Earling

Shelby County - A place to call home. Eleven cities ... one community.


•Map
• Established in 1882
• 2010 population of 437
• Located at the intersection of State Highways 191 and 37 and County Road M16


"Progress is Our Future"


EARLING was platted September 1, 1882 by the Milwaukee Land company. Earling was a railroad town made up primarily of German immigrants. It was situated on the east branch of the Mosquito Creek, and on the Council Bluffs branch of the great Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Its original name was Marathon, but it soon took the name Earling after the President of the railroad. A post office was established in October, 1882 with Joseph H. Kuhl as postmaster.

Freedom Rock® Tour  painter Bubba Sorenson spoke at the Shelby County Freedom Rock dedication ceremony in Earling in July 2013. Sorenson, who first painted the original Freedom Rock near Greenfield in 1999, began an effort to paint a Freedom Rock in all of Iowa’s 99 counties. Visit this link to see all paintings on our Freedom Rock.  Visit Travel Iowa for a current list of cities in Iowa. For more detailed information please refer to this document.

Iowa's Freedom Rock Guide

Utility & Telecommunications


Water: City of Earling
Gas: MidAmerican Energy Company 
Electricity: MidAmerican Energy Company 
Phone: Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company 
Internet: Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company 
Cable: Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company 
Cellular: Cellular One, Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company, and Verizon 
Rail: Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Rail System
​Recycling: Contact your local hauling service. List of what is eligible for recycle.


Government 
Mayor & City Council 
Hours: Call
712 747-2181
earlingcity@fmctc.com


City Zoning? Yes 


Police Protection
Shelby County Sheriff’s Department 


School
Harlan Community Schools (PreK-12) 
Shelby County Catholic Schools (PreK-8) 

Top Businesses
Earling is home to approximately 30 businesses including a distillery, a microbrewery, a locally owned bank, tractor repair business, two car service stations, meat locker, grain elevator, two feed stores, ag-chemical store, beauty shops, and retail stores.


Churches
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church – on the tour of German Villages

Interesting History
There was an exorcism in Earling in 1928. It has been officially documented by Papal officials in Rome. The subject was a young lady who was not from the community. Today, the exorcism is a matter of controversy and curiosity, but for the folks of Earling in 1928, it was a frightening experience. Two books, Be Gone Satan and The Devil Rocked Her Cradle were written about those fateful days. More info ...

Community & Tourists Attractions

St. Joseph Catholic Church
A must-see for visitors coming to Earling. The circa 1882 Church with its soaring 150’ steeple and Gothic-styled architecture is breathtaking. Its numerous stained glass windows illuminate a spacious interior that is both enthralling and inspiring. Statues depicting the saints and the Stations of the Cross decorate the wall and the columns. A visit to St. Joseph Catholic Church will never be forgotten.


St. Joseph’s Parish Picnic
A two day picnic celebrated on the second weekend of July with festivities consisting of live music, carnival rides, games, and plenty of food and beverage.


Share by: