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Hamburg Public Library, Hamburg, Iowa

HAMBURG

Iowa
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It derives its name from the German city of Hamburg. Landmarks include Hamburg Public Library. Hamburg is the birthplace of Carl Stimson, baseball player.

The Hamburg Collection

Made for Hamburg. Printed to order.

Hamburg, Iowa gifts and souvenirs: 28 designs made from Hamburg's own map, landmarks and history, from $10 to $95. Printed to order and shipped free in the USA.

PopularPrice
Hamburg Hometown Ornament$23
Hamburg Vintage Travel Posterfrom $40
Hamburg Varsity Crewneckfrom $57
Hamburg Est. Teefrom $33
Hamburg Town Line Mugfrom $26
Hamburg Market Tote$37
Hamburg Hometown Ornament

Hamburg Hometown Ornament

Ceramic keepsake, gold ribbon, in 4 styles

$23
Hamburg Vintage Travel Poster

Hamburg Vintage Travel Poster

Its landmark photo in a classic travel-poster layout

from $40
Hamburg Photo Art Print

Hamburg Photo Art Print

A local landmark photo as a gallery print

from $40
Hamburg “Greetings From” Poster

Hamburg “Greetings From” Poster

Classic large-letter postcard art, filled with local photos

from $40
Hamburg History Timeline Poster

Hamburg History Timeline Poster

The town's story in dates, from its own records, for home or classroom

from $44
Hamburg Map Placemat

Hamburg Map Placemat

Map of local landmarks, washable fabric

$31
Hamburg Varsity Crewneck

Hamburg Varsity Crewneck

Heavy-blend fleece, street map printed on the back

from $57
Hamburg Hometown Knit Sweater

Hamburg Hometown Knit Sweater

Red heavy-blend crewneck, knit-stitch town print

from $57
Hamburg Est. Tee

Hamburg Est. Tee

Soft Bella+Canvas jersey

from $33
Hamburg Est. Youth Tee

Hamburg Est. Youth Tee

Kids' Bella+Canvas jersey, youth sizes

$30
Hamburg Est. Toddler Tee

Hamburg Est. Toddler Tee

Bella+Canvas toddler jersey

$29
Hamburg Est. Baby One Piece

Hamburg Est. Baby One Piece

Bella+Canvas baby bodysuit

$30
Hamburg “Greetings From” Tee

Hamburg “Greetings From” Tee

Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos

from $35
Hamburg Town Line Mug

Hamburg Town Line Mug

Glossy ceramic, dishwasher safe

from $26
Hamburg “Greetings From” Mug

Hamburg “Greetings From” Mug

Large-letter postcard art filled with local photos, 11 oz ceramic

from $29
Hamburg Garden Flag

Hamburg Garden Flag

Weatherproof, for the front walk

$31
Hamburg Welcome Doormat

Hamburg Welcome Doormat

24″×16″, printed coir-look fibers, rubber back

$66
Hamburg Hometown Wood Sign

Hamburg Hometown Wood Sign

12″×12″ printed wood, ready to hang

$48
Hamburg Map Throw Pillow

Hamburg Map Throw Pillow

Soft-touch, zip cover

$47
Hamburg Landmark Photo Pillow

Hamburg Landmark Photo Pillow

A local landmark photo with the town name, 18″×18″

$49
Hamburg Market Tote

Hamburg Market Tote

Sturdy all-over-print tote

$37
Hamburg “Greetings From” Tote

Hamburg “Greetings From” Tote

Large-letter postcard art on a sturdy tote

$37
Hamburg “Greetings From” Trucker Cap

Hamburg “Greetings From” Trucker Cap

Foam-front trucker, printed (not embroidered) with local photos

$33
Hamburg Cork Coaster

Hamburg Cork Coaster

Glossy top, cork back

$16
Hamburg Street Map Throw Blanket

Hamburg Street Map Throw Blanket

Soft fleece, 50″×60″

from $72
Hamburg Est. Tumbler

Hamburg Est. Tumbler

20 oz, double-wall stainless

$51
Hamburg Hamburg Public Library Postcard

Hamburg Hamburg Public Library Postcard

6″×4″ postcard, glossy front

$10
Hamburg Sanborn Map Print

Hamburg Sanborn Map Print

The town's earliest Sanborn fire-insurance map, drawn building by building and hand-coloured, from the Library of Congress

from $44
Hometown roll

Born in Hamburg

On the National Register

Historic places

Population 2010: 1,187 → 2020: 890

From Wikidata (CC0).

A short history of Hamburg

The city is less than a quarter mile from the Missouri state line. The first settlers in the community were people who actually thought they were settling in Missouri following the Platte Purchase of former Indian territory there across the state line opened up settlement. The first formal settlement in the Hamburg vicinity were by the brothers James McKissick, Cornelius McKissick, Daniel McKissick who established McKissick's Grove. A survey was made when Iowa entered the union in 1846, and only then did the settlers discover that they were in Iowa and not Missouri.

The brothers were also involved in another border irregularity when they bought McKissick Island a mile south of Hamburg. They thought at the time the island in the Missouri River was attached to Nebraska territory. The river changed course in 1867 resulting in the island becoming physically attached by dry land to Missouri and cut off from Nebraska by the main channel. Missouri and Nebraska both claimed the island and it was decided in 1904 by the U.S. Supreme Court that it belonged to Nebraska, although the states did not formally agree to the arrangement until 1999. In the meantime students from the Nebraska island passed through Missouri en route to being educated in Hamburg in Iowa.

Hamburg was formally laid out in 1857 at the behest of Augustus Borchers (August Heinrich B., August 26, 1817, Harburg near Hamburg, Germany - November 23, 1885, Hamburg (Ia.)) who named for the German city and was formally incorporated on April 1, 1867 at about the same time as it was reached by the Council Bluffs and St. Joseph Railroad. A second railroad Nebraska City Branch of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad (which came from Red Oak, Iowa) came through in 1870.

Alex and Arthur Vogel started Vogel and Son Popcorn Company in 1948. The company grew to the point where he bought the city's old water tower and train station to store his popcorn - the two structures hold a million pounds of popcorn. In 1960 the city started its Popcorn Days festival (replacing an earlier named peony festival). Vogel Popcorn is now owned by ConAgra Foods but remains headquartered in the city. Its popcorn is used in Act II and Orville Redenbacher's.

The city gets considerable publicity during periods of Missouri River flooding, including most recently the 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods, which left the city without sewage, water or gas. In 2012, residents sought to raise funds for repairs to the city's flood control levee with a flash mob dance video of "Proud Mary," but did not receive the $5 million needed.

Adapted (trimmed) from the Wikipedia article Hamburg, Iowa, revision 1377372865 by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

For local organizations

Are you with a Hamburg historical society?

We share a part of every Hamburg sale with local partners, and we'd love to print from your collection. Old photographs, maps and postcards make the best keepsakes.

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Custom orders

Want something Hamburg we don't make yet?

A favorite landmark, your street, a school or team, an anniversary gift, a different product. Tell us and we'll get back to you by email.

Free printables

Color Hamburg

3 free coloring pages of Hamburg, each traced from a photo of a local landmark. Print them at home, at school or for story hour.

Nearby

Neighboring towns

Sources

Hamburg's population was 890 in the 2020 U.S. Census, down from 1,187 in 2010.