Staffing Shortage Leads To Waterloo Waterpark Closures

Many families here in Iowa spend at least one of their Summer days in Waterloo at Eastern Iowa's best waterpark, Lost Island. My family was one of them, but this year you may want to take a look at their schedule.

Starting August 3rd Iowa's largest waterpark will be seeing closures on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the remainder of the season due to a staffing shortage. They announced this on a Facebook posted earlier this week,

Due to challenges maintaining critical staffing levels, the waterpark will be closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the remainder of the season. Golf and Go-karts will remain open regular hours.

Many were sad to see this amazing Waterloo waterpark have to adjust its hours, but it is now confirmed that they will be closed: August 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, & 18th. As someone who has gone to the park a few times each year throughout my childhood, and adult life this news is hard to hear, hopefully by next year as things continue to head towards "normal" they can find success with staffing.

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This news comes only weeks after an incredible announcement by the waterpark. Earlier this month Lost Island not only ranked in the top 10 best outdoor waterparks on USA Today's list, but they ranked second!

For those of you who still have a trip planned to this great park, the waterpark will still be open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, along with the usual Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Go-karts and mini golf are open from 2 - 9 p.m.

More information can be found on their website here.

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Iowa's Island City

There is something unique about every town, but there is really something special about Sabula, IA. Known as "Iowa's Island City," Sabula is the only town in the state of Iowa that is entirely on an island. While not a lot of people have been to, or live in Sabula, it is a quaint little town nestled right on the Mississippi River.

Before we show you around "Iowa's Island City," let me give you the history of Sabula. Sabula was established in 1835, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis. Isaac Dorman and a man named Hinkley crossed the river from the Illinois side on a log and decided to settle on what is now Sabula. An Ohio couple, James and Margaret Woods would settle on Sabula about a year later in April of 1836. Their son, Dr. E. A. Woods would purchase Hinkley's interest in the claim. Charles Swan and W. H. Brown would soon purchase Dorman's interest. The three men, Woods, Swan and Brown later had the land plotted in 1837.

The idea behind plotting the land was because there was no town between Lyons (north Clinton) and Bellevue. The plot of the new town was recorded in Dubuque as this area was part of Dubuque county at the time, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

According to Island City Harbor's website, Sabula went through a few names before landing on the official town name. In 1837, Sabula was first called Carrollport. Residents of the town didn't like the name because there was a man's name who was Carroll who had a bad reputation. The town changed its name to Charleston, after early settler Charles Swan. The only issue was that there was already a town called Charleston in Iowa which caused much confusion.

In 1846 the settler’s decided to find a name. Island City Harbor's website says that because of it’s sandy soil, William Hubble suggested the town be called "Sabulum" which is Latin for sand. A party was being held around the time the town name was being discussed, when a woman, supposed to be Miss Harriet Hudson, suggested the town be called Sabula as it was easier to pronounce and sounded more elegant, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

Sabula did not actually become an island until 1939. According to Wikipedia, in the 1930's, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed the lock and dam system. In 1939, Lock and Dam No. 13 between Clinton, IA and Fulton, IL was built which caused the bottomlands west of the town permanently flooded. With the Mississippi River east of the town, this created the "Island City." A levee was built around Sabula in 1957 for protection, according to Island City Harbor's website. This also allowed for the south sand pit to be turned into a boat harbor.

I would like to thank my mom Beth, her fiancé Matt, my brother Nolan and my wife Ellie for accompanying me to Sabula. We always have a blast on our trips and this one was no exception.

It's now time to introduce you to Sabula, Iowa, Iowa's Island City.