Colo, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colo, Iowa
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| Motto(s):
"A place to call home"
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Location of Colo, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Story |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.06 sq mi (2.76 km2) |
| • Land | 1.06 sq mi (2.76 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,040 ft (317 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 845 |
| • Density | 793.43/sq mi (306.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
50056
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| Area code(s) | 641 |
| FIPS code | 19-15240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0455538 |
| Website | City of Colo |
Colo is a small city located in Story County, Iowa, in the United States. In 2020, about 845 people lived there. Colo is famous for being the "Crossroads of the Nation." This is because two important historic roads, the Lincoln Highway and the Jefferson Highway, meet right in Colo. It is also part of the larger Ames, Iowa area.
Contents
History of Colo
The area where Colo is now was first settled in 1856. A small village called New Albany was started then. By the early 1860s, the railroad reached this area. The very first train station in Story County was built in Colo in 1863.
Colo officially became a city on April 26, 1876. It got its name from a dog named Colo. This dog belonged to a railroad official named John Insley Blair. Sadly, Colo the dog was crushed by a train that was carrying building materials. In the 1920s and 1930s, many visitors came to Colo. This was after the Lincoln and Jefferson highways were finished and met in the town.
Geography and Location
Colo is located in Story County, Iowa. The city covers a total area of about 1.06 square miles (2.76 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
People of Colo
| Historical populations | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1870 | 226 | — |
| 1880 | 296 | +31.0% |
| 1890 | 261 | −11.8% |
| 1900 | 391 | +49.8% |
| 1910 | 463 | +18.4% |
| 1920 | 507 | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 532 | +4.9% |
| 1940 | 539 | +1.3% |
| 1950 | 538 | −0.2% |
| 1960 | 574 | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 606 | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 808 | +33.3% |
| 1990 | 771 | −4.6% |
| 2000 | 868 | +12.6% |
| 2010 | 876 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 845 | −3.5% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
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Colo's Population in 2020
In 2020, there were 845 people living in Colo. There were 344 households, which are groups of people living together. About 29% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Colo was 41 years old. About 26% of the residents were under 20 years old.
Colo's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 876 people living in Colo. There were 348 households. About 33% of these households had children under 18. The average age of people in Colo was 40.9 years old. About 26% of residents were under 18 years old.
Parks and Fun Places
Near Colo, you can find Hickory Grove Park. This is Story County's biggest park for fun activities. It has 445 acres of land and a 98-acre lake. You can go fishing, swimming, and enjoy other outdoor activities there.
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East of Colo, along the Lincoln Highway, is an area called the Colo Bogs. This area drains water into the Iowa River.
Education in Colo
Colo is part of the Colo–NESCO Community School District. This school district was created in 1987 when the Colo and NESCO school districts joined together. The district has an elementary school in Zearing. The middle school and high school are located in Colo.
Transportation and Roads
Colo is located where the historic Lincoln Highway and Jefferson Highway meet. This special meeting point is called the Reed/Niland Corner. It includes an old diner, a vintage gas station, a motel, and a small park.
For people traveling today, Colo is at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 65. U.S. Route 30 is halfway between Ames and Marshalltown. U.S. Route 65 is halfway between Des Moines and Iowa Falls.
The Union Pacific Railroad also has tracks that run through Colo. These tracks split the town in half.
Famous People from Colo
- Michael Fitzgerald: He was the state Treasurer of Iowa for a very long time, from 1983 to 2023. He served longer than any other state treasurer in U.S. history.
- Robert Lounsberry: He was the Secretary of Agriculture for Iowa from 1973 to 1987.
- John Darnielle: He is a musician and a writer. He started the band called The Mountain Goats. John Darnielle lived and worked in Colo, Iowa. Some songs from his band's album "The Coroner’s Gambit," released in 2000, were recorded in Colo.
See also
In Spanish: Colo (Iowa) para niños
