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LEE COUNTY, IOWA -- State archaeologists say the historical site where the old Fort Madison once stood is the most threatened site in Iowa.

However, owners of the site say the ruins of the fort abandoned in 1813 are in no danger.

Bill Whittaker, with the Office of the State Archaeologist, gave a presentation Sunday discussing it's importance and why it should be preserved.

Doug Abolt, who owns the property, says the site rests under a parking lot adjoining the former Sheaffer Pen Co. factory.

Abolt says nothing has changed since the company owned it.

Whittaker says it may not be much to look at, but under that cracked concrete lies the site of the first U.S military fort on the upper Mississippi River, the scene for the only military battle fought in Iowa, and the state's oldest military grave site.

He's led a campaign facilitated by lectures, e-mails, and online message boards raising awareness of the site.

"We're talking with landowners to try and get them on board...we're trying to discuss different options, different scenarios on preserving the site. It's also important for the development of the town of Fort Madison to be able to use areas nearby," said Whittaker.

Whittaker doesn't want the site excavated, since a large portion was already done in 1965.

He says one option could be to turn the Old Fort Madison site into a memorial park.

Whittaker says the site's expected to be included on the 2009 list of Iowa's Most Endangered Properties compiled by the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance.

He says it's also a finalist for the 2009 America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list.