Why visit Tama
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 11 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Lincoln Highway Bridge, Wieting Theater, Hope Fire Company Engine House and Tama County Courthouse.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 9°F, and about 33 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Tama
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Tama
Tama is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,130 at the time of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Tama, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Lincoln Highway Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Bridge in Tama, Iowa, United States
Wieting Theater
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Theater and movie theater in Toledo, Iowa, United States
Museums and landmarks4
Hope Fire Company Engine House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Fire station in Toledo, United States of America
Tama County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
County courthouse in Iowa, United States of America
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Tama County Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Prison in Toledo, Iowa
Toledo Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes11
Murph's Creamery & Grill
Diner · American · 1.4 mi
105 West Highway 30, Toledo
Mo-Su 11:00-20:30
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.5 mi
110 West Highway 30, Toledo
Mo-Tu 08:00-21:00; We 08:00-16:00; Th-Su 08:00-21:00
History
Tama got its start in the year 1862, following construction of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad through the territory.
Tama is located a few miles from the Meskwaki Settlement, Iowa's only significant Native American community. Tama was located on the historic Lincoln Highway and is home to an original Lincoln Highway bridge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tama is named for Taimah, the 19th century Meskwaki leader.
From the History section of Tama, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship8
First United Brethren Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Healthcare1
Map of Tama
48 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 9°F | 1.0 in | 8.6 in |
| Feb | 32°F | 13°F | 1.0 in | 7.9 in |
| Mar | 45°F | 25°F | 1.8 in | 4.2 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 36°F | 3.5 in | 1.1 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 59°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 51°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 2.8 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 27°F | 2.0 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 16°F | 1.2 in | 8.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Toledo 3N Hcn (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
Tama County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-17: Severe Storms (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2014-08-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Marshalltown Municipal Airport (MIW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Belle Plaine 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Brooklyn 17 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Marshalltown 18 mi west, about 29 min by car
- Grinnell 18 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Montezuma 27 mi south, about 43 min by car
- Marengo 29 mi southeast, about 46 min by car
- Grundy Center 29 mi north, about 47 min by car
- Newton 30 mi southwest, about 49 min by car
- La Porte City 31 mi northeast, about 50 min by car
- Waterloo 38 mi north, about 1 h 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
- Tama Iowa, Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lincoln Highway Bridge, Tama, IA, Carl Wycoff from Nevada, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 20120528 118 Tama, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20120528 119 Tama, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20120528 117 Tama, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20120528 120 Tama, Iowa, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Tama county courthouse, Bill Whittaker ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wieting Theater, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hope Fire Company Engine House (Toledo, Iowa), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tama County Jail, Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- First United Brethren Church (Toledo, Iowa), Jim Roberts, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alejandro and Black Hawk (7369595112), USFWSmidwest, Public domain
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