Muscatine, Iowa

Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa. In 2020, 23,797 people lived in the city of Muscatine.[3]

Muscatine Court House.JPG
 
Location in the U.S. state of Iowa
Location in the U.S. state of Iowa
Muscatine map.gif
Coordinates: 41°25′26″N 91°3′22″W / 41.42389°N 91.05611°W / 41.42389; -91.05611Coordinates: 41°25′26″N 91°3′22″W / 41.42389°N 91.05611°W / 41.42389; -91.05611
Country United States
State Iowa
CountyMuscatine
Incorporated1839
Area
 • City19.25 sq mi (49.86 km2)
 • Land18.20 sq mi (47.13 km2)
 • Water1.05 sq mi (2.73 km2)
Elevation587 ft (179 m)
Population
 • City23,797
 • Rank22nd in Iowa
 • Density1,307.81/sq mi (504.95/km2)
 • Metro
54,741
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code
52761
FIPS code19-55110
GNIS feature ID0465186[2]
Websitewww.muscatineiowa.gov

History

Muscatine began as a trading post in 1833. The city was first called Bloomington in 1839. The name was later changed because there were so many other cities named Bloomington. Some people think the name "Muscatine" came from the name of a local Native American tribe.

A person from Germany founded a button company in Muscatine in 1884. They made buttons from clam shells found in the Mississippi river. Muscatine was and still is called the "Pearl button capital of the world."

Sam Clemens, also called Mark Twain, worked at the newspaper the city for a short amount of time. He also wrote about Muscatine in his book Life on the Mississippi.

"And I remember Muscatine--still more pleasantly--for its summer sunsets. I have never seen any, on either side of the ocean, that equaled them. They used the broad smooth river as a canvas, and painted on it every imaginable dream of color, from the and delicacies of the opal, all the way up, through cumulative intensities, to blinding purple and crimson conflagrations which were enchanting to the eye, but sharply tried it at the same time. All the Upper Mississippi region has these extraordinary sunsets as a familiar spectacle. It is the true Sunset Land: I am sure no other country can show so good a right to the name. The sunrises are also said to be exceedingly fine. I do not know."

Notable natives

Muscatine, Iowa Media

References

  1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  2. 2.0 2.1 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Muscatine, Iowa
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Muscatine city, Iowa". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  4. "Natalie Larson - Chelsea Art Galleries". Archived from the original on 2007-10-27. Retrieved 2007-09-30.
  5. "Active Results". resultscui.active.com.

Other websites