How Guthrie Center began, and where its name came from
When was Guthrie Center founded?
1856
Guthrie Center dates its founding to 1856 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1880.
First census: 571 in 18802020 census: 1,593170 years
How did Guthrie Center get its name?
Guthrie Center was named for Capt. Edwin B. Guthrie who was the first justice of the peace at Fort Madison, fought as a volunteer in the Mexican War and, on June 20, 1847, was wounded defending material and more than $350,000 in gold and silver coin.
How historic is Guthrie Center?
B−
More historic than 52% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Guthrie Center is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.
B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Guthrie Center’s overall grade.
Iowa towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Iowa town has 9.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Guthrie Center’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (17% of Iowa towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1856.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.5 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Guthrie Center’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Guthrie Center was platted in 1856. It was named for Capt. Edwin B. Guthrie who was the first justice of the peace at Fort Madison, fought as a volunteer in the Mexican War and, on June 20, 1847, was wounded defending material and more than $350,000 in gold and silver coin. The railroad was built through the settlement in 1879. Guthrie Center was incorporated in 1880.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Guthrie Center. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1984Guthrie Center sheet · 1:100,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Guthrie Center.
People over time
Guthrie Center, census by census
Between 571 and 2,071 people in every census since 1880.
15 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Guthrie Center’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
7 famous people were born in Guthrie Center
Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.
Lost post offices, places now gone and burying grounds
Guthrie Center’s post office has been open since 1893. Another post office, Guthrie Centre, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Guthrie Centre
1856–1893
Guthrie Center
1893–today
18501940today
Gone or out of use
Baker Number Two SchoolschoolGuthrie CenterlocaleGuthrie Center Municipal Airportairport
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Guthrie Center
UnionValley Township
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Questions about Guthrie Center’s history
What year was Guthrie Center founded?
In 1856, according to Wikidata. Guthrie Center’s post office opened in 1856, and the census of 1880 counted 571 people here.
How does Guthrie Center rank for history?
Guthrie Center is more historic than 52% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
How old are the homes in Guthrie Center?
46% of Guthrie Center’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.5 points), against a typical 22% for an Iowa town; the median home was built in 1949.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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