BlockFrom the record
4 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Wayne County, Iowa
29 topographic sheets cover 22 settlements here, and 4 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 215 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 4 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 4 buildings.
- 2 of the 4 listings were added during the 1970s.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 22 populated places in this county; 22 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
4Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Rea | building | 2020 | 100004426 | |
| Nelson Round Barn | building | 1986 | 86003189 | |
| Pleasant Hill School | building | 1975 | 75000701 | |
 | W. H. Tedford House | building | 1979 | 79000947 |
Wildfire, 2005 to 2020
85 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 85 of them, burning about 3,262 acres. None started naturally and 4 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 43 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 34 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 4 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 3 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 March 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | 1,200 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 16 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 300 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 25 March 2008 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 200 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 21 February 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 150 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 5 April 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 150 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | 60TH & KING IN WAYNE CO., IA |
| 17 March 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 100 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 4 March 2017 | Debris and open burning | 86 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 22 February 2017 | Debris and open burning | 85 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1953 to 2025
60 of 333 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 333 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 57 injuries and about $49,236,500 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 93 |
| Hail | 82 |
| Heavy Rain | 61 |
| Flood | 35 |
| Tornado | 33 |
| Flash Flood | 27 |
| Lightning | 1 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2010 | Flood | Confidence | 50 hurt, $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 1959 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | 5 hurt, $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 1991 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | 2 hurt, $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1984 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | $25,000,000 | no account filed |
| August 2009 | Flash Flood | Bentonville | $2,500,000 | Emergency Manager reported flash flooding at several locations over the southwest half of Wayne County between 2030 and 2400 CDT. Several roads were closed due to high water rushing bumper deep. Numerous basements were flooded in Corydon. |
| September 1985 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| June 1980 | Tornado (F4) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| April 1970 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| April 1961 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $2,500,000 | no account filed |
| March 2017 | Tornado (EF2) | Genoa | $2,000,000 | NWS storm survey confirmed a tornado touched down about six miles southwest of Seymour in Wayne County where several trees sustained major damage and several farmsteads were damaged. The tornado then tracked northeast through rural sections of Wayne County and produced sporadic tree damage. The tornado then moved into the south side of Seymour and produced significant damage to |several homes and structures with the partial collapse of walls and roof structures and widespread tree damage. A brick school building also sustained major damage to its roof and walls. After doing additional damage to residences to the northeast of the school, it exited Seymour and crossed into Appanoose County. |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Harvard | $500,000 | Gravel roads were washed out across Wayne County with numerous bridges under water. Emergency Management asked that the public not travel on hard top or gravel roads. |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Cambria | $500,000 | Two people were rescued from vehicles at two locations southeast of Corydon. Seven to ten inch rainfall amounts were received. Travel was not advised on county roads. |
| March 2022 | Tornado (EF2) | Allerton | $300,000 | This tornado formed southwest of Allerton and moved northeast snapping power poles along Idaho Road before clipping the southeast edge of Allerton. A manufactured house had its roof removed on the edge of town with the tornado snapping power poles and a back stop at a park on the east side of town. The tornado then remained in rural areas of central Wayne county with little damage noted. The circulation stayed just southeast of Corydon but did destroy a machine shed along Highway 2 east of town. The tornado continued northeast before dissipating north of Newton Road west of 180th Street. |
| April 2024 | Tornado (EF1) | Millerton | $250,000 | This tornado began northwest of the intersection of Raccoon Road and 150th street. The tornado almost immediately impacted a large implement shed and an older wooden barn. The shed was completely destroyed and thrown northeast across 150th street into an adjacent farm field. The barn collapsed downward and shifted to the southeast. The tornado continued northeast through mostly empty cropland and rolling terrain. Some damage was done toward the end of the path near the intersection of Timber Road and 165th street with downed trees and minor outbuilding damage. |
| April 2007 | Flood | Humeston | $250,000 | no account filed |
| April 1991 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 1988 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| May 1988 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| June 1980 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $250,000 | no account filed |
| July 2015 | Flash Flood | Humeston | $200,000 | Department of Transportation reported multiple secondary roads flooded. Delayed report and time estimated from radar. |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Corydon | $150,000 | Three feet of water was reported running over over county J22 east of Millerton. |
| August 2007 | Heavy Rain | Seymour | $150,000 | Water was reported over the roads and some were washed out. A storm total of 6.5 inches of rain fell with rain still falling. |
| March 2007 | Tornado (EF0) | Sewal | $150,000 | Tornado touched down southwest of Sewal and caused damage to building on the south side of town. It had an intermittent track, finally lifting about a mile east of town. The tornado was a high end EF0 tornado with winds of 80 to 85 MPH. |
| March 2022 | Tornado (EF2) | Humeston | $100,000 | The tornado continued into Wayne county from Decatur county. Once again, this tornado remained in mostly rural areas of the county, bypassing Humeston just to the north. Power poles snapped along J22 west of Humeston produced EF2 damage and there was damage to outbuildings just north of Humeston along Highway 65. However, the bulk of the path interacted with either empty cropland or woodland areas with numerous trees being toppled. The tornado passsed into Lucas county after crossing Watrous Road east of 70th Street. |
| July 2015 | Flash Flood | Promise City | $100,000 | Law Enforcement reported portion of Highway 2 east of Promise City was closed for a period of time during the mid morning, but has since reopened. Many other county gravel roads experiencing flooding. Local streams and creeks were also reported out of their banks. |
| July 2010 | Flash Flood | Allerton | $100,000 | Four to 6 inches of water flowing over County Highway S26. Multiple gravel roads inundated. |
| October 2007 | Tornado (EF1) | Seymour | $100,000 | The Wayne County EM reported a roof blown off of a building, windows blown out of homes, and power lines down in the town of Seymour. |
| June 2010 | Flood | Confidence | $100,000 | no account filed |
| August 2009 | Flood | Confidence | $100,000 | no account filed |
| June 2000 | Flash Flood | Countywide | $100,000 | no account filed |
| May 1997 | Hail | Clio | $100,000 | no account filed |
| September 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Harvard | $75,000 | Wayne county emergency manager reported multiple pole barns blown over. Debris from pole barns blew into and downed nearby power lines. Time estimated from radar. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seymour | $70,000 | no account filed |
| May 2013 | Flash Flood | Millerton | $50,000 | Water over County Road J22 just east of Millerton. |
| May 2013 | Flash Flood | Seymour | $50,000 | Water across County Road S60 just north of Seymour. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Promise City | $50,000 | A barn was blown down north of Promise City onto Highway S56. |
| July 2010 | Flash Flood | Millerton | $50,000 | Estimated 7 feet of water sitting on County Road J22 in an underpass with a car stalled. |
| July 2009 | Flash Flood | Humeston | $50,000 | Several gravel roads washed out. |
| July 2008 | Flash Flood | Millerton | $50,000 | Highway J22 was closed and inundated by high water near the railroad underpass. Several other gravel roads were inundated throughout the county. |
| September 1993 | Hail | Lineville | $50,000 | A cold front dropped southeast across Iowa during the middle part of the day on the 2nd. Thunderstorm fired up around noon along the front and became severe with high winds and hail. Marble-size hail occurred over the southwest corner of the state in Shenandoah. A short time later, quarter-size and slightly larger hail was reported east of Mt. Ayr. Gusty winds had moved through the city with one large tree downed at the court house, along with other scattered reports of damage. The storm produced about an inch of rain in 20 minutes. In Taylor county, high winds blew out a window of a house in Bedford. Winds also gusted to 55 to 60 mph in Gravity along with marble- to golfball-size hail. The combination of winds and hail broke several windows in houses around town. As the storms progressed farther south, winds of at least 70 mph blew through the town of Mt. Ayr as a second storm hit the city. The winds tore 3,300 square feet of roofing material from the high school, causing about $80,000 in damage. Around the same time, high winds downed numerous trees and power lines in Leon. Also in Decatur County, high winds caused widespread damage in the city of Lamoni and overturned a tractor-semitrailer truck. In Davis City, high winds knocked down trees and damaged a mobile home. In Wayne County, hail the size of half dollars combined with gusty winds broke windows out of a house in Lineville. |
| September 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lineville | $50,000 | A cold front dropped southeast across Iowa during the middle part of the day on the 2nd. Thunderstorm fired up around noon along the front and became severe with high winds and hail. Marble-size hail occurred over the southwest corner of the state in Shenandoah. A short time later, quarter-size and slightly larger hail was reported east of Mt. Ayr. Gusty winds had moved through the city with one large tree downed at the court house, along with other scattered reports of damage. The storm produced about an inch of rain in 20 minutes. In Taylor county, high winds blew out a window of a house in Bedford. Winds also gusted to 55 to 60 mph in Gravity along with marble- to golfball-size hail. The combination of winds and hail broke several windows in houses around town. As the storms progressed farther south, winds of at least 70 mph blew through the town of Mt. Ayr as a second storm hit the city. The winds tore 3,300 square feet of roofing material from the high school, causing about $80,000 in damage. Around the same time, high winds downed numerous trees and power lines in Leon. Also in Decatur County, high winds caused widespread damage in the city of Lamoni and overturned a tractor-semitrailer truck. In Davis City, high winds knocked down trees and damaged a mobile home. In Wayne County, hail the size of half dollars combined with gusty winds broke windows out of a house in Lineville. |
| May 2011 | Flood | Confidence | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2011 | Flood | Confidence | $50,000 | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Flood | Confidence | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2010 | Flood | Confidence | $50,000 | no account filed |
| March 2008 | Flood | Confidence | $50,000 | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Lightning | Corydon | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Hail | Promise City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Humeston | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Allerton | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1994 | Hail | Clio | $50,000 | no account filed |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Genoa | $40,000 | Damage was done to a metal building. |
| September 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Corydon | $40,000 | A 4 foot diameter tree uprooted, along with several 10 to 20 inch tree limbs being blown down. This included many hard wood trees down in the town of Corydon. One house had several shingles and a half sheet of plywood blown off at the chimney and one large tree down. |
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Harvard | $35,000 | A large shed was destroyed by thunderstorm winds. |
| November 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Confidence | $30,000 | Emergency Manager reported damage to Morton buildings. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sewal | $30,000 | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Humeston | $30,000 | no account filed |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Harvard | $30,000 | no account filed |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seymour | $30,000 | no account filed |
| March 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Seymour | $30,000 | no account filed |
Mines and quarries
2 recordedThe Survey's mineral resources record lists 2 workings inside this county. None of them still produces: all are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Stone, Crushed/Broken | 2 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Wpa Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Promise City Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer |
Every populated place in the county
22Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Big Spring
Jefferson township · 50008 · Woodland quadrangle
7 sheets, 1954 to 1981
No longer a settlement
-
Bridgeport
Corydon township · 50060 · On West Jackson Creek · Confidence quadrangle
11 sheets, 1935 to 1981
-
Clinton Center
Clinton township · 50008 · Cleopatra quadrangle
7 sheets, 1954 to 1981
No longer a settlement
The vanished settlements of Wayne County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.