Story City, Iowa
15 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1912 and the latest in 1993. It stands in Lafayette Township. It lies in ZIP code area 50248. The Survey maps it on the Story City quadrangle. 3,352 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,001 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Story City
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 3 records
Grand Auditorium and Hotel Blocklisted 1980
Henryson, Henry T. and Emilie (Wiese), Houselisted 2005
Herschel-Spillman Two-Row Portable Menagerie Carousellisted 1986
Population over time
2 figuresStory City fell from 3,431 to 3,352 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 | 3,431 | |
| 2020 | 3,352 | -79 (-2%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
7 surveys from 15 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.
- 1912 USGS Ames quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1914 USGS Ames quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1954 USGS Waterloo quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1955 USGS Waterloo quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1975 USGS Story City quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Ames quadrangle1:100000
- 1993 USGS Ames quadrangle1:100000
Fires near this place
25 since 2011Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 25 fires within 5 miles of Story City between 2011 and 2020, burning about 29 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/undetermined | 21 |
| Debris and open burning | 4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 July 2012 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 19 July 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 8 June 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 9 May 2020 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 7 May 2018 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 17 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 13 May 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | not named |
| 10 May 2011 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Iowa Department of Natural Resources | 16117 550TH AVE, GILBERT, IA |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
7 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Story City: 6 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction, Stone, Crushed/Broken. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twedt-County Line Quarry | Stone, Crushed/Broken | Past Producer | ||
| Henderson Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Mortveidt Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Teig Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Unknown | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 83 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Story City in 83 storm reports between 1994 and 2024: 30 thunderstorm wind, 26 hail, 11 heavy rain, 5 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.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | 1 hurt, $40,000 | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | 1 hurt, $37,000 | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Flash Flood | Story City | $1,500,000 | no account filed |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Story City | $500,000 | Story City police reported widespread flooding throughout Story City. Had multiple reports of basement flooding with water backing up into them. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Story City | $200,000 | Numerous secondary roads closed in Story County due to flooding. The EM also reported R77 closed due to flooding south of the town of Roland at 170th. |
| April 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $200,000 | Emergency manager reported that 130th Street from Highway 69 to 550th Street blocked due to power poles and lines down. |
| April 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $200,000 | Emergency manager reported significant damage to 2 buildings and a tree blown down near a house. A semi-trailer was blown over at a warehouse. |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $150,000 | no account filed |
| August 2015 | Flood | Story City | $50,000 | Story County Emergency Manager reported water over Forest Ave between Broad St and 8th St, and flooding in Story City due to the rising South Skunk River. Flooding and standing water was present across much of northern Story County as well. |
| November 2005 | Tornado (F0) | Story City | $50,000 | Tornado was on the ground briefly southwest of Story City. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $50,000 | no account filed |
| May 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $30,000 | no account filed |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $25,000 | Trees and large limbs broken across town. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $25,000 | Wind gusts were estimated to be 65 to 75 MPH. |
| August 2010 | Flash Flood | Story City | $25,000 | Broad Street was closed at Forest Ave in Story City due to water running over the road. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Story City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | Story City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 2002 | Hail | Story City | $20,000 | no account filed |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $15,000 | Damage to a house in Story City. The sunroom blew off and over the house, then landed in a yard across the street. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $15,000 | no account filed |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $10,000 | Tree limbs of 6 to 12 inches and power lines down in parts of town. Also dime to penny sized hail. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| September 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| June 2004 | Hail | Story City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $10,000 | no account filed |
| April 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $5,000 | Emergency manager reported roof damage. |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $5,000 | One foot diameter tree limbs were down, and the storm took out power lines leaving northwest Story City without power. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $5,000 | Power lines reported down. |
| September 1994 | Hail | Story City | $5,000 | A strong cold front moved southeast into Iowa in conjunction with strong upper level system. The low level flow had been southerly for several days, transporting moisture north into the central United States. Dew point temperatures had risen into the lower 60s in advance of the cold front. These dew point temperatures combined with ambient air temperatures in the middle 80s helped create enough instability to fire up strong thunderstorms. The storms fired in two areas. The initial storms formed in northwest Iowa and tracked across the north-central into the central counties. A second area of storms developed during the later afternoon hours over the west-central counties. These also tracked east. Most of the storms produced winds of 35 to 50 mph and at least pea- to marble-size hail. The main severe weather associated with the storms was hail. As the initial storms moved through story county, quarter-size hail covered the ground and destroyed several fields of soybeans in Milford Township. Other reports of hail from three-quarters to one inch in diameter were received from northwest into central Iowa. During the late afternoon hours a collision of two outflow boundaries occurred over Boone and Story Counties. These were visible on WSR-88D data. The first boundary sagged south-southwest from the convection over north-central Iowa. The second arched north-northeast to south-southwest from the convection in west-central Iowa. Thunderstorms fired up quickly around 1700 CST over Boone and Story Counties. Quarter-size hail fell in Story County at both Story City and Roland. The main hail fell from the southeast edge of Story City eastward. Reports over the north sections of Story City indicated hail about the size of knitting needle ends. One of the boundaries were set off by thunderstorms to the north. Those storms dropped hail the size of quarters at Webster City in Hamilton County. The storms produced very heavy rainfall in parts of northwest and central Iowa. A few area received over three inches of rain, however no significant flooding occurred due to the dry antecedent conditions. The greatest rainfall reported was in Milford Township of Story County, where three and one-half inches of rain fell in five hours time. |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| August 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | Story City | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $3,000 | no account filed |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $3,000 | no account filed |
| March 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $3,000 | no account filed |
| July 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $2,000 | Report was received via the chat server. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | Story City | $2,000 | no account filed |
| June 1999 | Tornado (F1) | Story City | $2,000 | no account filed |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $1,000 | Emergency Manager reported a few 3 to 4 inch tree branches down. Report relayed from Law Enforcement. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $1,000 | Emergency Manager estimated winds of 60 MPH. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | $1,000 | Two to three inch diameter trees down. |
| June 2008 | Flash Flood | Story City | $1,000 | Flooding of a Creek in town prompted moving of several cars from area businesses. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Story City | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 2012 | Hail | Story City | $1,000 | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Hail | Story City | $1,000 | no account filed |
| May 1999 | Hail | Story City | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 2024 | Heavy Rain | Story City | - | A report of 4 inches of rain on the south side of Story City. |
| May 2023 | Hail | Story City | - | Story county law enforcement reports nickel to quarter sized hail is falling. |
| June 2022 | Heavy Rain | Story City | - | A six hour rain total of 3.60 inches. |
| June 2022 | Heavy Rain | Story City | - | A nine hour rain total of 4.60 inches. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Story City | - | Large tree limbs broken and heavy wood pen shifted. Time estimated by radar. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roland | 5.2 miles | 15 | |
| Gilbert | 6.2 miles | 16 | |
| Homestead Colony | 7.7 miles | 16 | |
| Zenorsville | 8.5 miles | 16 | |
| Bloomington | 9.1 miles | 16 | |
| Ames | 10.6 miles | 16 | |
| McCallsburg | 11.2 miles | 9 | |
| Ontario | 11.4 miles | 16 |
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 Story City | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1833978 | 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 462019. 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.






