Why visit Knoxville
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Grand Theater, E.R. Hays House and Knoxville Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 12°F.
Weather in Knoxville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,595 at the time of the 2020 census, an increase from 7,313 in the 2010 census. Knoxville is home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, located next to the Knoxville Raceway dirt track. Knoxville is located 4 miles south of Lake Red Rock and Elk Rock State Park.
From the Wikipedia article Knoxville, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
E.R. Hays House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Knoxville, Iowa
Knoxville Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Knoxville WPA Athletic Field Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Iowa, United States
Marion County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Marion County, Iowa
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum
Museum · 0.8 mi
Auto racing museum in Knoxville, Iowa
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes8
Monarca Mexican Food
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
1321 Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Mo-We 11:00-20:00; Th 11:00-21:00; Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-15:00
Bottoms Up
Bar and pub
208 East Robinson Street
Mo-Tu,Su off; We-Th 16:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 16:00-02:00
DQ Grill & Chill
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger, Chicken · 0.8 mi
1204 South Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
History
The site for the future county seat of Marion County was selected because it was within a mile of the county's geographic center, reasonably level, and near a good source of timber.
Knoxville is in south-central Iowa, 35 miles southeast of Des Moines. The area was originally inhabited by Native Americans of the Sac and Meskwaki tribes. At that time, prairie grass covered the countryside at heights of 8 to 10 feet. In 1835, Dragoons first explored the Des Moines River valley through this area. In 1842, the Sac and Fox Indians signed a treaty to sell lands in central Iowa to the new settlers known as the New Purchase of 1842. By 1843, settlers began moving here. The first Marion County Courthouse was erected three years later.
Knoxville was founded in 1845 when Joseph Robinson and James Montgomery, Commissioners from Scott and Wapello County, selected the site for Knoxville and designated it as the county seat. They named Knoxville in honor of General Henry Knox, hero of the Revolutionary War. The city's main streets are named after Robinson and Montgomery.
County surveyor Isaac B. Powers platted part of the town in September 1845, shortly after it was founded. Clairborne Hall laid out the remainder of the town in the winter of 1846–47. Additional surveys were made in December 1849 and September 1852.
From the History section of Knoxville, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship22
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.2 mi
1800 West Jackson Street, Knoxville
Celebrate Community Church
Church · Reformed · 0.7 mi
1005 North Lincoln Street, Knoxville
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare2
Hy-Vee Pharmacy
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 mi
809 West Rock Island Street, Knoxville
Map of Knoxville
64 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 12°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 1.7 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 28°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 61°F | 39°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 5.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 61°F | 5.6 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 66°F | 4.3 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 63°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.1 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 19°F | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Knoxville (0 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
Marion County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-12: Severe Storm And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2015-07-31: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2013-05-31: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2010-07-29: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Knoxville Municipal Airport (OXV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 1 miles away.
- Pella 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Chariton 23 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- Indianola 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Oskaloosa 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
- Carlisle 24 mi northwest, about 38 min by car
- Albia 25 mi southeast, about 41 min by car
- Newton 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Colfax 26 mi north, about 42 min by car
- Pleasant Hill 28 mi northwest, about 46 min by car
- Des Moines 32 mi northwest, about 51 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
- The E.R. Hays House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Knoxville Veterans Administration Hospital, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Knoxville WPA Athletic Field Historic District, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Marion County, Iowa Courthouse, en:User:Cburnett, CC BY-SA 3.0
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