Spencer, Iowa

Spencer, Iowa
City

Location of Spencer, Iowa
Coordinates: 43°8′43″N 95°8′50″W / 43.14528°N 95.14722°W / 43.14528; -95.14722Coordinates: 43°8′43″N 95°8′50″W / 43.14528°N 95.14722°W / 43.14528; -95.14722
Country  United States
State  Iowa
County Clay
Government
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Mayor Reynold Peterson
Area[1]
 • Total 11.18 sq mi (28.96 km2)
 • Land 11.01 sq mi (28.52 km2)
 • Water 0.17 sq mi (0.44 km2)
Elevation 1,312 ft (400 m)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 11,233
 • Estimate (2016)[3] 11,138
 • Density 1,020/sq mi (393.9/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes 51301, 51343
Area code(s) 712
FIPS code 19-74280
GNIS feature ID 0465608

Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa (United States), and the county seat of Clay County.[4] It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers. The population was 11,233 in the 2010 census, a decline from 11,317 in the 2000 census.[5][6] Spencer is famous as the home of the Clay County Fair, held annually in September, averaging over 300,000 visitors each year. The town's (now-deceased) library cat, Dewey Readmore Books, is known throughout the world.[7]

History

The first house was built in what is now Spencer in 1866, and the first store was opened in the area in 1869.[8]

Spencer was platted as a town in 1871. In 1878, Spencer experienced growth when the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway was built into the settlement.[9]

A 1931 fire ignited by a dropped sparkler destroyed over 100 buildings, and caused the state of Iowa to ban almost all fireworks until a relaxed law was passed in 2017. As yet, Spencer has not taken action to allow fireworks.[10]

Geography

Spencer's longitude and latitude coordinates
in decimal form are 43.145318, 95.147209.[11]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.18 square miles (28.96 km2), of which, 11.01 square miles (28.52 km2) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km2) is water.[1] At one point Great Lakes Airlines was headquartered in Summit Township, Clay County, near Spencer.[12][13][14]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880824—
18901,813120.0%
19003,09570.7%
19103,005−2.9%
19204,59953.0%
19305,0199.1%
19406,59931.5%
19507,44612.8%
19608,86419.0%
197010,27816.0%
198011,72614.1%
199011,066−5.6%
200011,3172.3%
201011,233−0.7%
Est. 201611,138[3]−0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 11,233 people, 5,018 households, and 3,009 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,020.3 inhabitants per square mile (393.9/km2). There were 5,431 housing units at an average density of 493.3 per square mile (190.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.0% White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

There were 5,018 households of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% 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 2.80.

The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.7% 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[16] of 2000, there were 11,317 people, 4,842 households, and 3,011 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,118.1 people per square mile (431.8/km²). There were 5,151 housing units at an average density of 508.9 per square mile (196.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.57% White, 0.14% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.11% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.43% of the population.

There were 4,842 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 33.0% 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 2.89.

Age spread: 23.8% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,970, and the median income for a family was $43,145. Males had a median income of $30,537 versus $21,709 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,153. About 7.3% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

In 2004, the U.S. federal government placed Spencer's downtown business district on the National Register of Historic Places.[17] Also in 2004, the State Historical Society of Iowa certified the Spencer Downtown Cultural District [18] as one of the initial eight such projects across the state. Spencer's proposal for this designation included remodeling the old Spencer Middle School building into a multi-purpose facility with a senior citizen center, affordable housing units, and a restored facade.[19] Future work on the old Middle School project involves restoration of the historic auditorium.[20] Also part of the State Historical Society designation is the city's renovation of its Grand Avenue bridge to include commissioned stained glass plates in an Art Deco style.[21]

Current cultural attractions in Spencer include the Spencer Community Theater, the Parker Historical Museum, public art displays, and the Bogenrief Glass Studio. Arts on Grand [22] is a nonprofit organization supporting local area artists with a gallery shop, exhibits, classes, workshops, tours, fundraising events, and other activities. The Curiel-Reynolds School of Visual Arts (CRVA) [23] relocated from Detroit to Spencer in 2007.[24]

Spencer is the site of the library where Dewey Readmore Books was the cat in residence from January 18, 1988, until November 29, 2006. His story is told in Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter.[25]

Radio stations

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roadway

U.S. Route 18 and U.S. Route 71 combine into one roadway for approximately 3 miles to travel through Spencer.[26]

Air travel

The Spencer Municipal Airport is located three miles (5 km) northwest of the business district of Spencer. Great Lakes Airlines was formerly headquartered there. At the height of Great Lake's service, the airline provided non-stop flights to several locations in the continental United States utilizing Beechcraft 1900D and EMB Brasilia aircraft. The airline has since relocated to Cheyenne, Wyoming. [26] Currently, the fixed-base operator is Leading Edge Aviation. They provide aircraft charters, rentals and flight instruction.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  3. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. ↑ "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
  6. ↑ "Data from the 2010 Census". State Data Center of Iowa. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
  7. ↑ WilsSeptember 2008, Craig. "Dewey the library cat is back on the shelves". USA Today. USA Today, 18 September 2008. Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  8. ↑ History of Western Iowa, Its Settlement and Growth. Western Publishing Company. 1882. p. 431.
  9. ↑ Gillespie, Samuel (1909). History of Clay County, Iowa: From Its Earliest Settlement to 1909. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. pp. 91–92.
  10. ↑ Associated Press (June 30, 2017). "Decades after devastating fire, Iowa warily allows fireworks". The News-Gazette.
  11. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  12. ↑ "Welcome to Great Lakes Aviation, Ltd." Great Lakes Airlines. December 5, 1998. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Spencer city, Iowa." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
  14. ↑ Hilkevitch, John. "An Airline Regroups / Great Lakes Flying Again, Though Still Puzzled by Onset of Crisis." Chicago Tribune. May 25, 1997. Business 1. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
  15. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  16. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  17. ↑ "Culture & History of Historic Downtown Spencer". Spencer Alliance for a Creative Economy (SPACE), an organization that nurtures and supports Spencer's creative community. Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  18. ↑ "List of Certified Cultural & Entertainment Districts.". State Historical Society of Iowa website. Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  19. ↑ "Launch of Spencer school apartments celebrated.". The Daily Reporter (10 March 2009). Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  20. ↑ "Grand opening at remodeled SMS.". The Daily Reporter (15 January 2010. Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  21. ↑ "Grand Avenue bridge art approved". The Daily Reporter (17 July 2010). Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  22. ↑ "Arts on Grand.". Spencer Area Arts Council website. Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  23. ↑ "Curiel Arts School of Visual Arts (Glass and Jewelry Art School) organization website.". Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  24. ↑ "information page for Curiel-Reynolds School of Visual Arts". American Towns website. Retrieved on 13 August 2010.
  25. ↑ Grand Central Publishing (2008)
  26. 1 2 "Spencer, Iowa". mapquest. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Dewey Read More Books". About the Author. Retrieved 2010-12-21.


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