About Iowa County
Iowa County is situated in the southern part of the east-central section of Iowa. Bisected by Interstate 80, Iowa County is conveniently close to two of Iowa's major metropolitan areas, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. We are proud to be home to two of the state's year-round tourist attractions, the quaint and picturesque Amana Colonies and, a shopper's dream, the Outlets & Marketplace in Williamsburg.
Beginnings
Originally a precinct of Johnson County until it's official formation, the first Iowa County settlement was made in March 1840. The organization of Iowa County was not authorized for adoption until the winter of 1845 and 1846, once a greater amount of people had settled in the area and business affairs of the community warranted the trouble and expense of separate organization. Settlers at the time were largely made up of Americans, Germans, Irish, and Swedish.
A county seat was selected on August 16, 1845, and named Marengo after its resemblance to the plains of Marengo in Italy. The current courthouse was erected in 1892. It is a two-story, stone building ornamented with turrets and a tower. It was constructed at a cost of $57,608.
The county served as a natural gateway to the west with early pioneers traveling through the county and into the state's wilderness. Pioneers and military wagon trains wound their way through oak groves and expanses of tall grass prairie along the Diamond Trail. Settlers followed the Iowa River and English River into the heart of the country, settling on farms and in small towns.
