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Iowa State...
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Iowa Counties
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Iowa Counties
There are 99 counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County,
were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's
statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western
portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th
state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 counties had been created. Counties continued to be
created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.
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Greene County, Iowa
Greene County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Jefferson
Year Organized: 1851
Square Miles: 568 |
Court House: 114 N. Chestnut Street
County Courthouse
Jefferson, IA 50129-2144
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Greene is named for Nathanael Greene, a general in the American Revolutionary War.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Greene County was established in 1851
and organized in 1854, with a population of 150 and Jefferson (for Thomas
Jefferson) as the county seat. The county was named after General Nathanial
Greene, a hero of the Revolutionary War.
The first courthouse was the log cabin of Judge William Phillips about four
miles southeast of Jefferson. Jefferson was chosen as the county seat in 1854. A
true courthouse was built in 1856. A new one was erected in 1870. The courthouse
bell was used for calling court, curfew, and as a fire alarm. The present
courthouse was built in 1917 for $179,752.66.
In the spring of 1857, rumors of a gold strike on a small stream west of
Jefferson caused great excitement without much result.
Roads played an important part in Greene County history. In 1904, the first
concrete span bridge in Greene County was built over Hardin Creek east of
Jefferson on the old Lincoln Highway. In 1909, led by a Jefferson banker and
good roads advocate, a small group of men spent several days filling holes on 35
miles of county road. This work was done to prepare for an auto touring caravan.
The tourists stopped for 10 minutes or so and "sang the praises of our Greene
County roads which they pronounced the best-kept country roads they had struck
in their journey!"
For a few weeks early in 1926, all Jefferson banks had failed and were closed,
making Jefferson the largest city in the U. S. without a bank.
Greene County was apparently a popular stop for presidential candidates.
Governor Harold Stassen of Minnesota launched his 1948 presidential campaign by
making an address from the south balcony of the Greene County Courthouse. In
1952, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower made a whistle stop an Jefferson depot on a
presidential campaign train tour.
The 162-foot carillon of Jefferson recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. The
Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower, named for its founders Floyd and Dora Mahanay,
has been the trademark of Jefferson ever since its construction 25 years ago.
The dedication of the tower will also kick off the "Bell Tower Community
Foundation." They hope to raise $300,000 to renovate and add 34 new bells to the
carillon.
Neighboring Counties:
- Northeast: Webster County
- East: Boone County
- Southeast: Dallas County
- South: Guthrie County
- West: Carroll County
- Northwest: Calhoun County
Cities and Towns:
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- Churdan |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Dana |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Grand Junction |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Jefferson
(County
Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Paton |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Rippey |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Scranton |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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