Pella, Iowa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company. It is also the site of the future Earthpark indoor rainforest project, scheduled for completion in 2010.
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[edit] History and culture
Pella was founded in 1847 when eight hundred Dutch immigrants led by Dominie Scholte settled the area. It was the childhood home of Wyatt Earp. His brothers Warren and Morgan were born in Pella.
It is today one of the most unique towns in the state, featuring a number of local events and architectural sights. The Vermeer Mill is a fully functional 1850s-style windmill, reaching 134 feet high. The Pella Opera House, built in 1900, was renovated in 1990 and is now a popular entertainment destination, featuring stained glass windows and ornate tin ceilings. A canal winds through nearby Molengracht Plaza, home to a number of shops, restaurants, lodging, a movie theatre, and a full-size working drawbridge.
The annual Tulip Time festival is a celebration of Pella's Dutch heritage. It features tulip gardens, performances, crafters, music, food, Dutch costumes, and daily parades. The festival is held for three days during the first weekend in May.
A few miles to the west is Iowa's largest reservoir, Lake Red Rock, a popular destination for biking, hiking, boating, and fishing.
Pella will soon be home to the new Earthpark, North America's largest indoor rainforest, as well as many new 10 story condos, restaurants, shopping areas, and a water park.
[edit] Geography
Pella is located at (41.407311, -92.917352)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.7 km² (6.8 mi²). None of the area is covered with water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 9,832 people, 3,497 households, and 2,395 families residing in the city. The population density was 555.0/km² (1,437.4/mi²). There were 3,691 housing units at an average density of 208.3/km² (539.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.32% White, 0.17% African American, 0.21% Native American, 2.36% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.
There were 3,497 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% 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 2.95.
The population is spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 17.6% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,496, and the median income for a family was $56,321. Males had a median income of $40,344 versus $25,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,674. About 3.2% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Famous residents
- Approaching Nain -- rock & roll band
- Kory DeHaan -- former Major League Baseball player.
- Kyle Korver -- forward/guard for the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Dave Keuning -- guitarist for The Killers.
- Louis LeCocq -- Pella native, WWI era auto racer, killed in 1919 Indianapolis 500.
- Wyatt Earp -- lawman & gunfighter of OK Corral fame, spent some of his childhood in Pella
- Eric Salter -- led the Iowa State Cyclone cheerleading team to three national titles
[edit] External links
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
