Jamaica, Iowa

Jamaica is a city in Guthrie County, Iowa, United States.

[4] A local historian named Bruce F. Towne published a short book entitled "Bricks on the Chimney", which discusses the origins and history of Jamaica.

Towne was a local grocery store owner for several decades, a business founded by his father in the early 1900s.

In March 1921, Maylen M. Heater was Jamaica's first traffic victim when his car overturned just west of town.

On July 4, 1919, Clarence Kinney and his son Guy tragically drowned in the high waters of the Raccoon River near the old saw mill.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.46 square miles (1.19 km2), all land.

37.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

About 8.8% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.9% of those under the age of eighteen and 5.3% of those 65 or over.

[13] Near to Jamaica is an octagon barn built in 1881, one of seven in Iowa to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The metal band Slipknot filmed the music video for "Psychosocial" here.

LaDonna Kennedy was elected mayor in 2015 but resigned in January 2019 after being arrested on charges related to marijuana found growing in her basement.

City water tower
Jamaica City Hall
Map of Iowa highlighting Guthrie County