Estherville is a city in Estherville Township, Emmet County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,904 in the 2020 census, a decline from 6,656 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Emmet County.
History
Emmet County was initially created by an act of the Iowa Legislature in 1851. The area that is now Estherville had its first settlers around 1856 and into 1857. The city was selected as the county seat in 1859, and was eventually incorporated in 1881.
Estherville was named after Esther A. Ridley, one of the first white female settlers in the area. Many of Estherville's current residents are the descendants of the original Scandinavian, German and Irish immigrants that arrived in the community in the 1870s.
A large meteorite struck the ground near Estherville on May 10, 1879. A report shared with the Royal Astronomical Society (UK) indicated that one fragment weighed about 500 lbs. A smaller fragment was found that weighed 170 lbs. The University of Minnesota acquired several pieces for examination.
thumb|Empty business district - South 6th Street
Features and attractions
The Regional Wellness Center was a joint project of Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District and the National Guard. Beyond standard gym equipment, the facility boasts an indoor track, pools with slides, and multiple group fitness classes.
Estherville is home to a renovated Carnegie Library. Its services include free public wireless internet.
The intersection of Iowa Highways 4 and 9 features a statue of the Estherville meteorite breaking up in flight.
Fort Defiance State Park offers a variety of hiking and horseback trails, a campsite and outdoor meeting areas. The park was named after a military fort constructed in Estherville in 1863 in response to the Dakota War of 1862.
After the 1862 conflict began, the Iowa Legislature authorized “not less than 500 mounted men from the frontier counties at the earliest possible moment, and to be stationed where most needed”, this number was soon reduced. No fighting took place in Iowa, the Dakota uprising led to the rapid expulsion of the few unassimilated Native Americans left there. Today Fort Defiance State Park covers 191 acres and is governed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The park is home to numerous Whitetail Deer.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
Estherville is near Okoboji and Spirit Lake.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Estherville has a hot-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.