Editing Peosta, Iowa (section)

==History==
Peosta is named after the leader of a local [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] people that once lived in Dubuque County. Chief Peosta, of the [[Meskwaki]] people, was a close friend of [[Julien Dubuque]], one of the first European settlers in the area. Dubuque was also the founder of the City of Dubuque, Iowa, and was allegedly married to Chief Peosta's daughter, who was reportedly named "Potosa".

For most of its history, and even as recently as 1990, Peosta was a quiet rural town of approximately 100 people. A post office opened in Peosta in 1858.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/NUKCNA|accessdate=2024-10-31|title=US Post Offices|publisher=Blevins, Cameron; Helbock, Richard W.|date=2021|doi=10.7910/DVN/NUKCNA |last1=Blevins |first1=Cameron |last2=Helbock |first2=Richard W. }}</ref> The groundwork for later growth was laid in the 1960s, when the new four-lane [[U.S. Route 20 in Iowa|U.S. Route 20]] opened along the city's southern edge, providing quick access to Dubuque. The city was also aided by the opening of Northeast Iowa Technical Institute (later [[Northeast Iowa Community College|NICC]]) in 1979. However, it was only when the city's industrial park began to flourish in the 1990s that the population began to soar. Peosta grew from 128 people in 1990 to over 1,300 today, and it continues to climb rapidly. This 1000% growth in 20 years has helped attract new businesses and services to Peosta as well. The city now boasts two elementary schools, its own community center, hotel, [[Church (building)|church]], industrial park and expanding neighborhoods.