Garryowen, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garryowen, Iowa
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 Garryowen, Iowa
Location in Iowa
Garryowen, Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Jackson |
| Elevation | 1,040 ft (320 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 563 |
| GNIS feature ID | 464556 |
Garryowen (sometimes spelled Garry Owen) is a small, unincorporated community in Jackson County, Iowa, United States. An unincorporated community is a place that doesn't have its own local government. Garryowen is mostly known for being the area around St. Patrick's Church.
History of Garryowen
Garryowen was started by Irish families who moved there in the late 1830s. They first called the settlement Makokiti. Many Catholic families were moving to this area at the time. This was encouraged by Mathias Loras, who was the Bishop (a high-ranking church leader) for the Dubuque area.
A missionary named Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli worked with Bishop Loras. In 1840, Mazzuchelli helped build a log church in Garryowen. He used money from a group called the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. When St. Patrick's Church was finished, it had about 100 members. The 42 men in the church helped build it.
By 1842, the church had grown to 600 members. It also had a school and a full-time pastor (a church leader). This school was likely the first Catholic school in the Dubuque area. In 1844, Mazzuchelli noted that everyone in Butler Township was Catholic.
Changing the Name
Dennis A. Mahony taught at the school in Garryowen. He later became a member of the Iowa Senate, which is part of the state's government. Mahony suggested changing the community's name to Garryowen. This new name came from a place in Limerick, Ireland. It was chosen to honor the community's Irish background.
In 1854, the church members built a new church made of stone. This stone church is now recognized as a historic place on the National Register of Historic Places. The school closed in 1871. This happened because the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who ran the school, could not get enough money to keep it open.
Over time, seven other churches in nearby towns started from St. Patrick's Church. The local post office in Garryowen opened in 1847 but closed in 1900. In 1902, Garryowen had a population of 36 people.
