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Wellsburg, Iowa

9 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1954 and the latest in 1984. It stands in Shiloh Township. It lies in ZIP code area 50680. The Survey maps it on the Wellsburg quadrangle. 720 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,010 feet above sea level.

Research this city

Wellsburg within Grundy County

On record in Wellsburg

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 1 record

Population over time

2 figures

Wellsburg grew from 707 to 720 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
2010707
2020720+13 (+2%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 9 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

4 since 2006

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 4 fires within 5 miles of Wellsburg between 2006 and 2018, burning about 36 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
Debris and open burning2
Missing data/not specified/undetermined2

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
14 May 2013Debris and open burning1.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
23 April 2018Debris and open burning5.0 acresIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
13 April 2006Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreIowa Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
28 March 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined30 acresIowa Department of Natural ResourcesF AVE & 150TH ST., NW CORNER, IA

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Grundy County

Mines and quarries near this place

6 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 6 workings within 5 miles of Wellsburg: 6 past producers. None of them 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 SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Reiken QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
Tack QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenPast Producer
John HarmsSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

Every working recorded in Grundy County

Storms near this place

58 since 1994

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Wellsburg in 58 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 23 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail, 8 flash flood, 6 tornado. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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 1999Flash FloodWellsburg$500,000no account filed
August 2009Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$250,000Grain bins and metal outbuildings were destroyed by high wind.
August 2009HailWellsburg$250,000no account filed
June 2013Flash FloodWellsburg$200,000Numerous paved and gravel roads covered, including D17 and T19. Barricades placed across roads.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$200,000Multiple barns destroyed and some tree damage. Crops flattened as well.
April 2008FloodWellsburg$150,000no account filed
March 2019FloodWellsburg$100,000Public reported water coming onto westbound lane of County Highway D17 from South Beaver Creek. Report came via social media. The Iowa DOT also reported flooding along Iowa Highway 175 with the highway being reduced to one lane near Reinbeck.
August 2015Flash FloodWellsburg$100,000Law Enforcement reported water over the eastbound on ramp to Highway 20 from T-19 north of Wellsburg. There are also reports of several county roads closed due to flooding.
August 2015FloodWellsburg$100,000Local Law Enforcement reported many county roads were closed due to water over the road or the road having been washed out. A bridge was washed out at the 2900 block of East 110th between U and T Avenues.
December 2015FloodWellsburg$100,000Many county roads were closed across portions of the county from flooding with rises on local streams and creeks.
March 2023Tornado (EF1)Wellsburg$50,000Two tornadoes developed in parallel to the north of Wellsburg. This northern track tornado damaged several trees and outbuildings along its path.
March 2023Tornado (EF1)Wellsburg$50,000Two tornadoes developed in parallel to the north of Wellsburg. This southern track tornado damaged a grain bin along with surrounding trees and outbuilding, then later damaged powerline poles.
May 1999Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$50,000no account filed
June 2013Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$40,000Large tree branches from the top half of trees snapped off and a barn was destroyed.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$25,000Law enforcement reported a barn moved off of its foundation and heavily damaged. This is a delayed report and time estimated by radar.
May 2013Flash FloodWellsburg$25,000Exit ramps closed at the 187 mile marker on Highway 20 due to water over the road at County Road T19.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$20,000Emergency manager reported power poles down and a cattle building damaged near D35 and T19.
September 2016Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$15,000Public reported damage to several large trees. Time estimated.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$10,000Law enforcement reported outbuildings damaged. This is a delayed report.
March 2017Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$10,000Law enforcement reported two utility poles downed about a quarter miles east and south of E Ave. This is a delayed reported and time estimated by radar.
August 2015Flash FloodWellsburg$10,000Highway Department reported eastbound entrance ramp to US 20 at exit 187, County Road T19, closed due to flooding.
June 2009Tornado (EF1)Wellsburg$10,000A tornado was skipping up and down through the crops. The tornado destroyed a corrugated steel building.
April 2008Flash FloodWellsburg$10,000The South Beaver Creek was flooding, affecting several gravel roads.
May 1998Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$10,000no account filed
August 2014Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$5,000One to two foot diameter tree down. Six to 10 inch diameter tree limbs downed and one tree limb landed on power lines taking them down too.
August 2014Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$5,000Minor tree damage reported.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$5,000Fire department estimated winds of 60 MPH.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$5,000Tree damage with 4 to 6 inch diameter branches snapped.
June 1994HailWellsburg$5,000Scattered thunderstorms developed during the late evening and early morning hours over northeast Iowa. One of the cells became severe and dropped three-quarter inch diameter hail on the town of Wellsburg.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$5,000no account filed
July 2007Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$5,000no account filed
August 2004HailWellsburg$5,000no account filed
August 2004HailWellsburg$5,000no account filed
June 2010Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$3,000Local law enforcement reports 70 MPH wind 3 miles south of the Butler County line 6 miles east of the Hardin County line.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$3,000Several trees were split.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$3,000no account filed
August 2013Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$2,000A number of tree branches were down in the yard. The largest ones were 3 inches in diameter.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindWellsburg$2,000no account filed
April 2007HailWellsburg$1,000no account filed
April 1999HailWellsburg$1,000no account filed
August 2025Tornado (EFU)Wellsburg-Drone imagery provided by the emergency manager and satellite imagery revealed a track in agricultural fields. No DIs were impacted, resulting in an EF-U rating.
May 2024Flash FloodWellsburg-Flooding on the roadway with field debris piling up.
May 2024Flash FloodWellsburg-An increasing number of county roads across the county are becoming impassable due to flash flooding.
May 2024Thunderstorm WindWellsburg-Tree and utility damage near Wellsburg. Time of occurrence estimated from radar.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindWellsburg-Tree damage and minor building damage with a small portion of a barn roof removed.
August 2018Heavy RainWellsburg-KWWL TV shared public heavy rainfall report of 2.90 inches.
July 2018Heavy RainWellsburg-Public reported heavy rainfall of 3.10 inches. Due to database entry limitation, beginning time coded as midnight CST. Actual estimated start time of 445pm CDT on June 30th.
August 2016Funnel CloudWellsburg-Small funnel cloud, long and rope-like. It never touched down to the ground. Reported near 155th St. and Echo Ave.
August 2015Heavy RainWellsburg-Trained spotter reported heavy rainfall of 5.10 inches event total so far.
August 2014Tornado (EF0)Wellsburg-Produced only crop damage along its path. Tornado was found and rated using high resolution satellite imagery.
April 2013HailWellsburg-Dime to nickel size hail covering a two mile stretch of T-19 north of Wellsburg. Hail was 2 inches deep.
June 2009Tornado (EF0)Wellsburg-A tornado touched down briefly southeast of Cleves.
June 2008Funnel CloudWellsburg-A trained spotter reported strong rotation and a developing funnel cloud on Highway T19 about 5 miles north of Wellsburg.
May 2015HailWellsburg-no account filed
June 2010FloodWellsburg-no account filed
June 2009Funnel CloudWellsburg-no account filed
April 2006HailWellsburg-no account filed
June 2006HailWellsburg-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Grundy 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
Buck Grove6.0 miles9
Ivester8.2 miles9
Holland8.4 miles9
Fern9.1 miles9
Grundy Center11.2 miles9
Lear11.6 miles9
Stout12.9 miles9
Lincoln14.8 miles9

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 WellsburgAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q2427081The 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 462790. 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.