Town file
Shenandoah, Iowa
Shenandoah, Iowa (Page County, Iowa) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 235, "Night Stalker Training Program" (5 August 2021). Shenandoah, Iowa, sits in the far south-west corner of the state, close to the Nebraska line, in Page County.
- Town
- Shenandoah
- County
- Page County
- State
- Iowa
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 235
- Approximate location
- 40.758, -95.372
Episode 235 / 5 August 2021 / 157 min / full
Night Stalker Training Program
"We're going to Shenandoah, Iowa, in far south-western Iowa next to Nebraska; the town is in both Page and Fremont counties, but our story takes place in Page County." about 0:05:30
The case: Murder of Cynthia Borton (September 6th, 1988). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2021
- Population
- 4,997
- Median household income
- $39,479
- Median home value
- $75,800
- Two-bedroom rent
- $664
- Cost of living
- 73 out of 100
- Religious
- 57%
- Property crime
- ▼ a little bit under half the national average
- Violent crime
- ▼ under half the national average
- Rapes reported
- zero
- Rapes reported
- 20
History, in brief
- The town was originally called Faroaks. about 0:07:25
- It took the permanent name of Shenandoah in 1870, when soldiers returned from the Civil War and thought it looked like the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. about 0:07:31
- The land around the town is very fertile farmland. about 0:08:24
- It became the seed and nursery capital of America in the late 1800s. about 0:08:32
- The Mount Arbor nurseries were in Shenandoah. about 0:08:41
- Henry Field was born in Shenandoah in 1871 and started selling packets of seeds at the age of six. about 0:08:44
- By the time Henry Field died, the Henry Field Company was one of the largest seed companies in the United States. about 0:09:08
- Shenandoah had several minor-league baseball teams, including the Shenandoah Pin Rollers. about 0:09:25
- In 1903 the town had another team, which switched to the Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas League. about 0:10:08
- Early live radio stations gave performers their start in the town, including the Everly Brothers, who were from Shenandoah, and Charlie Hayden. about 0:10:20
The reviews read out
4 stars
"A transplant from the big city says it is a nice change of scenery, everyone has proven kind and friendly, and recommends it for small-town living with commodities."about 0:10:42
4 stars
"A ten-year resident loves that people know everyone and that the town flourishes in town and school pride, but wants the empty historic buildings downtown used for businesses."about 0:11:27
3 stars
"As long as you lock up everything at night and when you are not around, it should be fine."about 0:12:33
3 stars
"Some restaurants are great, though pricey, but many are repeats of each other; there is only one Mexican restaurant and two Chinese restaurants."about 0:13:35
3 stars
"Many popular stores are expensive and lack variety, and the locally owned stores are better quality, but the reviewer would rather shop at the nationwide ones."about 0:14:09
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Skidmore, Missouri36 miles
- Maryville, Missouri39 miles
- Murdock, Nebraska49 miles
- Rulo, Nebraska49 miles
- Alvo, Nebraska54 miles
- Yutan, Nebraska63 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.