Whitten, Iowa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Whitten is a city in Hardin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 160 at the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 Business
5 Claim to Fame
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Whitten is located at 42°15′41″N, 93°0′27″W (42.261478, -93.007387)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 km² (0.6 mi²), all land.

City Motto: "You ain't Sh...in', you're in Whitten."

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 160 people, 56 households, and 43 families residing in the city. The population density was 114.4/km² (293.6/mi²). There were 63 housing units at an average density of 45.0/km² (115.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.50% White, 1.25% Asian, and 1.25% from two or more races.

There were 56 households out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the city the population was spread out with 33.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,656, and the median income for a family was $44,219. Males had a median income of $31,458 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,996. None of the families and 1.3% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 13.3% of those over 64.

[edit] History

C.C. Whitten, an official for the Northwestern Railway System, bought 80 acres of land to establish a town in 1880. Whitten was incorporated in 1882 with a population of 350. By 1914, Whitten was proud of its church membership of 170, its schools, three general stores, a blacksmith shop, restaurant, bank, produce house, implement store, and two doctors. In fact, Whitten was never without a doctor until 1973 when Dr. George Blaha passed away after serving the community for 60 years.

In the early 20th century, the city experienced several devastating fires which destroyed much of the town. The city rebuilt very little. Today, Whitten is one of many small Iowa towns struggling to survive.

In the 1980's, Whitten saw a breif growth spirt due in part by the consolidation of the school with Conrad, IA. However, because of Whitten's lack of industry, young people quickly left the town seeking better opportunities. As of 2007, the small town is mainly comprised of the poor and elderly.

[edit] Business

There are 5 businesses left in this small town:

^1. Hauser Implement, a Case International Dealer, was started in 1922 and is still in business today. The business has never changed ownership.

^2. Central Motor Classic was established in 1994 by Larry McStockard. This body shop restores and rebuilds old classic cars.

^3. Larry and Eleanor Lott are craftsmen who restore and refinish antique furniture.

^4. Marlyn Crosser owns and operates Crosser Electric, Inc. which is a small electrical contract business that has been open since 1983.

^5. Goodman Agri-Co, Inc is a soybean and corn farming business established by John Goodman and his son, Mike Goodman in 1977. The Goodman elevator can be seen from miles around.

[edit] Claim to Fame

Long takes a shot for the Union-Whitten women's basketball team

[edit] Denise Long

It 1965, a tall, dark-haired girl from Whitten, Ia., began a high school basketball career that has yet to be matched.

As a freshman at Union-Whitten High School, Denise Long scored 920 points, and that was just the beginning. For three seasons thereafter, the 5-foot 11-inch brunette dominated the state scene as no other player ever has. She scored 1,388 points as a sophomore, added 1,946 as a junior, then averaged an all-time record 68.5 points and totaled 1,986 -- both still national marks -- as a senior to wind up with 6,250 for a four-year career

At age 19, she became the first woman ever drafted by the National Basketball Association -- in the eighth round by Franklin Mieuli, then the owner of the San Francisco Warriors -- and immediately was besieged by national television celebrities, including Johnny Carson. Unfortunately, Denise never got a chance to play with the Warriors since Mieuli's attempt at a professional women's league never got off the ground. However, her basketball career was only sidelined for a bit. She was soon given the opportunity to play on a United States amateur team that toured the Orient in 1973, playing 22 games in Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Phillipines and Hong Kong.

In 1979, Denise was finally a professional basketball play, suiting up for the Iowa Cornets. Even though her contribution to the pros was one point and 40 seconds worth of playing time, she made her hometown proud. Whitten's city park is named after world famous basketball star.

[edit] Twister

Part of the 1996 movie starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton was shot just outside of Whitten. The famous scene with Hunt and Paxton taking cover in a farm pumphouse and strapping themselves down with a leather belt to avoid being blown away was filmed at an old Whitten farmhouse owned by the Haywood family.

[edit] Ray Scepter Boynton

A painter and Depression-era muralist, Raymond Boynton is best known today for his many murals and canvases, done in oil and pastel, of the California Mother Lode country, mining activity, and historical landmarks.

He was born on a farm near Whitten, Iowa on January 14, 1883. He went to Chicago in 1903, and worked at odd jobs while studying art at the Academy of Fine Arts under Henderson, Norton, and Reynolds. The following year he had his first exhibition.