If you’re from Iowa and grew up there, you may have heard someone call a town in your area “Little Chicago.” It’s not said in a nice way either. But I have news for you: that title has been given to dozens of places in the Hawkeye State over the years.
But which Iowa town is really “Little Chicago”? Let us see who is in the running.
It’s Waterloo, Iowa: I’ve heard this name all my life because I grew up in “The ‘Loo.” Waterloo got its name from the high crime rate and large amount of illegal drugs that come into the city. In the past few years, though, both total crime and violent crime have been going down.
Sioux City, Iowa: This infamous name seems to have been given to Sioux City first, which is in Iowa.
The city of Sioux City, Iowa, in the middle of America is known as “Little Chicago.” But why is Little Chicago called Sioux City? That name has a lot to do with Sioux City’s history and makes me think of a lively past during Prohibition. In order to understand why Sioux City is called “Little Chicago,” we will look at its historical roots, including where the nickname came from, important people and events, and how it looks now.
Fort Dodge, Iowa: It looks like Fort Dodge is one of the newest places to be called “Little Chicago.” Like Waterloo, Fort Dodge has had a bad name in recent years because of drug and crime crimes.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa: The ‘City of Five Seasons’ is said to be a lively, growing city with many good points. But because of its recent problems with crime and guns, some people have also called CR “Little Chicago.”
Davenport, Iowa: Of the Quad Cities, Davenport is the one that is closest to the city of Chicago. On the one hand, US News & World Report says that Davenport is one of the best places to live in the United States. But, like some of the other towns on this list, Davenport has a nickname for being “not so friendly” because of recent problems with crime and drugs.
That’s the list of the best candidates. Which one is really “Little Chicago”? Of course, that’s a very personal question. I’m going with the “Loo” because I grew up in Waterloo and have heard that term all my life.
Putting that question into Google, on the other hand, will give you this answer:
“Little Chicago” is the name of the town in Iowa called Sioux City. This name came from the fact that it was known for illegal activities, especially during Prohibition, which was similar to the crime scene in Chicago at the time.
