Welcome
Facts About the Community
Muscatine is a small (pop. 23,000), historic (founded 1833), city in Iowa, nestled among the bluffs of the Mississippi River. Muscatine is about a half-hour away from the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois, and about forty-five minutes from Iowa City. The variety of shopping choices afforded by the proximity to both of those larger metropolitan areas complements the selection of that found in Muscatine, giving residents the best of all scenarios. Chicago, IL is approximately three hours away.
Trinity Episcopal Church (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) is located among many historic buildings in downtown Muscatine. The downtown is experiencing a revival; many shops and restaurants are beginning to open. Combined with the renovation of the riverfront area, the renaissance of the downtown bodes well for the community through this development; apartments and condominiums are being refurbished, encouraging people to live downtown.
Muscatine enjoys relatively modest housing prices, with the average selling price of housing property in 2001 of $96,300. Utility prices are moderate as well, since Muscatine Power and Water is a municipally held entity. Heating costs are more variable, given the price of natural gas, which is provided by Alliant Energy. Muscatine is served by one cable television outlet, two radio stations and a newspaper.
The weather around here can get exciting - Muscatine experiences all four seasons. Although the average highs in the middle of summer are in the middle 80s, we have reached as high as 111 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winters, lows average in the teens but temperatures have dropped to minus 34F degrees. Rainfall averages 34.5 inches annually, but has varied from as much as 74.5 inches to as little as 20 inches. Snowfall averages 32.3 inches per winter, but has ranged from as much as 74 inches to as little as 10 inches.
Muscatine has a total of fifty-six religious congregations representing most major denominations, guided by two ministerial associations.
Muscatine possesses nine public elementary schools, two private elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Muscatine is also part of the Eastern Iowa Community College District, and has a community college. There are a number of private and public colleges within a forty-five minute drive, including the University of Iowa, one of the United States' premier teaching colleges.
The arts are quite strong in Muscatine, which boasts of a world-class art center and museum. The gift of the Musser Mansion in 1965 by the heirs of Laura Musser (daughter of a prominent lumber baron in the early days of Muscatine), was the beginning of an art museum facility in Muscatine. Through the Edwardian Musser mansion and the adjacent contemporary Stanley Gallery, the Muscatine Art Center offers eastern Iowa both furnishings associated with the original home, and innovative rotating exhibitions. In 1992, the collections were significantly enriched by a gift of twenty-seven works of art by Matisse, Degas, Boudin, Chagall, Renoir, and other European artists.
In addition to lumber as an industry, Muscatine was once billed as the Pearl Button Capitol of the World. At one time, Muscatine was the clam industry leader. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, enormous numbers of freshwater mussels were harvested to make pearl buttons for clothing, and button making was a multimillion-dollar industry. By 1912, nearly 200 factories were operating in towns such as Muscatine up and down the Mississippi River. As testament to its impact, there is a Pearl Button Museum located downtown.
There is a wide range of employers in Muscatine, with the largest being HON Industries. Other prominent employers include the Muscatine School District and Grain Processing Corporation/Kent Feeds. Other significant employers include: Heinz USA, Unity Health System, Monsanto and Bandag.
The city's recreation facilities include 13 public parks, 3 golf courses, a nationally recognized premier soccer complex, a baseball diamond complex, and an ever expanding trail system. Future recreational projects include an Aquatic Park (2003), Skate Park (2004), and continued improvements to the riverfront area to be complete in 2005.
The Mississippi River is a focal point for the community. The North American Indians who once populated the banks of the Mississippi River called it "Messipi" ("Big River"), and it was also known as the "Meezee-see-bee" ('Father of Waters"). Few rivers have played such an integral role in shaping our nation's historical, cultural, and economic heritage.
The riverfront provides its own recreational activities including fishing, boating, basketball, and walking trail. Many families enjoy the resources of our riverfront through all seasons.
For additional recreational activities, the neighboring Quad Cities support semi-pro baseball (River Bandits), hockey (United Hockey League Mallards), and Arena football (Steam wheelers). For weekend and die-hard runners, the nationally televised road race Bix 7 attracts thousands of runners from all aver the world. Created to help celebrate the work of jazz prodigy Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke, the Bix is an extravaganza of fun, food and song. For golfers, the Quad Cities offers an impressive array of courses with varying degrees of difficulty.
Cultural activities in the Quad Cities include the Putnam Museum (which recently constructed an IMAX theatre), the Quad City Botanical Center, The Mark of the Quad Cities (concert venue and home of the Mallards and Steamwheeler teams). Moline, Illinois is also the headquarters of international farm equipment manufacturer John Deere.
To the west of Muscatine is Iowa City, located about 45 minutes away. Home to the Hawkeyes, the University of Iowa is a mecca for sports enthusiasts around the state. The site of Iowa's first capitol, Iowa City also has a natural history museum and Hancher Auditorium, a nationally ranked cultural venue.
Muscatine is a cosmopolitan town with a population comprised of folks friendly enough to wave as you pass by. Bustling, thriving and evolving, Muscatine offers a great deal of charm, and is a wonderful place to live and worship God.
