Marengo, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marengo, Iowa
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Iowa County Courthouse
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| Motto(s):
"Our town make it yours"
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Location of Marengo, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Iowa |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.18 sq mi (5.64 km2) |
| • Land | 2.12 sq mi (5.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
| Elevation | 738 ft (225 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,435 |
| • Density | 1,151.30/sq mi (444.47/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
52301
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| Area code(s) | 319 |
| FIPS code | 19-49395 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0458801 |
Marengo is a city in Iowa County, Iowa, United States. It is the main town, or "county seat," for Iowa County. Marengo became the county seat in 1845. However, it wasn't officially a city until 1859. In 2020, about 2,435 people lived there. This was a small decrease from the 2,535 people counted in 2000.
Contents
History of Marengo
Marengo was planned out in 1845. Its name comes from a famous battle called the Battle of Marengo. In this battle, a famous leader named Napoleon won against the Austrian army.
The Iowa County Courthouse was built in 1893. It is a very old and important building. It is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Marengo and the Underground Railroad
In 1859, a person named John Brown helped enslaved people escape. He led a group from Missouri to Michigan. On February 20, 1859, this group stayed near Marengo. They rested at the Draper B. Reynolds Farm.
Geography of Marengo
Marengo covers about 2.14 square miles (5.54 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 0.06 square miles (0.16 square kilometers), is water.
The Iowa River flows just north of the town.
Marengo's Population
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 50 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,693 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,738 | 2.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,710 | −1.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,007 | 17.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,786 | −11.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,048 | 14.7% | |
| 1930 | 2,112 | 3.1% | |
| 1940 | 2,260 | 7.0% | |
| 1950 | 2,151 | −4.8% | |
| 1960 | 2,264 | 5.3% | |
| 1970 | 2,235 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 2,308 | 3.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,270 | −1.6% | |
| 2000 | 2,535 | 11.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,528 | −0.3% | |
| 2020 | 2,435 | −3.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Population in 2020
In 2020, Marengo had 2,435 people living there. There were 1,057 households. A household is a group of people living in one home.
Most of the people (93.3%) were White. About 4.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Marengo was 41.7 years old. About 24.8% of the residents were under 20 years old. Also, 21.1% of the residents were 65 years or older.
Population in 2010
In 2010, Marengo had 2,528 people. There were 1,059 households. Most people (97.3%) were White. About 2.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age was 41 years. About 24.9% of residents were under 18. And 18.1% were 65 or older.
Arts and Culture in Marengo
Marengo Public Library
The Marengo Public Library is a special kind of library. It is a Carnegie library. This means it was built with money donated by Andrew Carnegie. It was built between 1904 and 1905. Marengo is thought to be the smallest town in the U.S. to get money from Andrew Carnegie for a library. The library was updated and made bigger in 2007.
Pioneer Heritage Museum
The Iowa County Historical Society runs the Pioneer Heritage Museum. It is located at 675 East South St. in Marengo. The museum has two old log cabins. It also has a farmhouse that were moved from other places.
You can see old farm tools and household items there. There are also clothes and military items from local people.
The museum also has a train station. It was moved from Victor, Iowa. There is also a 1930s gas station. It was moved from Hartwick, Iowa.
Rolle Bolle Courts
Marengo has special courts for a game called Rolle Bolle. They are at Marengo Avenue and E May Street.
This traditional game came from Belgium. Belgian immigrants brought it to the area a long time ago. Many local people play it. People in nearby towns like Victor and Belle Plaine also play.
Education in Marengo
Marengo has public schools. These include Iowa Valley Elementary School. There is also Iowa Valley Junior Senior High School. These schools are part of the Iowa Valley Community School District. The sports teams at Iowa Valley Junior High and High School are called the Tigers.
The Iowa Valley Tigers were very good at Track and Field in 1985. They won the State Championship for Class 2A. They scored 45 points, much more than the second-place team. A student named Matt Zuber set records that year. He set records in the long jump and the 110-meter high hurdles.
Notable People from Marengo
Many interesting people have connections to Marengo:
- Cliff Clevenger was a U.S. Representative from Ohio. He had a business in Marengo.
- Travis Fiser is a wrestling coach. He is in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
- Cindy Gerard is a famous romance author. She lives near Marengo.
- Paul Hinrichs was born in Marengo. He was a baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball.
- Bradley Kasal was born in Marengo. He is a Sergeant Major in the U.S. Marine Corps. He received the Navy Cross award.
- Del Miller was born in Marengo. He is a college football coach.
- Jeremiah Henry Murphy was a lawyer in Marengo. He later became a U.S. Representative.
- John N. W. Rumple was a U.S. Representative. He also served as Mayor of Marengo.
- Jarrod Uthoff is a professional basketball player. He played for the Dallas Mavericks.
- Rick Wanamaker was born in Marengo. He won a gold medal in the decathlon at the Pan-American Games.
- Mildred Mott Wedel was born in Marengo. She was a scholar who studied history and archaeology.
- Clarence Whitehill was born in Marengo. He was a popular opera singer.
See also
In Spanish: Marengo (Iowa) para niños
