Why visit Iola
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include B & B Iola Sterling Six Cinemas, Allen County Jail, Northrup House and Cedarbrook Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Iola
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Iola
Iola () is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Kansas, United States. The city is situated along the Neosho River in southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 5,396. It is named in honor of Iola Colborn, the wife of Josiah Colborn, one of the town's founders.
From the Wikipedia article Iola, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
B & B Iola Sterling Six Cinemas
Cinema and theater · 0.9 mi
1802 East Street, Iola
Museums and landmarks6
Allen County Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic jail in Iola, Kansas, USA
204 North Jefferson Avenue, Iola
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Northrup House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Kansas, United States
318 East Street, Iola
S. H. Kress and Co. Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic building in Iola, Kansas, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes13
El Jimador
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
902 North State Street, Iola
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.6 mi
301 West Madison, Iola
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 08:00-23:00
1 more on the map.
History
The history of Iola began in 1859. After the location of the county seat at Humboldt, by the legislature of 1858, there was a great deal of dissatisfaction among the residents of the central and northern parts of the county, and a number of citizens selected the present site of Iola, with the intention of ultimately securing the county seat. On January 1, 1859, a large meeting was held at the Deer Creek schoolhouse. The meeting decided to organize a town company, which was immediately done. A constitution was then adopted, and officers were elected. The officers of the company after due consideration of different points selected a site for the proposed town, about two miles (3 km) north of Cofachique, at the confluence of Elm Creek and the Neosho River. The site was owned in part by J.F. Colborn and W.H. Cochrane. The claims on two quarter-sections were bought, and were soon after surveyed into lots.
From the History section of Iola, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship21
Iola Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 2.1 mi
2401 South State Street, Iola
Saint Timothy's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.6 mi
202 South Walnut Street, Iola
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare4
Community Health Center Of Southeast Kansas
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
2051 North State Street, Iola
Map of Iola
80 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 20°F | 1.3 in | 2.7 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 25°F | 1.6 in | 1.1 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 34°F | 2.6 in | 1.0 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 45°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 56°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 65°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 69°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 67°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 46°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 34°F | 2.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 24°F | 1.8 in | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Iola 1 W (1 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
Allen County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-07-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-10-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2019-05-28: Tornadoes And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chanute Martin Johnson Airport (CNU) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Chanute 18 mi south, about 29 min by car
- Garnett 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Burlington 26 mi northwest, about 43 min by car
- Fredonia 36 mi southwest, about 57 min by car
- Fort Scott 38 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Girard 42 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Ottawa 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Independence 51 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Pittsburg 52 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Emporia 54 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 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
- Allen County Jail, Iola, Gordon Huggins, CC BY 2.0
- Northrup House (Iola, Kansas), Oneredp198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Northrup house, Iola, KS, from SE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Northrup House - Historical Significance, Oneredp198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Northrup House front entrance, Oneredp198, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Allen County Jail Description, Paul Borcherding, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Allen County Jail Bars, Paul Borcherding, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Allen County Jail - Bars, Paul Borcherding, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Allen County Jail, Paul Borcherding, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Allen County Jail Historical Significance, Paul Borcherding, CC BY-SA 4.0
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