Adel ( ) is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Dallas County, Iowa
Dallas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 99,678, making it the seventh-most populous county in Iowa. Between 2010 and 2020, it was the fastest growing county in Iowa and one of the ...
. It is located along the
North Raccoon River
The Raccoon River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed May 26, 2011 tributary of the Des Moines River in central Iowa in the United States. As measured using the longes ...
. Its population was 6,153 at the time of the
2020 Census.
History
Adel is the oldest town within Dallas County. Originally called Penoach, Adel was incorporated in 1847, and changed to its current name in 1849. In 1855, there were about twenty-five houses in Adel and three stores. From that time onward, the city began to grow at a faster rate.
Situated along the river, Adel had a good supply of water-power for a flour mill. It was to be situated on a section of property owned by Noeingerl Cantrel & Co. J. H. Strong of Des Moines, and H. H. Moffatt built the mill in 1856–57 at a cost of $20,000. The dam was constructed with about eight feet of head water. The mill was kept in good repair, able to average from twelve to fifteen bushels per hour, with a capability of thirty per hour, but was destroyed in 1913.
The railroad reached other towns in Dallas County before Adel, and the town was threatened with losing the county seat. Adel business owners backed the Des Moines Western Railroad Company, which was soon renamed as the Des Moines, Adel, and Western. A narrow gauge railroad was built in the 1870s. The line was rebuilt as standard gauge after the
Milwaukee Road purchased the line in the 1890s. Passenger service to Adel was discontinued in 1952, and the line was abandoned in 1987. The line has been repurposed into the popular
Raccoon River Valley Trail.
The Adel bank was robbed on March 6, 1895. Two men entered in a buggy and shot a teller, who, though wounded, managed to close the vault and turn the tumblers, preventing the thieves from taking off with a substantial amount. Future Governor of Iowa
George W. Clarke had a law office on the second floor. As Clarke descended the stairs, a robber fired his gun. However, the weapon misfired, sparing Clarke's life.
The
Dallas County Courthouse, was completed in 1902 at a cost of about $109,000, is located at the center of downtown Adel.
Geography
Adel's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 41.616773, -94.021731.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
![FI0006262](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/FI0006262.jpg)
Adel is part of the
Des Moines–
West Des Moines
West Des Moines is a city in Polk, Dallas, Warren, and Madison counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. A majority of the city is located in Polk County, a minority of the city is located in Dallas County, and small portions extend into Warren and Ma ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...
.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2010, there were 3,682 people, 1,489 households, and 943 families living in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was . There were 1,579 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.6%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.3%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.2%
Native American, 0.5%
Asian, 0.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.6% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.7% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 2.1% of the population.
There were 1,489 households, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were
married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.7% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.06.
The median age in the city was 37.6 years. 26.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...
of 2000, there were 3,435 people, 1,369 households, and 898 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,419 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.76%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 0.15%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.17%
Native American, 0.41%
Asian, 0.52% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.99% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.28% of the population.
There were 1,369 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were
married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.09.
28.5% are under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,423, and the median income for a family was $47,065. Males had a median income of $34,234 versus $26,516 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $19,743. About 3.1% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including none of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Stine Seed, the world's largest private seed company, is based in Adel.
It has 15,000 acres of Iowa farmland and is almost entirely owned by
Harry Stine and his four children.
Education
Adel is within the
Adel–De Soto–Minburn Community School District. The district formed on July 1, 1993, as a result of the merger of the Adel–De Soto Community School District and the Central Dallas Community School District.
Notable people
*
George W. Clarke, the
21st governor of Iowa and grandfather of
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick Jr. (July 9, 1918 – June 2, 1943) was an American naval aviator, law student, and college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a trainin ...
*
Eric Cutler
Eric Cutler is an American tenor notable for his performances of bel canto repertoire and Mozart operas in particular. He is a native of Adel, Iowa, and a graduate of Luther College. Cutler is an alumnus of the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann ...
, opera tenor
*
Van Harden, radio personality
*
Nile Kinnick
Nile Clarke Kinnick Jr. (July 9, 1918 – June 2, 1943) was an American naval aviator, law student, and college football player at the University of Iowa. He won the 1939 Heisman Trophy and was a consensus All-American. He died during a trainin ...
,
Iowa Hawkeyes football player, winner of 1939
Heisman Trophy,
United States Naval Aviator
A naval aviator is a commissioned officer or warrant officer qualified as a crewed aircraft pilot in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps. United States Coast Guard crewed aircraft pilots are officially designated as "Coast Guar ...
in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
*
Carter Nordman
Carter F. Nordman (born May 27, 1998) is an American politician serving as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from the 47th district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 11, 2021. Nordman is the youngest state legi ...
, member of the
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...
*
Charles Scott, lawyer and judge
*
Harry Stine, businessman and Iowa's only billionaire
*
Ralph Watts, member of the Iowa House of Representatives
See also
*
Raccoon River Valley Trail
References
External links
City website**
City InformationDiscover AdelCurrent News and Events, Business Directory, Visitor Information
Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Adel
{{authority control
Cities in Iowa
Cities in Dallas County, Iowa
County seats in Iowa
Des Moines metropolitan area
Populated places established in 1847
1847 establishments in Iowa