Info:

Fort Dodge has a population of 25,136 within the city and 40,235 in the micropolitan area. The city is located 91 miles northwest of Des Moines and is the county seat of Webster County. Platted in 1854, the city's namesake has much to do with the history as Fort Dodge as it was the site of a military fort upon the "frontier of Iowa" and the Des Moines River before the town was settled. The area has a rich tradition of industry in the extraction and production of natural materials, and to this day produces the bulk of gypsum (sheetrock) deposits found in the U.S.

Today Fort Dodge is an important employment and retail hub for a large section of north central and northwest Iowa. Major industries include trucking/transportation, manufacturing, agriculture related industries and gypsum mining/manufacturing. The city fell on hard times during the farm crisis of the 1980's with several large manufacturing and packing plants closing their doors. The economy of Fort Dodge has slowly improved since the days of the 1980's when several plants closed, eliminating 2,000 jobs within three years. Fort Dodge remains a tight-knit community that is slowly on the rebound, despite the problems with urban decay and poverty.

Gallery: