Patterson, Iowa
city in Madison County, Iowa, United States
Patterson is a city in Madison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 176 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Patterson was laid out in 1872. It derives its name from Alexander Pattison, the original owner of the town site, but the name was misspelled on the plat and stuck.
Geography
Patterson is located along the Middle River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.20 square miles (0.52 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 176 people, 72 households, and 40 families residing in the city. The population density was 390.1 inhabitants per square mile (150.6/km2). There were 82 housing units at an average density of 181.8 per square mile (70.2/km2).
“Patterson, Iowa” enters the record as city in Madison County, Iowa, United States. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Patterson, Iowa and city can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Patterson, Iowa” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Patterson, Iowa and city provides the most credible route into that argument.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 10, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1926757. Authority coordinates are 41.349, -93.881. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2020 and 1872.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Patterson, Iowa”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Patterson, Iowa primary sources, Patterson, Iowa archive and Patterson research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Patterson, Iowa”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Patterson, Iowa” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.