DEXTER, Iowa – It’s easy to miss it if you’re driving north of Dexter on Dexfield Road — an unassuming mile marker remembering lots of history in Dallas County.

The historical marker is the site of a former amusement park in Dallas County, known as Dexfield Park. The park was home to a cement swimming pool and rides that drew crowds from around central Iowa in the 1920s. At its peak, Dexfield Park drew thousands of people, charging just a few cents for each entry.

Eventually, the park closed in the early 1930s. As it became abandoned, it found another use — a hideout for the notorious Barrow Gang, most notably Bonnie and Clyde.

After a robbery in Missouri, the gang fled to Iowa, where they were not as well known. The Barrows raised the suspicions of some, leading to a posse of law enforcement who gathered to arrest the robbers. A shootout followed, later leading to the capture of Blanche and Buck Barrow. Bonnie and Clyde escaped, along with fellow gang member W.D. Jones.

This historic site is now home to a field. All that’s left is the historic marker on the side of the road about three miles north of Dexter. But Rod Stanley, board member of the Dexter Historical Museum, says he hopes more people will look into the history of their hometowns, as there’s usually plenty to still discover. Dexter is also well known for the visit of President Truman, which drew massive crowds.

If you want to learn more about Bonnie and Clyde’s time in Iowa or about Dexfield Park, you can visit the Dexter Historical Museum at 719 Marshall Street. The museum is closed for the winter but opens back up in May.