Parkersburg, Iowa
Parkersburg is a city of 1,766 people in Butler County, Iowa, founded in December 7, 1874.
Why visit Parkersburg
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 5 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Charles Wolf House and Netcott-Pfeiffer House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 8°F.
Weather in Parkersburg
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Parkersburg
Parkersburg is a city in Butler County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,015 in the 2020 census, an increase from 1,870 in the 2010 census. Parkersburg, although not the county seat, is the highest-populated city in Butler County.
From the Wikipedia article Parkersburg, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Charles Wolf House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic building located in Parkersburg, Iowa, United States
Netcott-Pfeiffer House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Double house in Parkersburg, Iowa
Renke and Wubke Renken House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
House in Parkersburg, Iowa
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes5
Where to stay2
History
The first known settlers of the Parkersburg area were John Connell and his son William, who built a log cabin in 1857. A railroad company surveyed the area in the early 1860s. A depot was erected in 1865 and two railroads, the Illinois Central and the Chicago North Western, were built through the town. The town was soon platted and recorded and given the name of "Parkersburg" in honor of Pascal P. Parker, a prominent settler and the town's first postmaster. The first major business was a hotel built by Thomas Williams, called The Williams House. Later, it became known as the Commercial House. Parkersburg was incorporated on December 7, 1874.
The first "School House" was built in the 1860s. Parkersburg became an independent school district in the spring of 1871. A new school was built in 1872. This building burned beyond repair on October 9, 1893, in the "great fire of Parkersburg", which also destroyed most of the business district. In 1894 a modern, three-story, brick structure was built. In 1930, the school added an auditorium and gymnasium.
The first electric power was furnished by the Parkersburg Electric Light & Power Company, composed of local citizens who built the plant in 1898 at a cost of $10,000. Parkersburg's roads were paved circa 1920. The first water tower only had a capacity of 40,000 gallons.
From the History section of Parkersburg, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship8
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare2
UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – Parkersburg
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.4 mi
502 3rd Street, Parkersburg
Map of Parkersburg
33 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 8°F | 0.9 in |
| Feb | 29°F | 12°F | 1.0 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 24°F | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 36°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 5.1 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.5 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 4.2 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 4.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 51°F | 3.4 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 2.5 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 25°F | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 30°F | 15°F | 1.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Allison (12 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
Butler County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2016-10-31: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2015-07-31: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Shell Rock 14 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
- Grundy Center 15 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Cedar Falls 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Waverly 19 mi northeast, about 30 min by car
- Hudson 19 mi southeast, about 31 min by car
- Waterloo 22 mi east, about 36 min by car
- Eldora 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Greene 22 mi north, about 36 min by car
- Denver 24 mi east, about 38 min by car
- Hampton 25 mi northwest, about 40 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
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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
- Parkersburg iowa, Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.