| Knoxville, Iowa | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| "Knoxville" sign found on the north side along IA 14 | |
| Location of Knoxville, Iowa | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Marion |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.4 sq mi (11.5 km2) |
| • Land | 4.4 sq mi (11.5 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 909 ft (277 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 7,731 |
| • Density | 1,746.2/sq mi (674.2/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 50138, 50197, 50198 |
| Area code(s) | 641 |
| FIPS code | 19-42015 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0458137 |
Knoxville is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County[1]. Knoxville is home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum located next to the famous dirt track known as Knoxville Raceway.
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The site for the future county seat of Marion County was selected because it was within a mile of the geographic center of the county, reasonably level and near a good source of timber. The first town lots were sold in 1845, and the town was named after General Knox to commemorate his service in the American Revolutionary War.[2]
In early 1853, the citizens of Marion County created a committee to attract railroad development to the county and to Knoxville, with members promising to buy shares in any railroad that reached town. The first contender was the Muscatine, Oskaloosa & Council Bluffs, proposing an east-west line that would pass through Knoxville. By 1875, when this line reached Knoxville, it was the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. The second railroad to reach Knoxville was the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, which completed a line from Oskaloosa in 1876.[3]
Systematic coal mining in Marion County began with the Union Coal Company's mine in Flagler, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Knoxville in around 1874 or 1875. For several years, the Number 5 mine in Flagler was one of the most productive in Iowa, employing around 150 men and working a coal vein over 8 feet (2.5 m) thick. The Oak Hill coal company also had mines in Flagler.
Shortly after the railroad reached Knoxville, J. T. James opened a coal mine in town just 8 blocks north of the courthouse. This mine continued in operation until 1890. A second mine nearby was operated by W. A. Gamble. In the 1880s, the White Breast Fuel Company opened the Number 11 mine at Flagler. This mine operated in a coal vein that was locally up to 14 feet thick, but only locally. The mine continued operating until 1892, working in progressively thinner coal as it expanded.[4]
| Knoxville Historical Populations |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,124 |
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| 1870 | 800 | −28.8% | |
| 1880 | 2,577 | 222.1% | |
| 1890 | 2,632 | 2.1% | |
| 1900 | 3,131 | 19.0% | |
| 1910 | 3,190 | 1.9% | |
| 1920 | 3,523 | 10.4% | |
| 1930 | 4,697 | 33.3% | |
| 1940 | 6,936 | 47.7% | |
| 1950 | 7,625 | 9.9% | |
| 1960 | 7,817 | 2.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,755 | −0.8% | |
| 1980 | 8,143 | 5.0% | |
| 1990 | 8,232 | 1.1% | |
| 2000 | 7,731 | −6.1% | |
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According to the census[5] of 2000, there were 7,731 people, 3,191 households, and 1,984 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,746.2 people per square mile (673.8/km²). There were 3,418 housing units at an average density of 772.0 per square mile (297.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.00% White, 0.88% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
There were 3,191 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% 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 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,055, and the median income for a family was $44,078. Males had a median income of $34,832 versus $21,593 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,893. About 9.6% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Knoxville is located 2 miles (3.2 km) east of White Breast Creek and 6 miles southwest of the confluence of White Breast Creek and the Des Moines River in Lake Red Rock, at (41.319096, -93.101509).[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11 km2), all of it land.
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