About Cerro Gordo County

First Inhabitants of Northern Iowa

Many different communities have called this land home. During early recorded history, several different tribes of people lived here and thrived for centuries. The tribes who were known in North Central Iowa are: The Ioway, the Dakota of the Sioux nation, The Meskwaki and Sauk people, and the Hochunk (who were assigned lands here for a short time). The last remaining tribes were removed from this land by the 1840’s. Their stories are still on the land and their people are now living throughout the country.    

A New County is Established

On January 15, 1851, the third General Assembly, meeting in Iowa City carved out the western and northern parts of the state. About fifty new counties were set off by the legislature at this time and Cerro Gordo was one of them. Prior to this time, Cerro Gordo County had been part of what is known as current-day Floyd County. The County seat is located in the city of Mason City.

County Name Origin

The name Cerro Gordo is of Mexican War origin, which described a mountain pass behind which troops were entrenched was one of the most decisive battles of the Mexican War. Cerro Gordo translates into Rocky Hill/Fat Hill, a term which may have been given to this area of the county in 1851, because of extensive limestone deposits which are found in the Lime Creek area and Shell Rock River Valley.

City and Township Profiles

Cerro Gordo County is divided into sixteen townships with ten incorporated cities with a population of 43,070 people.