Goosetown Neighborhood

Goosetown

The Goosetown neighborhood is a local favorite for people looking for small-to-medium sized older, charming homes, a tight-knit neighborhood feel, and great walkability/bikeability to Iowa City’s downtown district and the University of Iowa campus. The Goosetown neighborhood is located on the northeast side of Iowa City about about one mile from downtown and characterized by modest older homes and tree-lined streets and quiet walkways. There are many alleys in the neighborhood, which appeal to buyers who prefer a less car-centric neighborhood. The area has a healthy mix of both owner occupied and rental homes. For a visual peek of the neighborhood, be sure to watch my YouTube video tour of the Goosetown neighborhood, which can be found here. Students living in the neighborhood attend Mann Elementary, South East Junior High and City High School.

Goosetown

A little history...

Goosetown was originally inhabited by Bohemian (whom we would now refer to as Czech) and German immigrants in the 1850’s. As history is retold, the story is that many neighborhood residents kept geese in their yards and gardens, leading to the neighborhood name of Goosetown. Modern day residents take pride in their historic neighborhood, and the qualities of the area, such as front porches and tree-lined sidewalks and streets, which lead to a friendly community feel. The neighborhood’s close location to downtown helps residents feel plugged into the pulse of Iowa City, and appeals to a wide age demographic of residents.

Goosetown

Location

Goosetown is next to the Northside and College Green neighborhoods, specifically located between Brown Street and East Bloomington Street. It is bordered by Oakland Cemetery and Hickory Hill Park. Street signs in the neighborhood are topped by small metal placards depicting geese to help define the geographic location of the neighborhood. For a handy map of the various neighborhoods of Iowa City, check the City of Iowa City’s neighborhood map guide here.