Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city of 24,827 people in Webster County, Iowa, founded in 1869.
Why visit Fort Dodge
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 36 parks and trails, 25 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Fort 8 Theatres, Bomgaars, Corpus Christi Catholic Church and Oleson Park Music Pavilion.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 7°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Fort Dodge
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge is a city in and the county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Fort Dodge, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Bomgaars
Farm and orchard · 1.3 mi
3112 5th Avenue South, Fort Dodge
Mo-Sa 07:30-20:00; Su 09:00-18:00
Museums and landmarks15
Corpus Christi Catholic Church
Monument and historic site · Catholic · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Church building in Iowa, United States of America
Oleson Park Music Pavilion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Amphitheatre in Fort Dodge, Iowa
First National Bank Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic building located in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Fort Dodge, Iowa, United States
Fort Dodge Junior High School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Lorenzo S. Coffin Burial Plot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic grave in Webster County, Iowa
Oak Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Webster County, Iowa
Oakland Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Cemetery in Fort Dodge, Iowa
Phillips Middle School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Vincent House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Wahkonsa Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Hotel in Fort Dodge, United States of America
Webster County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Courthouse in Iowa, United States
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds36
24 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes25
Applebee's
Diner · American · 1.0 mi
2810 5th Avenue South, Fort Dodge
Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Willow Ridge
Restaurant · 2.5 mi
1788 Madison Avenue, Fort Dodge
Mo-Tu closed; We-Fr 17:00-21:00; Su 09:00-13:00; Sa off ||...
Buffalo Wild Wings
Restaurant · Wings · 1.1 mi
2909 5th Avenue South, Fort Dodge
Mo-Fr 11:00-24:00; Sa 00:00-01:00,11:00-24:00; Su 00:00-01:00,11:00-23:00
Scooter's Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.2 mi
2949 5th Avenue South, Fort Dodge
Mo-Sa 05:00-20:00; Su 06:00-20:00
Pizza Ranch Fort Dodge
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.7 mi
3311-1 5th Avenue South, Fort Dodge
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.1 mi
2908 5th Avenue South, Fort Dodge
Mo-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 10:00-22:00
13 more on the map.
History
Fort Dodge traces its beginnings to 1850 when Capt. Samuel Woods, with his E Company of the 6th Infantry were sent from Fort Snelling to erect and garrison a fort at the junction of the Des Moines River and Lizard Creek, they arrived August 2, 1850. It was originally named Fort Clarke, in honor of Brev. Brig. Gen. Newman S. Clarke, colonel of the Sixth 151, but was renamed Fort Dodge because there was another fort with the same name in Texas. It was named after Henry Dodge, a governor of Wisconsin Territory (which had included Iowa until Iowa became a state in 1846). The fort was abandoned by the Army in 1853.
The next year William Williams, a civilian storekeeper in Fort Dodge, purchased the land and buildings of the old fort. The town of Fort Dodge was founded in 1869. In 1872 the long and continuing history of gypsum production in Iowa started when George Ringland, Webb Vincent, and Stillman T. Meservey formed the Fort Dodge Plaster Mills to mine, grind, and prepare gypsum for commercial use. The Company constructed the first gypsum mill west of the Mississippi River, at the head of what is now known as Gypsum Creek.
In 2018, Kris Patrick, executive director of Fort Dodge Main Street, stated that Fort Dodge is locally referred to as "Little Chicago" because architects modeled downtown buildings to resemble Chicago in the mid-1900s.
From the History section of Fort Dodge, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
AmericInn by Wyndham Fort Dodge
Motel and hotel · 2.4 mi
100 Kenyon Road W, Fort Dodge
Brookstone Inn & Suites Fort Dodge
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
5 South 32nd Street, Fort Dodge
Churches and places of worship44
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries22
Healthcare3
Map of Fort Dodge
170 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 | 0.9 in | 8.6 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 12°F | 1.2 in | 11.8 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 2.0 in | 5.6 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 35°F | 3.7 in | 1.5 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.6 in | 0.4 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 38°F | 2.5 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 45°F | 25°F | 1.9 in | 2.8 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 14°F | 1.5 in | 7.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ft Dodge 5Nnw Hcn (5 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
Webster County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2022-02-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 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)
- 2013-07-02: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fort Dodge Regional Airport (FOD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Coalville 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Otho 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Badger 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Duncombe 10 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Callender 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Lehigh 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Humboldt 15 mi north, about 24 min by car
- Boone 35 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
- Ames 44 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Carroll 46 mi southwest, 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
- Fort Dodge Iowa, Bill Whittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oleson Park Bandshell Fort Dodge, Iowa, Robert W. Wood, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Corpus Christi Fort Dodge, Iowa, Robert W. Wood, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lorenzo S. Coffin Burial Plot, Ann Sullivan-Larson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hand pointing to heaven, Oakland Cemetery, Ann Sullivan-Larson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First National Bank Building, Ann Sullivan-Larson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 819 Third Avenue South, Fort Dodge, Iowa, in the Oak Hill Historic District, Ann Sullivan-Larson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Webster co iowa courthhouse, Bill Whittaker ( talk ). Original uploader was Billwhittaker at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic Downtown Fort Dodge, Iowa, Robert W. Wood, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vincent House 01, Pulido1980, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wahkonsa Hotel, Bill Whittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.