Northwood, IA

Northwood is Worth County’s seat along the Shell Rock River, four miles from the Iowa–Minnesota border. The town was laid out in 1857 and platted in 1858, then became the county seat in 1863 after the county moved its government from Bristol. The current courthouse dates to 1893, while an earlier courthouse building later became the home of the Worth County Historical Society. Northwood–Kensett Community School District serves local students, and the Shell Rock bends through the business district before reaching a park and dam. Northwood is a north Iowa county seat with a river bend, a courthouse succession, and a town name that sounds exactly like its place on the map.