Elkader

Sister cities

• Mascara

History

The city is named after a Muslim Algerian leader, the Emir Abdelkader. When the community was platted in 1846, the founders, Timothy Davis, John Thompson and Chester Sage decided to name it for the young Algerian who was leading his people in resisting the French conquest of Algeria. The town is known for the Elkader Keystone Bridge over the Turkey River, said to be the largest stone arch bridge west of the Mississippi River. It, and many of the local buildings, are made from locally quarried sandstone. The town's grocery store, Wilke's, is the oldest continuously operated grocery store west of the Mississippi, as well. The city is also home to the renovated Victorian-era Elkader Opera House, and the Turkey River Mall, a 29-room hotel converted into antique stores.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  233
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  207
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  205
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  194
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  187
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  182
• Bald Eagle

  Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  181
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  177

Largest nearby schools

• Clayton Ridge Elementary School
  Elementary · Garnavillo · 306 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• Central Elementary
  Elementary · Elkader · 263 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• Central Middle School/High School
  High · Elkader · 210 students · 16.2:1 ratio