Greenfield

History

The area surrounding Greenfield was settled in 1854. The plan for the town of Greenfield was designed in 1856, after Milton C. Munger purchased the land that the town would be built on. Munger is responsible for the design of Greenfield's unique Lancaster-style town square, and the city park located at Grant and NE Second Street was also included in the original plat. Greenfield is named after Greenfield, Massachusetts. Greenfield became the county seat in 1875, after battling out nearby Fontanelle for the title. The city was incorporated on May 22, 1876. Greenfield is home to four entries on the National Register of Historic Places, the Warren Opera House listed in 1979; the Adair County Courthouse, listed in 1981; the Adair County Democrat/Adair County Free Press building, listed 2011; and Hotel Greenfield, listed 2011. The Free press building is 19th-century Commercial in style, with Romanesque features on its façade. It was erected in 1903 by Edwin J. Sidey and his father John S. Sidey, founders of the Adair County Democrat in 1889, later the Adair County Free Press. Edwin's son Kenneth (1895–1976) and grandson Edwin J. Sidey (1925–2008) succeeded as publishers and editors. Well-known White House reporter for Time and Life and author Hugh Sidey (1927–2005), brother of Edwin J., was also closely associated over time with the family's journalism and photojournalism legacies. Publisher/Editor Linda E. Sidey, widow of Edwin J., relocated the newspaper business and its associated photo gallery to 141 Public Square in December 2010, after the press had been removed in 1997. On May 21, 2024, during a significant tornado outbreak affecting parts of the Midwest, Greenfield was struck by a violent tornado. Many homes were heavily damaged or destroyed, and four were killed…

Geography

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

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Nodaway Valley Elementary School
  Elementary · Greenfield · 296 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Nodaway Valley High School
  High · Greenfield · 193 students · 11.4:1 ratio
• Nodaway Valley Middle School
  Middle · Fontanelle · 132 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Orient Elementary School
  Elementary · Orient · 84 students · 16.8:1 ratio
• Orient-Macksburg Senior High School
  High · Orient · 66 students