Dexfield Park opened in 1915 and was the largest amusement park in the state of Iowa at the time. Located between Dexter and Redfield, about three miles from both, on the south side of the Raccoon River, it was open every Sunday. People came from miles around, including from Des Moines.
The park had a large cement swimming pool fed by “Marshall Springs.” There was also an open-air dance hall and skating rink, as well as games, free movies, and programs, a Ferris wheel, shooting gallery, picnic tables, and a campground.
Although Dexfield Park closed as an amusement park during the Great Depression, people still stayed at the campgrounds, including the Barrow Gang, (also known as Bonnie and Clyde), in 1933 to recover from a Missouri gun fight with authorities. The shootout in Dexfield Park occurred in July 1933, with Bonnie, Clyde, and the driver stealing a car from a neighbor and getting away. Clyde’s brother and his wife were arrested.
For more information:
Des Moines Register Archive Photos
Rail Stray. "Bonnie and Clyde Shootout at Dexfield Park: July 24, 1933." DallasCountyIowa.gov