Ellston is a city in

Ringgold County Ringgold County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,663, making it the Iowa county with the second-smallest population. The county seat is Mount Ayr. The county is named after Maj. Samuel ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, United States. The population was 19 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

In 1881, anticipating the railroad, Cochran & Le Fever built a general store, giving birth to the village of Wirt. The business failed and was sold six months later, but in March 1882 the Humeston & Shenandoah Railroad established a station here. In 1895 the town's name of Wirt was changed to Ellston so mail would be correctly received, rather than confused with the nearby northeasterly town of Van Wert. The westerly border of Ellston is county road P-64. This road was originally part of the

Dragoon Trace The Dragoon Trace or Dragoon Trail is an historic trail that runs north and south through central Iowa and Missouri, including Ringgold County. It was originally made by the migration of animals, such as buffalo and deer. Because the Native Ame ...

Geography

Ellston is located at (40.840356, -94.108502). 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 the ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

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 incl ...

of 2000, there were 57 people, 23 households, and 16 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 24 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.00%

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 on ...

. There were 23 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.13. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $45,000. Males had a median income of $14,583 versus $23,571 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 $10,345. There were 10.0% of families and 17.5% of the population living 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 28.6% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education

Mount Ayr Community School District Mount Ayr Community School District, or Mount Ayr Community Schools, is a rural public school district headquartered in Mount Ayr, Iowa. It has elementary and secondary (middle and high school) divisions. The district is mostly in Ringgold Cou ...

operates public schools serving the community.

Notable person

* Harley A. Wilhelm,

Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...

chemist who invented the Ames process for purifying uranium making the atomic bomb possible, was born on a farm near Ellston.Dr. Harley A Wilhelm
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References

{{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Ringgold County, Iowa 1881 establishments in Iowa