Why visit Creston
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 29 places to eat and 5 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Creston, Iowana Hotel, Crestmoor Golf Club and Rainbow Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 11°F.
Weather in Creston
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Creston
Creston is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Iowa. The population was 7,536 at the time of the 2020 Census. Creston is a regional hub for southwest Iowa and is home to Southwestern Community College.
From the Wikipedia article Creston, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks10
Creston
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Railway station in Creston, Iowa
Iowana Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Hotel in Iowa, United States of America
Jefferson Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic building located in Creston, Iowa, United States
United States Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Creston, Iowa, United States
The Iowana
Monument and historic site
203 West Montgomery Street, Creston
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes29
A & G Restaurant and Lounge
Restaurant · Steak House
211 West Adams Street, Creston
Mo-Sa 11:00-14:00,16:00-21:00
Adams Street Espresso
Cafe · Coffee Shop
213 West Adams Street, Creston
Tu-Fr 07:00-14:30; Sa 08:30-13:30
Casa De Oro
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
400 West Taylor Street, Creston
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00; Sa 11:00-22:30; Su 12:00-21:00
Jade Garden
Restaurant · Chinese
315 West Adams Street, Creston
Tu-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:30-21:00
Java J's Coffee & Gifts
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.9 mi
801 West Townline Street, Creston
Mo-Fr 07:30-16:00; Sa 08:00-14:00
Scooter's Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.9 mi
806 Sumner Street, Creston
Mo-Fr 05:00-20:00; Sa-Su 06:00-20:00
Spencer’s Chophouse & Tavern
Restaurant · Steak House
119 North Walnut Street, Creston
Tu-Th 17:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 16:00-22:00
The Little Green Trailer
Restaurant · Barbeque, American · 0.8 mi
101 West Taylor Street, Creston
Tu-Fr 11:00-20:00
Union 25 Co.
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
916 North Sumner Avenue, Creston
Mo-Fr 05:00-16:30; Sa 05:00-13:00
Beggin' for an Eggin'
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
509 West Taylor Street, Creston
Mo 06:00-14:00; Tu-We closed; Th-Fr 06:00-14:00,17:00-19:00; Sa-Su...
Farmhouse Flavor
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
615 South Chestnut Street, Creston
"No regular hours, times are posted on Facebook"
17 more on the map.
Where to stay5
Moonlite Motel
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
704 New York Avenue, Creston
History
Creston was originally settled in 1868 as a survey camp for the Burlington and Missouri Railroad. It was named for the fact that it was on the crest of the railroad line between the Missouri and Mississippi river basins. The area was developed largely for agriculture, with related industries accompanying it. Creston had a flour mill in the early decades of the 20th century. The town was officially established in 1869 and incorporated in 1871.
Creston was chosen as the division point for the railroad, who built machine shops, a roundhouse, and a construction camp in the new town. Railroad employees, including African Americans, were recruited from Chicago and other major cities to work in Creston. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) opened a new station in Creston in 1899. The three-story, yellow brick Creston station is in the French Provincial style, with a red-tiled mansard roof.
Creston's economy and population were affected during the mid-20th century by a reduction in passenger train service and decline in railroad employment. The old machine shop building was destroyed by a tornado in 1946 and the remainder of the roundhouse burned down in 1981. The CB&Q station served passengers for 69 years before being renovated in 1978 to serve as city hall.
From the History section of Creston, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship18
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
Church · Evangelical Lutheran · 0.5 mi
800 North Sumner Avenue, Creston
First Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.6 mi
702 West Prairie Street, Creston
Saint John's United Church of Christ
Church · United Church Of Christ · 0.6 mi
601 South Maple Street, Creston
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Mayflower Heritage Christian School
School · Nondenominational · 0.9 mi
604 East Townline Road, Creston
Healthcare3
Map of Creston
97 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 11°F | 1.0 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 14°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 49°F | 26°F | 2.5 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 36°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 5.2 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 5.2 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 63°F | 4.5 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 4.2 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 39°F | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 26°F | 2.1 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 16°F | 1.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Creston 2 Sw (2 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
Union County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-14: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2010-07-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2010-03-02: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Creston Municipal Airport (CSQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Lenox 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Greenfield 18 mi north, about 28 min by car
- Corning 20 mi west, about 32 min by car
- Mount Ayr 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Winterset 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
- Osceola 30 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Stuart 31 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Earlham 33 mi northeast, about 52 min by car
- Bedford 33 mi southwest, about 53 min by car
- West Des Moines 45 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 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
- West end old station, Augiejv, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jefferson Elementary School 2012-09-30 19-12-25, Gvetterick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad-Creston Station 2012-09-30, Gvetterick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- U-S- Post Office 2012-09-30 09-15-11, Gvetterick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Iowana Hotel 2012-09-30 09-00-59, Gvetterick, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.