Stone City, Iowa
| Stone City, Iowa | |
|---|---|
| census-designated place | |
General Store, Stone City
|
|
 Stone City, Iowa
|
|
| Coordinates: 42°06′32″N 91°18′49″W / 42.10889°N 91.31361°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 Iowa
|
| County | Jones |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.79 sq mi (4.6 km2) |
| • Land | 1.74 sq mi (4.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 820 ft (250 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 192 |
| • Density | 107.3/sq mi (41.4/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 52205 |
| Area code(s) | 319 |
| FIPS code | 19-75540 |
Coordinates: 42°06′47″N 91°20′56″W / 42.113°N 91.349°W
Stone City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Jones County, Iowa, United States. Stone City began as a company town for the workers of the local quarries. Stone City is known for its Anamosa Limestone quarries, historic limestone architecture, and 1930's art colony.
Stone City was founded in 1850 along the banks of the Wapsipinicon River. Early settlers discovered dolomite limestone at the location. In its earliest history Stone City was known as the Anamosa Quarries. Later the area became known as the Stone City Quarries. In the late 1800s, Henry Dearborn, John Green, and John Ronen each opened limestone quarries in the area. As the railroad system expanded westward, distribution of limestone to bordering states increased. Stone City limestone became the primary building material for railroad bridges, bridge piers, and foundations for major buildings. Each year, between the years 1859 to 1895, over 150,000 railroad car shipments of limestone were sent from Stone City.
As the quarry business flourished, a city of stone emerged as hundreds of people settled in the area. First came a three-story, hotel and opera house complex known as Columbia Hall. It was completed in 1883 and made of 500,000 tons of stone. The theater offered some of the most well known entertainers of the day. By 1880 the population of Stone City reached five hundred. Overlooking the town, Green built his twelve-room mansion containing seven Italian marble fireplaces, hand-painted murals, two baths, and a conservatory. Once the house was complete, Green erected more of the city – a railway station, a post office, schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, water tower, and several houses, all made of stone.
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Wikipedia