CERRO GORDO, a new county in the northern part of Iowa, has an area of 625 square miles. It is drained by Lime creek, a branch of English river, and its tributaries. This county is not included in the census of 1850. County seat not located. Named from the celebrated battle-field in Mexico, on which the the Americans, under General Scott, gained a decisive victory over the Mexicans, April 17th and 18th, 1847. (Baldwin's New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States..., 1854)
CERRO GORDO COUNTY. This county is situated in the second tier from the north line of the State, and in the fifth west from the Mississippi River. It is twenty-four miles square, and is bounded on the north by Worth county, on the east by Floyd, south by Franklin, and west by Hancock county. The soil of the prairies in this county is extremely fertile. It is drained by Shell Rock and Lime Creeks on the north, by Willow and Buffalo on the south, with other smaller streams, branches of the Cedar River. These streams furnish an abundant water power. They are skirted with ledges of lime stone, and in their vicinity excellent timber grows in sufficent quantity for fencing and fuel purposes.
MASON CITY—The seat of justice for Cerro Gordo county, is located in the northern interior of the county, 110 miles west from the Mississippi River. It is on the line of the McGregor Western Railway, which has a flattering prospect of soon being completed to this point. At present it is connected by stage line with Cedar Falls on the DuBuque & Sioux City R. R. The village contains three church organizations, viz: Congregational, Methodist and United Brethren, and Lodge No. 143, A. F. & A. M. The Cerro Gordo Republic newspaper is published here. There are also four general stores; one flour mill; one saw mill; one drug store; one hotel; one lumber yard; one cabinet shop; one wagon shop; two blacksmith shops, and a population of 300; township 600.
CLEAR LAKE, is situated on a beautiful lake of the same name, 10 miles west of Mason City. It has two churches, Methodist and Congregational, also, Benevolence Lodge, No. 145, A. F. & A. M. There are here two saw mills; one general store; and one grocery. Population about 150. Clear Lake, as well as the streams of this county is supplied with a great variety of native fresh fish weighing from one to twenty pounds each.
SHELL ROCK FALLS, is in the north-eastern part of the county, eight miles from the county seat. It contains two churches, Congregational and Methodist; one general store, and one saw mill. Shell Rock River affords excellent water power, and there is an abundance of lime and sand stone in the vicinity. Population of township 500.
OWEN'S GROVE, is a post office in Owen township, on the Cedar Falls and Clear Lake stage route. Population of township 200.
Genesee, Plymouth and Rock are also post offices in this county. (Hair's Iowa State Gazetteer..., 1865)