Moville, Iowa
Moville is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,618 in the 2010 census, an increase from 1,583 in the 2000 census.[2] There is also a Moville on the Inishowen Peninsula in County Donegal, Ireland.
History
John B McDermott is credited with naming the town of Moville after his birthplace in Moville, Ireland (County Donegal). In 1868, he and other men from the area established a post office at the McDermott home. Because Mr. McDermott and his wife Martha housed the post office, they chose to name their new town "Moville" ... only two "Movilles" exist in the world. In Iowa, it is pronounced "MOH ville" while in Ireland it is pronounced "muhVEILLE." [3]
On April 23, 1887, the "West Town Lot Company" filed at the Woodbury County Courthouse, a platted map to be known as the town of Moville, Iowa. Moville citizens approved incorporation of the town in a special election held Aug. 10, 1889 and the Articles of Incorporation were filed and approved on Aug. 13, 1889 by the clerk of district court, Woodbury County. Townspeople celebrated its centennial June 19–21, 1987 and will celebrate its sesquicentennial (125 years) in 2011.
Geography
Moville is located at (42.488210, -96.069997)[4].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), all of it land.
Moville is located a stone's throw north of the north lane of Highway 20, approximately 15 miles (24 km) east of Sioux City, Iowa.
Demographics
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,583 people, 618 households, and 446 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,785.1 people per square mile (686.7/km²). There were 648 housing units at an average density of 730.7 per square mile (281.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.74% White, 0.25% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.
There were 618 households out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.7% 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 2.55 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,222, and the median income for a family was $53,750. Males had a median income of $35,288 versus $22,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,578. About 5.0% of families and 7.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
For comparison, in 1895, shortly after the town officially incorporated, there were "95 dwellings, 92 families, 2 foreigners, 15 births (1894), 4 deaths (1894), 1 blind, 201 males, 198 females, 168 married, 231 single, 12 widowed and 3 divorced.[6]
Economy
- Woodbury County REC (Rural Electric Cooperative) was incorporated as a private corporation under the laws of the State of Iowa on July 19, 1938. In 1956, power became available on a wholesale basis from the Bureau of Reclamation (and generated at the dams on the Missouri River in South Dakota). The REC receives its power from five substations, and by 1987, it had approximately 1,054 miles (1,696 km) of line in operation, serving 2,598 locations. The cooperative is strictly nonprofit and all revenue above the cost of delivering power to members is pro-rated back to these members on the basis of their business done with the cooperative.
- Meadows Inc. Country Club Meadows Country Club Public Course This medium-length regulation 9-hole golf course and driving range includes three sets of tee boxes for an enjoyable but challenging (somewhat hilly) golf experience on about 70 acres (280,000 m2). Designed by Martin Johnson, the bluegrass course was built in 1967-68; its clubhouse is a former 2-story barn (60 ft X 100 ft) built in 1917 for the purpose of breeding, raising and showing draft horses. Back tees: Par 36, 3,388 yards, USGA Course/Slope Ratings: 71.8/115.
- Moville Elderly Housing
- MCDAI (Moville Community Development Action Inc.) was incorporated in July 1961 for the town's Jubilee in 1962. An annual meeting is held annually on Oct. 1. Its purpose is to raise monies to create, update and add to community projects to benefit its citizens. Among its other contributions, MCDAI has been instrumental in bringing a doctor into town, adding to its volunteer ambulance and fire departments, and promoting housing.
- Senior Center of Moville
Parks and recreation
Moville is home to 3 parks within city limits and one just north of town.
- Moville City Park (built in 1916)
- Memorial Park (built in 1942) includes a shelterhouse and a children's play area in its shady location just up the hill east from the town's swimming pool. Following WW2, the American Legion set and dedicated the memorial boulder in recognition of the town's service men and women. The Moville Womans Club installed drinking fountains, and churches contributed the pillars that mark the entrances into the park. A fireplace was built in remembrance of a well-revered scoutmaster.
- Veterans Park (built 2005) is a block south of Main Street and its landmark flagpole.
- Midway Park (built 1955) is the site of an abandoned state gravel pit situated about mid-way between the towns of Moville, Kingsley, Iowa and Pierson, Iowa. At one time, the north pit was safe for swimming, so a sandy beach was formed and lifeguards were put on duty, a bath-house was constructed and trees were planted. The south side of the gravel pit was for fishing, boating and picnicking. In the early 1980s, the park was turned over to the direction of the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors; it is no longer a swimming area but it still great for ice fishing, and summer picnics and fishing.
- Jack Haskell Swimming Pool
Arts and Culture
- Woodbury County Library, which dates back to 1929 when it was organized by the Moville Womans Club and called the Moville Public Library. By 1943, the Moville Public Library was developing so rapidly that its board of directors asked the Moville Town Council to assume full responsibility for it. On Nov. 3, 1948, the Woodbury County Library [1] was voted into existence, and established its headquarters in Moville in August 1950. Four years later (1954), the Moville Public Library merged with the Woodbury County Library and added its book collection of approximately 4,000 volumes, many of which came from the personal libraries of members of the Moville Womans Club as well as other local citizens. Once merged with the county library system, the circulation of the Woodbury County Library during its first year was 22,422. By 1961, it had increased to a circulation of more than 125,000 (30,000 volumes) in its county-wide system. By 1987, the library included more than 60,000 volumes and 1,000 filmstrips, with a circulation of more than 90,000 among the 12,000 residents it served. Board members include a person from each of the following towns in Woodbury County: Lawton, Moville, Hornick, Danbury, Anthon, Bronson and Pierson. In July 2006, the library http://www.moville.lib.ia.us/library-information/history2 moved from its former location in downtown Moville into the newly-built Moville Community Center, located on land donated by Robert L and Carol Logan of Moville.
- An equestrian center is also in the stages of finalization, after many obstacles almost derailed the project. The center, expected to attract horse enthusiasts from throughout the midwest, has the potential of greatly increasing the local economy.
Annual events
Moville is annually home to the Woodbury County Fair, which attracts visitors and exhibits from all around Siouxland. Grandstand events attract the largest crowds, and include a tractor pull, musical performances, and demolition derby.
Education
Moville is home to the Woodbury Central Community School District, known as the Woodbury Central Wildcats in athletic competition.
References
- ^ "Moville, Iowa". City-Data. http://www.city-data.com/city/Moville-Iowa.html. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Data from the 2010 Census". State Data Center of Iowa. http://www.iowadatacenter.org/archive/2011/02/feb10. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
- ^ "Moville, Iowa". Movilleinishowen.com. http://www.movilleinishowen.com/history/moville_heritage/moville_heritage_htm/moville_iowa.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Census of Iowa, W.M. McFarland, Sec. of State, 1895". Our History, Our Community, Our People - Moville Iowa 1887-1987. pp. 309.
External links