Map of Washta city

Washta is a city in Cherokee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 209 at the time of the 2020 census. It is called “The Coldest Spot in Iowa”, recording a temperature of −47 °F (−44 °C) without wind chill on January 12, 1912.

Washta’s name dates back to 1868 when a local man named Whisman turned his farm into a trading post/mail stop for the freight train going from Correctionville, Iowa, to Cherokee, Iowa. He was asked to be the official postmaster for the area. When asked what the name of his town would be, he recalled an interesting encounter with two Native Americans the year before: While Whisman was out hunting, the two came upon him, removed his gun, looked at it, and handed it back while saying, Wash-tay, Wash-tay, meaning “good”. Changing the pronunciation slightly, Whisman decided he would call the town Washta.

Washta city overview:
Name:	Washta city
LSAD Code:	25
LSAD Description:	city (suffix)
State:	Iowa
County:	Cherokee County
Elevation:	1,148 ft (350 m)
Total Area:	1.01 sq mi (2.62 km²)
Land Area:	1.01 sq mi (2.62 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	209
Population Density:	206.93/sq mi (79.86/km²)
ZIP code:	51061
Area code:	712
FIPS code:	1982380
GNISfeature ID:	0462723

Online Interactive Map

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Washta online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Washta location map. Where is Washta city?

Washta location on the U.S. Map. Where is Washta city. — Washta location on the U.S. Map.

Washta location on the Iowa map. Where is Washta city. — Location of Washta in Iowa.

Washta Road Map

Washta city Satellite Map

Geography

Washta is located at 42°34′33″N 95°43′5″W / 42.57583°N 95.71806°W / 42.57583; -95.71806 (42.575896, -95.718051). It is situated near the Little Sioux River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.04 square miles (2.69 km), all land.