St. Joseph, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. Joseph, Iowa
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 St. Joseph, Iowa
Location in Iowa
St. Joseph, Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Kossuth |
| Township | Riverdale |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.86 sq mi (2.23 km2) |
| • Land | 0.86 sq mi (2.23 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,110 ft (340 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 51 |
| • Density | 59.16/sq mi (22.85/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) |
| ZIP code |
50519
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| Area code(s) | 515 |
| FIPS code | 19-70005 |
| GNIS feature ID | 461082 |
St. Joseph is a small community in Iowa, United States. It is known as an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city does. It's also a census-designated place (CDP), which is an area the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering population data. St. Joseph is located in Kossuth County, within Riverdale Township. In 2020, about 51 people lived there.
Contents
Where is St. Joseph, Iowa?
St. Joseph is found in the southern part of Kossuth County. It's in the southeast area of Riverdale Township. The community is about 11 miles (18 km) south of a town called Algona. You can reach it by following US 169. It's also very close to the border of Humboldt County.
Nearby Towns and Rivers
St. Joseph is located 13 miles (21 km) north of Humboldt along US 169. Another road, Iowa Highway 408, goes east from St. Joseph for about 7 miles (11 km) to Lu Verne. The community covers an area of about 0.86 square miles (2.2 square kilometers), and all of it is land. The East Fork of the Des Moines River flows along the eastern side of St. Joseph.
A Look at St. Joseph's History
St. Joseph grew over time rather than being planned out all at once. It was first known as "Hale." The community officially began in 1865. That's when Oscar Hale, who owned the land, started a post office and a hotel. People then called the place Hale's post office or simply Hale.
Early Settlers and Businesses
In 1870, George Hollenbeck moved to the area from Wisconsin. He opened a general store, which sold many different things. A year later, in 1878, Casper Waldbillig came from Dubuque and opened a saloon. One important early settler was John Devine. He owned many cattle and was known as the "cattle baron." Many of the families who settled here long ago still have relatives living in the area today.
The Community's Church and School
In 1871, Gregory Hollenbeck and Margaret Schreiber Hollenbeck gave land to build a church in Hale. Father Lenihan was the pastor at that time. The first church was built in 1872. It cost about $1,800 to build. Because St. Joseph is a small community, life there often centers around the church and the local school. In 1996, the church had 141 families. The parish school had 87 students from kindergarten to 12th grade.
Who Lives in St. Joseph?
According to the census taken in 2020, there were 51 people living in St. Joseph. These people lived in 16 households, and 15 of these were families. The community has about 59 people per square mile (23 per square kilometer). Most of the people living in St. Joseph are White. A small number of people are Hispanic or Latino.
Age and Gender in the Community
The average age of people in St. Joseph in 2020 was 61.2 years old. About 19.6% of the residents were under 20 years old. Many residents, 37.3%, were between 45 and 64 years old. About 27.5% of the people were 65 years old or older. When looking at gender, 35.3% of the community was male, and 64.7% was female.
