Rockwell City, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rockwell City, Iowa
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| Motto(s):
The Golden Buckle on the Corn Belt
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Location of Rockwell City, Iowa
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| Country | United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Calhoun |
| Townships | Twin Lakes Township / Center Township |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.21 sq mi (10.91 km2) |
| • Land | 4.21 sq mi (10.91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,230 ft (375 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,240 |
| • Density | 531.69/sq mi (205.28/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
50579
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| Area code(s) | 712 |
| FIPS code | 19-68295 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0460754 |
Rockwell City is a city in Iowa, United States. It is also the main town, or county seat, of Calhoun County, Iowa. In 2020, about 2,240 people lived there. The city's motto is "The Golden Buckle on the Corn Belt."
Contents
History of Rockwell City
Rockwell City was officially planned out in 1876. The city got its name from its founders, John M. Rockwell and his wife, Charlotte M. Rockwell.
People of Rockwell City
| Rockwell City historical population |
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|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1880 | 90 | — |
| 1890 | 516 | +473.3% |
| 1900 | 1,222 | +136.8% |
| 1910 | 1,528 | +25.0% |
| 1920 | 2,039 | +33.4% |
| 1930 | 2,108 | +3.4% |
| 1940 | 2,391 | +13.4% |
| 1950 | 2,333 | −2.4% |
| 1960 | 2,313 | −0.9% |
| 1970 | 2,396 | +3.6% |
| 1980 | 2,276 | −5.0% |
| 1990 | 1,981 | −13.0% |
| 2000 | 2,264 | +14.3% |
| 2010 | 1,709 | −24.5% |
| 2020 | 2,240 | +31.1% |
| Source: Source: |
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How Many People Live Here?
In 2010, about 1,709 people lived in Rockwell City. Most of the people living in the city were White (98.4%). A small number of people were African American, Native American, or Asian.
Geography and Climate
Rockwell City is located at coordinates 42°23′45″N 94°37′59″W. The city covers a total area of about 4.21 square miles (10.91 square kilometers), and all of it is land.
What's the Weather Like?
Rockwell City has a Humid continental climate. This means the weather changes a lot between seasons. Summers are warm to hot and often humid. Winters are cold, sometimes very cold. Rain and snow happen throughout the year.
| Climate data for Rockwell City, Iowa, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1894–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
70 (21) |
87 (31) |
97 (36) |
106 (41) |
105 (41) |
109 (43) |
110 (43) |
102 (39) |
94 (34) |
80 (27) |
70 (21) |
110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 48.5 (9.2) |
54.1 (12.3) |
71.3 (21.8) |
82.6 (28.1) |
88.5 (31.4) |
91.8 (33.2) |
93.0 (33.9) |
91.4 (33.0) |
89.3 (31.8) |
83.6 (28.7) |
68.2 (20.1) |
53.0 (11.7) |
94.8 (34.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.5 (−3.1) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
45.1 (7.3) |
59.2 (15.1) |
70.0 (21.1) |
79.6 (26.4) |
82.9 (28.3) |
80.7 (27.1) |
75.0 (23.9) |
62.2 (16.8) |
45.8 (7.7) |
32.0 (0.0) |
57.5 (14.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.4 (−8.1) |
21.8 (−5.7) |
34.7 (1.5) |
47.4 (8.6) |
59.4 (15.2) |
69.6 (20.9) |
72.9 (22.7) |
70.6 (21.4) |
63.0 (17.2) |
50.3 (10.2) |
35.6 (2.0) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
47.2 (8.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 8.4 (−13.1) |
12.3 (−10.9) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
35.6 (2.0) |
48.7 (9.3) |
59.5 (15.3) |
62.9 (17.2) |
60.5 (15.8) |
51.1 (10.6) |
38.4 (3.6) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
14.8 (−9.6) |
36.8 (2.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −13.1 (−25.1) |
−8.3 (−22.4) |
2.8 (−16.2) |
21.4 (−5.9) |
35.0 (1.7) |
47.4 (8.6) |
52.5 (11.4) |
50.7 (10.4) |
36.7 (2.6) |
23.3 (−4.8) |
8.8 (−12.9) |
−6.0 (−21.1) |
−16.4 (−26.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −35 (−37) |
−33 (−36) |
−22 (−30) |
4 (−16) |
17 (−8) |
34 (1) |
42 (6) |
36 (2) |
20 (−7) |
−3 (−19) |
−16 (−27) |
−32 (−36) |
−35 (−37) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.76 (19) |
0.99 (25) |
1.99 (51) |
3.76 (96) |
5.02 (128) |
5.04 (128) |
3.54 (90) |
4.53 (115) |
2.95 (75) |
2.35 (60) |
1.48 (38) |
1.34 (34) |
33.75 (859) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7.4 (19) |
7.6 (19) |
4.9 (12) |
1.9 (4.8) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.6 (1.5) |
2.4 (6.1) |
7.3 (19) |
32.1 (81.4) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.3 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 9.4 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 94.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 15.5 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Education in Rockwell City
Students in Rockwell City attend schools within the South Central Calhoun Community School District. This district was formed by combining smaller school districts over time.
Famous People from Rockwell City
- Charles G. Boyd: He was a 4-Star General in the United States Air Force. He was born near Rockwell City.
- Hubert Stanley Wall: A well-known mathematician who was born in Rockwell City.
Life Magazine Story
In 1958, a boy from Rockwell City named Barry Wichmann was featured in Life Magazine. He was recognized for having a very high IQ of 162. Barry's school didn't have enough special programs for his needs. He also had dyscalculia, which is a learning difficulty with numbers, similar to dyslexia. He later moved away, finished high school, and earned a PhD in clinical psychology.
Fun Things to Do
Annual Events and Festivals
- Sweet Corn Daze: Since 2009, Rockwell City has hosted this yearly festival. It usually happens on the first weekend in August. The festival includes a parade, fun activities, and many vendors.
- Calhoun County Expo: This is the county fair for Calhoun County. Rockwell City became the official location for the fair in 1980 after a county-wide vote. Before that, Calhoun County had two fairs, one in Rockwell City and one in Manson. A new state law in 1979 made counties choose only one official fair.
Cool Places to Visit
- Calhoun County Courthouse: This important building was built in 1914. It has a grand Neoclassical Revival style, with outer walls made of limestone and a red tile roof.
- Calhoun County Historical Museum: This building used to be the Rockwell City High School. Since 1986, it has been home to the Calhoun County Historical Museum. The museum collects and saves old documents and items that tell the story of Calhoun County's history and its people. You can visit the museum on Sundays from June to September, or by making an appointment.
- Rockwell City Bridge: This bridge was built in 1915 and is one of only two "rainbow bridges" in Calhoun County. It was no longer used for traffic after a highway was changed in 1981. In 1998, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its historical importance. In 2020, the bridge and nearby land were turned into a local park.
Rockwell City in Pop Culture
Rockwell City was even mentioned on the TV show Jeopardy! On December 18, 2003, a question about U.S. city nicknames asked: "Rockwell City in this state calls itself the 'Golden buckle on the Corn Belt.'" The answer was Iowa!
See also
In Spanish: Rockwell City (Iowa) para niños
