Fairfield, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fairfield, Iowa
City
Main Street
Location of Fairfield within Jefferson County and Iowa
Fairfield, Iowa Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Jefferson
Incorporated	May 14, 1875
Area
• Total	6.77 sq mi (17.54 km2)
• Land	6.61 sq mi (17.13 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Elevation	774 ft (236 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	9,416
• Density	1,423.65/sq mi (549.69/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes	52556–52557
Area code	641
FIPS code	19-26445
GNIS feature ID	467811

Fairfield is a city in Iowa, United States. It is the main city and county seat of Jefferson County, Iowa. In 2020, about 9,416 people lived there.

Fairfield became the county seat in 1839. Back then, only 110 people lived there. By 1847, the population grew to 650. The city's library started in 1853. Fairfield also hosted Iowa's first state fair in 1854.

History of Fairfield

The area around Fairfield was first settled in 1836. It became Jefferson County in 1839. The new community of Fairfield was chosen as the county seat. A settler named Nancy Bonnifield suggested the name. She thought it described the beautiful fields in the area.

By 1840, Fairfield had 110 people. This number grew to 650 by 1847. The city was home to the first and second Iowa State Fairs.

The first fair happened from October 25–27, 1854. It was held on about 6 acres of land. A tall fence surrounded the fairgrounds. The fair cost about $320 to put on. Tickets were 25 cents per person. Between 7,000 and 10,000 people visited this important event.

Parsons College was started in Fairfield in 1875. In 1893, the Carnegie Library was finished. It was the first Carnegie Library built west of the Mississippi River.

During the time before the American Civil War, Fairfield was a stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom. More than 1,600 people from Jefferson County fought for the Union Army in the war.

Fairfield has many interesting old buildings. Some Victorian houses were designed by George Franklin Barber. A house from 1915 was designed by Barry Byrne. He learned from the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. There is also a 1930s bank building. It was designed in the Streamline Moderne style.

In 1892, Senator James F. Wilson helped get money from Andrew Carnegie. This money was used to build the first community library in the U.S. This library became a model for 2,700 libraries around the world. Today, this old library building is used by Indian Hills Community College. A new library for the city was built in 1996. Parsons College also received money to build a Carnegie Library. This made Fairfield one of the few cities with two Carnegie Libraries.

Fairfield's Geography

Fairfield is located in the American Midwest. The land around the city has rolling farms. Farmers here grow corn and soybeans. They also raise cattle and hogs.

U.S. Route 34 runs through Fairfield from west to east. The city of Burlington is to the east. Ottumwa is to the west. Iowa Highway 1 goes north to south through Fairfield. It leads north to Iowa City and south to the Missouri state border.

The city covers about 6.42 square miles (16.63 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. A small part is water.

Population Information

The population of Fairfield, Iowa, from U.S. census data

2020 Census Data

In 2020, Fairfield had 9,416 people. There were 4,275 households. About 20.5% of households had children under 18. The city had about 1,423 people per square mile.

Most people in Fairfield were White (81.3%). Other groups included Black or African American (4.1%), Asian (5.0%), and Native American (0.5%). About 5.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Fairfield was 44.3 years. About 18.9% of residents were under 20. And 28.4% were 65 or older. The city had slightly more males (50.9%) than females (49.1%).

Fairfield's Economy

Fairfield is known for its many new businesses. Over 400 companies have started here. These businesses work in areas like software, manufacturing, and trading. For example, Agri-Industrial Products started in 1978. It became a large maker of plastic construction barrels. Creative Edge, a ceramic tile company, is also in Fairfield.

In 1990, Iowa's Governor called Fairfield "one of the state's economic superstars." Many new businesses have created jobs. These include software companies and internet providers. Because of all the new tech businesses, Fairfield was even called "Silicorn Valley."

Fairfield has seen a lot of new construction. Some buildings are designed in a special style called Maharishi Sthapatya Veda. This style includes entrances that face east or north. Fairfield also has eco-friendly neighborhoods. These include Cypress Villages and Abundance Ecovillage.

In 2003, Fairfield won an award for being a very entrepreneurial small town. It was said to have created over 2,000 jobs in 15 years. New construction averaged $10 million each year. From 1990 to 2004, Fairfield received over $200 million in investments.

By 2008, Fairfield was home to 40 software and telecom companies. Since 1990, over $250 million has been invested in 50 different companies. This has created 3,000 local jobs. It has also created 12,000 jobs globally.

The Fairfield Entrepreneurs Association (FEA) has been active for over 20 years. They help support new businesses. Fairfield also hosts the FRED Conference. This event focuses on helping rural areas grow businesses.

In 2011, an article said that newcomers had started over 400 new businesses. The largest employer in Fairfield is Cambridge Investment Research. It is a financial services company. It has about 400 local employees.

Arts and Culture in Fairfield

Fairfield's library was founded in 1853. It was the first library in Iowa. It moved into its current building in 1996. The library has over 220,000 items.

Fairfield is home to the Fairfield Arts & Convention Center (FACC). This large building cost $6 million to build. It has a 522-seat theater. It also has meeting rooms, an art gallery, and an outdoor plaza. The theater is named the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts. It is named after the famous American composer, Stephen Sondheim.

On the first Friday of each month, Fairfield hosts the 1st Fridays Art Walk. Over 2,500 people come to see art in downtown galleries. Sometimes there is live music too.

In 2009, The Beach Boys played a concert in Fairfield. It was a benefit for the FACC and the city's Green Sustainability Plan. The concert was sponsored by the David Lynch Foundation.

Fairfield is known as an "international center" for Transcendental Meditation (TM). Many people have moved here to practice TM. They often meditate together in the two Golden Domes on the Maharishi International University campus. People who practice TM are sometimes called "meditators." People born in Fairfield are sometimes called "townies."

In 2012, Oprah Winfrey visited Fairfield. She interviewed people and toured the town. Her visit was shown on the Oprah Winfrey Network. It was called "America's Most Unusual Town."

Memorial Day in Central Park

Parks and Outdoor Fun

Fairfield has 12 public parks and recreation areas. These cover over 1,300 acres. The city is also building a "master trail plan." This plan includes a 17-mile (27 km) trail system. Some parts of the trail are paved. Other parts are covered with lime chips or are wooded paths.

The trails connect different interesting places. These include the Neff Family Wetlands dike and the BNSF Trail. This trail crosses a new bridge that connects Walton Lake with Chautauqua Park. The plan also includes a "heritage path" to historical sites. There will also be a water trail connecting the area's rivers and lakes.

In 2012, Fairfield was a finalist in the "Blue Zones" community program. This was because of its many walking trails and outdoor activities. In 2015, Fairfield became a certified Blue Zones Community.

Education in Fairfield

The Fairfield Community School District has almost 2,500 students and staff. It has two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The high school has about 630 students. The current high school building was built in 1939.

In 2010, Lincoln Elementary school closed. All fifth-grade classes moved to the Fairfield Middle School.

Fairfield also has two private schools: Maharishi School (US) and Singing Cedars. The city is home to Maharishi International University (MIU). This private university moved to Fairfield in 1974. It bought the old campus of Parsons College. Many people moved to Fairfield in 1979 because of MIU's founder.

Media Outlets

Fairfield has several ways to get local news and entertainment.

• Radio

Fairfield has radio stations like KHOE 90.5 FM, KKFD-FM 95.9, and KMCD 1570 AM.

• Television

The local TV station in Fairfield is called FPAC (Fairfield Public Access).

• Newspaper

Fairfield's local newspaper is the Southeast Iowa Union. It covers news for Fairfield, Washington, and Mt. Pleasant. In 2024, the newspaper changed to publishing two times a week.

Transportation and Infrastructure

The closest large airport with jet service is the Eastern Iowa Airport. It is about 90 miles (145 km) north in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Southeast Iowa Regional Airport is about 50 miles (80 km) east in Burlington, Iowa. It has limited flights on smaller planes.

Fairfield has a small airport north of the city. It was built in 1967 and updated in 2006. The Fairfield Municipal Airport is for general use. It has a concrete runway that is 5,550 feet (1,692 m) long.

Bus service to Fairfield is provided by Greyhound Lines partners Jefferson Lines and Burlington Trailways.

Amtrak trains carry passengers west and east on the California Zephyr route. There are train stations in Mount Pleasant (25 miles east) and Ottumwa (20 miles west). The Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railway provides rail service. Train horns are no longer sounded within city limits since 2012.

The old Rock Island Line also used to pass through Fairfield. It closed in the late 1970s. Part of its old path is now used for the city's walking trail.

Notable People from Fairfield

Many interesting people have connections to Fairfield, Iowa. Here are a few:

• Richard Beymer, an actor, lives in Fairfield.
• Greg Brown, a folk musician, was born here.
• Walter Day, who founded Twin Galaxies (a group that tracks video game records), lives in Fairfield.
• Ben Foster, an actor, grew up in Fairfield.
• John Hagelin, a quantum physicist and three-time U.S. Presidential candidate, lives in Fairfield.
• Milo Hamilton, a baseball announcer, was born in Fairfield.
• John Jackson, an Olympic gold and bronze medal winner in shooting, lived in Fairfield.
• Matt Stutzman, an archer, won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Paralympics and a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. He also holds a world record for archery.

See also

In Spanish: Fairfield (Iowa) para niños