city, seat (1859) of Emmet county, northern Iowa, U.S. The city lies along the West Fork Des Moines River, 90 miles (145 km) northwest of Fort Dodge. The site was settled in 1857 shortly after the nearby Spirit Lake Massacre of settlers by the Sioux, and it was named for Esther Ridley, wife of one of the community's planners. Fort Defiance (1862), built as a protection against the Sioux, is commemorated in a state park just to the southwest. The railroad reached Estherville in 1882, spurring the town's growth. A large meteorite exploded over the area on May 10, 1879; fragments of it are displayed in several museums worldwide, the largest piece found in the collection of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

The city is a trade and shipping centre with an agriculture-based economy. There is some light manufacturing, and it is the gateway from the east to the Iowa Great Lakes resort area. In addition, Okamanpedan State Park is about 15 miles (25 km) to the northeast. Estherville is the seat of Iowa Lakes Community College (1967). Inc. town, 1881; city, 1894. Pop. (1990) 6,720; (2000) 6,656.