Why visit Belle Plaine
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 9 parks and trails, 4 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include King Theatre, Belle Plaine Main Street Historic District and Chambers Ford Bridge.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 28 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Belle Plaine
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Belle Plaine
Belle Plaine is a city in Benton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,330 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Belle Plaine, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks7
Belle Plaine Main Street Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Chambers Ford Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Frank E. and Katie (Cherveny) Zalesky House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Belle Plaine, Iowa
Herring Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Hotel in Iowa, United States of America
Preston's Station Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Sankot Motor Company
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds9
Restaurants and cafes4
History
Belle Plaine was founded in 1862 when it was certain the railroad would be extended to that point. It was surveyed in March 1862 by George F. Kirby for its proprietor, John I Blair who platted it and filed the plat for record on 12 May 1862. (The date and surveyor were identical for Blairstown.) "Belle Plaine" is derived from the French meaning "beautiful plain".
Belle Plaine is located on both the historic Lincoln Highway and the cross country tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad.
From the History section of Belle Plaine, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Map of Belle Plaine
36 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 10°F | 1.1 in | 7.8 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 1.3 in | 7.4 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 2.0 in | 3.4 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 37°F | 3.7 in | 0.8 in |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 51°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 39°F | 2.9 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 27°F | 2.1 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 17°F | 1.6 in | 6.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Belle Plaine Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Benton County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-10-31: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-07-31: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.
- Marengo 13 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Brooklyn 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Tama 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Toledo 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Williamsburg 21 mi southeast, about 33 min by car
- Vinton 22 mi northeast, about 36 min by car
- Montezuma 25 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Grinnell 26 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Fairfax 26 mi east, about 41 min by car
- Cedar Rapids 31 mi east, about 50 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- King Theatre Belle Plaine Iowa -3-10-2014, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- The Herring Hotel, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chambers Ford in 2015, Vchaser, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Preston's Station Belle Plaine, Carl Wycoff from Nevada, USA, CC BY 2.0
- The Frank E. and Katie Zalesky House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Sankot Motor Company, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
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