Fairfield

History

The area known as Jefferson County was first settled in 1836 and became Jefferson County in 1839, with the new community of Fairfield as the county seat. The name was suggested by Nancy Bonnifield, one of the settlers, because it aptly described the fair fields of the area. But author Susan Welty suggests it was also a play of words on the woman's own name (bonny field). By 1840, Fairfield had a population of 110 and grew to 650 in 1847. The city was the site of the first and second Iowa State Fairs. The first fair was held October 25–27, 1854, on of land surrounded by a fence. The total cost to hold the fair was around $320, and public admission was 25 cents per person. It is estimated that between 7,000 and 10,000 fair goers attended this historical event. During the time leading up to the American Civil War, Fairfield was a stopping point for the Underground Railroad. Ultimately, over 1,600 residents of Jefferson County served in the Union Army. as well as a 1915 house designed by Barry Byrne, who trained under Frank Lloyd Wright. A 1930s bank building was designed in the Streamline Moderne style. Commercial and institutional architecture were influenced by the Louden Industries, including the Louden Foundry. Fairfield is the site of the prototype Carnegie library. In 1892, Senator "Jefferson Jim" Wilson met with Andrew Carnegie and secured a grant to build the first community-based library in the U.S. This served as the model for 2,700 libraries worldwide. The Richardsonian Romanesque work is operated by Indian Hills Community College as a satellite campus building, since a new library was built in 1996. Parsons College later received a grant to build another Carnegie Library. Fairfield became one of the few cities that had two Carnegie Libraries.

Geography

Fairfield's geography is typical of the American Midwest: around the city is rolling farmland specializing in corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. Running west–east through the city is U.S. Route 34; the city of Burlington is to the east and Ottumwa to the west. Iowa Highway 1 runs from north to south through Fairfield, leading north to Iowa City and south to the Missouri state border. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and are water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,415
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,298
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  1,126
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,076
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,063
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,038
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  967
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  947

Largest nearby schools

• Fairfield High School
  High · Fairfield · 476 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Fairfield Middle School
  Middle · Fairfield · 438 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• Pence Elementary
  Elementary · Fairfield · 333 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• Washington Elementary
  Elementary · Fairfield · 267 students · 14.1:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2025-06-25
  10 km WNW of Marysville, Iowa
• M 3 — 2025-06-25
  5 km S of Knoxville, Iowa
• M 3.3 — 2025-06-25
  8 km SE of Knoxville, Iowa