![-FI0005979](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/-FI0005979.jpg)
Iowa Falls is a city in
Hardin County,
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. Iowa Falls is the home of
Ellsworth Community College
Ellsworth Community College is a public community college in Iowa Falls, Iowa. It was founded as Ellsworth College in 1890 by Eugene S. Ellsworth. Originally a private business academy, it later became a four-year college, a music conservator ...
. It is also a regional transportation center, located along U.S. Routes
20 and
65 and the Canadian National and
Union Pacific
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
Railroads. The population was 5,106 at the time of the
2020 census.
A landmark in the city is its movie theater. Built as the
Metropolitan Opera House in 1899, it presented plays, operas, and vaudeville in the town during the first half of the twentieth century, and today is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
History
Iowa Falls was laid out and
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...
ted in 1856. It was named from the falls on the
Iowa River
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 and is ...
.
The Illinois Central Railroad was built through Iowa Falls in 1866.
Geography
Iowa Falls is located at (42.5221, -93.2673).
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 , of which is land and is water.
Iowa Falls is located at the point where the
Iowa River
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 and is ...
flows through a limestone gorge deep between bluffs that rise another . The falls themselves were also known as the "rapids of the Iowa." The falls are now submerged by a
dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
built in 1926 that is feet high and 200 feet long and serves a
hydroelectric power station
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
that currently generates 1.5MW.
[Dam data sheet]
Iowa Falls, State ID #1304
Renewable World Energies, 10 Sep. 2015.
Climate
According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Iowa Falls has a
hot-summer humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2010 census
At the
2010 census there were 5,238 people, 2,207 households, and 1,295 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 2,462 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makup of the city was 94.0% White, 2.7% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9%.
Of the 2,207 households 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.3% were non-families. 37.1% of households were one person and 18.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.81.
The median age was 40.9 years. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.6% were from 45 to 64; and 22.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.
2000 census
At the
2000 census there were 5,193 people, 2,215 households, and 1,331 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 2,412 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makup of the city was 97.34% White, 1.21% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.04%.
Of the 2,215 households 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 34.6% of households were one person and 18.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
The age distribution was20.3% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.1% that were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.0 males.
The median household income was $32,141 and the median family income was $42,279. Males had a median income of $31,216 versus $21,004 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,330. About 7.1% of families and 10.0% 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 12.5% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
Radio stations
KIFG (Iowa River Radio) 95.3 FM, 1510 AM
Education
Iowa Falls Community School District
Iowa Falls Community School District is a rural public school district headquartered in Iowa Falls, Iowa. The district occupies sections of Hardin and Franklin counties.
In 2006, parents in the northern portion of the Hubbard–Radcliffe Comm ...
operates public schools.
Cable broadcasting
An over-the-air
cable
Cable may refer to:
Mechanical
* Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof
* Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...
system existed in Iowa Falls, similar to one in
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,518 at the 2020 census, down from 7,624 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula. Iron Mountain was named for the va ...
. A list of channels and what they rebroadcast:
Notable people
*
Nick Collison
Nicholas John Collison (born October 26, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player who is a special assistant for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He spent his entire career with the Seattl ...
,
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
basketball player
*
Joseph Gomer, Tuskegee airman
*
Kurt Ploeger, former NFL player
*
Bill Riley Sr., television personality
*
Randy Schultz former NFL player
*
Jim Trickey, football player
*
Christopher Whitesell
Christopher Whitesell is an American television soap opera writer. He has served as either co-head writer, associate head writer, or a breakdown writer on the shows he has worked. In April 2012, he was named co-head writer of ''Days of Our Lives' ...
, writer
*
Jim Whitesell, basketball coach
*
John Whitesell
John Patrick Whitesell is an American television and film director. He has directed numerous films such as '' Calendar Girl'', ''Big Momma's House 2'' and ''Holidate''. He started his career as a film director in 1993.
Early life and education
W ...
, Hollywood director
*
Patrick Whitesell
Patrick Whitesell (born February 4, 1965) is an American businessman and executive chairman of Endeavor, an entertainment and media agency. He joined the Endeavor Talent Agency as a partner in February 2001, where he was a member of the company ...
, Hollywood agent and co-CEO of
WME Entertainment
*
Sean Whitesell
Sean Whitesell (March 11, 1963 – December 28, 2015) was an American film and television actor, writer and producer.
Early life and education
Whitesell was born in Iowa Falls, Iowa,[National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Iowa
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hardin County, Iowa.
This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Hardin County, Iowa, United States ...]
*
St. Matthew's by the Bridge Episcopal Church
St. Matthew's by the Bridge Episcopal Church is a parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. The church is located in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States. The parish was established in 1886, and the church building was listed on the National Regi ...
*
Metropolitan Opera House (Iowa Falls, Iowa)
The Metropolitan Opera House (MOH) is an historic opera house in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In 2012 it was included as a contributing property in the Washingto ...
References
External links
City website
{{authority control
Cities in Iowa
Cities in Hardin County, Iowa
1856 establishments in Iowa