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Ruthven Iowa Map

Explore Ruthven, Iowa, with this interactive street and satellite map.

Interactive Map of Ruthven, Iowa

CityRuthven
StateIowa (IA)
CountyPalo Alto County
CountryUnited States of America
TimezoneCentral Time (America/Chicago)
Latitude43.129132
Longitude-94.899153
Population725
Density686.1 /km²
IncorporatedYes
ZIP Code51358
Area Code563
County SeatEmmetsburg
School DistrictRuthven-Ayrshire Community School District

About Ruthven, Iowa

Ruthven is a locality in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. It is a small community with a population of 725. The population density is 686.1 people per km². Ruthven is located at 43.1291°N, 94.8992°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. Ruthven is an incorporated locality. ZIP code: 51358.

Ruthven emerges from the expansive horizon as a quiet collection of structures anchored to the deep, fertile soil of the Iowa plains. It lies 12.4 miles east of Spencer, IA (from Spencer, IA: bearing 94°T), and is situated 19.1 miles south of Estherville. The landscape here is defined by the rigorous geometry of agriculture, where vast fields of corn and soybeans stretch toward the sky in an unceasing display of seasonal color. Nearby, the stillness of Virgin Lake offers a reflective surface for the shifting prairie light, while the slow, deliberate movement of the Lost Island Outlet carves a subtle path through the surrounding terrain. Evenings bring a particular clarity to the air, sharpening the outlines of the grain elevators that stand as sentinels above the flat, tilled earth.

Hardworking traditions rooted in Scandinavian and German ancestry continue to shape the character of Ruthven, where the pace of life adheres to the rhythms of the harvest and the changing seasons. The local economy remains tethered to the productivity of the soil, maintaining a quiet industriousness that supports the daily needs of the residents. To the east, the Barringer Slough Waterfowl Production Area provides a sanctuary for migratory birds, serving as a reminder of the wilder prairie that once dominated this region. This landscape does not demand attention with grand gestures, but instead offers a subtle, literate civility to those who observe the way the autumn sun gilds the dry stalks or the way the winter wind sweeps across the open, frozen ground.

Nearby Outdoor Places

  • Barringer Slough Waterfowl Production Area (State Resource Management Area) — 1.3 mi, 282° W
  • Clay County Waterfowl Production Area Of Iowa (Resource Management Area) — 1.3 mi, 282° W
  • Clay County Waterfowl Production Area Of Ia (Resource Management Area) — 1.3 mi, 282° W
  • Virgin Lake Wildlife Management Area (State Conservation Area) — 1.5 mi, 179° S
  • Barringer Slough Wildlife Management Area (State Conservation Area) — 1.5 mi, 288° W
  • Rossiter Wildlife Area (Local Conservation Area) — 2.1 mi, 001° N
  • Blue Wing Marsh Waterfowl Production Area (State Resource Management Area) — 2.2 mi, 017° N
  • Huston Prairie (Local Conservation Area) — 2.8 mi, 009° N
  • Lost Island-Huston Park (Local Park) — 3.3 mi, 006° N
  • Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 9.3 mi, 243° SW · 12k acres
  • House of Dolls Museum (Museum) — 11.0 mi, 096° E
  • Robert Emmet Statue (Monument) — 11.2 mi, 096° E
  • Palo Alto County Historical Museum (Museum) — 11.4 mi, 096° E
  • Victorian Museum on Main (Museum) — 11.5 mi, 096° E
  • Wild Rose Casino and Resort (Attraction) — 12.0 mi, 095° E
  • Parker Historical Museum (Museum) — 12.2 mi, 274° W
  • Five Island Lake Wildlife Management Area (Nature Reserve) — 12.7 mi, 081° E
  • Southpark 7 Theatres (Cinema) — 13.0 mi, 270° W
  • Peterson Point Historical Farmstead (Museum) — 15.7 mi, 039° NE
  • Fort Defiance State Park (State Park) — 17.7 mi, 005° N
  • Milford Pioneer Theatre (Cinema) — 18.5 mi, 317° NW
  • Estherville Rock Garden (Attraction) — 18.8 mi, 008° N
  • Estherville Meteorite Sculpture (Monument) — 19.1 mi, 010° N
  • Estherville Swinging Bridge (Monument) — 19.2 mi, 008° N
  • Ranch Amusement Park (Theme Park) — 21.4 mi, 328° NW
  • Okoboji Summer Theatre (Theatre) — 21.6 mi, 328° NW
  • Pearson Lakes Art Center (Arts Centre) — 21.7 mi, 328° NW
  • Ringham Habitat Area (Zoo / Wildlife Park) — 22.5 mi, 003° N
  • Lone Rock (Attraction) — 29.4 mi, 078° E
  • Union Slough National Wildlife Refuge (National Wildlife Refuge) — 37.2 mi, 082° E · 5,668 acres

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About This Ruthven Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Ruthven, Iowa. Coordinates: 43.129132, -94.899153. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.

Detailed location data for Ruthven includes the ZIP code (51358), telephone area code (563), county seat of Palo Alto County (Emmetsburg), and school district assignment (Ruthven-Ayrshire Community School District).

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.

Page generatedAugust 2026
Location dataSimpleMaps US Cities Database; coordinates matched to USGS GNIS definitive data
Wikipedia validationArticle content matched to USGS GNIS coordinates via Wikipedia geosearch API.