Why visit Fairbank
Townapedia lists 6 parks and trails in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 7°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Fairbank
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fairbank
Fairbank is a city in Buchanan and Fayette counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 1,111 at the time of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Fairbank, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Churches and places of worship4
Schools, colleges and libraries9
History
The first recorded permanent Euro-American settlement in what became Fairbank Township was established in 1849 by William S. Clark. In 1853, F. J. Everett and C. W. Bacon arrived from New York and established a log cabin and sawmill along the Little Wapsipinicon River. In 1854, they laid out the village of Fairbank, naming it after Bacon's grandmother, whose surname was Fairbank.
A post office was established in 1854, with Bacon serving as the first postmaster. John McCuniff opened the village's first store in 1855, using lumber produced at Everett and Bacon's sawmill. Frederick Patterson subsequently established an addition to the original village, known as Patterson's Addition.
The community developed around agriculture, milling, and trade. A flour mill was constructed along the river in the 1850s, and creameries became important to the area's agricultural economy. Early settlers included people of German and Irish descent, and several religious congregations were established during the nineteenth century.
Fairbank residents voted to incorporate the community on April 23, 1891, and the first municipal elections were held on May 5. J. C. Myers became the city's first mayor. The railroad contributed to the community's subsequent development as an agricultural trading and shipping center.
From the History section of Fairbank, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Fairbank
19 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 7°F | 1.1 in | 8.7 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 10°F | 1.1 in | 10.9 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 24°F | 1.9 in | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.5 in | 2.2 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 4.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 59°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 38°F | 2.6 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 25°F | 1.6 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 15°F | 1.4 in | 10.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Oelwein 2 S (7 mi away), rain and snow from Oelwein 1E, 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
Buchanan County has had 16 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)
- 2018-08-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2017-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2016-10-31: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Oelwein 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Hazleton 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Dunkerton 8 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Waterloo 19 mi southwest, about 30 min by car
- Cedar Falls 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Waverly 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Elkader 36 mi northeast, about 58 min by car
- Central City 40 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Marion 47 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Cedar Rapids 50 mi south, 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
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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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Amish Haystacks Fairbank, Iowa - panoramio, Sue E., CC BY-SA 3.0
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