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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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Jones County, Iowa
Jones County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Anamosa
Year Organized: 1837
Square Miles: 575 |
Court House: P.O. Box 109
County Courthouse
Anamosa, IA 52205-0109
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
Jones is named for George Wallace Jones, an U.S. senator from Iowa.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Jones County is named in honor of
George Wallace Jones, U. S. surveyor, 1st delegate to Congress from Wisconsin
Territory, and U. S. senator from Iowa.
Jones County was established in 1837 and originated from 1838-1847. The county
has had three county seats, the first of these being Edinburgh. A small log
cabin was built and used as a courthouse. Although it was the county seat, the
town showed no signs of growth. Angered at having a "city of grass" as a county
seat, the citizens voted to remove the county seat to one of two places—Newport
or Dale's Ford. Newport was selected as either a joke or due to political
maneuvering, because no courthouse was ever built there nor was any court ever
held there.
The town of Lexington was selected as the third county seat in a spring 1847
election. Lexington was later renamed Anamosa, after the daughter of Winnebago
Chief Nas-i-nus.
County business was conducted in private homes until a courthouse was
constructed in 1848. It was a simple two-story frame structure costing $800 to
complete. This building was used until 1864, when all of the county records were
moved uptown to a new brick building owned by H. C. Metcalf. Following this, the
county conducted business in rent-free rooms. In 1935 the county finally
approved the construction of a real courthouse. Total cost, some of which was
paid via a federal grant, was $200,000. This building was dedicated on September
10, 1937, and 55 years later is still serving Jones County.
A memorial honoring Jones County residents who died while serving our country
was installed on the east lawn of the court house and dedicated on Memorial Day,
2002. Engraved in the black granite memorial are the names of Jones County
residents who died while serving in the armed forces, beginning with World War
I. Flags from the five branches of the armed services surround the memorial. The
project was designed and funded entirely by two local veteran's groups.
Source: Janine Sulzner, Jones County Auditor
Neighboring Counties:
- Northeast: Dubuque County
- East: Jackson County
- Southeast: Clinton County
- South: Cedar County
- West: Linn County
- Northwest: Delaware County
Cities and Towns:
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- Anamosa
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Center Junction |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Martelle |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Monticello |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Morley |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Olin |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Onslow |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Oxford Junction |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Wyoming |
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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