Anthon, IA

Set along the Little Sioux River in western Iowa, Anthon is a quiet Woodbury County community of about 500 residents. The town got its start during the brutal winter of 1888, springing up when the Illinois Central Railroad pushed through the valley. In those first months, an abandoned boxcar served as the makeshift train depot while wooden storefronts quickly lined the tracks. Today, Anthon offers a peaceful setting roughly thirty miles east of Sioux City, surrounded by rolling farmland and wide open skies.

Over the decades, the town grew into a steady agricultural hub where generations of farming families built strong community roots and local schools. Anthon also claims some of the most memorable trivia in the state, having been home to Charles Osborne, who famously hiccuped for 68 straight years, and Bernard Coyne, an eight-foot-tall local legend. With its calm rhythm, scenic river valley backdrop, and genuine hometown feel, Anthon provides an inviting slice of rural Iowa living.