About Madrid

If your sleepy, Des Moines suburb has turned into a bustling metropolis, then Madrid may be the place for you. Here we have the best of both worlds. We are away from the rush and crush of Des Moines, yet close enough to easily commute to Des Moines or to reach several major shopping areas in reasonable time. Madrid is about 20 minutes from Des Moines, Ames, Ankeny, Perry, or Boone. 

Madrid has an excellent community school system with above average academics, an outstanding athletics program, and fine arts program. The Madrid Tigers football team has been frequent contenders at the Uni-dome in Cedar Rapids.

You won't be at a loss for what to do with your free time. The Ledges State Park , Big Creek State Park , Jester Park , Saylorville recreation area, the Iowa Arboretum , and Jack Trice Stadium (Cyclones) are all 10 - 20 minutes away. Swede Point Park and two river accesses (including a boat ramp) are 5 minutes away. There are several golf courses within 20 miles. Edgewood park in Madrid has a disc golf course, a tennis court, softball, and soccer fields.

Small town living has an easiness about it that is hard to describe. Perhaps it's because you know the open country side is only a few blocks away. Maybe it's because you don't have to lock your doors. The colors here seem more vivid.  The smells are richer. The quiet can be deafening. You get to know your neighbors. There is a sense of community here that is missing in the concrete jungle of larger cities and sprawling suburbs.

Madrid was established in 1883 and was originally called Swede Point. The area was first settled in about 1846. The railroad arrived in the late 1800's. Coal mining was the major industry from 1910 to 1945. The population has grown from about 1,000 citizens in 1910 to about 2,500 today. As the Des Moines suburbs continue to spread north (Johnston, Grimes, and Granger), Madrid is becoming an attractive community for those trying to escape the suburban sprawl.