Avon, Iowa

Avon, Iowa
Former unincorporated community
Avon, Iowa Location of Avon, Iowa Show map of Iowa Avon, Iowa Avon, Iowa (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 41°31′43″N 93°31′24″W[1]
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Polk County
Elevation [1]	260 m (850 ft)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)

Avon is an unincorporated community in Polk County, Iowa, United States.[1]

History

The original townsite of Avon was platted by Charles Keeney in either 1855,[2] or 1856.[3] Nearby Avon Lake, one mile southeast, was founded when the railroad bypassed Avon. The first schoolhouse in the area was built in 1856.[2]

At Avon's founding, it was the only village in Allen Township, and enjoyed several early years of prosperity. It had a large hotel, a United Bretheren church, several stores, and more than 20 houses.[3] The Avon post office began operations in 1857.[4]

Avon's population was 6 in 1900,[5] 11 in 1925,[6] and 18 in 1925.[7]

The Avon post office closed in 1927.[4]

Avon's population was 22 in 1940.[8]

Avon's cemetery was previously known as Watts Cemetery.

On March 5, 2022, an EF4 tornado struck the town (albeit at a slightly weaker strength), damaging multiple homes and facilities.[9]

References

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Avon, Iowa
2. Anon. (1880). The History of Polk County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, its Towns, Etc. Birdsall, Williams and Company. p. 622.
3. Dixon, J. M. (1876). Centennial History of Polk County, Iowa. State register, print. p. 53.
4. "Post Offices". www.postalhistory.com. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
5. Cram's Modern Atlas: The New Unrivaled New Census Edition. J. R. Gray & Company. 1902. pp. 203–207.
6. "Atlas of Johnson County, Iowa, 1917". Retrieved December 5, 2022.
7. Premier Atlas of the World: Containing Maps of All Countries of the World, with the Most Recent Boundary Decisions, and Maps of All the States, territories, and Possessions of the United States with Population Figures from the Latest Official Census Reports, Also Data of Interest Concerning International and Domestic Political Questions. Rand McNally & Company. 1925. p. 190.
8. The Attorneys List. United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Attorney List Department. 1940. p. 293.
9. "Norwalk suffers widespread damage in Saturday's storm". KCCI. March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.