. Turn right on J40, (it's not well marked so watch for it.) Follow the signs for J40 through Bonaparte and go another 4 miles. When you come down the hill into Bentonsport, turn left on Sanford Street and turn left on Hawk Drive.
Directions from Kansas City: Take 35 north and when you cross into Iowa, go east on Hwy. 2. Stay on Hwy. 2 till you come to Hwy. 1 (to Keosauqua). Go north on Hwy. 1 and then (before you get to Keosauqua) turn right on J40. (It's not well marked, so watch for it. If you cross the bridge into Keosauqua, you've gone 1/2 mile too far.) Stay on J40 till you cross the bridge into Bentonsport. Turn right on Sanford Street and left on Hawk Dr.
Directions from St. Louis: Take the new Avenue of the Saints, Hwy. 27 / 218 north to Iowa. After passing Donnellson, turn left on J40. Follow J40 through Bonaparte and go another 4 miles to Bentonsport. Turn left on Sanford St. and left on Hawk Dr.
Directions from Waterloo / Cedar Falls: Take 380 south, which turns into 218 when you cross 80 but it is the same road, so keep going. Turn right onto J40 and follow the signs to and through Bonaparte and keep going to Bentonsport. Turn left on Sanford St. and left on Hawk Drive.
We are only:
6 hours from Chicago, Illinois
5 hours from Omaha, Nebraska
4.5 hours from Kansas City, Missouri
4 hours from Liberty, Missouri
4 hours from St Louis, Missouri
3 hours from Waterloo / Cedar Falls,
Iowa
2.5 hours from Des Moines, Iowa
2 hours from Cedar Rapids Airport
1.5 hours from Iowa City, Iowa
1 hour from Burlington, Iowa
1 hour from Nauvoo, Illinois
45 minutes from Ottumwa, Iowa
45 minutes from Fort Madison, Iowa
45 minutes from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
45 minutes from Keokuk, Iowa
30 minutes from Fairfield, Iowa
20 minutes from Farmington, Iowa
10 minutes from Keosauqua, Iowa
5 minutes from Bonaparte, Iowa
6 hours from Chicago, Illinois
5 hours from Omaha, Nebraska
4.5 hours from Kansas City, Missouri
4 hours from Liberty, Missouri
4 hours from St Louis, Missouri
3 hours from Waterloo / Cedar Falls,
Iowa
2.5 hours from Des Moines, Iowa
2 hours from Cedar Rapids Airport
1.5 hours from Iowa City, Iowa
1 hour from Burlington, Iowa
1 hour from Nauvoo, Illinois
45 minutes from Ottumwa, Iowa
45 minutes from Fort Madison, Iowa
45 minutes from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa
45 minutes from Keokuk, Iowa
30 minutes from Fairfield, Iowa
20 minutes from Farmington, Iowa
10 minutes from Keosauqua, Iowa
5 minutes from Bonaparte, Iowa
Bentonsport is in Van Buren County, in the southeast corner of Iowa. We are on scenic County Road J-40 between Keosauqua and Bonaparte. J-40 is easily accessed from Hwy. 1, Hwy. 2, and Hwy. 218.
Once you enter Bentonsport, turn on any road leading to the Des Moines River. The road that parallels the river is Hawk Drive. We are on Hawk Drive at the east end of town, right across the street from the Historic Iron Walking Bridge. We are on the corner of Sanford Street and Hawk Drive. You may park parallel on either Hawk Dr. or Sanford St.
(Note: Our mailing address may say Keosauqua, however, we are NOT IN Keosauqua. That is only a mailing address. We are located in Bentonsport.)
********** Please don't use MapQuest or AOLmaps or any of the internet maps to find us, they are WRONG!! Try just typing Bentonsport, Iowa as the destination without the address or zip code. Google maps has a good map, but they might still use the wrong bridge. J40 crosses the western bridge, not the eastern one. Don't believe your GPS or any direction finder you may have if it says to turn onto any street that is not paved! Don't do it! It's the WRONG WAY! The only street you will drive on that is not paved is Sanford Street and Hawk Drive. Don't take the Hawk Drive that is off of Hwy. 1. That is the wrong street and is a dead end. The correct Hawk Drive is only accessible off of J40. Do not take the J40 heading west from Hwy 1 by the Hospital in the north part of Keosauqua. That is the wrong direction. You want the J40 that is heading East in the South part of Keosauqua. Do Not check in at the Hotel Manning in Keosauqua. We are in Bentonsport. If the building does not look like the one on our website, you are at the wrong place!
Please don't hesitate to call our phone number and ask for directions: 1-319-592-3133
See ya soon!
(Note: Our mailing address may say Keosauqua, however, we are NOT IN Keosauqua. That is only a mailing address. We are located in Bentonsport.)
********** Please don't use MapQuest or AOLmaps or any of the internet maps to find us, they are WRONG!! Try just typing Bentonsport, Iowa as the destination without the address or zip code. Google maps has a good map, but they might still use the wrong bridge. J40 crosses the western bridge, not the eastern one. Don't believe your GPS or any direction finder you may have if it says to turn onto any street that is not paved! Don't do it! It's the WRONG WAY! The only street you will drive on that is not paved is Sanford Street and Hawk Drive. Don't take the Hawk Drive that is off of Hwy. 1. That is the wrong street and is a dead end. The correct Hawk Drive is only accessible off of J40. Do not take the J40 heading west from Hwy 1 by the Hospital in the north part of Keosauqua. That is the wrong direction. You want the J40 that is heading East in the South part of Keosauqua. Do Not check in at the Hotel Manning in Keosauqua. We are in Bentonsport. If the building does not look like the one on our website, you are at the wrong place!
Please don't hesitate to call our phone number and ask for directions: 1-319-592-3133
See ya soon!