text:
Fruitland, Iowa

Fruitland is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 963 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
Fruitland is located at 41.35222°N, -91.12611°W (41.352283, -91.126250). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.80 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 977 people, 331 households, and 277 families living in the city. The population density was 542.8 PD/sqmi. There were 342 housing units at an average density of 190.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.7% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 2.3% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.4% of the population.

There were 331 households, of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 16.3% were non-families. 10.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.18.

The median age in the city was 36.5 years. 29.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.8% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 6.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 703 people, 242 households, and 205 families living in the city. The population density was 390.6 PD/sqmi. There were 249 housing units at an average density of 138.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.30% White, 0.14% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 2.28% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.70% of the population.

There were 242 households, out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.3% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.9% were non-families. 9.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% 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 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $57,250, and the median income for a family was $57,708. Males had a median income of $42,171 versus $24,464 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,270. About 1.4% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

June 1, 2007 tornado
Fruitland and two neighboring cities were struck by an EF-2/EF-3 Tornado on Friday, June 1, 2007. Fruitland City Hall and the Fruitland Post Office were destroyed. Injuries were reported with this storm; however, there were no deaths from the twister. City Hall was moved to a temporary "trailer office" until the new Fruitland Community Center was built and finished later in 2007.

Education
Louisa–Muscatine Community School District operates the area public schools for this municipality.

title: Fruitland, Iowa


text:
Muscatine, Iowa

Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 23,797 at the time of the 2020 census, an increase from 22,697 in 2000. The county seat of Muscatine County, it is located along the Mississippi River. The local business association states that the name Muscatine is not used by any other community.

Muscatine is the principal city of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area (2010 census population 54,132) the estimate was 54,184, which includes all of Muscatine and Louisa counties, making it the 283rd-largest micropolitan statistical area.

History
Muscatine began as a trading post founded by representatives of Colonel George Davenport in 1833. Muscatine was incorporated as Bloomington in 1839; the name was changed to reduce mail delivery confusion, as there were several Bloomingtons in the Midwest. Before that, Muscatine had also been known as "Newburg" and "Casey's Landing".

The origin of the name Muscatine is debated. It may have been derived from the Mascouten Native American tribe. The Mascoutin lived along the Mississippi in the 1700s. In 1819 Muscatine Island was known as Mascoutin Island.

In the 1838 United States General Land Office map, the town is labelled Musquitine, which may be a variation of Musquakeen, an alternative name for Muscatine Island; Musquakeen may have derived from the Meskwaki indigenous people who lived close by. Major William Williams, who was visiting in 1849 when the town was still called both Bloomington and Muscatine, claimed, "Muscatine in English is Fire Island," in his list of the meanings of Siouan language names.

Williams wrote a brief description of the settlement: "Bloomington is a fine town, one of the most important points in the state. Its situation on one of the great bends of the Mississippi has great commercial advantages; [it] is the seat of justice of Muscatine County. Contains about 2000 inhabitants, is the natural depository for a vast amount of trade from the surrounding country, has many neat residences and several spacious brick mercantile establishments- a large steam mill, one smaller one, two printing establishments, 6 churches, 4 physicians, 8 lawyers, an neat court house and jail, Masonic lodge, etc.... This town is very prettily situated, in part on a level on the river for two streets back, when the ground rises and the remaining street is elevated in benches, the whole standing in a rise enclosed by a range of high bluffs which runs around it in a semicircular form, forming beautiful sites for residences. From the bluff there is a beautiful view of the town below and of the Mississippi for miles up and down. All steam boats land here, passing up and down."

From the 1840s to the Civil War, Muscatine had Iowa's largest black community, consisting of fugitive slaves who had traveled the Mississippi from the South and free blacks who had migrated from the eastern states. One of the most prominent community leaders was Alexander G. Clark Sr., born free in Pennsylvania. He was a barber, a respected position at the time, and eventually became a wealthy timber salesman and real estate speculator. In 1848 he was among the founders of the local African Methodist Episcopal Church, which had been established as the first independent black denomination in the US.

In the antebellum period he assisted fugitive slaves, and petitioned the state government to overturn racist laws before the Civil War. In 1863, Clark helped organize Iowa's black regiment, the 60th United States Colored Infantry (originally known as the 1st Iowa Infantry, African Descent), though an injury prevented him from serving.

In 1868, he gained desegregation of Iowa's public schools by suing the Muscatine school board after his daughter Susan was turned away from her neighborhood school. Eleven years later, in 1879 his son Alexander Jr. became the first black graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law and its first black graduate from any department. Clark Sr. went to the college and became its second black law graduate five years later, despite being 58 years old. He said that he wanted to serve “as an example to young men of his own race.” Clark rose to prominence in the Republican Party, serving as a delegate to state and national conventions.

In 1890, Clark was appointed ambassador to Liberia by President Benjamin Harrison. He was one of four Muscatine residents to be appointed as a diplomatic envoy between 1855 and 1900, a remarkable feat for a town of such small size: George Van Horne was consul at Marseilles, France during the 1860s; Samuel McNutt served at Maracaibo, Venezuela in 1890; and Frank W. Mahin represented his country in Reichenberg, Austria in 1900.

Less than a year after arriving in Liberia, Clark died of fever. His body was returned to the US, where he was buried in Muscatine's Greenwood Cemetery. In 1975 the city moved his former house about 200 ft, to make room for a low-income apartment complex for senior citizens; the latter was named in his honor. The University of Iowa's chapter of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) is named for the Clarks, as a testament to the accomplishments of father and son, and their places in the history of civil rights in Iowa.

Mark Twain lived in the city briefly during the summer of 1855 while working at the local newspaper, the Muscatine Journal, which was partly owned by his brother, Orion Clemens.

He noted some recollections of Muscatine in his book Life on the Mississippi: "And I remember Muscatine—still more pleasantly—for its summer sunsets. I have never seen any, on either side of the ocean, that equaled them. They used the broad smooth river as a canvas, and painted on it every imaginable dream of color, from the mottled daintinesses and delicacies of the opal, all the way up, through cumulative intensities, to blinding purple and crimson conflagrations which were enchanting to the eye, but sharply tried it at the same time. All the Upper Mississippi region has these extraordinary sunsets as a familiar spectacle. It is the true Sunset Land: I am sure no other country can show so good a right to the name. The sunrises are also said to be exceedingly fine. I do not know."

In 1884, J. F. Boepple, a German immigrant, founded a pearl button company. He produced buttons that looked like pearls by machine-punching them from freshwater mussel shells harvested from the Mississippi River. Muscatine's slogan, "Pearl of the Mississippi," refers to the days when pearl button manufacturing by the McKee Button Company was a significant economic contributor. In 1915, Weber & Sons Button Co., Inc. was the world's largest producer of fancy freshwater pearl buttons. From that time forward, Muscatine was known as "The Pearl Button Capital of the World". Weber is still manufacturing today and celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2004.

Muscatine is nearly as well known as the "Watermelon Capital of the World", a title that reflects the agricultural rural nature of the county.

Muscatine was home to minor league baseball. The Muscatine Muskies was the last moniker of the minor league teams that played in Muscatine from 1910 to 1916. Muscatine was a member of the Northern Association (1910) and Central Association (1911–1916). Baseball Hall of Fame member Sam Rice played for the Muscatine Wallopers in 1912. Muscatine played at League Field, now named "Tom Bruner Field".

Muscatine was the home town and operating location of broadcaster Norman G. Baker, inventor of the calliaphone. In 1925–1931, Baker operated the powerful radio station KTNT, published a newspaper, and operated the Baker Institute, a clinic. He also owned numerous businesses in the town.

Muscatine was formerly a stop on the shared Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad and Milwaukee Road line. Restructuring of the railroads followed declines in passenger traffic and the Rock Island station was eventually demolished. The two railroads split near the railroad crossing on county highway X61. A portion of the Milwaukee Road's line is extant; it serves business and is used for the storage of rolling stock.

Muscatine was hit by an EF3 tornado on June 1, 2007, which destroyed or damaged areas of the city.

On February 15, 2012, Xi Jinping, Vice President of the People's Republic of China, visited Muscatine. He had previously visited in 1985 as part of a Chinese delegation to learn about American agriculture. He returned to Muscatine when he toured the U.S. in 2012 before becoming president. The visit prompted the public appearance of both supporters and protesters. The latter criticized China's human rights record in Tibet.

In 2017, the 33,000 ft2 Sino-U.S. Cultural Center was established for $1 million (equivalent to $ in ), by Glad Cheng (born 1971), owner of Muscatine Travel and chairman of the China Windows Group Inc.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.35 sqmi, of which 17.30 sqmi is land and 1.05 sqmi is water.

Muscatine is primarily located on a series of bluffs and hills at a major west-south bend in the Mississippi River. The river-bend gives the city roughly 260 degrees of riverfront. The "highland" area of the town is divided into three ridge-like hills by Papoose Creek and Mad Creek, each of which flow individually into the Mississippi in downtown Muscatine. The city's main roads follow these ridges and valleys in a radial fashion.

Several large working-class neighborhoods and industrial sectors have been built on what is called "Muscatine Island". This flat, sandy expanse was largely underwater before a portion of the Mississippi River rerouted to follow the course of the present-day Muscatine Slough. It is unclear when the river changed course. The hills, river, and island are all integral to the diversity of Muscatine's economy and housing sector. As the city's urbanized area develops, the areas of highest elevation in the "High Prairie" crescent (between the Cedar and Mississippi Rivers) are increasingly taken from agricultural use and developed as suburban housing.

Positioned some 25 mi (30 minutes) from the Quad Cities, 38 mi (52 minutes) from Iowa City and some 68 mi (75 minutes) from Cedar Rapids, Muscatine is the smallest link in a non-contiguous populated area which surpassed 800,000 residents in the decade following the 2000 census. The key feature of this region is that although the populated areas are non-contiguous, a high percentage of residents commute among the cities for work, particularly those in professional fields.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census there were 22,886 people, 9,008 households, and 5,923 families residing in the city. The population density was 1322.9 PD/sqmi. There were 9,830 housing units at an average density of 568.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 87.8% White, 2.3% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 6.4% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 16.6% of the population.

There were 9,008 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% 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 3.04.

The median age in the city was 36.1 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 22,697 people, 8,923 households, and 6,040 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,348.1 PD/sqmi. There were 9,375 housing units at an average density of 556.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 90.40% White, 1.08% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.04% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 12.30% of the population.

There were 8,923 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% 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 3.04.

Age spread: 26.4% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,122, and the median income for a family was $45,366. Males had a median income of $36,440 versus $23,953 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,483. About 8.0% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Companies in Muscatine include Bridgestone Bandag, H. J. Heinz Company, The Raymond Corporation Carver Pump, Bayer, the Kent Corporation with its subsidiaries: Kent Nutrition Group, Grain Processing Corporation and Kent Pet Group, Musco Lighting and Stanley Consultants. The Musser Lumber Company was one of Iowa's pioneer lumber concerns.

Headquartered in Muscatine, The HNI Corporation designs and manufactures office furniture including chairs, filing cabinets, workstations, tables, desks and educational furniture under various brand names The HON Company, Allsteel, HBF, Artcobell, Paoli, Gunlocke, Maxon, Lamex, bpergo, and Midwest Folding Products.

Points of interest

 * Riverfront (which includes the Pearl City Station, Riverview Center, Riverside Park, and "Mississippi Harvest" sculpture by Erik Blome)
 * Mark Twain Scenic Overlook
 * Kent Stein Park (which includes historic Tom Bruner Field)
 * Weed Park and Aquatic Center
 * Muscatine Community Stadium and the nearby Pearl City Rugby field
 * Muscatine History and Industry Center
 * Muscatine Art Center, including Musser Mansion and the Stanley Gallery
 * Weed Mansion, Alexander G. Clark House, and many other historic homes dating back to the mid-19th century
 * Two historic districts (Downtown and West Hill) are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
 * Discovery Park and Environmental Learning Center
 * W. Joseph Fuller House
 * St. Mathias Catholic Church
 * Sinnett Octagon House
 * Pearl Button Museum
 * Former Muscatine North & South Railway Depot on the riverfront (referred to locally as the Red Brick Building)

Education
Muscatine Community School District is home to Muscatine High School, which has the athletic teams under the name Muscatine Muskies. The district covers almost all of the city limits. A small portion of the city limits is within the Louisa–Muscatine Community School District.

Muscatine is home to Muscatine Community College and the MCC Cardinals.

Print
The Muscatine Journal newspaper circulates daily Monday through Saturday throughout the Muscatine area and on muscatinejournal.com. Established in 1840, the Muscatine Journal was once owned by Mark Twain's brother, Orion Clemens, and Twain wrote for the paper during his time in Muscatine. Today, the publication and its weekly shopper Hometown Extra are owned by Lee Enterprises.

The Voice of Muscatine, a publication of Jam Media Solutions, has been an operation newspaper since October 28, 2015. It is a county-wide publication, servicing Muscatine County.

Radio
Jam Media Solutions, LLC. has two radio stations in Muscatine; KWPC-AM has been a long part of the city's history, and KMCS-FM has been in the community since 1996.

Townsquare Media's KBEA-FM transmits from a tower near 10 mi north of Muscatine, but broadcasts from studios shared with other Townsquare Media stations in the Quad Cities community of Davenport.

Residents also receive radio broadcasts from stations in the Quad Cities, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Burlington, Waterloo, and Aledo, Illinois (WRMJ).

Television
Muscatine and Muscatine County are part of the Quad Cities Television Market. As such, all broadcast stations from this market are available both over-the-air and on pay television providers such as cable television and satellite television. Depending on location, terrain, and type of antenna used, some Muscatine area residents can also receive television signals from Cedar Rapids–Waterloo, and the Iowa side of the Ottumwa–Kirksville market.

Transportation
Muscatine is located along two designated routes of Iowa's "Commercial-Industrial Network", U.S. Highway 61 and Iowa Highway 92. Highway 61 serves as a major agricultural-industry route to the south from Burlington to Muscatine, where it becomes a heavy-industrial and major commuter route to the northeast between Muscatine and Davenport. In conjunction with Iowa 92, which provides access to the Avenue of the Saints (U.S. 218/IA 27) to the west and the lightly populated western Illinois via the Norbert Beckey Bridge to the east, Highway 61 serves as a shortcut for traffic from northeastern Missouri and southeastern Iowa en route to the Quad Cities, Chicago, and points beyond. Several regional highway improvement projects are in the works to further establish and capitalize on this trade-route. Additionally, Muscatine is connected to Interstate 80 to the north by fifteen miles (15 mi) of Iowa Highway 38. Iowa Highway 22 also connects with U.S. 218/IA 27 to the west, and Davenport to the east. The port of Muscatine is proposed for construction.

The MuscaBus is the primary provider of mass transportation in Muscatine, with four routes serving the region. As of 2019, the system provided 149,140 rides over 21,796 annual vehicle revenue hours with 4 buses and 5 paratransit vehicles. MuscaBus operates 4 weekday bus routes on a pulse system with three routes leaving City Hall on the hour and half hour. On Saturdays, two routes operate from City Hall. Hours of operation for the system are Monday through Friday from 6:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M and Saturdays from 8:30 A.M. to 4:15 P.M. There is no service on Sundays.

Notable people

 * Lee Allen, medical illustrator
 * Norman G. Baker (1882–1958), inventor of the Calliaphone; established Know the Naked Truth (KTNT), a border blaster radio station
 * Jack Barlow, country music singer
 * Terry Beatty, artist; penciler and inker in the comic book industry
 * Ellis Parker Butler, author
 * Roy James Carver, industrialist and philanthropist
 * Alexander Clark, diplomat; United States Ambassador to Liberia
 * David C. Cloud, Iowa Attorney General and state legislator
 * Max Allan Collins, crime novelist, co-creator of the graphic novel Road to Perdition (filmed by Sam Mendes) and writer/director of the movie Mommy, which was filmed in Muscatine's Wood Creek neighborhood in 1995
 * Al Gould, Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians
 * Scot Halpin, fan who filled in on drums with the Who when Keith Moon collapsed during a performance
 * Tom Hearst, NASCAR national racing champion
 * Jim Yong Kim (born 1959), co-founder and executive director of Partners In Health; president of Dartmouth College; president of The World Bank
 * Sarah Lacina, contestant on reality TV show Survivor: Cagayan; winner of Survivor: Game Changers
 * Hattie Horner Louthan (1865 – 1950), writer
 * Ralph P. Lowe, fourth governor of Iowa
 * Emmett Lynn, actor
 * James Bradley Orman, former governor of Colorado
 * Dame Margherita Roberti, opera singer; spent much of her childhood in Muscatine and graduated from Muscatine High School.
 * W. R. Schoemaker (1863–1937), Baptist pastor
 * C. Maxwell Stanley, engineer, entrepreneur, and delegate to the United Nations
 * Phil Vischer, founder of the Christian media companies Big Idea Entertainment and Jellyfish Labs
 * Murray Wier, University of Iowa basketball star, NBA player
 * Joe Wieskamp, University of Iowa Basketball player and NBA draft pick

Environmental problems
Grain Processing Corp. (GPC) has been known to pollute the air by emitting small particles from its coal burning, acetaldehyde as a byproduct from corn ethanol processing, and also lead. "The plant released more lead than any other plant in Iowa, according to DNR data. It emitted more acetaldehyde – a probable carcinogen chemically similar to formaldehyde – than almost any plant in the country." In 2006 GPC had to pay a $538,000 fine for violating the hourly operating limit for years. In July 2014, the company agreed to new, more stringent, air emissions permits with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and federal regulators. The company moved from coal to natural gas as their fuel source and built a new $83 million (equivalent to $ in ) animal feed dryer to meet the new emissions requirements. The company claimed that, by 2018, these projects would reduce overall pollution by 87%.

Environmental improvements from GPC and other businesses in the area allowed EPA's Muscatine County SO2 Nonattainment Area, which includes all of the City of Muscatine, to be re-classified to attainment status for EPA's 1-hour SO2 national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) on October 4, 2018. The actions required to achieve attainment status resulted in a reduction of over 10,000 lbs of SO2 emissions per year.

The Muscatine Area Resource Recovery for Vehicles and Energy program ( MARRVE ) is building a food waste collection station for the anaerobic digesters at the municipal wastewater facility. The first phase of MARRVE began operating in December 2019. MARRVE processes between 25 and 30 tons of food waste per day. MARRVE will generate biogas for vehicles and biosolids for fertilizer, while also reducing local methane emissions.

Twin towns – sister cities
Muscatine's sister cities are:

 * 🇺🇦 Drohobych, Ukraine
 * 🇯🇵 Ichikawamisato, Japan
 * 🇷🇺 Kislovodsk, Russia
 * 🇵🇱 Łomża, Poland
 * 🇩🇪 Ludwigslust, Germany

 * 🇵🇸 Ramallah, Palestine
 * 🇨🇳 Zhengding, China

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

title: Muscatine, Iowa


text:
Nichols, Iowa

Nichols is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 340 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Name
The original name of the site of the current town was Railroad Addition. The town was later referred to as Nichols Station in reference to the previous holder of the town's site. Nichols was named by the early settler Benjamin F. Nichols in honor of his father, Samuel Nichols, who was instrumental in bringing the railroad to the area. Samuel Nichols was a heavy investor in the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad Company as well as owner of large landholdings. Samuel Nichols had given the rail company the right of way to construct the rail line across his land, as well as to establish a depot at the current site of Nichols.

History
Nichols was established in the early 1870s in an area of Section 15 of Pike Township known locally as Elephant Swamp. The community was intended as a rail town for the shipment of agriculture products and furs to distant markets, and had been constructed on land donated to the rail company by Samuel and Benjamin Nichols with the intention of establishing a rail depot. The lots for the future community were surveyed by county surveyor George Bumgardner in June 1871. Two rail lines would eventually run through the town – the Muscatine & Western Railroad and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad – which were both branches of the Rock Island system. The first rail line and rail depot was constructed in the early 1870s. Dr. S. H. Smith constructed the first building on the future site of Nichols in 1871, which Mr Smith used as both a drug store and as a home. Construction on the Muscatine & Western Railroad reached the site in 1873, and the rail company laid out an addition to the town, calling it Railroad Addition. At first many of the buildings and homes in the community were log cabins, which were then replaced by more permanent brick buildings. Benjamin Nichols established the first post office in 1870 and served as the first postmaster. The first school was built in 1872. In the winter of 1873-1874 a Christian church was organized with services being held in schoolhouses until the construction of the church in 1874, with services being conducted by Rev. John Powell. The German Evangelical Protestant Church was organized in 1874 by Rev. K. F. Obermann. The Catholic church – Church of St. Mary - was built in 1874 with Father Nicholas Dugan serving as its first pastor. A Methodist church was organized in 1875 by J. A. Bolton. The town soon grew with the addition of several banks, an opera house, and a town hall that was constructed in 1897. The early economy of the community centered on the two rail lines that ran through the community as well as the buying and shipping of furs as well as agriculture. The Foley and Brugman Brothers operated two large grain elevators which held 15,000 bushels each. Cattle and hogs were also shipped out to markets through the rail lines.

On September 18, 2020, Nichols' central business district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Ijem Avenue Commercial Historic District.

Geography
Nichols is located at 41.47917°N, -91.30833°W (41.479113, -91.308291) in section 15 of Pike Township, situated in the western edge of Iowa's Muscatine County. The area is a mix of prairie and rich bottom land. Jordan Creek flows just southeast of the community and flows into Wapsinonoc Creek, a tributary of the Cedar River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.23 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 374 people, 142 households, and 105 families residing in the city. The population density was 1626.1 PD/sqmi. There were 150 housing units at an average density of 652.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 87.4% White, 1.1% African American, 2.1% Asian, 8.3% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.3% of the population.

There were 142 households, of which 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.1% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 2.99.

The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 28.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.5% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 11.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.5% male and 49.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 374 people, 138 households, and 102 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,604.8 PD/sqmi. There were 142 housing units at an average density of 609.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.36% White, 1.07% African American, 1.60% Asian, 9.89% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.99% of the population.

There were 138 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $47,917. Males had a median income of $32,045 versus $21,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,082. About 4.7% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The West Liberty Community School District operates local public schools.

title: Nichols, Iowa


text:
Stockton, Iowa

Stockton is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 176 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Stockton was laid out at the time the railroad was built through it. Stockton was a depot on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.

Geography
Stockton is located at 41.59139°N, -90.85778°W (41.591484, -90.857679).

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 197 people, 73 households, and 52 families living in the city. The population density was 1790.9 PD/sqmi. There were 76 housing units at an average density of 690.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 92.9% White, 1.5% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% from other races, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.5% of the population.

There were 73 households, of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 11.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.8% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.02.

The median age in the city was 36.3 years. 29.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 27.9% were from 45 to 64; and 8.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 182 people, 72 households, and 52 families living in the city. The population density was 1,656.3 PD/sqmi. There were 80 housing units at an average density of 728.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.45% White, 0.55% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.30% of the population.

There were 72 households, out of which 36.1% 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 26.4% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,417, and the median income for a family was $28,438. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $20,313 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,003. About 6.8% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

title: Stockton, Iowa


text:
West Liberty, Iowa

West Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,858 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Muscatine micropolitan area.

West Liberty is located five miles south of Interstate 80 on Historic Highway 6. The city is home to the West Liberty Raceway, located in the Muscatine County Fairgrounds. The Muscatine County Fair takes place in West Liberty in July of each year.

History
West Liberty was incorporated in 1868, at the junction of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific and Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroads. Prior to incorporation, the town stood about a half-mile north of its current location, but was relocated to be closer to the railway. The settlement was originally called Wapsinonoc Township, which means smooth surfaced, meandering creek or stream. The name change to Liberty (after Liberty, Ohio, the former home of many of its settlers) is attributed to the wife of the township's first postmaster, Simeon A. Bagley. It is believed that the name was changed after the relocation.

Geography
West Liberty is located at 41.57152°N, -91.26123°W (41.571517, -91.261229).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.74 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 3,736 people, 1,251 households, and 890 families residing in the city. The population density was 2147.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,316 housing units at an average density of 756.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 71.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.1% Asian, 23.3% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.2% of the population. West Liberty was the first town in the state of Iowa to achieve a Hispanic-majority population.

There were 1,251 households, of which 43.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.9% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.48.

The median age in the city was 32.8 years. 29.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.5% were from 45 to 64; and 12% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,332 people, 1,150 households, and 801 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,136.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,195 housing units at an average density of 766.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 67.20% White, 0.30% African American, 0.42% Native American, 3.54% Asian, 25.00% from other races, and 3.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 40.49% of the population.

There were 1,150 households, out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.46.

29.8% are under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,925, and the median income for a family was $41,667. Males had a median income of $29,963 versus $24,306 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,420. About 4.6% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
West Liberty is home to two major employers: The West Liberty Community School District and West Liberty Foods. West Liberty Foods is a producer of turkey products that has a meat processing facility as well as its corporate headquarters in the city. Agriculture, housing development, and agribusiness are a major factor in the local economy. The West Liberty Industrial Park is located on the south side of the city. In 2005, the Chamber of Commerce and the City of West Liberty undertook the initiative to improve area economic development with the foundation of We Lead. We Lead is a non-profit organization that partners with the City of West Liberty, Muscatine County, and local investors in carrying out their mission. In addition to the City of West Liberty, WeLead also serves the cities of Atalissa, IA and Nichols, IA.

Downtown revitalization
West Liberty's Downtown Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places in Muscatine County, Iowa. A Downtown Task Force meets regularly to discuss the issues and needs for the downtown area. This task force works in partnership with We Lead to envision revitalization projects and implement them when possible. Recent projects include the adoption of the International Property Maintenance Code for aging downtown buildings and the establishment of a revolving loan fund for structural improvements and scholarships for facades. We Lead has begun to implement The Art-Full Community Project as a prototype for a business incubator; businesses in West Liberty display artwork, artists sell their work and donate part of the proceeds to a community economic development fund. Part of this community fund also benefits the downtown area.

Arts and culture
West Liberty is a historical town with many cultural events. West Liberty has a movie theater built in 1910, an internationally known puppet theater that hosts several events throughout the year and gives frequent performances, two dance studios, an arts council which organizes community art lessons during the winter months and concerts during the summer, and various local artists. West Liberty has a historical downtown, a train depot built in 1897, and a public library constructed in 1904.

Festivals and events
West Liberty is home to the Muscatine County Fairgrounds that hosts the Muscatine County Fair, its biggest annual event, every year in July. The fair features grandstand entertainment, a carnival, a talent show, a fair queen contest, pet shows, and judging of exhibits of livestock, arts and crafts, cooking, flowers and plants, photography, and antiques. More than half of the fairground buildings are original, an exceptionally large number compared to other fairgrounds.

As a prelude to the fair every year, West Liberty holds the Fair Parade followed by Picnic in the Park, on the Sunday immediately preceding the fair. The Fair Parade features floats made by the community in keeping with that year's theme. The parade winds through town and is immediately followed by the Picnic in the Park. The Picnic in the Park is held in Kimberly Park and features a free swim, food sold by local vendors, and entertainment.

Another annual summertime event is Summer Music in the Park. This summer concert series is organized by West Liberty Area Arts Council (WLAAC) and is free to the public. Every Friday evening for about a month in the summer a concert is given by local groups in Ron-de-Voo Park. Music styles vary from blues to classic rock to Latin American folk music.

The West Liberty Children's Festival is held every year in September. A daylong event held downtown on Third Street, it is sponsored and organized by Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre with lots of volunteer help. It includes puppet shows, crafts, activities, strolling performers, performances from the local dance studios, food from local vendors, and more. The performances and puppet shows are given by both local and out of state performers. In recent years it has coordinated with the Latino Festival, which includes several hours of live Latino music as well as Mexican food and craft vendors. The 10 AM to 10 PM event is known as Fiesta West Liberty

From April through August the West Liberty Raceway hosts races nearly every Saturday night. According to their website, the raceway is a "1/2 mile, slightly banked, dirt track". The IMCA Sport Compact, iWireless IMCA Late Models, and Performance Concepts are hosted at the raceway.

Museum
The historical Rock Island Railroad Depot, built in 1897, now serves as a museum. It contains displays of artifacts pertaining to the history of West Liberty and the history of the railway. Heritage Park, or the Depot Campus as it is commonly known, serves as a museum of sorts. The area immediately surrounding the depot has become the final resting place for many local pieces of history. There is a restored Rock Island Lines Caboose, a local barn known as the Heritage Barn along with antique farm equipment, a tourist cabin that used to form part of the North Point complex, which in addition to the nine cabins also consisted of a diner and a service station, a one-room schoolhouse also known as the Swamp School, and the newest addition, a steam locomotive.

Library
The West Liberty Public Library building was constructed in 1904 with the help of a $7500 grant from Andrew Carnegie. Before that, the library can be traced back to its beginning as a temperance library. After the Reading Room was closed, seven women continued circulating the books until they left the handling of the library to the Peoples Library Association 5 years later. The association opened a reading room and later, in the year 1900, the community voted to approve the establishment of a public library. The West Liberty Public Library building is listed as a State Historical Building and has been renovated and expanded various times over the years with the latest repairs and renovations occurring in 2012–2013. The library holds a host of activities throughout the year including summer reading programs, screenings of educational movies, toddler story times, a morning coffee book club, and much more.

Education
The West Liberty Community School District (WLCSD) consists of elementary, middle, and high schools. Construction of a new high school was completed in 2004. A new middle school was opened in 2009 with a combination of new construction and extensive renovations of parts of the old high school. The school district serves over 1220 students with a student/teacher ratio of 11/1. West Liberty High School was ranked Eighth (#8) Best High School in Iowa, according to the US News "Best High Schools 2013 Rankings."

Dual Language Program
"The West Liberty Elementary, Middle School, and High School are all International Spanish Academies (ISAs)". which offer students the opportunity to earn one of the Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera awarded by the Instituto Cervantes. International Spanish Academies are recognized by the Ministry of Education and the Government of Spain. The WLCSD Dual language Program allows students to take all of their classes in both Spanish and English, increasing their bilingual skills and their understanding of another culture through language immersion. Students enter the program in pre-kindergarten and parents make a commitment on behalf of their child and themselves to participate in the program through fifth grade.

The WLCSD Dual Language Program was the first of its kind in the State of Iowa. It began in the fall of 1997 when the district received a five-year $1.7 million federal grant from the United States Department of Education. After a year of planning and model analysis, the program was implemented in the fall of 1998 at the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten grade levels. From 1999 through 2002, the district added grade levels as the first class advanced through each grade. In the spring of 2011, the first graduating class of Seniors marked the final establishment of the dual language program in all K-12 grade levels.

Parks and recreation
There are eight city parks scattered throughout West Liberty, varying in size and purpose from a veterans memorial to a public pool to a sports complex complete with softball and baseball diamonds, soccer fields, a skatepark, and more. The city parks are:
 * Dutton Park
 * Friendship Park
 * Railroad Park
 * Ron-De-Voo Park
 * Sesquincentennial Park
 * Veterans Memorial Park
 * Wapsie Park
 * Kimberly Park

In addition to the parks, West Liberty maintains a portion of the Hoover Nature Trail. The portion of the trail in West Liberty starts at the depot and continues north to Highway 6. Just a short distance from the depot campus there is an outdoor fitness center containing workout equipment for public use.

West Liberty is home to the West Liberty Golf & Country Club, featuring a nine-hole golf course and a restaurant. The country club hosts a variety of events, including tournaments.

The West Liberty Gun Club is a shooting range on the southwest edge of town. It has an outdoor range, an archery range, and a trap range. It holds matches for anyone, from beginners to more experienced shooters. The club has about 150 members.

Media
The West Liberty Index, the local newspaper for the town of West Liberty, has been in operation since 1868. It covers a variety of local news including news from the nearby towns of Nichols and Atalissa. The West Liberty Public Library has a collection of microfilm copies of the paper from the years 1878 through 1946.

Community engagement
Many community service organizations are active within the community, including the local Lions Club, Rotary Club, West Liberty Area Arts Council, P.E.O, Aquarius Club, and the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

Utilities
West Liberty receives its telephone, cable, and internet services from the local telephone company Liberty Communications. West Liberty has high speed access to the internet through a fiber optic network.

The town's water, electric, and sewer are all provided through the city. West Liberty generates its own electricity and is one of 64 municipal electric utilities in the State of Iowa with that capability. Garbage pickup is taken care of by the city's solid waste department. The solid waste department also provides a recycling center, dumpster rental, appliance removal for a fee, and yard waste pickup.

title: West Liberty, Iowa


text:
Archer, Iowa

Archer is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 117 at the 2020 census.

History
Archer was founded in 1888. It was named for John Archer, who owned the town site.

Longstanding Mayor Bill Engeltjes oversaw the centennial celebration of 1988. Replete with a parade, fashion show, street dance, and "greased pig" contest, the celebration honored Northwest Iowan heritage.

The town of Archer supports two churches: one Methodist and one Reformed.

Geography
Archer is located at 43.11528°N, -95.74444°W (43.115204, -95.744376).

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

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 131 people, 58 households, and 38 families residing in the city. The population density was 1455.6 PD/sqmi. There were 63 housing units at an average density of 700.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 89.3% White, 3.1% Asian, 2.3% from other races, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.6% of the population.

There were 58 households, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 29.3% 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 2.26 and the average family size was 2.79.

The median age in the city was 37.5 years. 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 2.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 19.8% were from 45 to 64; and 25.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.4% male and 49.6% female.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,688, and the median income for a family was $39,167. Males had a median income of $26,375 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,958. There were no families and 1.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 6.1% of those over 64.

Education
Archer is served by the Sheldon Community School District.

title: Archer, Iowa


text:
Calumet, Iowa

Calumet is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 146 at the 2020 census.

History
Calumet got its start circa 1887, following construction of the railroad through that territory.

Geography
Calumet is located at 42.94611°N, -95.55194°W (42.945988, -95.552078).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.27 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 170 people, 75 households, and 50 families living in the city. The population density was 629.6 PD/sqmi. There were 86 housing units at an average density of 318.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% White and 3.5% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the population.

There were 75 households, of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.74.

The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23% were from 25 to 44; 31.1% were from 45 to 64; and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.4% male and 47.6% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 181 people, 77 households, and 51 families living in the city. The population density was 684.5 PD/sqmi. There were 83 housing units at an average density of 313.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.69% White, 0.55% African American, 0.55% Asian, and 2.21% from two or more races.

There were 77 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.0% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $33,125 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,659. About 2.0% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 25.0% of those 65 or over.

Education
Calumet is served by the South O'Brien Community School District. The district was formed on July 1, 1993 by the merger of three school districts: Paullina, Primghar, and Sutherland.

title: Calumet, Iowa


text:
Hartley, Iowa

Hartley is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,605 in the 2020 census.

History
Hartley got its start around 1880, following construction of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway through that territory. Hartley was named for a railroad official John Hartley.

Geography
Hartley is located at 43.18111°N, -95.47694°W (43.181847, −95.476328).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.30 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,672 people, 713 households, and 444 families living in the city. The population density was. There were 789 housing units at an average density of 607 per square mile (239/km$2$). The racial makeup of the city was 95.8% White, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 1.7% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. The city has a 4.4% Hispanic or Latino background.

There were 713 households, of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.7% were non-families. Of all households, 33.8% were made up of individuals living alone, and 33.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.

26.0% were under the age of 20, 4.4% from 20 to 24, 20.2% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,795, and the median income for a family was $49,286. The per capita income for the city was $19,999. About 11.8% of families and 19.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under age 18 and 18.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,733 people, 726 households, and 461 families living in the city. The population density was 1,333.1 PD/sqmi. There were 803 housing units at an average density of 629.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.8% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the population.

There were 726 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. Of all households, 32.6% were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.3.

Of the population, 25.2% were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 24% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.

Annual cultural events
Hartley celebrates Summerfest every year during the first weekend in August.

Golf
Meadowbrook Golf & Country Club is a public 9-hole golf club located 3.5 miles south of Hartley on M12. It was named Iowa's 2003 9-Hole Course of the Year.

The city also has three local parks: Neebel, which has a public swimming pool, Shinkle, and the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn Elementary School park.

Education
Hartley is served by the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn Community School District, which formed on July 1, 1991, with the merger of the Hartley–Melvin and Sanborn districts. The predecessor Hartley–Melvin district formed on July 1, 1981, through the merger of the Hartley and Melvin districts.

Hartley is home to both the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn Elementary School and the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn High School.

Religion
Covey Church, built in 1874, is the oldest church building in O'Brien County.

Olhausen Pool Hall
Hartley was the home of the Olhausen Pool Hall, which was the origin of the Olhausen Billiard Company of San Diego.

Notable people

 * Everett Dunn (1892–1980), civil engineer and labor negotiator
 * Jim Fanning (1927–2015), Major League Baseball catcher, manager and general manager
 * Wesley Leonard "Cowboy" Fry (1902–1970), football player, coach of football and baseball

 * Bonnie Linder (1927–2020), subject of a viral video
 * Vicki Myron (born 1947), author of Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
 * Maurice Pate (1894–1965), co-founded United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 1947

title: Hartley, Iowa


text:
Paullina, Iowa

Paullina is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 982 at the 2020 census.

History
Paullina was laid out in 1882 when the Chicago & Northwestern Railway was extended to that point. It was named for the Paullin brothers, who owned the town site.

Geography
Paullina is located at 42.97861°N, -95.68694°W (42.978578, -95.687080).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.85 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,056 people, 496 households, and 309 families living in the city. The population density was 1242.4 PD/sqmi. There were 531 housing units at an average density of 624.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.7% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 496 households, of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.7% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.3% 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 2.72.

The median age in the city was 48.9 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.6% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,124 people, 508 households, and 322 families living in the city. The population density was 2,061.6 PD/sqmi. There were 547 housing units at an average density of 1,003.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.47% White, 0.18% Native American, 0.09% Asian, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.

There were 508 households, out of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 31.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,188, and the median income for a family was $42,569. Males had a median income of $29,293 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,644. About 5.1% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Paullina is served by the South O'Brien Community School District. The district was formed on July 1, 1993 by the merger of three school districts: Paullina, Primghar, and Sutherland. Paullina is home to the Junior High/High School which houses grades 7-12.

title: Paullina, Iowa


text:
Primghar, Iowa

Primghar is a city in, and the county seat of, O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 896 at the time of the 2020 census. Primghar is 23.5 miles south of Iowa State Highway 9, 28 miles east of Sioux Center and 6.75 miles north of Iowa State Highway 10.

History
In a brief history of O'Brien County, Arthur M. Schierholz states: "the courthouse location in (the county of) O'Brien in the extreme southeast corner of the county became a growing issue. To resolve the matter, an election was held on November 11, 1872, to determine the location of the courthouse." A total of 360 votes were cast, with 307 voting to move the courthouse to the exact geographical center of the county. Another historian wrote, "Probably the only case in Iowa, perhaps anywhere, where a bare spot of raw prairie was actually voted to be the county seat." This eventually became the town of Primghar. The present O'Brien County Courthouse was completed in 1917. The name Primghar was received from the first letter of eight people who had a major part in platting the town.

Geography
Primghar is located at 43.08778°N, -95.62778°W (43.087722, -95.627892).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.38 sqmi, all land.

Roads and highways
The only major highway that passes through Primghar is U.S. 59, going north–south. B40 road runs east–west through the town.

Topography
Primghar lies at an elevation of 1520 feet. This area of northwest Iowa is gently rolling. Today, fields are marred by few boggy areas and much of the land is terraced to reduce erosion. Until fill was hauled in, the south side of the courthouse square was a "boggy, muddy slough." When the first settlers arrived, there were few trees and almost without exception prairie grass grew to six foot.

In the immediate vicinity of Primghar the topsoils and subsoils are silty clay loam. (Galva, Marcus, Primghar, and Sac soils by name.) Clay loam glacial till is at a depth of 30 to 60 inches in most places. There are no mineral assets of commercial value, save rock and gravel. Back in 1873 this dearth of underground wealth was yet to be decided. There was a $1000 reward posted for anyone finding mineable coal reserves. No one claimed the prize.

There is an abandoned rock quarry, one mile south-southeast of Primghar, which was donated by the Tjossem family to Primghar in 1989 and is now known as Tjossem Park, a fishing area and public picnic/camp ground.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 909 people, 392 households, and 247 families residing in the city. The population density was 658.7 PD/sqmi. There were 444 housing units at an average density of 321.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 392 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.0% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% 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 2.77.

The median age in the city was 43.9 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.4% were from 45 to 64; and 23.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 891 people, 391 households, and 233 families residing in the city. The population density was 643.9 PD/sqmi. There were 437 housing units at an average density of 315.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.20% White, 0.11% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.

There were 391 households, out of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.86.

21.5% are under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 21.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,304, and the median income for a family was $40,982. Males had a median income of $30,134 versus $20,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,791. About 5.2% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Primghar is served by the South O'Brien Community School District. The district was formed on July 1, 1993, by the merger of three school districts: Paullina, Primghar, and Sutherland. Primghar houses the South O'Brien Elementary School.

Transportation
The transportation for Primghar is by road (U.S. 59, B40 road), or by air (Primghar Airport).

Notable people

 * Keli McGregor (1963–2010), former NFL player and president of the Colorado Rockies baseball team.
 * Rick and Michael Mast, founders of Mast Brothers chocolate.
 * Joseph Welch (1890–1960), special counsel to the United States Army during the Army-McCarthy hearings, in 1954, most famous for asking Senator Joseph McCarthy, "Have you no sense of decency, sir?" during the height of McCarthyism.

title: Primghar, Iowa


text:
Sanborn, Iowa

Sanborn is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,392 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Sanborn got its start in the year 1871, following construction of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway through that territory. It was named for George W. Sanborn, the railroad president. Sanborn was incorporated as a town in 1880.

Geography
Sanborn is located at 43.18306°N, -95.65667°W (43.183112, -95.656666).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.90 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,404 people, 574 households, and 356 families living in the city. The population density was 738.9 PD/sqmi. There were 614 housing units at an average density of 323.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 1.5% from other races, and 0.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 574 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.8% 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 3.01.

The median age in the city was 44.2 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 26.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,353 people, 558 households, and 372 families living in the city. The population density was 747.1 PD/sqmi. There were 593 housing units at an average density of 327.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.41% White, 0.07% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.15% from other races, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 558 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.84.

20.7% were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 30.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,250, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $31,792 versus $19,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,189. About 2.8% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Sanborn is served by the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn Community School District, which formed on July 1, 1991, with the merger of the Hartley–Melvin and Sanborn districts. Sanborn is home to the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn Middle School.

Sanborn is home to the Sanborn Christian School, a private school that serves grades preschool through eighth grade.

Notable people

 * William D. Boies, politician
 * Neva Boyd, sociologist
 * Will Kirk Kaynor, politician
 * Otto Puhlman, politician

title: Sanborn, Iowa


text:
Sutherland, Iowa

Sutherland is a city in O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 629 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Sutherland was laid out in 1882. The city was named after the Duke of Sutherland.

Geography
Sutherland is located at 42.97236°N, -95.49692°W (42.972364, -95.496923).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.87 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 649 people, 293 households, and 176 families living in the city. The population density was 746.0 PD/sqmi. There were 353 housing units at an average density of 405.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.8% White, 0.2% African American, 0.6% Native American, and 0.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 293 households, of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.9% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.3% 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 2.68.

The median age in the city was 50.4 years. 19.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 31.4% were from 45 to 64; and 25.9% 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 707 people, 315 households, and 200 families living in the city. The population density was 810.2 PD/sqmi. There were 348 housing units at an average density of 398.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.44% White, 0.14% African American, 0.71% Native American, 0.28% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.42% of the population.

There were 315 households, out of which 22.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.4% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 31.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,985, and the median income for a family was $39,250. Males had a median income of $30,000 versus $19,432 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,345. About 2.0% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Sutherland is served by the South O'Brien Community School District. The district was formed on July 1, 1993, by the merger of three school districts: Paullina, Primghar, and Sutherland.

Notable person

 * Josh Stamer, football player

title: Sutherland, Iowa


text:
Ashton, Iowa

Ashton is a city in Osceola County, Iowa, United States. The population was 436 at the 2020 census.

History
Ashton was laid out in 1872 by the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad. The city was named from a grove of white ash trees near the town site.

Geography
Ashton is located at 43.31194°N, -95.79167°W (43.311916, -95.791613).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.02 sqmi, of which 1.01 sqmi is land and 0.01 sqmi is water.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 458 people, 191 households, and 124 families residing in the city. The population density was 453.5 PD/sqmi. There were 211 housing units at an average density of 208.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.0% White, 1.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 191 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.1% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.98.

The median age in the city was 37.7 years. 27.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.4% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 461 people, 192 households, and 126 families residing in the city. The population density was 458.6 PD/sqmi. There were 212 housing units at an average density of 210.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.13% White, 0.22% Native American, 0.22% Asian, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.65% of the population.

There were 192 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.3% were married couples living together, 3.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% 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 3.01.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,821, and the median income for a family was $35,313. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,045 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,848. About 5.1% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Ashton is served by the Sheldon Community School District.

Notable person

 * George F. Veenker, Iowa State football and Michigan basketball coach.

title: Ashton, Iowa


text:
Harris, Iowa

Harris is a city in Osceola County, Iowa, United States. The population was 151 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Harris had its start in the year 1889 by the building of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway through Fairview Township. It was named for one of its founders, A. W. Harris. Homer E. Richards was postmaster of Harris from 1900 until 1910; after being elected county treasurer he relocated his family to Sibley on 1 January 1911.

Harris has acted as a city since 1903, the year the Rock Island Line took over the railroad. But incorporation papers could not be found in county nor state archives, so by legislative act effective 1 July 1979 the incorporation of the City of Harris was legalized.

Geography
Harris is located at 43.44556°N, -95.43306°W (43.445575, -95.433168).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.79 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 170 people, 75 households, and 45 families living in the city. The population density was 215.2 PD/sqmi. There were 90 housing units at an average density of 113.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 1.2% Native American, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.2% of the population.

There were 75 households, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.0% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 44 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 10% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 34.7% were from 45 to 64; and 14.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.4% male and 47.6% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 200 people, 86 households, and 47 families living in the city. The population density was 252.6 PD/sqmi. There were 91 housing units at an average density of 114.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.00% White, 0.50% Native American, 1.50% from other races, and 3.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.00% of the population.

There were 86 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.2% were non-families. 37.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% 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 3.19.

Age spread: 25.5% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $23,571 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,788. About 13.7% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 26.1% of those 65 or over.

title: Harris, Iowa


text:
Melvin, Iowa

Melvin is a city in Osceola County, Iowa, United States. The population was 199 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Melvin had its start in the year 1900 by the building of the Gowrie branch of the Rock Island Railroad through that territory.

Former location of the famous MARVIN robot, created by Iowa Precision Robotics in 1983. http://cyberneticzoo.com/tag/iowa-precision-robotics-ltd/

Geography
Melvin is located at 43.28667°N, -95.6075°W (43.286659, -95.607462).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.18 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 214 people, 109 households, and 63 families residing in the city. The population density was 1188.9 PD/sqmi. There were 130 housing units at an average density of 722.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.7% White, 1.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population.

There were 109 households, of which 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.2% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.48.

The median age in the city was 51.1 years. 14.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.7% were from 25 to 44; 40.2% were from 45 to 64; and 20.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 243 people, 117 households, and 67 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,403.5 PD/sqmi. There were 134 housing units at an average density of 774.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.18% White and 0.82% Native American.

There were 117 households, out of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 3.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 27.4% 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 2.82.

19.3% are under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 33.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,750, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $25,250 versus $18,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,827. About 2.9% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under the age of eighteen and 7.9% of those 65 or over.

Education
Melvin is served by the Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn Community School District, which formed on July 1, 1991, with the merger of the Hartley–Melvin and Sanborn districts. The predecessor Hartley–Melvin district formed on July 1, 1981, through the merger of the Hartley and Melvin districts.

Currently there are no school facilities in Melvin, not since Hartley and Melvin combined schools in 1980. Hartley–Melvin–Sanborn High School is the zoned high school.

title: Melvin, Iowa


text:
Ocheyedan, Iowa

Ocheyedan is a city in Osceola County, Iowa, United States. The population was 439 at the time of the 2020 census.

History
Ocheyedan had its start in the year 1884 by the building of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad through that territory.

Ocheyedan was declared the "most difficult to pronounce" place name in the state of Iowa by Reader's Digest. There is no standard pronunciation of the name, but the most widely known and generally accepted pronunciation is "oh-CHEED-en."

Geography
Ocheyedan is located at 43.41444°N, -95.53528°W (43.414497, -95.535274).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.16 sqmi, all land.

There is a common misconception that the highest point in Iowa is the Ocheyedan Mound, located near Ocheyedan. The Ocheyedan Mound rises to 1,655 feet above sea level, just fifteen feet short of the actual highest point in Iowa, Hawkeye Point, which has an elevation of 1,670 feet.

The Ocheyedan River flows southwest of the city.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 490 people, 223 households, and 137 families residing in the city. The population density was 422.4 PD/sqmi. There were 252 housing units at an average density of 217.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% White, 0.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 223 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.9% 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 2.20 and the average family size was 2.84.

The median age in the city was 46.3 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 28.1% were from 45 to 64; and 22.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.6% male and 50.4% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 536 people, 223 households, and 146 families residing in the city. The population density was 461.1 PD/sqmi. There were 254 housing units at an average density of 218.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.63% White, 0.19% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.

There were 223 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.04.

Population spread: 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,513, and the median income for a family was $36,607. Males had a median income of $29,464 versus $16,944 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,554. About 5.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Sibley-Ocheyedan Community School District serves the community. The district formed on July 1, 1985, as a merger of the Sibley and Ocheyedan school districts.

The district previously operated Ocheyedan Elementary School. The district closed it in 2009. A reduction in the number of students was the reason for the closure. By 2014 the district was trying to find another use for the building.

Notable people

 * Don Frerichs, Businessman and Minnesota State Representative
 * Emma Clara Schweer, Illinois politician
 * Dr. Craig Van Gelder, Missiologist and Theologian

title: Ocheyedan, Iowa


text:
Sibley, Iowa

Sibley is a city in Osceola County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,860 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Osceola County. Hawkeye Point, the highest point in the State of Iowa, is also nearby.

History
Sibley had its start in the year 1872 by the construction of the Sioux City & St. Paul Railroad through that territory. It is the oldest town in Osceola County.

Sibley is named after Henry Hastings Sibley, a prominent general during the Dakota War of 1862, who eventually became the first governor of Minnesota. William L. Harding, governor of Iowa from 1917 to 1921, was born in Sibley in 1877.

In March 2018, the city of Sibley lost a lawsuit brought against it by the ACLU. Local resident Josh Harms had criticized local officials for failing to stop the "rancid dog food" smell coming from a local pork blood processing plant, which he believed would dissuade people from moving to the town. The city of Sibley threatened to sue him and instructed him not to speak to the media about the issue. The ACLU successfully argued that this violated Harms' First Amendment rights to free speech. An injunction was granted, preventing Sibley's officials from "directing Harms not to speak with reporters, threatening to bring a lawsuit, or actually bringing a lawsuit against" Harms.

In September 2018, the city of Sibley was featured in an Esquire article by Ryan Lizza on dairy farms in the region that employ undocumented immigrants. Dairy farmers and their workers expressed concern that they might be raided by ICE. Indeed, the fear of such a raid was so acute that "[o]ne dairy farmer said . . . that [Western Iowa Dairy Alliance] members have discussed forming a NATO-like pact that would treat a raid on one dairy as a raid on all of them." Lizza's reporting received national attention and has been discussed in regional and national news outlets such as Mother Jones, The Des Moines Register, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Bloomberg, and Salon.

Geography
Sibley is located at 43.40306°N, -95.74639°W (43.403046, -95.746471).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.68 sqmi, all land.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,798 people, 1,153 households, and 724 families living in the city. The population density was 1665.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,269 housing units at an average density of 755.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 99.1% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, .2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were .4% of the population.

There were 1,153 households, of which 3.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 95.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 23.33 and the average family size was 21.98.

The median age in the city was 44.9 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.1% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.8% were from 45 to 64; and 24.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 40.2% male and 59.8% female.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 2,796 people, 1,161 households and 743 families living in the city. The population density was 1,734.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,244 housing units at an average density of 771.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.68% White, 0.21% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.

There were 1,161 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.

23.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.5 males.

The median household income was $33,173 and the median family income was $43,882. Males had a median income of $31,403 compared $21,633 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,845. About 3.6% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Sibley-Ocheyedan Community School District serves the community. The district formed on July 1, 1985 as a merger of the Sibley and Ocheyedan school districts.

Highways

 * Iowa 60.svg Iowa Highway 60 to Le Mars and Bigelow, Minnesota runs just outside city limits
 * Iowa 9.svg Iowa Highway 9 to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Lansing, Iowa near the Wisconsin border passes about 1.5 miles north of the city

Rail
The Union Pacific Worthington Subdivision passes through Sibley en route from the Minneapolis area to Sioux City. The line sees about 4 trains per day. On May 16, 2021, 47 train cars carrying asphalt, hydrochloric acid, and potassium hydroxide derailed and caught fire in Sibley, leading to the evacuation of about 80 people.

Notable people

 * Dick Barber, an American long jumper, was born in Sibley and placed fifth in the 1932 Olympics
 * Emory Collins, racing driver
 * Robert W. Grow, the commander of the U.S. 6th Armored Division on the Western Front, fighting during the battles of Normandy and the Bulge
 * William Lloyd Harding (1877–1934) the 22nd governor of Iowa 1917–1921
 * Jeff Hayenga, actor
 * Virginia Rich, food columnist and mystery writer
 * William G. Steiner, is a children's advocate and nationally recognized expert on child abuse and neglect
 * Devin Nunes, Congressmen from California lived in Sibley when his family purchased a dairy farm in Sibley
 * Barb Whitehead, golfer; winner of one LPGA Tour event and member of Iowa Golf Hall of Fame
 * John Wills, member of the Iowa House of Representatives

title: Sibley, Iowa