Grundy Center, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grundy Center, Iowa
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Downtown
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| Motto(s):
"The Good Life"
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Location of Grundy Center, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Grundy |
| Incorporated | April 17, 1877 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.57 sq mi (6.66 km2) |
| • Land | 2.57 sq mi (6.66 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,027 ft (312 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,796 |
| • Density | 1,087.94/sq mi (420.10/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
50638
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| Area code(s) | 319 |
| FIPS code | 19-33195 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0457172 |
Grundy Center is a city in Grundy County, Iowa. It is also the county seat of Grundy County. In 2020, about 2,796 people lived there. Grundy Center is part of the larger Waterloo–Cedar Falls area.
Contents
Fun Places to Visit in Grundy Center
People often just call the town "Grundy." It has several places for learning and fun.
Schools and Learning Centers
The town has three main public school buildings. Younger students, from kindergarten to fourth grade, go to the primary building. Older students, from fifth to twelfth grade, attend the Jr-Sr High School. There's also a community preschool located in the old middle school building. The YMCA and an early childhood center share this building too.
Parks and Recreation
Grundy Center has three public parks: Bel Pre, Orion, and Liberty Park. These are great places to play and relax. Just south of Liberty Park, you'll find the city swimming pool. It's a popular spot to cool off during the summer months.
Historic Herbert Quick School House
Inside Orion city park, there's a special old building called the Herbert Quick School House. It's a historic place that shows what schools were like a long time ago.
History of Grundy Center
Grundy Center became an official city on April 17, 1877. The city was named after Grundy County. The county itself was named after Felix Grundy. He was a famous congressman and senator from Tennessee.
Education in Grundy Center
The Grundy Center Community School District runs the public schools in the area. These schools help students learn and grow.
Blue Ribbon School Award
In 2023, Grundy Center Middle School received a special award. The U.S. Department of Education named it a Blue Ribbon School. This award means the school is recognized as a high-performing school in Iowa. It shows they do a great job helping students succeed.
Grundy Center Athletics
The sports teams in Grundy Center are called the Spartans. They are known for being very good at sports.
Football Success
Since 2019, the Spartans football team has been amazing. They have played in the state championship game five times in a row. They even won two state championships in the last two years! In 2023, they moved up to a tougher division, Class 1A.
Golf Achievements
Grundy Center also has talented golfers. In 2023, a freshman named Judd Jirovsky made history in Iowa high school golf. He shot an incredible score of 11 under par 131. This was an all-class record! He won the 2A State medalist honors.
The Grundy Center boys' golf team also won the Class 2A State title in 2023. They had a record-breaking team score of 597. This was the fourth time the Spartans boys' team won a state title. The girls' golf team also won their 15th state championship in 2023. Abbie Lindeman from Grundy Center won the individual medalist title.
Geography of Grundy Center
Grundy Center is located in Iowa. It sits at specific coordinates: 42 degrees, 21 minutes, 40 seconds North and 92 degrees, 46 minutes, 25 seconds West. The city covers a total area of about 2.53 square miles (6.66 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Climate in Grundy Center
Grundy Center has a type of climate called a hot-summer humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold winters.
Population of Grundy Center
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1880 | 950 | — |
| 1890 | 1,161 | +22.2% |
| 1900 | 1,322 | +13.9% |
| 1910 | 1,354 | +2.4% |
| 1920 | 1,749 | +29.2% |
| 1930 | 1,793 | +2.5% |
| 1940 | 2,012 | +12.2% |
| 1950 | 2,135 | +6.1% |
| 1960 | 2,403 | +12.6% |
| 1970 | 2,712 | +12.9% |
| 1980 | 2,880 | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 2,491 | −13.5% |
| 2000 | 2,596 | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 2,706 | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 2,796 | +3.3% |
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Population in 2020
In 2020, there were 2,796 people living in Grundy Center. There were 1,201 households, which are groups of people living together. About 27.6% of these households had children under 18. Most people in the city were White (95.9%). About 1.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The average age of people in Grundy Center was 42.0 years old.
Media in Grundy Center
The Grundy Register is a local newspaper for Grundy Center. It started in 1923 and is published every week. It shares news and stories about the community.
Notable People from Grundy Center
Many interesting people have come from Grundy Center, including:
- Robert Hugh Willoughby – A talented classical flutist.
- Ed Wilson – A chief meteorologist for a TV station.
- Joe Crisman – An American football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Ziggy Hasbrook – An American professional baseball player for the Chicago White Sox.
- Clarence Slifer – An American special effects artist who won an Academy Award.
- Harvey Tschirgi – A United States Marine who became a brigadier general.
- J. Morris Rea – A senator for Iowa.
- W. L. Mooty – Served as the Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 1961 to 1965.
- Daniel Kerr – A politician.
- T. Cooper Evans – A politician.
- Elisha Avery Crary – A United States district judge.
