Athens 2008 Star Parties
The dates of the semi-annual Athens Star Parties at Athens Battlefield State Historic Site in Revere, Missouri, will be held on April 26 (event details) and October 4 (event details) this year. These events are sponsored and coordinated by the Cedar Amateur Astronomers.
To reach Athens from The Cedar Rapids Area
- Drive south on US Highway 218 through Mount Pleasant and then to Donnellson.
- Turn right (west) on Iowa Highway 2 and drive 10 miles to Farmington.
- Drive across the Des Moines River bridge in Farmington then turn left (south) on Iowa Highway 81.
- Drive approximately 6 miles to the small hamlet of Anson, Missouri, and turn left on County Road CC.
- Finally, drive the remaining 4 miles to Athens Battlefield State Historic Site. The entire route is paved.
For these special events we are not required to set up our tents and campers in the park's campground. Instead, we can set up our tents, campers and telescopes in the center of the abandoned town near the historic McKee House. During the battle the McKee House, located in the center of the town of Athens, served as the Union command post and marked the center of the Union lines.
Once the viewing public has departed, we can remain where we set up and can observe all night The skies are dark as seen from Athens. There are no streetlights in Athens and the former town is surrounded in the area only by other distant towns and hamlets. The nearest city, Keokuk, is many miles distant and the resulting light pollution is negligible as seen from Athens.
For driving directions and a map of the town of Athens, please go to www.mostateparks.com/athens/map.htm.
CAA members and other regional astronomers at the Athens Star Party
Historic Background - The Battle of Athens
By Doug Slauson
During the Civil War, Missouri was a state of divided allegiances.
On August 5th, 1861, about 500 pro-Union men, commanded by Col. David Moore,
faced a gathering force of more than 2,000 members of the Missouri State
Guard made up of pro-South militia and loyalists who were determined to take
the town of Athens from Pro-Unionist occupation and capturing the stores
of munitions near there. The Rebels had their eye on military provisions
in Athens and it has been suggested that they also wanted the military stores
across the river in Croton, Iowa. In addition, it appears the State Guard
had plans to invade Southeast Iowa, including the city of Keokuk. The citizens
of Keokuk may have been well aware of the threat for they sent two companies
of the City Rifles
militia plus eighty additional citizens to join Col. Moore at
Athens.*
It was still early in the war and only a handful of battles and skirmishes had preceded the Battle of Athens.
Although surrounded on three sides and with his back to the Des Moines River,
the irascible Colonel was not intimidated by the greatly superior numbers
of State Guard militia. After two hours of fighting Col Moore ordered an advance
on the center of the Rebel line with bayonets fixed. The advance soon turned
into a running charge. The Rebels were quickly unnerved and fled the battlefield.
An unsubstantiated story says two of Col. Moore's sons were fighting with
the Rebel forces. Once they saw Col. Moore was commencing his attack, they
said excitedly that their dad was really mad
and they turned
and ran. Seeing this, other men of the State Guard also skedaddled and the
Rebel lines then collapsed.
Athens' Museum: the Thome-Benning House, known as the Cannonball House
because
it was pierced by a shell during the battle.
Artillery was employed during the battle and some of the shells from the
Rebel cannons landed across the river in the village of Croton, IA. It was
said the Southerners even employed a large hollow log for use as a cannon,
but when the powder was touched off the cannon
disappeared in
a cloud of smoke and wood splinters. A cannonball from one of their better
artillery pieces passed through the Joe Benning's house in Athens. The cannonball
pierced the kitchen of the house and the resulting hole is still visible
today. Today, the house has been restored as the Thome-Benning House. Other
cannonballs caused damage across the Des Moines River in Croton, Iowa. During
the battle, the citizens of Athens are said to have huddled at the Thome
mill at the river's edge. The mill's ruins are still visible today.
After the pro-South men had fled from Athens, Colonel Moore and his force pursued Col. Martin Green and his State Guard, but whenever they were confronted the State Guard proved too demoralized to stay and fight. Northeast Missouri remained in Union control for the rest of the war.
The Battle of Athens was one of the earliest Union victories of the Civil War. The confrontation at Athens, although across the Des Moines River in Missouri, was important to Iowa as it staunched any serious hope of Rebel invasion into Iowa. Athens also marked the northernmost battle of the Civil War west of the Mississippi River.
After the Civil War, bitterness remained between the citizen's of Athens for many decades. When the railroad finally came to the area, it passed through the nearby town of Revere, bypassing Athens. Many of the homes in Athens were literally picked up and moved to Revere, leaving few buildings standing today in the abandoned town.
The remains of a Rebel flag flown during the battle is in the Iowa Civil War Battle flag collection at the Iowa State Historical Building in Des Moines. You may see it at Iowa Battle Flag Preservation web site.
For more information about the Athens Battlefield S.H.S., visit Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites web page. The house shown in the photo on the home page is the McKee House.
*A more detailed account of the Battle of Athens—with excerpts in David Moore's own words as well as an account of Col. Moore's commands in later battles—may be read at MOLLUS Warpapers web page.