Get me lost in Iowa

[SvrWxCy]

Yeah, spelled Laurens wrong. Also, Beaconsfield has a population of 11.

I think it may have been mentioned, but also look up LeRoy

Beaconsfield & Le Roy both have a population of 15 per the 2010 census, tying them for the smallest incorporated towns in Iowa. According to the census data there were 9 houses in Le Roy (8 occupied) and 14 houses in Beaconsfield (8 occupied).

We need a top 10 list of smallest incorporated towns in Iowa!

 

[SvrWxCy]

Top 10 Smallest Towns in Iowa (as of 2010 census)

1) Beaconsfield - 15
1) Le Roy - 15
3) Athelstan - 19
4) Durango - 22
5) Hepburn - 23
5) Pioneer - 23
7) Bankston - 25
7) Delphos - 25
9) Corley - 26
10) Otranto - 27


Note: Some of these are simply designated census places, may not be actual incorporated towns (Athelstand, Corley & Otranto are such places).

 

[cyclones500]

NW Iowa was my neck of the woods. First 8 years in Cushing the moved to Le Mars. Pierson chicken is still awesome. Never been to Germantown but heard they had good food also. Westfield, Brunsville, Craig, Ireton come to mind.

Is that still there? Gas Lantern, I think it was (is?) called?

Ate there many times w/ family -- but most recent was probably 20-plus years.

 

[cykadelic2]

Just in the past 3 days since this thread started...I decided to keep track of tiny towns as I pass through.Trying not to duplicate anyone.
I went through Klinger,Buck Creek,Littleport,Garber,Oran,Maryville,Volga,Wadena,Dundee,Wood Center,Osterdock,
Littleton and then I quit keeping track.

Wadena: Home of the famous Wadena Rock Festival

Iowa’s Woodstock, the 1970 Wadena rock fest: stories, photos, links | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

Another little hamlet in that area is Randalia where actress Randi Oakes grew up:

http://www.gregoryharrisonsite.com/randigallery.html

 

[cyclone101]

Top 10 Smallest Towns in Iowa (as of 2010 census)

1) Beaconsfield - 15
1) Le Roy - 15
3) Athelstan - 19
4) Durango - 22
5) Hepburn - 23
5) Pioneer - 23
7) Bankston - 25
7) Delphos - 25
9) Corley - 26
10) Otranto - 27


Note: Some of these are simply designated census places, may not be actual incorporated towns (Athelstand, Corley & Otranto are such places).

Ha. Two of those are in my home county.

 

[RING4CY]

Benson, IA

Has about 6 homes and you can drive 55mph(legally) right through the middle of town.

Hey, it has a meat locker! Can't leave that out.

 

[RING4CY]

Stout, Iowa.

One post office. 2 churches. Population increased by 7 from the 2000 to the 2010 census.

 

[RING4CY]

Not sure how I forgot about Fern on HWY 14 just north of Grundy Center. Feed store, 3-4 houses, and an auto shop. They make you slow down to 50 to go through town though and have nailed me.

You are not alone. My dad has been nailed in Fern on his was to GC.

 

[el tornado]

Green Mountain, Iowa

 

[SvrWxCy]

Strolling through some of the 2010 census data (yes I'm that cool) here are a few fun facts about small towns in Iowa.

Littleport appears to be the latest city that no longer exists, with a population of 26 in 2000 the city is no longer incorporated. In 1930 it was a striving town of 203 people.

Shrinking Iowa towns, here are some of the towns that have seen the most dramatic fall from their prime in the early 1900s...

Blanchard - Only 38 people, once was 520 (1900)
Athelstan - Only 19, once was 255 (1900)
Beaconsfield & Le Roy are both only 15 people, used to be 201 & 185 respectively.

Mystic had 2,796 people in 1920; now only has 425 as of 2010 and still declining.
What Cheer is currently only 646; a far cry from its' 3,246 in 1890.

By the numbers, the difference in the 2010 population compared to the cities peak population: Ottumwa with nearly 9,000 lower than its' peak in 1960. Clinton, Waterloo, Burlington, Sioux City, Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Keokuk, Dubuque and Fort Madison round out that top 10. Obviously they are larger towns to the percentage isn't as dramatic, by percentage the top 10 shrinking towns:

Blanchard, Athelstan, Beaconsfield, Le Roy, Carbon, Conway, Elkport, Spring Hill, Jolley & Numa.

 

[RING4CY]

This isn't in Iowa but it fits in the category with these other "towns".

Say hello to Cottonwood, South Dakota.

Population is now 9 as of the 2010 census, and I have distant family that lives in Cottonwood.:twitcy:

 

[00clone]

Bankston: three houses, a church, and a feed store.

A feed store that used to have an attached bar, no less.

But I'm going to go a different direction for DBQ county, Waupeton.

Not to be confused with Wahpeton, which is out Lake Okoboji, apparently.

Still remember bumper stickers from when I was a kid, "Where the hell's Waupeton". Think the bar sold them.

*edit: Census data...almost forgot about Durango...and not listed, Five Points

 

[RING4CY]

Be honest. Population is not the reason you snicker when you drive through Moorhead....

Or my hometown...Dike, Iowa.

 

[00clone]

Just in the past 3 days since this thread started...I decided to keep track of tiny towns as I pass through.Trying not to duplicate anyone.
I went through Klinger,Buck Creek,Littleport,Garber,Oran,Maryville,Volga,Wadena,Dundee,Wood Center,Osterdock,
Littleton and then I quit keeping track.

Cap: Osterdock: Used to be a restaurant over there, had a big all you can eat deal, if I recall correctly.

Yep, think I found it:

Osterdock Store Restaurant Bar
(563) 252-3608
3559 Kiln Rd, Guttenberg, IA 52052

Pretty good food back then, but that's 15+ years ago.

 

[cyinthesky]

And I thought Russia had small cities. :smile:

 

[Al_4_State]

Top 10 Smallest Towns in Iowa (as of 2010 census)

1) Beaconsfield - 15
1) Le Roy - 15
3) Athelstan - 19
4) Durango - 22
5) Hepburn - 23
5) Pioneer - 23
7) Bankston - 25
7) Delphos - 25
9) Corley - 26
10) Otranto - 27


Note: Some of these are simply designated census places, may not be actual incorporated towns (Athelstand, Corley & Otranto are such places).

I would think that there are unincorporated towns smaller than Otranto. Hell, there's probably 3 (Meyer, Mona, Meroa just off the top of my head) in the same county.

I wonder how they figure out the population of unincorporated towns with no actual boundaries?

 

[wartknight]

Wadena: Home of the famous Wadena Rock Festival

Iowa’s Woodstock, the 1970 Wadena rock fest: stories, photos, links | Des Moines Register Staff Blogs

Another little hamlet in that area is Randalia where actress Randi Oakes grew up:

http://www.gregoryharrisonsite.com/randigallery.html

My Dad grew up in Wadena/Volga area. Mom in Clermont. Beautiful area. Get up there still once a year or so. TJ's Pizza in Clermont is incredible. Have had some fun times at the bar in town. Was called Valhalla but I don't think that's the name anymore.

 

[wartknight]

Or my hometown...Dike, Iowa.

That name used to be *'d out on here. We used to call them the New Hartford-Dikes

 

[mvsta]

Al_4_State--don't try to discredit Otranto's standing on the smallest Iowa towns list. Some day one of the NE Mitchell County towns will achieve the status rightfully earned by my hometown--haha!

The other day I forgot to mention Meltonville---a town with maybe one home that is one mile south of Otranto and 2 miles west on the Mitchell and Worth County line.

 

[Al_4_State]

Al_4_State--don't try to discredit Otranto's standing on the smallest Iowa towns list. Some day one of the NE Mitchell County towns will achieve the status rightfully earned by my hometown--haha!

The other day I forgot to mention Meltonville---a town with maybe one home that is one mile south of Otranto and 2 miles west on the Mitchell and Worth County line.

Oh, Otranto definitely deserves the mention, don't get me wrong.

I drove through Meltonville once on a road trip to Myrtle.

It could win this thread! I think there were 2 houses and a meth lab guarded by an angry German Shepherd.