Tourism looking for pieces of Mexican heritage

FORT MADISON -  The Fort Madison Tourism Office and the North Lee County Historical Society are inviting community members to help preserve and document the rich history of Fort Madison's Mexican heritage during a special Coffee Talk event on Tuesday, June 30, at 10:00 a.m. at the historic CB&Q Depot.
Fort Madison is recognized as Iowa's oldest Mexican community, with roots dating back to the late 1880s when the Santa Fe Railroad recruited Mexican laborers, known as traqueros, to work as section gangs responsible for laying and maintaining railroad tracks throughout the Midwest. Following the Mexican Revolution of 1910, many families from rural central Mexico immigrated to the United States seeking opportunity and stability, with a significant number settling in Fort Madison.
These families helped build the community and contributed greatly to the city's cultural, economic, and social development. Today, local historians and community leaders are working to ensure their stories are preserved for future generations.
The Coffee Talk event will feature special guest Dr. Alejandro Benavides, President and Founder of the Aurora Latino Historical & Cultural Foundation in Aurora, Illinois. Dr. Benavides is a respected researcher and historian specializing in the history of Mexican railroad communities throughout the Midwest.

Fort Madison representatives first connected with Dr. Benavides during a visit to the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, where he presented an exhibit highlighting the history of Illinois traqueros. The exhibit revealed many similarities to the experiences of Fort Madison's early Mexican families and inspired a renewed effort to document the local story.
Community members are encouraged to attend and bring photographs, family documents, newspaper clippings, family trees, railroad memorabilia, personal stories, and other historical materials related to Fort Madison's Mexican Village, railroad workers, or early Mexican families in the area.
"We know there are stories, photographs, and memories that have never been shared beyond family circles," said Chi Eastin, Fort Madison Tourism Director. "This is an opportunity for our community to come together and help preserve an important chapter of Fort Madison's history before those stories are lost. Every photograph, document, and memory helps us better understand the people who helped build our community."
Information gathered through this project may help support future museum exhibits, educational programs, historical publications, community presentations, and preservation initiatives that celebrate and share Fort Madison's unique Mexican heritage with future generations.
The event is open to the public, and individuals do not need to have Mexican ancestry to participate. Anyone with information, artifacts, or stories related to Fort Madison's Mexican heritage is encouraged to attend. Coffee and conversation will be provided.