text:
Milford, Iowa

Milford is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,321 at the time of the 2020 census. The town includes many businesses related to its location in the Iowa Great Lakes region and is often referred to as the southern gateway to the Iowa Great Lakes.

History
The Iowa Great Lakes Area was settled in the 1850s. It attracted many colonists because of the rich black soil, water from the lakes, and an abundance of wild game and fish. As the population increased at these times, there was a need for a good flouring mill because the nearest mills were those in Mankato, Minnesota and Fort Dodge, Iowa. In 1861, there was an attempt to build one on Mill Creek, at the outlet of the Great Lakes but the attempt was abandoned after the Dakota-U.S. War of 1862 and the extremely low water level that year. In 1868 one was successfully built, and sawmill was built and put into operation in 1869. The mills began to attract many customers, and the small community began to grow around Old Town. In 1870, the company that operated the mill bought a section of land northwest of Old Town and laid out a plan for the town of Milford.

On March 14, 1892, the first Town Council meeting was held. Some buildings were moved from Old Town to New Town and many more businesses and residences were constructed. In 1921, the U.S. flag was flown at the new city hall for the first time and that year a vote approved to pave Okoboji Avenue (Main Street of Milford). The Milwaukee rail line which ran through Milford supplied the town with mail, groceries, clothing, lumber, coal, and machinery before automobiles could get to the Great Lakes. Two passenger trains made daily trips from Des Moines to Spirit Lake, as well as another from Spencer. Until 1910, excursion trains came to the Lakes Area from Des Moines, Algona, and other towns on weekends and holidays. The last passenger train left Milford for Spencer in 1951. The last freight train left Milford for Spencer in 1976. The tracks were dismantled in 1978 and later became a part of the Iowa Great Lakes Recreational Trail.

Geography
Milford is located at 43.32694°N, -95.15083°W (43.327006, -95.150701).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.29 sqmi, of which 2.28 sqmi is land and 0.01 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,898 people, 1,276 households, and 802 families residing in the city. The population density was 1271.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,414 housing units at an average density of 620.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.0% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 1,276 households, of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in the city was 41 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,474 people, 1,042 households, and 670 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,095.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,128 housing units at an average density of 499.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.07% White, 0.12% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 1,042 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,063, and the median income for a family was $42,371. Males had a median income of $28,239 versus $20,815 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,680. About 4.3% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
Florence Park is located near the high school and offers picnic areas, a large playground, and sessional shelter house available for rent. Memorial Park boasts three ball diamonds, two tennis courts, a basketball court, a horseshoe pitch, volleyball court, playground, two shelters, and a picnic area. Buchanan Park has a playground, a shelter, a basketball court, and a chess table.

Recreational Trails
The Iowa Great Lakes Trails are a series of recreational trails in the Iowa Great Lakes area that cover almost 30 miles and give citizens and visitors a place to walk, bike, skate, rollerblade, run, and cross-country ski. One end of the 14-mile "spine" of the trail begins in Milford and travels through Arnolds Park and Okoboji to Spirit Lake. Another begins Northwest of Milford and follows Highway 86 along the west side of West Okoboji Lake.

Horseshoe Bend Recreational Area
Horseshoe Bend Recreational Area is a 180 acre county park located approximately five miles southwest of Milford. The park includes picnic areas and a shelter house with modern restroom facilities available for rent. There are 12 primitive campsites, over four miles of mowed trails for hiking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. The park also offers a canoe launch and fishing on the Little Sioux River. On the south end of the park is a winter sports area with skiing and tubing facilities, lifts, and a lodge with modern restroom facilities.

Iowa Great Lakes
Milford lies on the south end of the Iowa Great Lakes, a popular area that swells the summer population in Dickinson County to about 100,000. visitors and residents enjoy fishing, boating, and swimming in the seven lakes in the Iowa Great Lakes chain.

Gravel
"Milford's Hidden Gold" Since 1910, businesses have taken advantage of the huge amounts of gravel that is under and surrounds Milford, and was first mined by the Milwaukee Railroad. To the east, west, and south of town there are gravel pits either exhausted and abandoned-some used as junkyards or ones still used that change the face of the Earth almost overnight. Milford Sand & Gravel is one company that mines and washes the gravel for industrial use.

Milford Grain Elevator
The Milford Elevator has served the Milford Community is a greatly needed accommodation for the farmers of the Milford area. It was owned by Great Lakes Cooperative until April 3, 2008 when it merged with Green Plains Renewable Energy. The grain elevator is now owned and operated by The Andersons.

Education
Milford is served by the Okoboji Community School District. The district was established on July 1, 1988 by the merger of the Arnolds Park and Milford school districts.

The district operates three schools in the city: Okoboji Community High School, Okoboji Community Middle School, and Okoboji Community Elementary School all of which are part of the Okoboji Community School District. The schools mascot is the Okoboji Pioneer. School colors are maroon and white.

The town also has a library, the Milford Memorial Library.

Notable people

 * John L. Bascom, attorney and Iowa State Representative
 * Paul Nesbitt, physician and Oklahoma State Legislator

title: Milford, Iowa


text:
Okoboji, Iowa

Okoboji is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States, along the eastern shore of West Okoboji Lake in the Iowa Great Lakes region. At the time of the 2020 census, its population was 768.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.86 sqmi, of which 1.85 sqmi is land and 0.01 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 807 people, 427 households, and 241 families living in the city. The population density was 436.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,167 housing units at an average density of 630.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.8% White, 0.1% African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.

There were 427 households, of which 14.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.6% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.39.

The median age in the city was 55.2 years. 11.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.6% were from 25 to 44; 35.3% were from 45 to 64; and 29% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 820 people, 427 households, and 240 families living in the city. The population density was 460.0 PD/sqmi. There were 944 housing units at an average density of 529.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.66% White, 0.12% African American, 0.73% Native American, 0.12% from other races, and 0.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 427 households, out of which 16.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.50.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 14.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $54,659. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $24,018 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,297. About 2.6% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Most of the community is served by the Okoboji Community School District. The district was established on July 1, 1988 by the merger of the Arnolds Park and Milford school districts. Okoboji High School in Milford is the local high school.

Tourism
Okoboji is a major summer tourism area. A growing number of resorts around the Iowa Great Lakes and the proximity of other tourist-friendly sites, such as Arnolds Park and Spirit Lake, have contributed to its growing popularity. Okoboji has also become a recognizable name around the country due to the sales of many products that proudly display the town name in bold letters. Visitors to Okoboji will immediately notice bumper stickers, mugs, and sweatshirts touting the fictitious University of Okoboji where many locals claim to have received an education. University of Okoboji T-shirts or sweatshirts are popular with college students in the Midwest.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Okoboji, Iowa


text:
Orleans, Iowa

Orleans is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 521 at the time of the 2020 census. Orleans is part of the Iowa Great Lakes region, located along Spirit Lake. Numerous state parks are located within a few miles of the town, including Marble Beach and Mini-Wakan.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.09 sqmi, of which 1.08 sqmi is land and 0.01 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 608 people, 292 households, and 211 families living in the city. The population density was 563.0 PD/sqmi. There were 558 housing units at an average density of 516.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.0% White, 0.2% African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 292 households, of which 14.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% were married couples living together, 2.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.7% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.43.

The median age in the city was 58.5 years. 13.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 1.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 13.3% were from 25 to 44; 39% were from 45 to 64; and 32.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 583 people, 274 households, and 197 families living in the city. The population density was 582.2 PD/sqmi. There were 509 housing units at an average density of 508.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.14% White and 0.86% Asian.

There were 274 households, out of which 17.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.48.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 14.6% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 14.9% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 33.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,818, and the median income for a family was $57,000. Males had a median income of $36,786 versus $27,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $28,451. About 6.0% of families and 9.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Spirit Lake Community School District operates local area public schools.

title: Orleans, Iowa


text:
Spirit Lake, Iowa

Spirit Lake is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,439 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Dickinson County.

The town is located along the western shore of East Okoboji Lake, in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

History
The Dakota Sioux originated the name of "Spirit Lake" referring to it as "The Lake of The Spirit." In 1856, three brothers-in-law created the town of Spirit Lake after a visit to the Lakes area piqued their interest. The three brothers-in-law, O.C. Howe, B.F. Parmenter, and R.U. Wheelock, were soon joined by various other settlers, making homes along the lakes' shores. These settlers however, did not get along peacefully with the natives, and on March 13, 1857 Chief Inkpaduta of the Sioux led a revolt against the non-native settlers, killing all but four women.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.65 sqmi, of which 4.63 sqmi is land and 0.02 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,840 people, 2,157 households, and 1,268 families living in the city. The population density was 1045.4 PD/sqmi. There were 2,578 housing units at an average density of 556.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 2,157 households, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,261 people, 1,792 households, and 1,130 families living in the city. The population density was 1,280.2 PD/sqmi. There were 2,024 housing units at an average density of 608.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.99% White, 0.14% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.63% of the population.

There were 1,792 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.

Age spread: 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,224, and the median income for a family was $44,652. Males had a median income of $30,746 versus $21,357 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,661. About 5.3% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Public education in the city of Spirit Lake is provided by the Spirit Lake Community School District.

Media
Spirit Lake is served by the Dickinson County News, both in print and online, KUOO-FM (103.9) and KUQQ-FM.

Notable people

 * Berkley Bedell (1921–2019), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 6th district (1975–1987)
 * Margaret Hance (1923–1990), first female mayor of Phoenix, Arizona (1976–1983)
 * Douglas Franklin Wright (1940–1996), serial killer

title: Spirit Lake, Iowa


text:
Superior, Iowa

Superior is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 132 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Superior began its historic existence in 1882 when the railroad was built through the neighborhood.

Geography
Superior is located at 43.43222°N, -94.94556°W (43.432156, -94.945692).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.41 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 130 people, 52 households, and 34 families living in the city. The population density was 317.1 PD/sqmi. There were 60 housing units at an average density of 146.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.2% White and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.

There were 52 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.6% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the city was 44.5 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.5% were from 25 to 44; 33.1% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.1% male and 46.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 142 people, 57 households, and 40 families living in the city. The population density was 336.0 PD/sqmi. There were 64 housing units at an average density of 151.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.30% White and 0.70% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.

There were 57 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.1% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 118.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $39,250. Males had a median income of $28,333 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,486. There were none of the families and 3.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education
Estherville–Lincoln Central Community School District operates area public schools. It was established on July 1, 1997, by the merger of the Estherville and Lincoln Central school districts. The northwest portion of town is served by Spirit Lake Community School District.

title: Superior, Iowa


text:
Terril, Iowa

Terril is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 334 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Terril (formerly spelled Terrill) was platted in 1895.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.55 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 367 people, 164 households, and 106 families living in the city. The population density was 667.3 PD/sqmi. There were 178 housing units at an average density of 323.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 94.8% White, 0.5% African American, 1.1% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 164 households, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.74.

The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 28.1% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.9% male and 47.1% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 404 people, 171 households, and 108 families living in the city. The population density was 740.0 PD/sqmi. There were 186 housing units at an average density of 340.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.01% White, 0.25% African American, 0.50% Asian, and 0.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.25% of the population.

There were 171 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,583, and the median income for a family was $39,250. Males had a median income of $25,592 versus $19,306 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,283. About 8.8% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Terril is served by the Graettinger–Terril Community School District, formed by the 2010 merger of the Terril and Graettinger districts.

Notable People

 * Darleane C. Hoffman (born 1926), nuclear chemist

title: Terril, Iowa


text:
Wahpeton, Iowa

Wahpeton is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 345 at the time of the 2020 census.

Wahpeton is part of the Iowa Great Lakes region of northwestern Iowa, which is a regional vacation and recreation destination.

Geography
Wahpeton is located at 43.37194°N, -95.17389°W (43.371813, -95.173814).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.24 sqmi, of which 1.21 sqmi is land and 0.03 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 341 people, 179 households, and 119 families residing in the city. The population density was 281.8 PD/sqmi. There were 743 housing units at an average density of 614.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White, 0.6% African American, 0.3% Asian, and 0.6% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 179 households, of which 8.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples living together, 2.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.91 and the average family size was 2.28.

The median age in the city was 63.1 years. 7.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 8.5% were from 25 to 44; 33.2% were from 45 to 64; and 44.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 462 people, 214 households, and 154 families residing in the city. The population density was 361.1 PD/sqmi. There were 732 housing units at an average density of 572.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.13% White, 0.43% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 0.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.

There were 214 households, out of which 13.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.2% were married couples living together, 1.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.49.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 13.9% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 13.9% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 35.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $53,125, and the median income for a family was $62,083. Males had a median income of $41,500 versus $23,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $36,258. About 4.4% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture
Gull Point State Park is located in the city, and the city is also the site of three religiously-based summer camps, Lakeshore Center at Okoboji (the Presbyterian Camp of Okoboji), Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp and Camp Okoboji.

Education
The community is served by the Okoboji Community School District. The district was established on July 1, 1988, by the merger of the Arnolds Park and Milford school districts. Okoboji High School in Milford is the local high school.

title: Wahpeton, Iowa


text:
West Okoboji, Iowa

West Okoboji is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 308 at the time of the 2020 census. The city is located on West Okoboji Lake, from which it takes its name. It is part of the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Geography
West Okoboji is located at 43.35°N, -95.15889°W (43.350090, -95.158945).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.40 sqmi, of which 1.28 sqmi is land and 0.12 sqmi is water.

Demographics
These statistics can be skewed by the "summer" population which swells between May and September as West Okoboji, named for the blue water lake of the same name, is a premier vacation city in the area. Lake Okoboji is known as one of the three "true blue water" lakes in the world, due primarily to its glacial origins and spring fed sources.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 289 people, 147 households, and 87 families residing in the city. The population density was 225.8 PD/sqmi. There were 382 housing units at an average density of 298.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 147 households, of which 10.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 2.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.8% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.54.

The median age in the city was 59.5 years. 11.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 11.7% were from 25 to 44; 36.9% were from 45 to 64; and 35.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 432 people, 216 households, and 130 families residing in the city. The population density was 348.2 PD/sqmi. There were 437 housing units at an average density of 352.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.45% White, 0.93% African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.23% Asian, and 0.69% from two or more races.

There were 216 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.50.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.0% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 15.0% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,083, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,853. About 16.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The community is served by the Okoboji Community School District. The district was established on July 1, 1988 by the merger of the Arnolds Park and Milford school districts. Okoboji High School in Milford is the local high school.

title: West Okoboji, Iowa


text:
Asbury, Iowa

Asbury is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, and adjacent to the westside of the city of Dubuque. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,943 at the 2020 census. Asbury is the second-largest city in Dubuque County, surpassing Dyersville to become the second-largest in the 2010 U.S. Census count. The city is largely a bedroom community, made up of subdivisions whose residents work in Dubuque or Peosta.

History
Asbury was settled beginning in the 1830s, at first by Methodists. The city is named after British-born Bishop Francis Asbury, one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. The city was incorporated in 1933, following the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution, which ended prohibition. The city incorporated to gain the legal standing necessary to sell alcohol, as liquor licenses were still forbidden in rural areas.

For most of its history, Asbury was very small, much like hundreds of other towns in rural Iowa. In the 1960 census, Asbury still had only 71 residents. During this time, the City of Dubuque grew immensely, and the sprawl reached the Asbury area beginning in the 1960s. By 1970, Asbury had 410 residents and had grown fast enough to become the fastest growing city in the state of Iowa.

Asbury continues to grow at a rapid pace today, expanding over 50% since the year 2000, and currently (2020) counts 5,943 residents. This number is increasing, as a number of new subdivisions are being built or planned for the area.

Law and government
Asbury has a mayor–council form of government, employing a full-time city administrator, and part-time city council (mayor and 5 at-large city council members). The city administrator is Beth Bonz, the current mayor is Jim Adams, and the council members are: Bob Reisch, Craig Miller, John Richey, Curt Kiessling and Larry Nagle. The city council meets at 7 P.M. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at Asbury City Hall.

The city council works on the advice of a number of citizen committees, including the following: Building Code Commission, Park & Recreation Board, Planning & Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and the Water Board. In addition, Asbury sends commissioners to the Eastern Iowa Housing Authority.

Asbury has 3 city departments: Public Safety (police & fire), Public Works, and Parks.

In the Iowa General Assembly, Asbury is represented by Senator Carrie Koelker (Republican), and Representative Shannon Lundgren (Republican) in the Iowa House of Representatives. At the federal level, it is within Iowa's 1st congressional district, represented by Ashley Hinson (R) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Asbury, and all of Iowa, are represented by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R) and Joni Ernst (R).

Geography
Asbury is located at 42.51556°N, -90.76333°W (42.515648, -90.763235).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.66 sqmi, all land.

The city operates four parks and pedestrian and mountain bike trails. The parks include: Althaus Wetland & Nature Preserve, Asbury Park, Cloie Creek Park, and Maple Hills Park. The trail runs from Asbury Rd. to Maple Hills Park, and is part of Asbury's plan for having a citywide trail network.

Economy
Serving primarily as a bedroom community, Asbury has only a small local economy. Most of its residents commute to work in Dubuque. Only a handful of businesses operate within the City of Asbury, however, this number has grown in recent years, along with an expanding population. Most people who do work in Asbury either are employed by the city government, or in the service-related businesses along Asbury and Saratoga Roads.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,170 people, 1,433 households, and 1,164 families residing in the city. The population density was 1567.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,463 housing units at an average density of 550.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.8% White, 1.0% African American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 1,433 households, of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.8% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.27.

The median age in the city was 35.6 years. 32.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 25.4% were from 45 to 64; and 9.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,450 people, 846 households, and 728 families residing in the city. The population density was 971.8 PD/sqmi. There were 867 housing units at an average density of 343.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.49% White, 0.49% African American, 0.37% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.

There were 846 households, out of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.8% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.9% were non-families. 11.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.13.

30.7% are under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $60,100, and the median income for a family was $64,097. Males had a median income of $41,935 versus $25,337 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,447. About 4.5% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
All students living in Asbury are zoned to schools in the Dubuque Community School District. Elementary school students living in the central, eastern, and southern parts of Asbury are zoned to Carver Elementary School. Other students in northern, western, and southwestern Asbury (Arrowhead, Brook Haven, Forest Hills, Long Grove, Wedgewood) are zoned to Kennedy Elementary School. Asbury's middle school students are zoned to Roosevelt Middle School, and high school students are zoned to Hempstead High School.

There are no private schools currently operating in Asbury, but many parochial school students attend private schools in Dubuque, as they are open to anyone, regardless of location. Many of these students are enrolled in the Holy Family Catholic School System, and attend nearby Resurrection Elementary School, Mazzuchelli Middle School, and Wahlert High School. There is also a private elementary school serving the Lutheran community in the area, the Dubuque Lutheran School (LCMS affiliated).

Neighborhoods
Asbury is a city of neighborhoods. Since the city is very young, and much of its growth has occurred only recently, its subdivisions are still clearly identifiable. Generally, eastern and southern parts of the city are older, while northern and western areas are of entirely new construction. Asbury's "main street" is Asbury Road, and most of the neighborhoods branch off of this artery. The city is growing at a phenomenal clip, adding 544 new single-family homes since 2000.

title: Asbury, Iowa


text:
Balltown, Iowa

Balltown is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 79 at the 2020 census, up from 73 in 2000. Balltown is home to Breitbach's Country Dining, Iowa's oldest restaurant and bar, which was founded in 1852 and twice rebuilt by the community, following its destruction by fire in 2007 and 2008.

Geography
Balltown is located at 42.6375°N, -90.86861°W (42.637504, -90.868622).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.09 sqmi, all land.

History
Balltown was named for John Ball, an early settler said to have lived on a Mississippi river island before 1850.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 68 people, 31 households, and 21 families living in the city. The population density was 755.6 PD/sqmi. There were 33 housing units at an average density of 366.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White and 1.5% from two or more races.

There were 31 households, of which 19.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.7% were married couples living together, and 32.3% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.67.

The median age in the city was 47 years. 17.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 22% were from 45 to 64; and 30.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 73 people, 29 households, and 22 families living in the city. The population density was 1,233.4 PD/sqmi. There were 31 housing units at an average density of 523.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 91.78% White and 8.22% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.

There were 29 households, out of which 17.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.91.

19.2% are under the age of 18, 15.1% from 18 to 24, 15.1% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 135.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,625, and the median income for a family was $49,063. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $16,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,241. None of the population and none of the families were below the poverty line.

Education
Residents are within the Western Dubuque Community School District. Zoned schools include Epworth Elementary School in Epworth, Drexler Middle School in Farley, and Western Dubuque High School in Epworth.

title: Balltown, Iowa


text:
Bankston, Iowa

Bankston is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the 'Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 23 at the 2020 census, down from 27 in 2000.

Geography
Bankston is located at 42.50917°N, -90.96°W (42.509224, -90.960104).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.29 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 25 people, 9 households, and 6 families living in the city. The population density was 86.2 PD/sqmi. There were 9 housing units at an average density of 31.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 100.0% White.

There were 9 households, of which 44.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.67.

The median age in the city was 27.3 years. 36% of residents were under the age of 18; 4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 28% were from 45 to 64; and 8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 56.0% male and 44.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 27 people, 12 households, and 9 families living in the city. The population density was 98.2 PD/sqmi. There were 12 housing units at an average density of 43.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 100.00% White.

There were 12 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.56.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 14.8% from 18 to 24, 40.7% from 25 to 44, 7.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 125.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $18,750, and the median income for a family was $18,750. Males had a median income of $19,583 versus $38,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $9,886. There were 30.0% of families and 41.4% of the population living below the poverty line, including 45.5% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education
Residents are within the Western Dubuque Community School District. Some residents are zoned to Epworth Elementary School in Epworth, while others are zoned to Drexler Elementary School in Farley. The zoned secondary schools are Drexler Middle School in Farley, and Western Dubuque High School in Epworth.

Notable person

 * Mike Elgin, offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts

title: Bankston, Iowa


text:
Bernard, Iowa

Bernard is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. The population was 114 in the 2020 census, an increase from the 97 population in 2000. Bernard is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Bernard's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 42.313622, -90.831073.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.11 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 112 people, 50 households, and 27 families living in the city. The population density was 1018.2 PD/sqmi. There were 56 housing units at an average density of 509.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 100.0% White.

There were 50 households, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the city was 32.5 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.8% were from 25 to 44; 20.6% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.8% male and 48.2% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 97 people, 46 households, and 25 families living in the city. The population density was 1,053.5 PD/sqmi. There were 48 housing units at an average density of 521.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 100.0% White.

There were 46 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.5% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.6% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,000, and the median income for a family was $41,875. Males had a median income of $23,125 versus $19,167 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,671. There were 7.4% of families and 6.1% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 9.5% of those over 64.

Education
Bernard is within the Western Dubuque Community School District. Zoned schools include Cascade Elementary School, and Cascade Junior-Senior High School, both in Cascade.

It was previously served by Bernard Elementary School, which was located next to the Bernard Commercial Club Park, on a 10 acre plot of land. It opened in 1960, had its current building open in 1963, and received an addition in 1967. Family sizes in the area decreased, and as years passed the enrollment grew smaller and smaller. By 2017 the school was sharing employees with Cascade Elementary, and was required to send students in kindergarten and the second grade to Cascade Elementary as the numbers of students from those grades were too small; Bernard Elementary had a total of 31 students. The district stated that the yearly cost of operating the school per student was $14,000. In February 2017 four members of the school board voted to close the school while Mark Knuth, the president of the school board, chose to abstain from voting. Students were reassigned to Cascade Elementary.

Notable people

 * Justin Albert Driscoll, (1920—1984) Roman Catholic bishop
 * Paul Vincent Donovan, (1924–2011) Roman Catholic bishop
 * Bradford Conlan, (1981-) American Healthcare CEO ,

title: Bernard, Iowa


text:
Cascade, Iowa

Cascade is a city in Dubuque and Jones counties, Iowa, United States. The Dubuque County portion is part of Dubuque Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jones County section is part of Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,386 at the 2020 census, up from 1,958 in 2000. The city is located within southwestern of Dubuque County and north-central Jones County.

Arguably the town's most notable historic event was the 1925 flood. Between 1880 and 1936, the town was connected to Bellevue via the Chicago, St. Paul & Milwaukee Railroad Company. It was Iowa's last narrow gauge railroad with a gauge of 3'. The roadbed curves and grades were considered too extreme for conversion to standard gauge.

U.S. Route 151 runs through Cascade but in 2002, a four-lane bypass took traffic north around the city. Iowa Highway 136 runs from north to south through Cascade.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.87 sqmi, all land. The North Fork Maquoketa River passes through Cascade.

Cascade is located 25 miles southwest of Dubuque.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,159 people, 880 households, and 578 families living in the city. The population density was 1154.5 PD/sqmi. There were 974 housing units at an average density of 520.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 880 households, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 38.7 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 19.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,958 people, 776 households, and 511 families living in the city. The population density was 1,731.2 PD/sqmi. There were 820 housing units at an average density of 725.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.28% White, 0.10% Native American, 0.10% Asian, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.31% of the population.

There were 776 households, out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08.

26.0% are under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64 and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,273, and the median income for a family was $47,813. Males had a median income of $31,324 versus $22,209 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,280. About 7.8% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government
In the Iowa General Assembly, Cascade is represented by Senator Carrie Koelker (R-Dyersville) in the Iowa Senate, and Representative Steve Bradley (R-Cascade) in the Iowa House of Representatives. At the federal level, it is within Iowa's 1st congressional district, represented by Ashley Hinson (R) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cascade, and all of Iowa, are represented by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R) and Joni Ernst (R).

Education
All public school students living in Cascade are zoned to schools in the Western Dubuque Community School District. Students first attend Cascade Elementary School for grades K-5, then the consolidated Cascade Junior-Senior High School for grades 6-12 (both in Cascade).

The Cascade Elementary building, on Highway 151, has a capacity of 420 students, and houses them in 14 general classrooms and two special education classrooms. In 1961, the school was constructed. In 1993 and 2002, it received additional space. In 2017, it had 282 students.

Cascade has a private school. Parochial school students attend Aquin Elementary School (in Cascade) for grades K-8, then Beckman High School (in Dyersville) for grades 9-12. These schools are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, and are a part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque.

Notable people

 * Gary Dolphin, broadcast announcer for University of Iowa basketball and football
 * Red Faber, Chicago White Sox pitcher
 * Julie Hosch, farmer and Iowa state legislator
 * Loras Thomas Lane, Roman Catholic bishop
 * Greg McDermott, head men's basketball coach at Creighton University
 * William Menster, Roman Catholic priest
 * Jeremie Miller, founder of the Jabber project
 * Colin Rea, pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers

title: Cascade, Iowa


text:
Centralia, Iowa

Centralia is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 116 at the 2020 census, up 15 persons since the 2000 census and down 18 from the 2010.

History
Centralia was laid out about 1850.

Geography
Centralia is located at 42.47222°N, -90.83611°W (42.472258, -90.836042).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.58 sqmi, all of it land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 134 people, 52 households, and 39 families residing in the city. The population density was 231.0 PD/sqmi. There were 54 housing units at an average density of 93.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.5% White and 1.5% from two or more races.

There were 52 households, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 25.0% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 2.87.

The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.4% were from 25 to 44; 33.6% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 101 people, 38 households, and 28 families residing in the city. The population density was 183.9 PD/sqmi. There were 40 housing units at an average density of 72.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.01% White and 0.99% Native American.

There were 38 households, out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% were married couples living together, 2.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.7% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,333, and the median income for a family was $52,917. Males had a median income of $40,833 versus $18,125 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,269. There were 6.5% of families and 13.8% of the population living below the poverty line, including 24.4% of under eighteens and 22.2% of those over 64.

Education
Residents are within the Western Dubuque Community School District. Zoned schools include Peosta Elementary School in Peosta, Drexler Middle School in Farley, and Western Dubuque High School in Epworth.

title: Centralia, Iowa


text:
Maxtor

Maxtor Corporation was an American computer hard disk drive manufacturer. Founded in 1982, it was the third largest hard disk drive manufacturer in the world before being purchased by Seagate in 2006.

Overview
In 1981, three former IBM employees began searching for funding, and Maxtor was founded the following year. In 1983, Maxtor shipped its first product, the Maxtor XT-1140. In 1985, Maxtor filed its initial public offering and started trading on the New York Stock Exchange as "MXO." Maxtor bought hard drive manufacturer MiniScribe in 1990. Maxtor was getting close to bankruptcy in 1992 and closed its engineering operations in San Jose, California, in 1993. In 1996, Maxtor introduced its DiamondMax line of hard drives with DSP-based architecture. In 2000, Maxtor acquired Quantum's hard drive division, which gave Maxtor the ATA/133 hard drive interface and helped Maxtor revive its server hard drive market. In 2006, Maxtor was acquired by Seagate.

Early financing

The Maxtor founders, James McCoy, Jack Swartz, and Raymond Niedzwiecki—graduates of the San Jose State University School of Engineering and former employees of IBM—began the search for funding in 1981. In early 1982, B.J. Cassin and Chuck Hazel (Bay Partners) provided the initial $3 million funding and the company officially began operations on July 1, 1982. In February 1983, it shipped its first product to Convergent Technology and immediately received an additional $5.5 million in its second round of funding. The company also began negotiations with the EDB (Economic Development Board) of Singapore for favorable terms before committing to Singapore as its offshore manufacturing location. The DBS (Development Bank of Singapore) agreed to provide financing to help grow the company in Singapore. In 1983, the company established a liaison and procurement office in Tokyo, headed by Tatsuya Yamamoto.

Maxtor's product architecture used eight disks; 15 surfaces recorded data and the final surface was where the servo track information was located. The company developed its own spindle motor, which was fitted within the casting containing the disks. This was a major departure as the spindle motor was usually mounted external to the disks. The first product was designed to provide 190 MB of storage, but delays in getting magnetic heads to the Maxtor design resulted in the company taking what was available, and the first drive—the XT-1140—was shipped with a capacity of only 140 MB. The company received an additional round of financing of approximately $37 million in 1984 before going public in 1985, with Goldman Sachs as the prime underwriter.

MiniScribe acquisition
In 1990, Maxtor entered the mass market with its purchase of the assets (but not the liabilities) of bankrupt MiniScribe in Longmont, Colorado. The transition was a tough one as the early products of this union (notably the 7120AT 3.5-inch 120 MB drive) had many quality and design problems. Later products managed to sell well despite the initial problems. In 1996, the company completely redesigned its hard drive product line by introducing its DiamondMax series with a Texas Instruments digital signal processor.

Financial troubles
After nine years of development, the original XT-series of drives had achieved a capacity of 1 GB. Maxtor sold the rights to the series to Sequel of Santa Clara, California in the mid-1990s, and the company exited the server drive market. Sequel, a spin-off of Unisys, was not a disk drive manufacturer; rather, they specialized in refurbishing drives for the existing customer base. Teetering on the brink of bankruptcy in 1992, Maxtor's exit from the high-capacity 5.25-inch SCSI market temporarily left a product void in the industry. Around this time, SCSI versions of the 7000 series drives were also discontinued, and all engineering operations in San Jose were shut down in late 1993, leaving only the former MiniScribe design engineering staff. After turnover in the executive staff, Maxtor decided it had made a mistake, and when Maxtor moved its headquarters to Milpitas, California, it gradually began to rebuild its engineering staff.

Acquisition of the Quantum hard drive division
In late 2000, Maxtor acquired the hard drive business of Quantum. The merger, which was completed on April 1, 2001, made Maxtor larger than its rivals, notably Seagate, and returned it to the server hard drive market and also implemented the ATA/133 interface into its hard drives.

Focus on external drives
Like many other hard drive manufacturers, Maxtor had been expanding in recent years into the external hard drive market. Its Maxtor One-Touch II external hard drive was marketed as convenient storage for the home user. Maxtor entered and became dominant in consumer business as result of a marketing strategy for the OneTouch line. The OneTouch is a high-capacity (500 GB to 1 TB) USB drive with a single-press button to back up and mirror the computer's hard drive. The line became the best-selling consumer device in the computer segment with several million devices distributed globally.

Maxtor had initially made efforts to get into the 2.5-inch hard drive market, but in the beginning of 2005, new management made the surprising decision to discontinue development in this field. This was considered by many industry watchers to be a particularly peculiar move, since the market for such hard drives (mainly notebook computers and MP3 players) was already experiencing rapid growth, with no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future.

Acquisition by Seagate
In a deal worth nearly US$2 billion, Maxtor was acquired by its rival Seagate in 2006. The Maxtor brand was revived by Seagate in later 2016, although the former Maxtor factory in Suzhou, China, was wound down in 2017.

Competitors

 * Adaptec
 * Fabrik Inc.
 * Hitachi Global Storage Technologies
 * Iomega
 * Samsung
 * Western Digital

title: Maxtor


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Original video animation

Original video animation (オリジナル・ビデオ・アニメーション), abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and special episodes of a series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA series may be broadcast for promotional purposes. OVA titles were originally made available on VHS, later becoming more popular on LaserDisc and eventually DVD. Starting in 2008, the term OAD (original animation DVD) began to refer to DVD releases published bundled with their source-material manga.

Format
Like anime made for television broadcast, OVAs are sub-divided into episodes. OVA media (tapes, laserdiscs or DVDs) usually contain just one episode each. Episode length varies from title to title: each episode may run from a few minutes to two hours or more. An episode length of 30 minutes occurs quite commonly, but no standard length exists. In some cases, the length of episodes in a specific OVA may vary greatly, for example in GaoGaiGar FINAL, the first 7 episodes last around 30 minutes, while the last episode lasts 50 minutes; the OVA Key the Metal Idol consists of 15 separate episodes, ranging in length from 20 minutes to nearly two hours each; The OVA Hellsing Ultimate had released 10 episodes, ranging from 42 minutes to 56 minutes. An OVA series can run anywhere from a single episode (essentially a direct-to-video movie) to dozens of episodes in length. The longest OVA series ever made, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, spanned 110 main episodes and 52 gaiden episodes.

Many popular series first appear animated as an OVA, and later grow to become television series or movies. Tenchi Muyo!, for example, began as an OVA but went on to spawn several TV series, three movies, and numerous other spin-offs. Producers make other OVA releases as sequels, side stories, music-video collections, or bonus episodes that continue existing as television series or films, such as Love Hina Again and Wolf's Rain.

OVA titles generally have a much higher budget per episode than in a television series; therefore the technical quality of animation can generally surpass that in television series; occasionally it even equals that of animated movies.

OVA titles have a reputation for detailed plots and character-development, which can result from the greater creative freedom offered to writers and directors relative to other formats. This also allows for animated adaptations of manga to reflect their source material more faithfully. Since OVA episodes and series have no fixed conventional length, OVA directors can use however much time they like to tell the story. Time becomes available to expand upon significant background, character, and plot development. This contrasts with television episodes (which must end somewhere between 22 and 26 minutes) and with films (which rarely last more than two hours). In the same way, no pressure exists to produce "filler content" to extend a short plot into a full television series. The producers of OVA titles generally target a specific audience, rather than the more mass-market audience of films and television series, or may feel less constrained by content-restrictions and censorship (such as for violence, nudity, and language) often placed on television series. For example, the Kiss×sis OVA series generally contains more sexual themes than its television counterpart.

Much OVA-production aims at an audience of male anime enthusiasts. Bandai Visual stated in a 2004 news release (for their new OVAs aimed at women) that about 50% of the customers who had bought their anime DVDs in the past fell into the category of 25- to 40-year-old men, with only 13% of purchasers women, even with all ages included. These statistics cover Bandai Visual anime DVDs in general, not just OVAs, but they show the general tendency at this point. Nikkei Business Publications also stated in a news-release that mainly 25- to 40-year-old adults bought anime DVDs. Few OVAs specifically target female audiences, but Earthian exemplifies the exceptions.

Some OVAs based on television series (and especially those based on manga) may provide closure to the plot – closure not present in the original series. The Rurouni Kenshin OVAs, to name one series, exemplified numerous aspects of OVAs; they were slightly based on chapters of the author Nobuhiro Watsuki's manga that had not been adapted into the anime television series, had higher-quality animation, were much more violent, and were executed in a far more dark and realistic style than the TV episodes or the manga.

Dark realism featured in Masami Kurumada's famous manga Saint Seiya. The anime adapted two of the three arcs in Kurumada's manga—the project to adapt the third arc to the anime never started. As Kurumada had completed his manga in 1991, its third act was finally adapted to anime, releasing the episodes as OVAs, starting in 2003 and finishing in 2008, at last adapting Kurumada's manga completely to anime.

Most OVA titles run for four to eight episodes, and some only have one. They tend to have a complex and continuous plot, best enjoyed if all episodes are viewed in sequence. This contrasts with television series which may either feature short, related "mini-stories" or exist without a unified plot. Many OVA titles can be thought of as "long films" that just happen to be released in parts. Release schedules vary: some series may progress as slowly as 1–2 episodes per year. Some OVA titles with a lengthy release-schedule ended up unfinished due to lack of fan support and sales.

Many one-episode OVAs exist as well. Typically, such an OVA provides a side-story to a popular TV series (such as Detective Conan OVAs). At an early stage in the history of the OVA (1980s) many one-episode OVAs appeared. Hundreds of manga that were popular but not enough to gain TV series were granted one-shot (or otherwise extremely short) OVA episodes. When these one-shot OVAs prove popular enough, a network can use the OVA as a pilot to an anime series.

History
OVAs originated during the early 1980s. As the VCR became a widespread fixture in Japanese homes, the Japanese anime industry grew to behemoth proportions. Demand for anime became massive, so much so that consumers would willingly go directly to video stores to buy new animation outright. While people in the United States use the phrase "direct-to-video" as a pejorative for works that could not make it onto television or movie screens, in Japan the demand was so great that direct-to-video became a necessity. Many popular and influential series such as Bubblegum Crisis (1987–1991) and Tenchi Muyo! (1992–2005) were released directly to video as OVAs.

The earliest known attempt to release an OVA involved Osamu Tezuka's The Green Cat (part of the Lion Books series) in 1983, although it cannot count as the first OVA: there is no evidence that the VHS tape became available immediately and the series remained incomplete. Therefore, the first official OVA release to be billed as such was 1983's Dallos, directed by Mamoru Oshii and released by Bandai. Other famous early OVAs, premiering shortly thereafter, were Fight! Iczer One and the original Megazone 23. Other companies were quick to pick up on the idea, and the mid-to-late 1980s saw the market flooded with OVAs. During this time, most OVA series were new, stand-alone titles.

During Japan's economic bubble, production companies were more than willing to spontaneously decide to make a one- or two-part OVA in the 1980s. They paid money to anime studios, who then haphazardly created an OVA to be released to rental shops. Judging from sales, should a longer series be deemed feasible, TV networks paid for most of the production costs of the entire series.

As the Japanese economy worsened in the 1990s, the flood of new OVA titles diminished to a trickle. Production of OVAs continued, but in smaller numbers. Many anime television series ran an economical 13 episodes rather than the traditional 26-episodes per season. New titles were often designed to be released to TV if they approached these lengths. In addition, the rising popularity of cable and satellite TV networks (with their typically less strict censorship rules) allowed the public to see direct broadcasts of many new titles—something that previously would have been impossible. Therefore, many violent, risque, and fan service series became regular TV series, when previously those titles would have been OVAs. During this time period most OVA content was limited to that related to existing and established titles.

However, in 2000 and later, a new OVA trend began. Producers released many TV series without normal broadcasts of all of the episodes—but releasing some episodes on the DVD release of the series. Examples of this include the DVD-only 25th episode of Love Hina, while several episodes of the Oh My Goddess TV series are DVD-only. In addition, the final episode of Excel Saga was offered only as an OVA, mostly due to content issues that would have made TV broadcast impossible. In these cases the series as a whole cannot be called an OVA, though certain episodes are. This trend is becoming quite common, and furthermore, many recent OVA series pre-broadcast the episodes and release the DVD with unedited and better quality, along with revised animations—thus further blurring the boundary between TV and video anime.

title: Original video animation


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Stand and Deliver

Stand and Deliver is a 1988 American drama film directed by Ramón Menéndez, written by Menéndez and Tom Musca, based on the true story of a high school mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante. For portraying Escalante, Edward James Olmos was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 61st Academy Awards. The film won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature in 1988. The film's title refers to the 1987 Mr. Mister song of the same name, which is also featured in the film's ending credits.

In 2011, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Plot
In the early 1980s, Jaime Escalante becomes a mathematics teacher at James A. Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. The school is full of Latino students from working-class families whose academic achievement is far below their grade level. Two students, Angel and another gangster, arrive late and question Escalante's authority. Escalante demonstrates how to multiply numbers using one's fingers and appeals to the students' sense of humor. After class, some gangsters threaten Escalante. After school, he stops the gangsters from fighting. He then introduces himself as a "one-man gang" with the classroom as his domain. Escalante tells the students that he has decided to teach them algebra.

At a meeting, Escalante learns that the school's accreditation is under threat, as test scores are not high enough. Escalante says that students will rise to the level that is expected of them. Escalante gives the students a quiz every morning and a new student joins the class. He instructs his class under the philosophy of ganas, roughly translating to "desire".

Escalante tells other faculty that he wants to teach the students calculus. He seeks to change the school culture to help the students excel in academics, as he has seen the untapped potential of his class. Other teachers ridicule him, as the students have not taken the prerequisites. Escalante states that the students can take the prerequisites over the summer. He sets a goal of having the students take Advanced Placement Calculus by their senior year.

The students sign up for the prerequisites over the summer. There is no air conditioning, but Escalante is able to teach the class, giving them oranges and telling them to focus so they can get good jobs and take vacations. In the fall, he gives the students contracts to be signed by the parents; they must come in on Saturdays, show up an hour early to school, and stay until 5pm in order to prepare for the AP Calculus exam.

Two weeks before the students' calculus exam, Escalante is teaching an ESL class to some adults. He suddenly clutches at his torso in pain, stumbles into the hallway, and falls. A substitute teacher is found for the students while Escalante recovers in the hospital, but the substitute teacher is a music teacher. Soon after, Escalante escapes from the hospital and shows up at school to continue teaching. After taking the AP calculus exam, the students head to the beach and celebrate. All 18 students who took the exam pass it. At a meeting to congratulate the students, a plaque of appreciation is presented to Escalante.

To the dismay of both Escalante and the students, the Educational Testing Service questions the students' exam scores. Escalante finds an anonymous letter of resignation in his school mail and has to walk home that evening, as his car has been stolen from the school parking lot. Dismayed, he confides in his wife that he regrets having taught the students calculus, because they did well but nothing changed for them. Fabiola reassures him stating that his students appreciate his efforts regardless; this is confirmed when some of them show up at his house with a surprise: they have fixed up his car as a way to thank him. Escalante meets with the investigators from Educational Testing Service, argues with them, but ultimately offers to have the students retake the test. Despite having only one day to prepare, all the students pass, and Escalante demands that the original scores be reinstated.

The film ends with captions indicating that in the summer of 1982 Escalante's entire class was able to pass AP Calculus and in subsequent years, his program became even more successful.

Cast

 * Edward James Olmos as Jaime Escalante
 * Estelle Harris as Secretary
 * Virginia Paris as Raquel Ortega
 * Will Gotay as Francisco "Pancho" Garcia
 * Ingrid Oliu as Guadalupe "Lupe" Escobar
 * Carmen Argenziano as Jesse Molina
 * Rosanna DeSoto as Fabiola Escalante
 * Vanessa Marquez as Ana Delgado
 * Lou Diamond Phillips as Angel Guzman
 * Karla Montana as Claudia Camejo
 * Lydia Nicole as Rafaela Fuentes
 * James Victor as Ana's Father
 * Mark Eliot as Armando "Tito" Guitaro
 * Patrick Baca as Javier Perales
 * Andy García as Ramirez

Historical accuracy
The film accurately portrays that students had to retake the AP exam, and that all who retook it passed.

The movie gives the impression that the incident occurred in the second year Escalante was teaching, after students from his first year took a summer session for the calculus prerequisites. In fact, Escalante first began teaching at Garfield High School in 1974 and taught his first Advanced Placement Calculus course in 1978 with a group of 14 students, and it was in 1982 that the exam incident occurred. In the first year (1978), only five students remained in the course at the end of the year, only two of whom passed the AP Calculus exam. Writing in Reason, Jerry Jesness stated, "Unlike the students in the movie, the real Garfield students required years of solid preparation before they could take calculus. So Escalante established a program at East Los Angeles College where students could take those classes in intensive seven-week summer sessions. Escalante and [principal Henry] Gradillas were also instrumental in getting the feeder schools to offer algebra in the eighth and ninth grades." In 1987, 27 percent of all Mexican Americans who scored three or higher on the AP Calculus exam were students at Garfield High.

Escalante himself described the film as "90 percent truth, 10 percent drama". He said that several points were left out of the film. He pointed out that no student who did not know multiplication tables or fractions was ever taught calculus in a single year. Also, he suffered inflammation of the gall bladder, not a heart attack.

Ten of the 1982 students signed waivers to allow the College Board to show their exams to Jay Mathews, the author of Escalante: The Best Teacher in America. Mathews found that nine of them had made "identical silly mistakes" on free response question six. Mathews heard from two of the students that during the exam, a piece of paper had been passed around with that flawed solution. Twelve students, including the nine with the identical mistakes, retook the exam, and most of them received the top scores of four and five. Mathews concluded that nine of the students did cheat, but they knew the material and did not need to.

Mathews wrote in the Los Angeles Times that the Ana Delgado character "was the only teenage character in the film based on a real person" and that her name had been changed.

Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the movie holds a score of 90% from 61 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Stand and Deliver pulls off the unlikely feat of making math class the stuff of underdog drama – and pays rousing tribute to a real-life inspirational figure in the bargain." Metacritic has given the film a score of 77 out of 100 based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Legacy
In December 2011, Stand and Deliver was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The Registry said the film was "one of the most popular of a new wave of narrative feature films produced in the 1980s by Latino filmmakers" and that it "celebrates in a direct, approachable, and impactful way, values of self-betterment through hard work and power through knowledge."

The film is recognized by the American Film Institute as #86 on its 2006 AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers list.

In 2016, the United States Postal Service issued a 1st Class Forever "Jaime Escalante" stamp to honor "the East Los Angeles teacher whose inspirational methods led supposedly 'unteachable' high school students to master calculus."

title: Stand and Deliver


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Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Maya, commonly shortened to just Maya, is a 3D computer graphics application that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, originally developed by Alias and currently owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to create assets for interactive 3D applications (including video games), animated films, TV series, and visual effects.

History
Maya was originally an animation product based on code from The Advanced Visualizer by Wavefront Technologies, Thomson Digital Image (TDI) Explore, PowerAnimator by Alias, and Alias Sketch!. The IRIX-based projects were combined and animation features were added; the project codename was Maya. Walt Disney Feature Animation collaborated closely with Maya's development during its production of Dinosaur. Disney requested that the user interface of the application be customizable to allow for a personalized workflow. This was a particular influence in the open architecture of Maya, and partly responsible for its popularity in the animation industry.

After Silicon Graphics Inc. acquired both Alias and Wavefront Technologies, Inc., Wavefront's technology (then under development) was merged into Maya. SGI's acquisition was a response to Microsoft Corporation acquiring Softimage 3D. The new wholly owned subsidiary was named "Alias$$|$$Wavefront".

In the early days of development Maya started with Tcl as the scripting language, in order to leverage its similarity to a Unix shell language, but after the merger with Wavefront it was replaced with Maya Embedded Language (MEL). Sophia, the scripting language in Wavefront's Dynamation, was chosen as the basis of MEL.

Maya 1.0 was released in February 1998. Following a series of acquisitions, Maya was bought by Autodesk in 2005. Under the name of the new parent company, Maya was renamed Autodesk Maya. However, the name "Maya" continues to be the dominant name used for the product.

==Maya Version History ==

Overview
Maya is an application used to generate 3D assets for use in film, television, games, and commercials. The software was initially released for the IRIX operating system. However, this support was discontinued in August 2006 after the release of version 6.5. Maya was available in both "Complete" and "Unlimited" editions until August 2008, when it was turned into a single suite.

Users define a virtual workspace (scene) to implement and edit media of a particular project. Scenes can be saved in a variety of formats, the default being .mb (Maya D). Maya exposes a node graph architecture. Scene elements are node-based, each node having its own attributes and customization. As a result, the visual representation of a scene is based entirely on a network of interconnecting nodes, depending on each other's information. For the convenience of viewing these networks, there is a dependency and a directed acyclic graph.

Nowadays, the 3D models can be imported to game engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity.

Industry usage
The widespread use of Maya in the film industry is usually associated with its development on the film Dinosaur, released by Disney and The Secret Lab on May 19, 2000. In 2003, when the company received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement, it was noted to be used in films such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Spider-Man (2002), Ice Age, and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. By 2015, VentureBeat Magazine stated that all ten films in consideration for the Best Visual Effects Academy Award had used Autodesk Maya and that it had been "used on every winning film since 1997."

Awards
On March 1, 2003, Alias was given an Academy Award for Technical Achievement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for scientific and technical achievement for their development of Maya software.

In 2005, while working for Alias|Wavefront, Jos Stam shared an Academy Award for Technical Achievement with Edwin Catmull and Tony DeRose for their invention and application of subdivision surfaces.

On February 8, 2008, Duncan Brinsmead, Jos Stam, Julia Pakalns and Martin Werner received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement for the design and implementation of the Maya Fluid Effects system.

title: Autodesk Maya


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Alias Systems Corporation

Alias Systems Corporation (formerly Alias Research, Alias|Wavefront), headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a software company that produced high-end 3D graphics software. Alias was eventually bought by Autodesk.

History
Alias Systems Corporation was founded by Stephen Bingham, Nigel McGrath, Susan McKenna, and David Springer in 1983. The company was initially funded by a $61,000 grant from the National Research Council, scientific research tax credits, and the founders personal funds.

In 1984, while sitting in a Detroit restaurant during the SIGGRAPH conference, the founders decided to name the company Alias because its only revenue came from Springer's work on an anti-aliasing program for Silicon Graphics, Inc. In 1985, at SIGGRAPH the company released Alias 1, which used cardinal splines instead of polygon meshes with straight lines. In 1989, Alias 2 was used to produce The Abyss which would later win the 1990 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. In 1990, Alias raised about $35 million (equivalent to $ million in ) through an initial public offering. That year, Alias also released new products named Studio, PowerAnimator, UpFront and purchased Spacemaker, separate and distinct to Spacemaker AI, which was purchased by Autodesk in 2020. PowerAnimator was used to produce Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), which won the 1992 Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.

In October 1990, the company purchase Full Color Computing, Inc., a provider of high-end photo retouch and color prepress software.

In 1995, Alias began developing Maya. Maya would become the world's premier 3D animation software.

On February 7, 1995, Wavefront, SGI, and Alias merged to become Alias|Wavefront as a division of SGI. In 1998, Alias|Wavefront released Maya.

On March 1, 2003, the company was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with an Academy Award (Oscar) for scientific and technical achievement for their development of Maya software. Wavefront Technologies founders Bill Kovacs and Roy A. Hall received a 1997 Academy Award for the creative leadership (Kovacs) and the principal engineering (Hall) efforts that led to the Wavefront Advanced Visualizer computer graphics system.

Later in 2003, the company's name was changed from Alias|Wavefront to Alias. In June 2004, Silicon Graphics sold Alias to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and Accel-KKR, a technology-focused private equity investment firm, for US$57.1 million.

In September 2004, Alias acquired Kaydara, adding the company's character animation and motion editing products to Alias' line of software.

On October 4, 2005, Autodesk, announced plans to acquire Alias. On January 10, 2006, Autodesk completed the acquisition for US$197 million in cash.

Products
Alias' best-known product, the 3D modeling and animation package Maya, was delivered in 1998 and has released a major upgrade every 9–12 months. The last release made by Alias was Maya 7.0. Since the purchase by Autodesk all versions after 8.5 use a year-based naming convention, such as Maya2008.

Other products include; the industrial design package StudioTools (formerly known as Studio, or just "Alias"), which is used extensively in the automotive, aerospace and industrial design industries, a 2D drawing and sketching application called SketchBook Pro, and in 1992, an early Macintosh based 3D modelling and rendering package called Sketch! which was the precursor of Alias Maya. Sketch provided the basis of the core non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) editing tools, which in turn was based on a product that the company bought, and its key developer went to work for Alias.

title: Alias Systems Corporation