Riverside is a city in rural Washington County, Iowa, United States, along the English River on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,060 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Highland Community School District.
Riverside proclaimed itself the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk, a fictional character from the science fiction series Star Trek, with the agreement of series creator Gene Roddenberry.
History
The settlement of Riverside was established in 1872 and incorporated in 1882. The name, suggested by a Dr. Ott, is probably a reference to the townsite's location on the English River.
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway built a branch from Iowa City to What Cheer via Riverside in 1879. Riverside was just west of Iowa Junction, where the lines east to Muscatine and north to Iowa City diverged.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land. Riverside is approximately south of Iowa City along U.S. Route 218 and west of Muscatine on Iowa Highway 22. Riverside is on the north bank of the English River.