Keokuk is a city located in the extreme southeast corner of Iowa, United States, serving as the county seat of Lee County. It sits at the confluence of the Des Moines River and the Mississippi River, marking Iowa's southernmost point. This strategic location places it just northeast of the Des Moines River and near the lowest point in the state, where a tripoint with Illinois and Missouri is formed. The city functions as a principal urban center within the Fort Madison-Keokuk micropolitan area, which encompasses parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.

The area's settlement began with Dr. Samuel C. Muir, who built a log cabin there in 1820 after resigning from the US Army. John Jacob Astor later established an American Fur Company post nearby around 1827, creating a district known as Rat Row. The village was named after Sauk chief Keokuk following the Blackhawk War and was incorporated as a city on December 14, 1848. It served as an embarking point for Union troops during the Civil War and later became a hub for Latter-Day Saints pioneers.

Historically known as the Gate City due to its position at the foot of the lower Mississippi rapids, Keokuk features significant heritage sites including Keokuk National Cemetery. The city was once a center for riverboat trade and outfitting immigrants before Lock and Dam No. 19 was completed in 1913. Today, it retains its historical character while adapting to modern needs, having transitioned from heavy river commerce to local manufacturing and medical institutions founded in the late nineteenth century.

The city offers visitors a glimpse into its rich past through its national cemetery and connections to literary history, notably Samuel Clemens, who wrote about the area's beauty in Life on the Mississippi. While it no longer dominates river trade, Keokuk maintains cultural ties to its industrial and agricultural roots. The presence of a medical college and its historical role in the westward expansion provide educational and reflective experiences for those exploring the region's deep historical narrative.

As of the 2020 census, Keokuk had a population of 9,900 residents living in a total area of 10.58 square miles. The local economy has shifted from Mississippi River trade to dependence on jobs in local factories. It is accessible via the junction of U.S. Routes 61, 136, and 218, with Hamilton, Illinois, and Alexandria, Missouri, located just across the rivers. Keokuk experiences a humid continental climate and holds the record for Iowa's highest temperature of 118 °F recorded in 1934.