Swea City, Iowa
Swea City's original name was Reynolds when it was first established. The railroad passed through Reynolds, but they were not granted a Post Office because the nearby town of Swea had one just six miles to the northwest. Residents in the two communities agreed to move the post office in Swea to Reynolds because they knew the town would prosper by the railroad. They renamed it Swea City and it was incorporated in 1895.
The current population of the town is around 600. Reynolds Park is located in Swea City and features a large municipal swimming pool, picnic facilities, playgrounds, and a unique band shell built in the 1930s. There is also a bronze sculpture in the park, which was created and cast by local artist Wayne Thompson.
Highlights
Wayne Thompson, nationally known sculptor, has his studio near Swea City. Tour Brand FX, a manufacturer of fiberglass bodies for emergency vehicles. For more information, contact Mayor Bob Baker at (515) 272-4123.
Works Cited
Much of the historical information was taken from Kossuth County history booklet. The information was compiled by Richard Schiek as part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of Kossuth County and the “Kossuth on State” project, dedicated on July 13, 2001. There is a complete bibliography in the back of the Kossuth County History booklet.
Some of the information used was taken from the Algona Upper Des Moines in its articles on the Communities of the Month. Permission was granted to use this information by the newspaper. The following are the articles from which the information was found.
Buchta, Shari. “March community is Swea City.” Algona Upper Des Moines 8 March 2001.