Lake City

Lake City, a historic railroad town, was founded in 1854 and quickly grew into a bustling community. Its strategic location between Des Moines and Sioux City fueled economic prosperity, making it a regional hub. Although the town's rapid growth slowed in the early 20th century, it maintained a strong population for decades. While the town's namesake pond has long since dried up, Lake City's enduring connection to agriculture and its unique blend of tradition and forward-thinking spirit continue to shape its character.

City History

In 1854, Iowa had been a state for barely eight years, and the first pioneers were already entering the southwestern part of Calhoun County that would become the birthplace of Lake City.  

The first white man to establish a home in the area was Ebenezer Comstock, who brought his family to the Raccoon River valley in April 1854 and settled in Jackson Township near the western limits of what later became Lake City. That fall, Peter and Christian Smith also established claims near Lake City. Peter Smith later built the first store in Lake City, a month after the young town was designated the county seat of Calhoun County in April 1856. 

While lots were sold and a courthouse was built, the new community grew slowly. Lake City only had about 250 residents until 1881, when the arrival of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad ushered in a boom time. The community’s key location between Des Moines and Sioux City made it one of the most influential railroad towns in the region, and jobs abounded here. 

After Lake City residents voted to incorporate the town and elected its first mayor (H.H.  Baldwin) in 1881, the city’s population more than quadrupled to 1,160 residents within 10 years. As both the railroad and the local farming community continued to expand, so did Lake City, which boasted 2,703 residents by 1900. While Lake City’s growth leveled off in the early twentieth century, the vibrant town maintained a population of more than 2,000 residents for the next 80 years. 

The passage of time has brought many changes to the community, including the drainage of the pond east of town that inspired Lake City’s name and later led to the motto “Everything But a Lake.” Through it all, Lake City has remained rooted in the local farm economy, with citizens who are defined by a “curious mixture of provincialism and progressiveness,” as noted in the 1982 history book “Calhoun County Iowa.”

Content written by Darcy Maulsby, Lake City, author of the history book "Calhoun County" | darcymaulsby.com