Guide to Iona Minnesota

Iona is located in Southwest Minnesota in Murray County. It is six miles south of Slayton, Minnesota, the county seat, on Highway 267. Iona is within the boundaries of Iona Township, which was originally known as Anderson Township. The village of Iona was incorporated in 1896.

The history of Iona village and Iona township are linked inseparably with the name of Father Martin McDonnell. In 1878, he platted the village next to the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Southern Minnesota Railroad. The train would make regular stops at the Iona station, which was called Iona Lake.

In 1880, Father McDonnell established the Home of the Sacred Heart orphanage. It was formally opened in 1882 and was the only place of business in the newly organized village.

At one time, Iona had four congregations; there was a Catholic congregation, a Norwegian Lutheran congregation, a German Lutheran congregation and a Presbyterian congregation.

Iona had two school systems, the public school, District No. 49, and the parochial school, St. Columba. Both of these schools consolidated with Slayton Public District No.115 in 1965. Slayton Public and Chandler-Lake Wilson Public schools consolidated in 1992 and became Murray County Central District No. 2169.

The village of Iona was well represented by many fine baseball teams and won their share of honors. The Iona Lakers became well known and respected for many miles around. Today, the community of Iona has a population of 166.

Courtesy of Murray County

Iona (city)

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2000-2010 Change

Actual

Percent

Population

260

248

158

173

137

-36

-20.81

Land Area (sq. mile)

0.80

0.74

0.79

0.77

-0.02

-2.53

Density (persons per sq. mile)

325.00

335.14

200.00

219.86

177.92

-41.94

-19.07

Housing Units

-3

-3.30

Households

-9

-11.25

Persons Per Household

2.70

2.47

2.16

1.93

-0.23

-10.65

Iona is a city in Murray County, Minnesota. Minnesota State Highway 267 and Murray County Road 4 are two of the main routes in the community. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.77 square miles (1.99 km2), all of it land. The elevation is 1,634 ft (498 m) above sea level.

As of the census of 2010, there were 137 people, 71 households, and 36 families residing in the city. The population density was 177.9 inhabitants per square mile (68.7/km2). There were 88 housing units at an average density of 114.3 per square mile (44.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 100.0% White.

There were 71 households of which 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 2.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.3% were non-families. 45.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 26.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.93 and the average family size was 2.72.

The median age in the city was 51.6 years. 16.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 11.6% were from 25 to 44; 43.7% were from 45 to 64; and 20.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 43.1% male and 56.9% female.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

IONA Township, organized March 17, 1880, was named after its city in sections 8 and 9, platted in 1878 by Rev. Martin McDonnell, who here founded a Catholic industrial school for orphans. This is the name of a small island on the west coast of Scotland, celebrated for its ancient abbey, founded by St. Columba in the sixth century, and for a ruined cathedral, which was founded in the thirteenth century. The city of Iona was incorporated as a village on January 22, 1896; the post office began in 1880 with McDonnell as postmaster; it had a station of the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad.

Courtesy Minnesota Historical Society

Parnell Street, Iona Minnesota, 1914
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Iona Minnesota Community Guide