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Maquoketa, Iowa

17 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1891 and the latest in 1984. It stands in South Fork Township. It lies in ZIP code area 52060. It stands on North Fork Maquoketa River. The Survey maps it on the Maquoketa quadrangle. 6,128 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 702 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Maquoketa within Jackson County

On record in Maquoketa

Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.

On the National Register 12 of 34 shown

Every listing in Jackson County

Population over time

2 figures

Maquoketa fell from 6,141 to 6,128 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.

YearPeople Change
20106,141
20206,128-13 (-0%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

8 surveys from 17 printed sheets

Matched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.

Fires near this place

11 since 2009

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 11 fires within 5 miles of Maquoketa between 2009 and 2020, burning about 50 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined6
Debris and open burning4
Smoking1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
27 July 2012Debris and open burning1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
5 June 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined3.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
19 May 2012Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
7 April 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
21 April 2020Smokingunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
2 April 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined15 acresIowa Department of Natural ResourcesE SIDE OF RD, ACROSS FROM 15702 242ND AVE, MAQUOKE
9 March 2017Debris and open burning2.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
15 March 2009Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Jackson County

Mines and quarries near this place

7 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Maquoketa: 4 past producers, 2 producers, 1 unknown. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Rockdale PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Frost QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Holtz QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Joinerville QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Maquoketa QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
UnknownStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
UnknownStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer

Every working recorded in Jackson County

Storms near this place

60 of 76 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Maquoketa in 76 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 47 thunderstorm wind, 17 hail, 4 flood, 4 flash flood. The reports record 2 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2010Tornado (EF1)Maquoketa1 hurt, $250,000At approximately 740 pm June 5, an EF1 tornado moved across the northern edge of Maquoketa, IA. Wind speeds were estimated to be around 105 mph. Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped. Approximately 10 mobile homes and numerous vehicles were damaged by falling trees and tree limbs. A porch was torn from the front of a farm house and several outbuildings were damaged including an open-front garage that was completely destroyed. The sign at the elementary school school was destroyed and a rooftop air conditioner was moved, damaging the roof.
April 2007Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa1 hurt, $5,000A farm sustained damage to a machine shed and the residence as the storm moved through the area. Several tree limbs were blown down, one of which broke a bedroom window of the residence. The home owner was cut by the flying glass. Elsewhere in the vicinity, several tree limbs were downed and shingles were blown off some roofs.
September 2002HailMaquoketa$20,000,000no account filed
July 2003Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$600,000Numerous trees down citywide
April 1995Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$100,000As the storm mentioned above tracked across the state, a dry slot moved out just ahead of it. Thunderstorms fired along and just ahead of the dry slot. The winds aloft were quite strong at the time as were the gradient winds. As a result, the thunderstorms became severe in terms of high winds. A downbust wind caused damage on a farmstead in Benton County for the first report of the morning. There was one sighting of a funnel cloud in Muscatine County. Several tractor-semitrailer trucks were overturned in Cedar County as the gusty winds blew them off the roads. One driver received minor injuries as he was pinned inside his truck west of Clarence. The storms and gusty winds continued to track northeast. A roof was removed off a business in Stanwood, impaling boards into the ground. Another roof was taken off by high winds at Mayville. There were several reports of barns being blown down by the wind gusts. Several trees were down, as were power lines as well throughout east-central Iowa. A significant amount of damage was reported in Maquoketa by high winds. There were reports of several buildings sustaining structural damage caused by the winds. The event was a short event as the storms tracked rapidly northeast into Illinois and Wisconsin.
June 2009Flash FloodMaquoketa$50,000Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding of many streets in Maquoketa, IA during the evening of June 19.
July 2007Flash FloodMaquoketa$25,000Three to six inches of rain fell in a short amount of time during the early morning hours of July 4th in Maquoketa, IA resulting in flash flooding. After receiving over 2 inches of rain in an hour, streets began to flood in Maquoketa around 1 AM. An additional 2 to 4 inches of rain had fallen by 3 AM. Flood waters 3 feet deep forced the closure of Highway 64 on the east side of town. The water was over the hoods of police squad cars. Several streets were flooded and or closed throughout the town including the intersections of South Fifth and Washington streets, Eddy and South Vermont streets, and 200th Avenue and Family Dollar parkway. A car was stalled in flood waters near the Eagle's Club. Prairie Creek overflowed its banks prompting the evacuation of campers in the Horseshoe Pond Park. A bridge was washed out at Lakehurst Dam near Maquoketa. A campground just south of Maquoketa also flooded rapidly forcing camping trailers to higher ground. In addition, the Maquoketa Caves State Park also had flooding, which damaged the lighting system in the park as well as washed debris into some caves prompting the closure of parts of the park for several days. Law enforcement, cooperative observers, and media sources also contributed to this report.
April 1995Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$25,000no account filed
August 2003Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$15,000Trees and Power lines down.
July 2003HailMaquoketa$10,000no account filed
July 2003HailMaquoketa$10,000no account filed
July 2003HailMaquoketa$10,000no account filed
August 2006Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$8,000Co-operative observer reported 3 foot diameter trees down and two power poles snapped south of his farm. A considerable amount of corn was flattened with damage to some buildings. Time estimated based on radar.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$8,000Numerous streets closed due to downed trees and power lines. A 15 inch diameter tree down on a house.Only two severe reports were received in Jackson County. KDVN 88D reflectivity and velocity data suggests that damage may be more widespread across the southern part of the county during 1820-1930 CST (0020-0130 UTC). This would be consistent with the passage of the bookend vorticity as it moved across Jackson County.
July 2013Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$5,000Wind gusts estimated to be 75 mph blew down several large trees and a large billboard sign in Maquoketa, IA around 840 pm CDT July 22. Some trees fell onto power lines. This report was made on a media Facebook page.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$5,000Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph blew down some branches in Maquoketa, IA around 630 am CDT July 11. Some streets were blocked by the branches. A power outage was also observed.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$5,000trees and power lines down
April 1994Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$5,000no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$5,000no account filed
August 1994HailMaquoketa$5,000no account filed
August 2004Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$3,0008 inch diameter trees snapped off
August 2006Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$2,000A spotter reported a 7 inch diameter walnut limb down and a 9 inch diameter oak limb down. Heavy rain of 1.10 inches was also reported.
August 2006Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$2,000Co-operative observer reported 6 inch diameter limbs down with the power out along with 1.13 inches of rain.
May 2004HailMaquoketa$2,000Reported by Co-op observer
July 2003Heavy RainMaquoketa$2,000Occurred in 35 minutes with street flooding
August 2003Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$2,000Corn flattened with tree limbs down
August 2003Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$2,000Cherry & apple trees down
May 2004HailMaquoketa$2,000no account filed
July 1995Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$2,000no account filed
May 1998Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa$200no account filed
July 2025Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Broadcast Media reported several 4 to 6 inch tree limbs down in Maquoketa. Time of the event was estimated using radar.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Broadcast Media relayed a report of a large tree branch with down several smaller trees limbs down. The time of the event was estimated using radar.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-A Mesonet site measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 50 knots.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Report of a tree uprooted. Time estimated from radar data.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Numerous large trees and branches down across town. A roof was blown off a building.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Large trees blown down, estimated 80 mph winds.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Maquoketa, Iowa Rwis station.
March 2023HailMaquoketa-A trained spotter reported dime to nickel sized hail. The time of event was estimated using radar.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Numerous branches blown down.
July 2023Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Tree limbs around three to four inches in diameter were downed in Maquoketa.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Iowa DOT automated observation.
December 2021Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Power poles were reported broken.
May 2020Tornado (EF0)Maquoketa-Video passed along by emergency management confirms an EF-0 tornado, which caused some shingle damage at a few homes near Prairie Creek Golf Course, just south of Maquoketa, IA. The tornado path is around 1.5 miles long, and was on the ground for about 4 minutes. The maximum wind speed is estimated at 80 mph.
March 2019FloodMaquoketa-Heavy rain and snow melt across the region caused the Maquoketa River at Maquoketa to rise above major flood stage of 28.5 feet on March 13th. The river fell back below major flood stage on the 16th. The river crested at 32.3 feet on the 15th.
October 2019Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Law enforcement reported a tree blown down onto power lines on the north side of Maquoketa, Iowa.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Numerous 2 to 4 inch diameter tree branches blown down.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Measured at the RWIS Iowa Department of Transportation.
September 2019Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-A tree was blown down onto a power line.
August 2016Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-A trained spotter reported an estimated wind gust around 60 MPH.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-The emergency manager reported a couple of trees were uprooted in the town of Maquoketa.
November 2015Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-The Jackson County Law Center reported a cattle shed was blown down on 300th avenue.
July 2014FloodMaquoketa-Heavy rains across the Upper Midwest and eastern Iowa during the last 2 weeks of June caused the Maquoketa River at Maquoketa to rise above the major flood stage of 28.5 feet around 1245 AM on July 1 and fall below the major flood stage around 200 AM on July 2. The river crested at 30.6 feet from noon to 600 PM on July 1.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Measured 62 mph winds.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Measured 60 mph winds.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Multiple 1 foot diameter trees were snapped.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-Wind gusts estimated to be 60 mph were observed in Maquoketa, IA at 722 pm CDT June 18. Newspapers later reported that numerous trees and branches were downed across town.
July 2006Heavy RainMaquoketa-from co-op observer; 3.01" inches of rain in 1 hour; most fell between 1200 to 1240 CST.
May 2004HailMaquoketa-North side of city
June 2002Flash FloodMaquoketa-Water on south Main Street 2 to 3 feet deep.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindMaquoketa-A large tree limb was blown down, damaging the roof of a home on West Maple Street. Also, tree limbs knocked down several power lines resulting in scattered power outages.

Every storm recorded in Jackson County

Nearest settlements

The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.

Map PlaceDistance Sheets
Hurstville2.2 miles17
Bridgeport2.5 miles17
Buckhorn4.7 miles17
Fulton5.9 miles17
Nashville6.3 miles17
East Iron Hills6.4 miles17
Andrew7.0 miles17
Ironhills7.5 miles17

Elsewhere

Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.

Wikipedia article on MaquoketaAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q654729The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0).

Provenance

This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 458789. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.

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.