Oelwein, Iowa
Oelwein is a city of 5,834 people in Fayette County, Iowa, founded in 1872.
Why visit Oelwein
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 2 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Otter Creek Bridge, The Grand Theatre, Alfred Hanson House and Hotel Mealey.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 7°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Oelwein
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Oelwein
Oelwein is a city in Fayette County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,920 at the time of the 2020 census, a decrease of 11.5% from the 2000 census. The largest community in Fayette County, it is located at the junction of State Highways 3 and 150.
From the Wikipedia article Oelwein, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Otter Creek Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Museums and landmarks5
Alfred Hanson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic building located in Oelwein, Iowa, United States
Hotel Mealey
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
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Maple View Sanitarium
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Building in Iowa, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Restaurants and cafes2
History
The town of Oelwein was laid out in a corn field purchased from pioneer settler Gustav Oelwein on the coming of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad (later called the Rock Island) in 1872. Some years later the two dividing streets of Oelwein were named after his sons, Frederick and Charles.
Oelwein's present site was entered in 1852 by J. B. Burch. The hamlet of Oelwein was instituted in 1873, and was incorporated as a town in 1888, with Dr. Israel Pattison becoming its first mayor. The town suffered its chief setback in 1887, when nearly all of the old Main Street business district (now First Avenue SE) was destroyed by fire. In 1890 the census gave the population as 830.
By January 1892, Oelwein was chosen to become the center of the Chicago Great Western Railway; the CGW made the town the site of their locomotive and car repair shop, where four lines converge. Clearing the land for the shops began in June 1894. The shops were completed and put into operation in May 1899. Thus, Oelwein became known as the "Shop City" and later the "Hub City" because of the rail lines coming into town and the repair shops located here.
From the History section of Oelwein, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship13
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Healthcare2
Map of Oelwein
52 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 | 1.1 in | 8.7 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 10°F | 1.1 in | 10.9 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 24°F | 1.9 in | 4.4 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.5 in | 2.2 in |
| May | 69°F | 48°F | 4.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 59°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 38°F | 2.6 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 25°F | 1.6 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 15°F | 1.4 in | 10.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Oelwein 2 S (2 mi away), rain and snow from Oelwein 1E, 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
Fayette County has had 14 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)
- 2017-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2016-10-31: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-09-29: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Independence 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Strawberry Point 19 mi east, about 31 min by car
- Tripoli 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Denver 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Evansdale 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Waterloo 26 mi southwest, about 41 min by car
- Manchester 27 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Waverly 28 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Cedar Falls 29 mi west, about 47 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
- Former CNW Boxcar at Oelwein - July 2009, H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- CGW Caboose 637 at Oelwein - July 2009, H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- C. St. P. M. & O. 55 at Oelwein - July 2009, H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- CGW 116-A at Oelwein - July 2009, H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rock Island 652 and 630, Railroad Days, Oelwein, IA (36679627161), Jerry Huddleston from Hampton, Minnesota, US, CC BY 2.0
- Otter Creek Bridge, Oelwein, Iowa 5, Joe Hepperle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Creek Bridge, Oelwein, Iowa 1, Joe Hepperle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Creek Bridge, Oelwein, Iowa 3, Joe Hepperle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Creek Bridge, Oelwein, Iowa 2, Joe Hepperle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Otter Creek Bridge, Oelwein, Iowa 4, Joe Hepperle, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Maple-View-Sanitarium Fayette-County-Iowa-01, Joe Hepperle, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Hotel Mealey, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Green Roof of Chicago Great Western Railway locomotive 116, H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- CGW 116-A Front, H. Michael Miley, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Alfred Hanson House, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ISS067-E-164089 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-164088 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS040-E-1547 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-172614 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS067-E-172613 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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