North English, IA

North English is a city located mainly in Iowa County, with a small portion extending into Keokuk County. The 2020 census counted 1,065 residents. Its name comes from the English River, which runs through the surrounding countryside, while the city itself occupies a compact 0.55-square-mile footprint. English Valleys Community School District serves the community, including English Valleys Elementary and English Valleys Junior/Senior High School.

ATTRKen Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0

North English was laid out in 1855 and first called Nevada. When residents learned that another Nevada already existed in Iowa, the town took the North English name instead. That bit of naming history fits the place’s geography: a small settlement in a river valley, connected to nearby farms and organized around a school district that serves a wider area. North English is also the birthplace of Mace Brown, a relief pitcher who reached Major League Baseball. The river remains nearby. The city’s identity is a mix of river name, school town, and Iowa railroad-era beginnings.