Crapo Park Lookout Gun emplacement

The history of the two 3-inch, 50-caliber guns dates to 1958 when former Iowa congressman Fred Schwengel dedicated the cannons at the park. Details about how the retired naval guns were used before becoming park decorations are sketchy, but they weren’t the first guns stationed in the park. Burlington businessman and philanthropist Philip Crapo donated two 100-pound Parrott guns to the park in 1896 -- the same kind of cannons used in the Civil War. Crapo helped establish the park the previous year and bought the guns for Iowa’s semi-centennial, which was celebrated in the park. Those cannons, rumor has it, were turned into scrap metal in 1943 to help fight World War II, and Crapo Park was without military hardware for 15 years -- until the current 50-caliber guns were installed.