Community Opportunities

Parks and Recreation

The natural beauty and resources of the Charles City area offers year-round leisure and recreational activities for people of all ages, offering one of the most unique and pristine park systems in the entire state. The community boasts two public golf courses and 26 parks, a characteristic few towns with a populace of 8,000 can match. Residents and visitors also enjoy golf, tennis, swimming, ice skating, fishing, canoeing and other forms of water recreation.

Highlights of the park system include an aquatic facility that was constructed in 1991 at Lion’s Field; an 18-hole golf course at Cedar Ridge Golf Course ; a 9-hole golf course at Wildwood Park; a large sports complex at Sportsmen’s Park; and several picturesque limestone footbridges and views overlooking the Cedar River.

The city maintains several shelters and ball diamonds throughout the community. The Family YMCA boasts facilities that one would normally find in a community three times the size of Charles City, including a full basketball court, racquet ball courts, fitness rooms and both a regular pool and training pool.

The City Improvement Association’s newest park is Garden Court, a small downtown park that has a cobblestone path, umbrella tables, park benches, vintage lights and charming landscaping. The City’s downtown development group has developed a 5 mile loop recreational trail on the Charley Western Railway.

Charles City Whitewater
Charles City Whitewater at Riverfront Park is located on the Cedar River in the heart of downtown Charles City. The multi-use project accommodates not only kayaks, but also inner tubes and stand-up paddle boarding. The one-quarter mile rodeo course is rated at Class II and III levels with three distinct features for paddlers of all levels. Additional elements of Riverfront Park include: boat launch; ravine play area; disc golf course; labyrinth; and stormwater fountain.

Museums And Historical Sites

Charles City has preserved several sites that pay tribute to the City’s rich history and the many contributions of its citizenry. In that respect and more, the city in its own right is a landmark and testimonial to the resiliency of the people who live here and their ability to climb over obstacles and achieve great things.

Carrie Lane Chapman Catt Girlhood Home
The Carrie Chapman Catt Girlhood Home, 2379 Timber Avenue, just south of Charles City, is on the National Register of Historical Places.  A Victorian-style brick house that was the childhood home of women’s right advocate Carrie Lane Chapman Catt has been lovingly restored as a Woman Suffrage Museum. The home is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays and by appointment.  E-mail Carrie Chapman Catt informationor telephone 641-228-3336 and leave a message for additional information. Further information on the Carrie Lane Chapman Catt Girlhood Home & Museum can be found on the website at www.catt.org

Floyd County Historical Society Museum
The Floyd County Historical Society Museum underwent a major expansion project in 1997 to accommodate the recent acquisition of two rare, Charles City built Hart-Parr tractors – one of the first implements powered by a gasoline engine and designed for agricultural and industrial use. The museum’s collection of 10,000 items is displayed in 43 exhibits in the 33,000-square-foot building where Dr. Joseph Salsbury founded Salsbury Laboratories, one of the nation’s leading companies in the development and manufacturing of animal health medicines. Exhibits highlight Dr. Salsbury’s work and Charles City’s important role in the agricultural industry and feature a complete 1873 pharmacy, a pioneer log cabin, period rooms and several unique collections. Contact Mary Ann Townsend at (641) 228-1099 for more information or www.floydcountymuseum.org.

Rockford Fossil & Prairie Park and Visitor Center 
In neighboring Rockford is the 400 acre Fossil & Prairie Park noted for its seemingly endless array of fossils from the Devonian Period.  The Fossil & Prairie Park has been called “a collector’s paradise and a scholar’s schoolroom.”  The Fossil & Prairie Center provides interpretation of the park’s unique features: Devonian fossils, native prairie, Winnebago River, and the Rockford Brick & Tile Company kilns. The Center hours are 1:00 – 4:00 P.M. daily (weekdays and weekends) Memorial Day through Labor Day or by appointment. Prairie Heritage Days are held in October. For more information, contact the Center at 641-756-3490 or www.fossilcenter.com

Arts And Entertainment

Cultural and Entertainment District

Charles City is also rich with cultural opportunities thanks to several unique attractions, special events, and music and drama organizations such as the Charles City Singers, Charles City Municipal Band, outdoor art festival, dance troupes and Stony Point (drama) Players.

On other entertainment fronts, the 1935 art deco Charles Theater shows first-run movies in style, and the Charles City Arts Center, located in the community’s renovated 1904 Carnegie Library, houses a permanent art collection, traveling exhibits and offers many arts-related programs. For more information on the Arts Center, contact Jacqueline Davidson at (641) 228-6284.

The Arthur Mooney Art Print Collection is housed in the Charles City Library. You can listen to spotify web player It includes fine art prints by artists such as Rembrandt, Picasso, Matisse, Thomas Hart Benton and Salvador Dali to name but a few. In 2000, the Library was remodeled and a gallery constructed for permanent exhibition of the Mooney Collection. The Art gallery is open during regular Library hours.

Festivals And Events

Charles City hosts dozens of festivals and events throughout the year which attracts thousands of residents and visitors, including, Cedar River Canoe Float, America’s Hometown 4th of July Celebration, Floyd County Fair, Art-A-Fest, Pioneer Days, Spookwalk, Classic Christmas with the Holiday Lighted Parade, Summer Band Concerts and Party-in the-Park to name a few.

Charles City’s year-round calendar of events and special activities offer something for everyone and serves as yet another testimonial to the community’s positive attitude and ongoing efforts to create, promote and celebrate a quality of life that’s second-to-none.

Driving

State of Iowa driver’s license exams, testing and license cards are available in Charles City every weekday, except holidays, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at the Floyd County Treasurer’s office at the Floyd County Courthouse, located at 101 South Main Street.  Driving tests are given on Wednesdays or by appointment. For further information, call (641) 257-6121.

Vehicle registrations

Renewals and titling are handled in the Floyd County Treasurer’ Office on the second floor of the Courthouse, which is open Monday through Friday, except on holidays, from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Fishing, hunting and recreation vehicles

Fishing and hunting licenses, as well as permits for boats, snowmobiles and ATV’s are all available through the Recorder’s office on the second floor of the Floyd County Courthouse, 101 South Main Street. Business hours are from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., except holidays. Fishing and hunting licenses are also available at Schueth Ace Hardware, 300 Gilbert Street and Theisens, 803 Kelly Street.

Marriage

Marriage licenses are available through the Floyd County Recorder’s Office on the second floor of the Floyd County Courthouse, 101 South Main Street. Office hours are 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except for holidays.

Charles city features a daily newspaper, two shoppers and an ABC-affiliate radio station.

Newspapers. The Charles City Press is published Monday through Friday except postal holidays and produces the Northeast Iowa Shopper by the Charles City Press at 801 Riverside, Charles City, Iowa 50616.  An electronic version of the paper is also available, called the e-Edition.  The Press office, located at 801 Riverside Drive, can be reached at 641-228-3211,email editor@charlescitypress.com or visit www.charlescitypress.com.

Radio. KCHA AM & FM Radio are located at 95.9 and 1580 on the FM and AM dial, respectively.  KCHA is operated by North Iowa Broadcasting.  The KCHA office and studio can be reached at (641) 228-1000. Website www.kchanews.com

Television. Charles City has no locally-based television stations but is covered on a regular basis by KIMT-TV (Channel 3, CBS) located in Mason City, KCRG-TV (Channel 9, ABC) in Cedar Rapids, and KAAL-TV (Channel 6, ABC) in Austin, Minnesota.

Cable TV. The Charles City area is served by Mediacom with an office located at 314 North Main Street in Charles City. The telephone number is (641) 228-1776.