Bloomfield — Population: 2,601
Bloomfield is Davis County's center for government, culture, business and industry.
Located in south central Iowa along the Iowa-Missouri border, Davis County is a
land that combines farms and woodlands with cultural contrasts, rich history and
friendly people.
Residents of Bloomfield and Davis County enjoy the safe, secure and clean atmosphere
associated with rural living while having immediate access to cultural, recreational
and educational opportunities.
In November 1976, the 43 commercial buildings that line the city square and reflect
the self-assured era between the Civil War and World War I were placed on the National
Register of Historic Places. Artist P. Buckley Moss has featured several of these
structures, including the majestic Davis County Courthouse, in her paintings. While
the square visually reflects the 19th century, the area also bustles with the economic
activity of the present.
Bloomfield Main Street was founded in 1995 to ensure the continued vitality of the
community's central business district. Visit Bloomfield!
Bloomfield Main Street
P.O. Box 159
Bloomfield, Iowa 52537
641/664-2309
Fax: 641/664-2302
e-mail:
bloomfieldmainstreet
Town History
Bloomfield was platted on April 29, 1844 and incorporated, with a population of
300, in 1852. The town's name was drawn from a hat, with Davis and Jefferson serving
as alternate choices. Bloomfield was the home of General James B. Weaver, who served
three terms in Congress and was a presidential candidate in 1880 and 1892.
Landmarks and Unique Local Features
- Davis County Courthouse - In November 1876, the center of Bloomfield's
city square, which had been used for circuses and menagerie shows, was cleared in
preparation for a new courthouse. The contract was awarded to an Illinois firm at
a cost of $45,201. Though actually considered French Renaissance, the courthouse's
architectural style often is called Second Empire and has a highly distinctive mansard
roof line pierced by a dazzling array of dormer windows. The belfry houses a clockworks
with faces on all four sides and is topped with a life-sized statue of a blind goddess,
making the landmark readily noticeable to anyone entering Bloomfield.
- Davis County Historical Society Museum - Built in 1844, the Dr.
William Findley House is the site of the Davis County Historical Museum, a place
where many items from the past can be viewed from Memorial Day to Labor Day or by
appointment. Also on the grounds is a cabin that the Mormons built of hand-hewn
logs in 1848, a one-room schoolhouse that served northwest Davis County, a country
church from Savannah and a livery barn constructed in 1920.
- Weaver House - Operating as a bed and breakfast and designated
as a National Landmark, the Weaver House was constructed by two-time presidential
candidate Gen. James B. Weaver in 1866.
- Downtown Buildings on the National Register of Historic Places
- Forty-three commercial buildings on the city square, the Davis County Courthouse
and the William Findley House are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Annual Events
- September - Davis County Old Time Music Festival and T.T.T. Quilt Show
- October - Mums the Word Festival - A car show, Little Tugger's
Tractor Pull, antique tractor display, family activities.
- November & December - Christmas in Bloomfield - Courtyard Christmas
cards, Santa's workshop, living windows, additional lights in courtyard.
Low Interest Loan/Grant Programs & Commercial Property
Loans of up to $7,500 for purchase and rehabilitation of commercial buildings in
the Main Street district. Contact Bloomfield Main Street at (641) 664-2300.
Contact Bloomfield Main Street or local Realtors about available commercial properties.
Local Links
The Bloomfield Democrat Online
Davis County Development Corp.