Long Grove is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 838 at the time of the 2020 census.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.
Education
Long Grove is part of the North Scott Community School District, which spans in northern Scott County. Elementary-aged students from the city and adjoining nearby areas attend Alan Shepard Elementary. Junior high and high school students attend the North Scott Junior High and North Scott High School located in Eldridge.
Culture
Held the second Sunday each June, Long Grove’s famous Strawberry Festival kicks off at 9 am with the Strawberry Stampede – youth/competitive fitness footraces, followed by a parade at 11:15 am. Area strawberry farmers sell strawberries, and there are games for children and a variety of entertainment groups throughout the day.
Another attraction is the Alexander Brownlie House on the city's north side. The sod house was built by the Brownlie Brothers dates from Iowa's prairie days of the 1830s. The house, which is open for tours, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located approximately six miles north and east of Long Grove is the Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village, at the north edge of Scott County Park. The village, a re-creation of an 1860s Scott County cross-roads settlement and stage coach, is made up of 18 historic buildings including an old church, a bank, a train depot and boardwalk of shops.
Organizations include the Lion Grove Lions Club, the Long Grove Civic League, the Long Grove Sportsman's Club and the Cub Scouts.
Government
Long Grove has a mayor-council form of government, which meets on the second Tuesday of each month at city hall.
History
Alexander and James Brownlie came to the area in August 1838, having followed the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Wapsipinicon River, then west along its banks. The two purchased a nearby timber ridge from a man named Coats, settling the claim for $160 plus timberland and all the prairie they wished to own. The first log cabin was built shortly thereafter, in a cluster of trees at the east edge of the timber, just south of the original town site.
A stage road, from Davenport to DeWitt and Dubuque passed through the village and a blacksmith shop and harness shop once lined the streets.
In the late 1860s, the railroad was extended from Davenport to Long Grove and stopped at what was originally known as Noel Station, in honor of John T. Noel, pioneer, township trustee and civil servant. The town, which had not been platted, was finally platted in the 1890s, though on a very loose basis.
A major incident in the city's history took place in December 1921, with the robbery of the Stockman's Savings Bank. Stories varied on what transpired, but what is known is that the two suspects were killed by a posse immediately after they attempted to hold up the bank.
The city remained a quiet farming community for many years, but has seen growth in the past 35 years. Along with the opening of Alan Shepard Elementary School, many new homes have been built on all four sides of the city.
Churches
thumb|Long Grove Christian Church
thumb|St. Ann's Catholic Church and Cemetery
Churches located in or near Long Grove are:
- Long Grove Christian Church.
- St. Ann's Catholic Church, two miles (3 km) north of the city limits.