Guttenberg, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
City of Guttenberg
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A view of Guttenberg from Acre Street December 2007
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| Motto(s):
A Great Place to Do Business, Live, Work and Play!
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Location of Guttenberg in Iowa
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| Country | United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Clayton |
| Incorporated | 1851 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.23 sq mi (5.77 km2) |
| • Land | 2.19 sq mi (5.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 625 ft (188 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,817 |
| • Density | 828.17/sq mi (319.72/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central Standard Time) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (Central Daylight Time) |
| Zip Code |
52052
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| Area code(s) | 563 |
| FIPS code | 19-33465 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0457187 |
Guttenberg is a city in Clayton County, Iowa, United States. It is located right along the Mississippi River. In 2020, about 1,817 people lived there.
Contents
History
Early Beginnings
The area where Guttenberg is now was first called Prairie La Porte by French explorers in 1673. This name means "the door to the prairie." Before settlers arrived, the land was home to the Sac and Fox Native American tribes until 1823.
In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase made this land part of the United States. Later, in 1833, the Black Hawk Purchase opened the area for people to legally settle there.
German Settlers and Growth
Many of Guttenberg's old buildings are made of limestone. These were built by German immigrants in the mid-to-late 1800s. Some of these buildings, like the Albertus Building, are even older than the Civil War. You can still see them in the Front Street Historic District.
Guttenberg's spot by the river was very important for its early growth. It was a key place for people moving west. It also served as an early government center for the county from 1838 to 1843. The town was a supply center for the area until the Civil War. After that, railroads and new roads changed how goods were moved.
When the county seat moved away in 1843, Guttenberg's growth slowed down. But things picked up again in 1845. Many German immigrants came to the area, and the lead mining industry grew along Miners Creek.
Naming the City
The German immigration really took off in 1845. By 1850, most people in the town were German. The city is named after Johannes Gutenberg. He was the inventor of the movable type printing press. This invention made it possible to print books much faster.
Many streets in Guttenberg are named after famous German writers and thinkers from the 1700s and 1800s. These include Koerner, Herman, Weiland, Lessing, Schiller, Herder, and Goethe. Their writings became very popular in Germany thanks to Gutenberg's invention. You can even see a copy of a Bible that Gutenberg printed at the public library!
Guttenberg officially became a city in 1851. Between 1845 and 1865, German settlers built over a hundred stone buildings. They used local limestone, clay, and lime. Four large warehouses opened by the river, along with a flour mill, stores, and hotels. Steamboats brought in goods and took away farm products, flour, and lead ore.
Guttenberg has had many floods. A big one happened in 1965, after which a levee was built to protect the city. Today, Guttenberg is the largest town in Clayton County.
Geography
Location and Area
Guttenberg is located at 42°47′10″N 91°6′5″W / 42.78611°N 91.10139°W. The city covers about 2.12 square miles (5.49 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
The community is right next to the Mississippi River. Across the river from Guttenberg is the state of Wisconsin. US Route 52 also runs through the area.
Climate
Guttenberg has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
| Climate data for Guttenberg, Iowa (Lock and Dam No. 10) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 60 (16) |
73 (23) |
87 (31) |
97 (36) |
95 (35) |
101 (38) |
103 (39) |
103 (39) |
101 (38) |
94 (34) |
78 (26) |
69 (21) |
103 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 27.9 (−2.3) |
32.8 (0.4) |
45.2 (7.3) |
59.3 (15.2) |
71.0 (21.7) |
80.4 (26.9) |
83.8 (28.8) |
81.6 (27.6) |
74.7 (23.7) |
61.4 (16.3) |
46.0 (7.8) |
33.0 (0.6) |
58.1 (14.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 19.1 (−7.2) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
36.0 (2.2) |
49.0 (9.4) |
60.5 (15.8) |
70.3 (21.3) |
73.9 (23.3) |
71.7 (22.1) |
64.2 (17.9) |
51.5 (10.8) |
37.5 (3.1) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
48.5 (9.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 10.3 (−12.1) |
14.0 (−10.0) |
26.7 (−2.9) |
38.7 (3.7) |
50.0 (10.0) |
60.1 (15.6) |
64.1 (17.8) |
61.8 (16.6) |
53.7 (12.1) |
41.5 (5.3) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
17.6 (−8.0) |
39.0 (3.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −36 (−38) |
−38 (−39) |
−30 (−34) |
7 (−14) |
27 (−3) |
39 (4) |
46 (8) |
40 (4) |
27 (−3) |
14 (−10) |
−11 (−24) |
−29 (−34) |
−38 (−39) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.33 (34) |
1.23 (31) |
1.98 (50) |
3.65 (93) |
4.58 (116) |
5.70 (145) |
4.85 (123) |
3.61 (92) |
3.75 (95) |
2.81 (71) |
2.13 (54) |
1.66 (42) |
37.28 (947) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.0 (25) |
9.3 (24) |
3.7 (9.4) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
1.2 (3.0) |
9.2 (23) |
34.4 (87) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 8.6 | 7.7 | 9.2 | 11.2 | 12.2 | 11.2 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 112.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 5.6 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 4.7 | 18.2 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population Facts
| Historical populations | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1860 | 1,104 | — |
| 1870 | 1,040 | −5.8% |
| 1880 | 1,076 | +3.5% |
| 1890 | 1,160 | +7.8% |
| 1900 | 1,620 | +39.7% |
| 1910 | 1,873 | +15.6% |
| 1920 | 1,666 | −11.1% |
| 1930 | 1,918 | +15.1% |
| 1940 | 1,860 | −3.0% |
| 1950 | 1,912 | +2.8% |
| 1960 | 2,087 | +9.2% |
| 1970 | 2,177 | +4.3% |
| 1980 | 2,428 | +11.5% |
| 1990 | 2,257 | −7.0% |
| 2000 | 1,987 | −12.0% |
| 2010 | 1,914 | −3.7% |
| 2020 | 1,817 | −5.1% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
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How Many People Live Here?
In 2020, the population of Guttenberg was 1,817 people. This was a bit less than the 1,987 people counted in 2000.
The city has about 828 people per square mile. There are also many homes, with about 477 housing units per square mile.
Most people living in Guttenberg are White (96%). A small number of people are from other racial backgrounds. About 0.8% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
In 2010, there were 1,919 people living in Guttenberg. About 887 households were counted. The average age of people in the city was 51.3 years old. About 17.2% of residents were under 18 years old. Many people, 27.8%, were 65 years or older.
Schools in Guttenberg
Public schools in Guttenberg are part of the Clayton Ridge Community School District. This district was created in 2005. It joined the Guttenberg and Garnavillo school districts together.
There is also a Catholic school called St. Mary IC School. It teaches students from kindergarten through 8th grade. It used to have a high school, but that closed in 1968.
Famous People from Guttenberg
- Daniel Schaefer (1936–2006) – He was a US Representative for Colorado. This means he was elected to represent the people of Colorado in the United States government for seven terms, from 1983 to 1999.
- Lee Kunzman (born 1944) – He is a famous sprint car race driver. He competed in races organized by USAC and IMCA.
See also
In Spanish: Guttenberg (Iowa) para niños
