List of city nicknames in Iowa

This partial list of city nicknames in Iowa compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities in Iowa are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.^[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth"^[2] are also believed to have economic value.^[1] Their economic value is difficult to measure,^[1] but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.^[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

• Algona – Home of the World's Largest Cheeto^[3][4]
• Cedar Rapids – The City of Five Seasons^[3][5]
• Council Bluffs – Iowa's Leading Edge^[6]
• Des Moines – Hartford of the West^[7]
• Dubuque – Masterpiece on the Mississippi
• Dyersville – Farm Toy Capital of the World^[8]
• Earling - Progress Is Our Future
• Emmetsburg – Iowa's Irish Capital^[9]
• Fort Dodge – Mineral City^[10]
• Fort Madison – Pen City^[11]
• Grinnell – Jewel of the Prairie^[12]
• Keokuk – Gate City (reported in the 1880s)^[13]
• Knoxville – Sprint Car Capitol of the World
• Lake City – Everything But the Lake
• Le Mars – Ice Cream Capital of the World^[14][15]
• Sioux City – Little Chicago^[16]
• Wyoming - Christmas City^[17]
• Villisca – Living with a Mystery^[18]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States

References

1. Muench, David "Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts" Archived 2013-03-09 at the Wayback Machine, December 1993, accessed April 10, 2007.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City Archived 2008-05-21 at the Wayback Machine, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. U.S. City Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed January 5, 2008
4. Mike Conklin, Iowa town's claim to fame: the `World's Largest Cheeto', Chicago Tribune, August 26, 2005
5. City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
6. Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, accessed December 9, 2015
7. Neal R. Peirce (1973), The Great Plains States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Nine Great Plains States, W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 0-393-05349-0, page 106
8. Claims to Fame - Favorites Archived 2008-01-16 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
9. Claims to Fame - Ethnic Groups Archived 2007-12-17 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
10. Claims to Fame - Rocks Archived 2008-02-18 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
11. FM to remain Pen City, Fort Madison Daily Democrat, accessed November 14, 2011.
12. Mayor's Letter, Grinnell, IA Village Profile website (accessed June 2, 2008)
13. Barry Popik, Smoky City, barrypopik.com website, March 27, 2005
14. Claims to Fame - Food Archived 2017-04-01 at the Wayback Machine, Epodunk, accessed April 16, 2007.
15. Faber, Harold (1993-09-12). "The World Capital of Whatever". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-11-15.
16. Rebecca Sunshine Our Hometown: Downtown Sioux City Archived 2018-01-17 at the Wayback Machine, KTIV NewsChannel 4, July 20, 2008: "Sioux City for a long time was called Little Chicago because of its reputation during the prohibition years in particular for being quite the purveyor of alcoholic beverages."
17. Off the Map: 'Christmas City' rings in the season The Gazette (accessed July 13, 2019)
18. Sloganville, USA Awards For Best City Mottos & Monikers, Tagline Guru website, accessed March 15, 2010