Columbus Junction, Iowa
Columbus Junction is a city of 2,110 people in Louisa County, Iowa, founded in 1870.
Why visit Columbus Junction
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 3 parks and trails, 1 place to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Community Building.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 11°F, and about 31 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Columbus Junction
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbus Junction
Columbus Junction is a city in Louisa County, Iowa. The population was 1,830 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Columbus Junction, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Community Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Community building in Columbus Junction, Iowa
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes1
Bard Station Coffee House
Cafe · Coffee Shop
131 Main Street, Columbus Junction
We-Fr 06:30-13:00; Sa 07:00-13:00
Where to stay1
History
Columbus Junction began as a settlement located at the intersection of two railroad lines. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (also known as the Rock Island [Line]) built an east–west line through the area in 1858, and the perpendicular north–south Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad (BCR&M) line was built in 1870.
The first local business, a restaurant and boarding house imported via the Rock Island from Muscatine, Iowa, opened the day after a BCR&M train made the inaugural stop and crossing of the newly completed intersection. Just a month later, on March 12, 1870, the town was platted.
Neighboring Columbus City had been established before the railroads arrived and both the Rock Island and BCR&M had built their lines over a mile's distance away. Because they had invested in the latter line, they were permitted to name the new town, and so it became Columbus Junction.
The largest sustained period of growth for Columbus Junction was from 1960 to 2000, driven primarily by job creation in meat processing. From 1961 to 1982 Rath Packing Company operated a hog processing plant just north of the city. In 1985 the facility reopened under the ownership of IBP, and in 2001 was bought by Tyson Foods.
From the History section of Columbus Junction, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship8
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Columbus Community Junior High School
School · 0.6 mi
1004 Colton St, Columbus Junction
Healthcare1
Map of Columbus Junction
20 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 11°F | 1.2 in | 9.5 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 14°F | 1.9 in | 7.1 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 26°F | 2.3 in | 5.3 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 38°F | 3.9 in | 1.6 in |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 3.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 27°F | 2.2 in | 1.3 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 17°F | 1.9 in | 6.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Columbus Junction (0 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
Louisa County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-05-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2007-03-14: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Muscatine Municipal Airport (MUT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 13 miles away.
- Wapello 11 mi southeast, about 18 min by car
- Washington 17 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Muscatine 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- West Liberty 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
- Kent Estates 21 mi northeast, about 33 min by car
- Mount Pleasant 24 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- New London 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Iowa City 27 mi north, about 44 min by car
- West Branch 27 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Coralville 31 mi north, about 51 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
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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
- Columbus junction iowa, Bill Whittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Columbus Junction School, Kepper66, CC BY-SA 3.0
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