Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city of 9,505 people in Poweshiek County, Iowa, founded in 1854.
Why visit Grinnell
Townapedia lists 28 museums and landmarks, 21 parks and trails, 31 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include The Strand, Prairie Produce Market, Goodnow Hall and Grinnell Historical Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 31 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Grinnell
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Grinnell
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,564 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the home of Grinnell College, a liberal arts college.
From the Wikipedia article Grinnell, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks28
Goodnow Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Grinnell, Iowa, listed on the NRHP in Poweshiek County, Iowa
1118 Park Street, Grinnell
Levi P. Grinnell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic dwelling located in Grinnell, Iowa, United States
1002 Park Street, Grinnell
Grinnell Historic Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Iowa, United States
Mears Cottage
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
University building in Iowa, United States of America
1213 6th Avenue, Grinnell
Merchants' National Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Bank in Grinnell, United States of America
North Grinnell Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Nationally recognized historic district located in Grinnell, Iowa, United States
Stewart Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Former public library in Grinnel Iowa
B.J. Ricker House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
House in Grinnell, Iowa, United States
Bowers and McDonald Office Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Office building in Iowa, United States of America
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Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad-Grinnell Passenger Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Former train station in Grinnell, Iowa
E.A. and Rebecca (Johnson) Marsh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic dwelling located in Grinnell, Iowa, United States
16 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds21
Grinnell Mutual Family Aquatic Center
Sports field and stadium · 1.1 mi
120 8th Avenue West, Grinnell
9 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes31
El Cascabel at The Depot Crossing
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
1014 3rd Avenue, Grinnell
Mo-Th,Sa 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Pagliai's Grinnell
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.6 mi
816 5th Avenue, Grinnell
Mo-Th,Su 17:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.7 mi
1019 West Street, Grinnell
Mo-Th,Su 10:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-23:00
Prairie Canary Restaurant and Bar
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
924 Main Street, Grinnell
Tu-Sa 11:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00
Saints Rest Coffee House
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.6 mi
917 Broad Street, Grinnell
Mo-Tu,Th,Sa 06:30-17:00; We,Fr 06:30-19:00; Su 09:00-19:00
West Side Family Restaurant
Restaurant · American, Barbecue, Diner, Seafood · 1.1 mi
229 6th Avenue, Grinnell
Tu-Sa 06:00-20:00; Su 06:00-14:00
Hometown Heroes Sports Grill
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
908 Main Street, Grinnell
Su-Mo 11:00-20:30; Tu-Sa 11:00-21:00
19 more on the map.
History
Grinnell was founded by settlers from New England who were descended from English Puritans of the 1600s. Grinnell was founded in 1854 by four men: Josiah B. Grinnell, a Congregationalist from Vermont; Homer Hamlin, a minister; Henry Hamilton, a surveyor; and Dr. Thomas Holyoke. The city was to be named "Stella", but J. B. Grinnell convinced the others to adopt his name, describing it as rare and concise. Grinnell was incorporated on April 28, 1865, and by 1880, Grinnell had a population of around 2,000. Located at the junction of two railway lines (east–west line of the Rock Island Railroad and the north–south Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway), it is the largest community in Poweshiek County.
Grinnell was a stop on the Underground Railroad from its founding. One of the most famous events occurred in February 1859, when abolitionist John Brown, and 12 slaves he was helping escape to freedom, were hosted by J. B. Grinnell and several other community residents. Because of J. B. Grinnell's efforts to help slaves and end slavery, in 2013, the National Park Service included his gravesite at Hazelwood Cemetery on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom listings.
From the History section of Grinnell, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship14
Christian Science Society
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Grinnell United Church of Christ Congregational
Church · United Church Of Christ · 0.6 mi
902 Broad Street, Grinnell
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare22
Grinnell Diabetes and Nutrition Education Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.8 mi
122 4th Avenue, Grinnell
Grinnell General Surgery and Weight Loss Surgery Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.7 mi
122 4th Avenue, Grinnell
Map of Grinnell
156 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 | 9.0 in |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 1.6 in | 9.1 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 25°F | 2.2 in | 3.4 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 35°F | 3.9 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 70°F | 47°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 50°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 38°F | 3.2 in | 0.5 in |
| Nov | 47°F | 26°F | 1.9 in | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 16°F | 1.6 in | 6.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Grinnell 3 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
Poweshiek County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2014-08-05: 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
Newton Municipal Airport (TNU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- Brooklyn 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
- Montezuma 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Newton 16 mi west, about 27 min by car
- Tama 18 mi northeast, about 28 min by car
- Toledo 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- New Sharon 19 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Marshalltown 23 mi northwest, about 36 min by car
- Pella 25 mi southwest, about 40 min by car
- Monroe 25 mi southwest, about 40 min by car
- Belle Plaine 26 mi northeast, about 41 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
- Grinnell Iowa - downtown, Aaron Tait from San Francisco, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Grinnell Iowa March House NRHP, Smallbones, CC0
- 20140713 24 Grinnell, Iowa (19296437549), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Bowers n Mac Grinnell IA, Smallbones, CC0
- Grinnell, Iowa banner, Aaron Tait from San Francisco, United States, CC BY 2.0
- 20140713 34 Grinnell, Iowa (19320090290), David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Spaulding Grinnell IA, Smallbones, CC0
- Grinnell IA Depot, Smallbones, CC0
- GrinnellIA StrandTheatre, Ron Cogswell from Arlington, Virginia, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Grinnell United Church of Christ, Burtsbeespeppermint, CC0
- Grinnell Arts Center (in the former Stewart Library building) in Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Downtown Grinnell, Iowa closer up, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Grinnell Jewelbox, Smallbones, CC0
- Stew Makerspace in downtown Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Stew Makerspace in Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Masonic Temple in Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Downtown Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Downtown Grinnell, Iowa (cropped), Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Bowling alley in Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Post office in Grinnell, Iowa, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Grinnell Herald IA, Smallbones, CC0
- ITC Grinnell IA, Smallbones, CC0
- Levi Grinnell House IA, Smallbones, CC0
- Stewart Library Grinnell Iowa, Smallbones, CC0
- Grinnell Graveyard - panoramio, reallychrispy, CC BY 3.0
- Grinnell College - John Chrystal Center - Iowa (52934519986), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0
- Grinnell College's Renfrow Hall under construction, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Campus walkway at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa 01, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- GrinnellCollege BurlingLibrary, Ron Cogswell from Arlington, Virginia, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Goodnow Hall at Grinnell College, Mattsjc, CC BY 4.0
- Goodnow Hall Grinnell IA, Smallbones, CC0
- Grinnell College Mears Cottage, Aureliusxv, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LSGrinnell7, Einar Einarsson Kvaran aka Carptrash, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 1131 Park, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Front of Charles H. Spencer House, Mpoush, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Grinnell, Iowa train station, Ron Reiring, CC BY 2.0
- Ricker House 2 Grinnell IA, Smallbones, CC0
- Davis Elementary, RickH86, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Pioneer Oil Company Filling Station, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Farmers Mutual Reinsurance Company Building (New Facade), Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.