Pottawattamie County Jail
The Pottawattamie County Jail, also known as Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States, was built in 1885 and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. A drive of 5.7 mi reaches Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Highs of 65–84°F make May, June, September and October the mildest time to go.
A museum inside Council Bluffs
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 14°, with about 27" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Council Bluffs
Pottawattamie County Jail is inside Council Bluffs, which has 33 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Sep and Oct
May, June, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 65–84°. When to go ↓
An airport 3 miles away
Eppley Airfield (OMA) has airline service, about 3 miles from Pottawattamie County Jail.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The climate here
The months below show the weather around Pottawattamie County Jail.
Pottawattamie County Jail
The Pottawattamie County Jail, also known as Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States, was built in 1885 and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The building is one of three extant "squirrel cage jails", also known as rotary jails. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2023.
- Type
- Museum
- Listed
- National Register of Historic Places (1972) · National Historic Landmark (2023)
- Wikipedia readers
- 4K a year
Towns to stay in near Pottawattamie County Jail
Rooms are nearest in Council Bluffs (33) and Omaha (104).
- 1Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
- 2Joslyn Art Museum
- 3USS Hazard
- 4Fort Atkinson
- 5CHI Health Center Omaha
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Pottawattamie County Jail | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council Bluffs | in town | — | 33 24 hotels · 3 motels · 1 inn or B&B · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 RV parks | 62,680 | $172K | D |
| Omaha | 11 mi west | 15 min | 104 91 hotels · 4 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 488,797 | $246K | — |
| Bellevue | 10 mi southwest | 15 min | 17 9 hotels · 4 motels · 2 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 64,863 | $247K | B− |
| Carter Lake | 4 mi west | 5 min | 5 5 hotels | 3,670 | $169K | D |
| La Vista | 13 mi southwest | 20 min | 5 5 hotels | 16,543 | $261K | B |
| Offutt AFB | 12 mi south | 15 min | 3 2 hotels · 1 campground | 6,074 | — | — |
| Gretna | 21 mi southwest | 30 min | 9 7 hotels · 2 motels | 9,207 | $342K | — |
| Missouri Valley | 20 mi north | 30 min | 7 4 hotels · 3 motels | 2,616 | $149K | B |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Around Pottawattamie County Jail
All of these are within 55 miles.
16 mi Zoo & aquariumOmaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
55 mi Stadium & arenaMemorial Stadium
37 mi Park & preserveLoess Hills
25 mi MuseumJoslyn Art Museum
33 mi MuseumUSS Hazard
31 mi MuseumStrategic Air and Space Museum
415 mi LandmarkFort Atkinson
54 mi Stadium & arenaCHI Health Center OmahaPhoto credits
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium: OmahaZoo, Public domain · Memorial Stadium: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 · Loess Hills: Bill Whittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Joslyn Art Museum: akasped, CC BY 2.0 · USS Hazard: Dave Aldworth / Oldfarm at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Strategic Air and Space Museum: User Kandykornhead on en.wikipedia, Public domain · Fort Atkinson: Unknown, Public domain · CHI Health Center Omaha: Collinulness, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answers on Pottawattamie County Jail
Is Pottawattamie County Jail in Council Bluffs?
Yes. It’s inside Council Bluffs, IA.
When is the best time to visit Pottawattamie County Jail?
May, June, September and October, with highs of 65–84°.
How far is Pottawattamie County Jail from Lincoln?
About 54 miles southwest of Lincoln, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Pottawattamie County Jail?
Eppley Airfield (OMA), about 3 miles away.
Where should I stay near Pottawattamie County Jail?
Omaha (11 mi, 104 places to stay), Council Bluffs (in town, 33 places to stay) and Bellevue (10 mi, 17 places to stay).
Council Bluffs has the answers
People in Council Bluffs have not posted tips yet; their Town Square is open.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.