Iowa All Over: Sabula

SABULA — Along the shores of the Mississippi River, overlooking the water, the Castle Bed and Breakfast offers an escape in Sabula, Iowa's only island city.

Sabula, population 576, is located in Jackson County, about two hours east of Cedar Rapids on the Illinois border, and accessible by road.

The 105-year-old home used for the bed and breakfast is owned and operated by Sharon Mangler. The bed and breakfast opened in the late 1980s when Mangler's mother, Joan Thompson, bought it.

Mangler took over the operation seven years ago after Thompson died.

Mangler, who grew up in Panama, has given the entire bed and breakfast a Panama beach theme. Visitors from around the world come to take advantage of the riverfront property and its views, she said.

The biggest of the bedrooms in the four-bedroom property features big windows overlooking the river. The Panama room is the bed and breakfast's most popular, Mangler said.

Mangler said the nostalgia of the river and the opportunity for peace and quiet bring visitors to Sabula.

'To people who have never seen it, it's awesome,' Mangler said of the Mississippi. 'People come here just to see this river.'

Guests can rent a room or the entire house for the weekend. Individual room rentals come with a full breakfast Mangler prepares. During warmer months, she offers bicycles for guests.

The bed and breakfast also features a porch that allows guests the opportunity to relax and study the river as it flows by.

'Everybody loves to watch the river,' she said. 'It's a view they tell me they can't get anywhere else.'

For Mangler, the best part of operating the Castle is the people who walk through its doors.

'That's the best part of the B&B, you meet so many different people from so many different places,' she said. 'The community is a great place to raise kids.

'Most of the people are really friendly. You can walk down the street and a total stranger is (saying) hi as you go by.'

In addition to the Castle, Sabula is home to four bars, a gas station with a convenience store, and two churches, Mangler said. There also is a marina and campgrounds in town.

Another popular place in town is Bombfire Pizza. The wood fired pizzeria, open four days a week, is decorated with an eclectic mix of artwork, photos and memorabilia.

The nine-year-old establishment is operated by Tom Holman, who was born and raised in the community. Holman said the business attracts visitors from across the area and from neighboring Illinois.

'My typical customer drives an hour each way,' Holman said. 'I get a fair amount of international people. People come to see Chicago and then they want to see something else. We're a straight shot out from Chicago.'

More on Sabula

Sabula, population 576 as of the 2010 U.S. Census, is in Jackson County and was founded in 1846. Major employers in the community include the Canadian Pacific Railway and Island City Harbor. Some residents also work at Metform in nearby Savanna, Ill.