e-ReferenceDesk's College and 50 State Learning Resource Guide

Find Online Colleges

Find Campus Colleges

Iowa State...

Iowa

Choose a County

Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Muscatine, O'Brien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth, Wright

Iowa Counties

Click Image to Enlarge

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.

Union County, Iowa

Union County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Creston
Year Organized: 1851
Square Miles: 424

Court House:

300 North Pine Street
County Courthouse
Creston, IA 50801-2252

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Union is named for the union of the United States threatened by the American Civil War.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

When Union County was formed, the struggle between the North and the South was at its height. When Iowa Legislators met the preservation of the Union was foremost in their minds, and thus the name of Union County was born.

The county was established in 1851. An election was held in Petersville on August 1, 1852, but it was not until February 15, 1855 that a county seat was selected. The site that was chosen was Afton. Two years later a two-story, frame courthouse was erected at a cost of $1,756. This building was also used as a church and a school.

The town of Highland challenged Afton for the county seat in an election. Afton remained the county seat, but by only 15 votes. Highland soon declined, and most of its buildings were moved to Afton.

Following this challenge the county constructed its second courthouse. This building was larger and more elaborate than the first. It was constructed of brick and was enhanced by a large cupola. O. J. King was the contractor of the $25,000 building.

The town of Creston had been established, along the railroad, and it was suggested that the county seat be moved. Creston had built a courthouse and offered it to the county. The smaller city of Afton had nothing to offer and so Creston, following an election, became the new county seat on November 25, 1890. The $22,000, two-story courthouse was used until 1951. At this time the city and county joined forces to erect a modern office building. This $300,000 structure is constructed of concrete and faced with limestone. It houses both the municipal and county offices.

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Madison County
East: Clarke County
Southeast: Decatur County
South: Ringgold County
Southwest: Taylor County
West: Adams County
Northwest: Adair County

Cities and Towns:

- Afton	city	Incorporated Area
- Arispe	city	Incorporated Area
- Creston (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Cromwell	city	Incorporated Area
- Lorimor	city	Incorporated Area
- Shannon City	city	Incorporated Area
- Thayer	city	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this 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."