Old Peru, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Old Peru, Iowa
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 Old Peru, Iowa
Location in Iowa
Old Peru, Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Madison |
| Elevation | 1,122 ft (342 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 459832 |
Old Peru (pronounced PEE-roo) is a small, quiet place in Madison County, Iowa, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town does. Instead, it's managed by the county. Old Peru sits at an elevation of 1,122 feet (342 meters) above sea level.
Contents
History of Old Peru
Old Peru was officially started as a town in 1855. It was a busy place back then. However, its growth slowed down quite a bit.
The Post Office and Mail
For many years, Old Peru had its own post office. It opened on April 18, 1853, and helped people send and receive mail. But on September 14, 1903, the post office closed its doors. Even though it closed over a century ago, the special ZIP Code 50222 is still set aside for Peru.
The Railroad's Effect
A big reason Old Peru didn't grow as much was because of the railroad. When new train tracks were built, they passed about a mile away from Old Peru. Because of this, a new town called East Peru was started in 1887 right along the railroad line. This made East Peru a more convenient place for businesses and people.
Home of the Delicious Apple
Did you know that Old Peru is famous for something sweet? The very first Delicious apple tree grew right here! This was the original seedling tree that started the whole Delicious apple variety. It's a cool piece of history for this small community.
