Page Contents for Rodney, Iowa

Statistics & Facts

History & History-related items

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Statistics & Facts

The Iowa state capital is Des Moines.
The population of Rodney is approximately 65 (1990), 60 (2010).
The approximate number of families is 35 (1990), 29 (2010).
The amount of land area in Rodney is 0.431 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from Rodney to Washington DC is 1064 miles.
The distance to the Iowa state capital is 131 miles. (as the crow flies)
Rodney is positioned 42.20 degrees north of the equator and 95.95 degrees west of the prime meridian.

History & History Related Items

"Rodney was named for Rodney Rice, the first passenger to step off the ne Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway. Rodney Rice was married to my Aunt Emma Myers. --G. E. (Ed) Myers-- My father was an early business man in Rodney, being a partner in a meat market. He also had a livery stable. He was a constable and as such, served legal papers and arrested drunks, throwing them in the calaboose. The calaboose (jail) was built by the town for $ 50. It was located across the street to the east of the "Old Mill". Bill Nolen and Vissel Mikkleson also had livery barns. Bert Gillet's horse drawn hack made 3 trips a day between Rodney and Smithland at 25 cents a trip, hauling salesmen and other passengers who came to Rodney on the train. Tory's had the hotel. They sold it to Pellitiers and moved to Ute. Pellitiers also had a general store. That hotel burned. Lynns built another hotel. Jensens had the first car in Rodney. It was made like a buggy. Mr. Edgar had a little Busch car. I remember the Rodney band and the bandstand on Main Street. A Mr. Henderson directed the band. There were 3 grocery stores, a barber shop and pool hall, a drugstore and millinery shop. My brother sold his meat market to Isa Kee. Rodney has had 4 doctors: Dr. C. G. Lass, Dr. E. E. Fisher, Dr. A. L. Allison, and Dr. Isabel E. Cowan. Dr. Cowan came when I was 15 or 16, about 1906."
--Mamie Browning Shea--
1954 Monona County Centennial Book
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