Nora Springs

History

Nora Springs was founded in 1857 and was incorporated in 1875. It was first called Woodstock, but community pioneer Edson Gaylord, managed to persuade wealthy pioneer Edward Greeley of nearby Woodbridge (later Nashua) to come to town. Greeley agreed to buy and improve the gristmill, and to purchase 20 acres of land from Gaylord, if the town would change its name from Woodstock to Elnora, in honor of a former lady love from Vermont. Gaylord had wanted the town to be named "Springs" and as a result of a compromise, Woodstock became Elnora Springs, quickly shortened to Nora Springs. Shortly thereafter, Greeley made a trip to Vermont; upon his return, he sold the land back to Gaylord, returned to Woodbridge, and never visited Nora Springs again. At its founding, the town's business district was located near the millpond and nearby gristmill, at the western end of present day Sixth Street NW. Two competing railroads began laying track several blocks to the south; as a result, the downtown gradually moved nearer to the rail lines, and the former business district became known to locals as Old Town. The gristmill went out of business, and stood empty for many years. It was demolished in the late 1950s. The millrace and dam still exist, and in recent years, the city has developed the area into a scenic park. A footbridge over the Shell Rock River dam was constructed in 2019.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  619
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  603
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  575
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  492
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  475
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  442
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  416
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  415

Largest nearby schools

• Central Springs Middle School
  Middle · Nora Springs · 277 students · 17.3:1 ratio
• RRMR Elementary School
  Elementary · Rockford · 248 students · 17.7:1 ratio
• Rockford Junior-Senior High School
  High · Rockford · 174 students · 10.9:1 ratio
• Central Springs Elem. School - Nora Springs
  Elementary · Nora Springs · 163 students · 16.3:1 ratio