Independence, Iowa
Independence is a city of 6,164 people in Buchanan County, Iowa, founded in 1847.
Why visit Independence
Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Wapsipinicon River Bridge, Starlight Cinema, Buchanan County Courthouse and Dr. Judd C. and Margaret S. Clarke Shellito House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 8°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Independence
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Independence
Independence is a city in, and the county seat of, Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,064 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Independence, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Wapsipinicon River Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Starlight Cinema
Cinema and theater · 1.4 mi
2401 Swan Lake Boulevard, Independence
Riverwalk Parks Community Bandshell
Cinema and theater · 0.9 mi
49 6th Street Northeast, Independence
Museums and landmarks13
Buchanan County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic building in Independence, Iowa, US
Dr. Judd C. and Margaret S. Clarke Shellito House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Single-family detached home in Independence, Iowa
Eliphalet W. and Catherine E. Jaquish Purdy House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Lee House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Iowa, United States
Malek Theater
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Former movie theater in Independence, Iowa, United States
Mathias C. and Eva B. Crowell Fuhrman Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Human settlement in Iowa, United States of America
Munson Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Building in Iowa, United States of America
Robert R. and Julia L. Plane House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic residence located in Independence, Iowa, United States
Wapsipinicon Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Building in Iowa, United States of America
Fisher-Plane Commercial Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Maas Commercial Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Weins Commercial Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
1 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes13
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger · 0.9 mi
2339 Jamestown Avenue
Mo-Th 05:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-01:00; Su 05:00-24:00
1 more on the map.
History
Independence was founded on June 15, 1847 near the center of present-day Buchanan County. The original town plat was a simple nine-block grid on the east side of the Wapsipinicon River. The town was intended as an alternative to Quasqueton (then called Quasequetuk), which was the county seat prior to 1847. The village of Independence had fewer than 15 persons when the county seat was transferred there.
On Main Street, on the west bank of the Wapsipinicon, a six-story grist mill was built in 1867. Some of its foundation stones were taken from that of an earlier mill, the New Haven Mill, built in 1854, that was used for wool processing. (Prior to the incorporation of Independence on October 15, 1864, a short-lived neighboring village, called New Haven, had grown up on the west side of the river, hence the name New Haven Mill.) The 1867 mill, now called the Wapsipinicon Mill, was a source of electrical energy from 1915 to 1940. Some structural restoration occurred in recent years, and the mill now functions partly as an historical museum.
A courthouse was built in 1857, on the east side of the town, on a site described at that time as "the highest tract of land in the neighborhood," where offers "a fine view of the city of Independence, the Valley of the Wapsipinicon, and the surrounding Country". The original courthouse was replaced in 1939 by a Moderne or Art Deco structure.
From the History section of Independence, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship16
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare5
MercyOne Independence Family Medicine
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.0 mi
2004 Enterprise Court, Independence
Map of Independence
83 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 8°F | 0.9 in | 10.0 in |
| Feb | 31°F | 12°F | 1.4 in | 7.3 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 24°F | 2.0 in | 3.8 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 36°F | 3.6 in | 1.8 in |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 51°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 38°F | 3.0 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 26°F | 2.1 in | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 15°F | 1.7 in | 7.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Independence #1 (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
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, 26 miles away.
- Fairbank 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Urbana 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Evansdale 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Center Point 20 mi south, about 33 min by car
- Waterloo 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Strawberry Point 24 mi northeast, about 39 min by car
- Denver 26 mi northwest, about 42 min by car
- Central City 26 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Cedar Falls 28 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Marion 33 mi southeast, about 53 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
- WapsipiniconMill, Erich Fabricius, CC BY 3.0
- St. James Church - Independence, Iowa, Carl Wycoff, CC BY 2.0
- Saint John Evangelist Church - Independence, Iowa, Carl Wycoff, CC BY 2.0
- 1947 Art Deco Style Malek Theater, Kevin Schuchmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Eliphalet and Catherine Jaquish Purdy House, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- Robert and Julia Plane House, TheCatalyst31, CC0
- Mathias C. And Eva B. Crowell Funrman Farm, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fisher-Plane Commercial Building-119 1st. Street, E, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Maas Commercial Building, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wapsipinicon River Bridge, Bruce A. Harms, Public domain
- Munson Building, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Weinstein Commercial Building, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dr. Judd C. and Margaret S. Clarke Shellito House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Buchanan-county-court-house, Kevin Schuchmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Captain Daniel S. and Fannie L. (Brooks) Lee House, Kevin Schuchmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.