BlockOttumwa, Iowa
9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1982. It stands in Center Township. It lies in ZIP code area 52501. It stands on Bear Creek. The Survey maps it on the Ottumwa North quadrangle. 25,529 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 673 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Ottumwa
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 27 shown
B'nai Jacob Synagoguelisted 2004
Benson Blocklisted 1985
Benson Buildinglisted 1995
Burlington Depotlisted 2008
Court Hill Historic Districtlisted 1998
Dahlonega School #1listed 2000
Fifth Street Bluff Historic Districtlisted 1998
First National Banklisted 1995
Foster/Bell Houselisted 1983
J.W. Garner Buildinglisted 2010
Greater Second Street Historic Districtlisted 2016
Historic Railroad Districtlisted 2011
Population over time
2 figuresOttumwa grew from 25,023 to 25,529 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.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 25,023 | |
| 2020 | 25,529 | +506 (+2%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 9 printed sheetsMatched 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.
- 1954 USGS Des Moines quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1956 USGS Des Moines quadrangle1:250000
- 1956 USGS Ottumwa North quadrangle1:62500
- 1956 USGS Ottumwa North quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1957 USGS Des Moines quadrangle1:250000
- 1969 USGS Des Moines quadrangle1:250000
- 1982 USGS Oskaloosa quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
25 since 2002Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 25 fires within 5 miles of Ottumwa between 2002 and 2018, burning about 115 acres in total. None started naturally. 1 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/undetermined | 15 |
| Debris and open burning | 7 |
| Smoking | 1 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 1 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 September 2002 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 4 August 2018 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 18 August 2002 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 11 August 2002 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 4 July 2002 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 31 July 2002 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 2 July 2002 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa State Fire Marshal's Office | not named |
| 11 July 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 12 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 12 workings within 5 miles of Ottumwa: 10 past producers, 2 producers. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken, Clay, Limestone, Dimension. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Creek Quarries | Limestone, Dimension | Past Producer | ||
| Can-Tex Industries Ottumwa Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Harrows Branch Quarries | Limestone, Dimension | Past Producer | ||
| Old City Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Ottumwa Brick and Tile Co. | Clay | Past Producer | ||
| Wagner Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Materials Service Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Ottumwa Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Rowell Farm Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Ulmer Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 165 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Ottumwa in 165 storm reports between 1995 and 2023: 81 thunderstorm wind, 44 hail, 16 flash flood, 16 heavy rain. The reports record 10 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | 10 hurt, $100,000 | Thunderstorm wind damage was reported in the 1000 block of west Mary St. in Ottumwa. Two foot diameter trees blown over, flag poles were bent in half and a grain bin roof was removed and blown 200 yards. |
| March 2019 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $300,000 | Flash flooding occurred on the north side of Ottumwa due to an ice jam on the Des Moines River. Water rapidly rose several feet flooding a campground and a few local residences. Some cars and campers were flooded. |
| June 2011 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $300,000 | Harrows Creek was out of its bank and flowing across West Second Street. Cars were stranded on North Jefferson Street. A portion of the 1600 block of East Main Street was washed out by flood waters. Law enforcement closed the roads. |
| June 2000 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $300,000 | no account filed |
| May 2013 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $250,000 | Trained spotter reported flash flooding along 140th Ave on the north side of Ottumwa. Water moving down the road 1 to 2 feet deep. |
| April 2013 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $200,000 | Ottumwa Police reported several roads and intersections in the city as impassible to cars. |
| May 2013 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $200,000 | Spotter reports that flash flooding with water 2 to 5 feet deep swept down the street carrying logs and debris with it. At the bottom of the street there was a car in the water with a depth of 5 feet. |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $100,000 | Eight to 10 inches of water on several roadways. |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $100,000 | A trained spotter in Ottumwa reported water flowing through the streets deep enough to stall multiple vehicles. He also estimated 2 inches of rain in the last hour. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $100,000 | Water from 6 inches to 3 feet deep was flooding about half of the south side of Ottumwa. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $100,000 | Flash flooding was reported by the Ottumwa police and city management. Numerous cars stalled. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $50,000 | Trained spotter reported numerous tree limbs down on houses and powerlines. Time estimated from radar. An estimated 14 inch diameter tree was snapped near the base. Power was out in portions of town. |
| May 2013 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $50,000 | Culvert washed out on Rock Bluff Road near 155th Ave. |
| September 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $50,000 | Trees and power lines down in town. |
| October 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Flood | Ottumwa | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Flood | Ottumwa | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $35,000 | no account filed |
| March 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $30,000 | Law enforcement reported several trees down throughout town along with a roof off of a house on S. Madison Ave and a metal shed destroyed on 50th Street. This is a delayed report and time estimated from radar. |
| September 2007 | Heavy Rain | Ottumwa | $30,000 | Heavy rainfall was reported overnight from KBIZ radio. |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $30,000 | no account filed |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $25,000 | Chaser reported large trees down across roads just north of Ottumwa. |
| June 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $25,000 | Larger than one foot diameter trees down. A light pole was also blown down. One large tree was snapped off on the trunk near the school. |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $25,000 | Highway 149 and Highland Park Road had water partially covering the roadway. |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $25,000 | Trained spotter reports water flowing over the road and blocking traffic near the intersection of Pennsylvania Ave and Jefferson Street. |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $25,000 | Six inches of flowing water across Eddyville Road. Cars stalled. |
| April 2007 | Flood | Ottumwa | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 2007 | Flood | Ottumwa | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $25,000 | no account filed |
| July 1998 | Flood | Ottumwa | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $20,000 | Public/Chaser report of trees down and debris 2 miles E of Ottumwa. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $20,000 | Spotter estimated wind gusts of 80 mph with reports of large tree limbs down in town. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $20,000 | no account filed |
| April 1996 | Hail | Ottumwa | $20,000 | no account filed |
| September 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | Public reported a tree down on a camper, with the roof buckled. This is a delayed report and time estimated from radar. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | Law Enforcement reported power lines down in town. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | Trained spotter reported telephone pole knocked over at intersection of Clay and Gateway. Wind gusts estimated at 60-65 mph. |
| November 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | Public reported multiple areas with power lines down. Photo posted on facebook. |
| June 2008 | Heavy Rain | Ottumwa | $15,000 | Street flooding was reported in Ottumwa. A number of intersections and low lying areas were under water, including the intersection of Jefferson and Main. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | no account filed |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | Public reported a large tree down over power lines. |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | Large trees down. |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $10,000 | West snd St in Ottumwa was closed from the 1100 to 1500 block. Up to 2 feet of water was reported on Harrows Branch Road. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | House debris on Rutledge Rd and 120th. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | Some damage was reported in downtown Ottumwa, along with half inch diameter hail. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | Winds were estimated at 60 to 65 MPH in Ottumwa. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | Power outages reported in Ottumwa. |
| April 2010 | Lightning | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| August 2006 | Flash Flood | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| May 2001 | Hail | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
| October 2001 | Hail | Ottumwa | $10,000 | no account filed |
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 | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickwick | 0.9 miles | 9 | |
| East Ottumwa | 2.0 miles | 9 | |
| Ottumwa Junction | 2.5 miles | 9 | |
| Phillips | 2.5 miles | 9 | |
| Rutledge | 2.9 miles | 9 | |
| Loch Burns | 3.3 miles | 9 | |
| Dahlonega | 3.5 miles | 9 | |
| Keb (historical) | 5.0 miles | 9 |
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 Ottumwa | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q853566 | The 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 459952. 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.