Iowa, USA · City Hub
Calmar
Liner notes
An americana song about Calmar, Iowa, where the old 1915 train depot still stands by the Prairie Farmer trail. The lyrics tell of the Swedish heritage and the rolling hills of the Driftless Area. The song captures the spirit of a small town where folks gather at the local brewery and celebrate their dairy farming roots.
Researcher notes
Song research · gemini-3.1-pro · 2026-10-08
Landmarks
- Calmar Train Depot [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
- Bily Clocks Museum [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
Streets and places
- Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail [Travel Iowa](https://www.traveliowa.com/cities/calmar-iowa/922/)
- Lake Meyer County Park [Travel Iowa](https://www.traveliowa.com/cities/calmar-iowa/922/)
Geography
- Located in Northeast Iowa's Driftless Area [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
- Junction of U.S. Highway 52 and State Highways 24 and 150 [Travel Iowa](https://www.traveliowa.com/cities/calmar-iowa/922/)
History
- Founded in 1854 and named after Kalmar, Sweden [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
- Once a major railroad hub [Travel Iowa](https://www.traveliowa.com/cities/calmar-iowa/922/)
Culture
- Swedish heritage [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
- Agricultural and dairy farming culture [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
Businesses and industry
- PIVO Brewery [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
- Northeast Iowa Community College [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
Architecture and visuals
- Historic 1915 train depot [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calmar_Passenger_Depot)
Other
- Population of approximately 1,000 [Travel Iowa](https://www.traveliowa.com/cities/calmar-iowa/922/)
Research sources
Visual research · gemini-3.1-pro · 2026-10-08
Landmarks
- Calmar Train Depot [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calmar_Passenger_Depot)
Streets and places
- Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail [Travel Iowa](https://www.traveliowa.com/cities/calmar-iowa/922/)
Geography
- Rolling terrain of the Driftless Area [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
History
- Depot rebuilt in 1915 [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calmar_Passenger_Depot)
Culture
- Farmers markets held at the depot [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calmar_Passenger_Depot)
Businesses and industry
- PIVO Brewery [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
Architecture and visuals
- Historic train depot architecture [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calmar_Passenger_Depot)
Other
- Lake Meyer Park spans 156 acres [MapQuest](https://www.mapquest.com/us/iowa/calmar-ia-282038943)
Research sources
UntitledWave · City Pride
Put Calmar on the map.
A little town deserves to make some noise.
—
Locals have claimed Calmar
—
Song plays
—
Pieces of merch out in the wild
—
Requests for another song
Every town has a story — help yours be heard. Counts are self-reported by visitors and update live; they're a wave hello, not a census.
