Iowa Falls

History

Iowa Falls was laid out and platted in 1856. Prior to being named Iowa Falls, the area had been known as Rocksylvania. However, this name was abandoned due to fears of it being too difficult to spell and pronounce. The town would instead be named Iowa Falls, a reference to the falls along the Iowa River. The Illinois Central Railroad was built through Iowa Falls in 1866. The Metropolitan Opera House was built in 1899 and presented plays, operas, and vaudeville during the first half of the twentieth century. The building now operates primarily as a movie theater, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Iowa Falls Popcorn Stand, located in Estes Park, is the oldest popcorn stand in Iowa that is still running. It was first opened on May 29, 1948, as "Louie's Korn Krib."

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Iowa Falls is located at the point where the Iowa River flows through a limestone gorge deep between bluffs that rise another . The falls themselves were also known as the "rapids of the Iowa." The falls are now submerged by a dam built in 1926 that is feet high and 200 feet long and serves a hydroelectric power station that currently generates 1.5MW. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Iowa Falls has a hot-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  324
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  316
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  290
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  264
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  243
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  237
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  229
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  217

Largest nearby schools

• Iowa Falls - Alden High School
  High · Iowa Falls · 412 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Rock Run Elementary
  Elementary · Iowa Falls · 294 students · 10.1:1 ratio
• Riverbend Middle School
  Middle · Iowa Falls · 288 students · 15.2:1 ratio
• Pineview Elementary
  Elementary · Iowa Falls · 284 students · 16.7:1 ratio
• Alden Elementary School
  Elementary · Alden · 159 students · 9.4:1 ratio