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 city in Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 845 at the 2020 census. The town is home to the "Crossroads of the Nation" as Lincoln Highway and Jefferson Highway intersect at Colo. It is part of the Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a part of the larger Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Settlement of the area which would become Colo began in 1856 when the small village of New Albany was founded. By the early 1860s the railroad reached the area with the first train station in Story County being built in the community in 1863. Colo would be incorporated on April 26, 1876 and would take its name from the dog of railroad official John Blair. Reportedly Colo the dog succumbed to a grisly fate as it was crushed by a train that was carrying construction material. The community would see an influx of visitors in the 1920s and 1930s with the completion of the Lincoln and Jefferson highways which intersect in Colo.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.06 square miles (2.75 km2), all land.
Demographics
| 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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2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 876 people, 348 households, and 252 families living in the city. The population density was 826.4 inhabitants per square mile (319.1/km2). There were 370 housing units at an average density of 349.1 per square mile (134.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population.
There were 348 households, of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.6% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.94.
The median age in the city was 40.9 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.
Parks and recreation
Located near Colo is Hickory Grove Park, Story County's largest recreational, fishing, and swimming area with 445 acres, including a 98-acre (400,000 m2) lake.
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East of Colo, along the Lincoln Highway, lies the Colo Bogs, which drains into the Iowa River just east of Marshalltown.
Education
The community is within the Colo–NESCO Community School District. The district was established on July 1, 1987, by the merger of the Colo and NESCO school districts. The district operates an elementary school in Zearing and a middle and high school in Colo.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Colo is located at the intersection of the historic Lincoln and Jefferson highways. The intersection is marked by the historic complex of Reed/Niland Corner, which includes a diner, vintage gas station, motel, and small park.
For modern-day travelers, Colo lies at the intersection of U.S. Route 30 (halfway between Ames and Marshalltown), and U.S. Route 65 (halfway between Des Moines and Iowa Falls).
The Overland Route of the Union Pacific Railroad runs through Colo, splitting the town in half. The community is within the Clinton Subdivision portion of the route.
Notable people
- Michael Fitzgerald, longest serving state Treasurer in United States history (1983-2023)
- Robert Lounsberry, 11th Secretary of Agriculture of Iowa from 1973-1987
- John Darnielle, musician and novelist. Founder of the band The Mountain Goats. Lived and worked in Colo, IA. Numerous songs on the bands album “The Coroner’s Gambit,” released in 2000, were recorded in town.
See also
In Spanish: Colo (Iowa) para niños
