Elkader's founders had no way of knowing that selecting the name for their city had set the stage for a great international experience for the residents of Elkader.

Elkader, a Northeast Iowa community of some 1500 inhabitants, was founded in 1846 by Timothy Davis, John Thompson and Chester Sage. Davis was an admirer of the courageous and world-famous Algerian, Emir Abd Elkader, who in 1830 began a fight against French colonialism in his country that would last for more than 130 years. Davis, challenged with the task of choosing a name for the new Iowa community, Americanized "Abd Elkader" and proposed the name "Elkader".

Abd Elkader (1807-1883) was born in Mascara, Algeria, receiving a broad education including theology, linguistics and philosophy. He was a highly trained horseman, a poet, statesman, great orator and a natural leader.

At the time the town of Elkader was platted, Abd Elkader was an international hero, justly recognized for his tremendous conviction and leadersh ...more

Source: google search

The city of Elkader, Iowa, USA is named after Muslim Algerian leader Sheikh Abdul Qadir who led the resistance to the French occupation in the 1800s. When the community was planned in 1846, the founders: Timothy Davis, John Thompson, and Chester Sage (none Muslim) decided to name it for the young Algerian who was leading his people in resisting the French colonial takeover. The population is around 1,500.