Parkersburg is a city in
Butler County, Iowa
Butler County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,334. Its county seat is Allison. The county was organized in 1854 and named for General William O. Butler.
History
Butler County was for ...
, United States. The population was 2,015 in the
2020 census, an increase from 1,889 in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
.
Parkersburg, although not the county seat, has the highest population of all the cities in Butler County.
History
The first known settlers of the Parkersburg area were John Connell and his son William, who built a log cabin in 1857. A railroad company surveyed the area in the early 1860s. A depot was erected in 1865 and two railroads, the
Illinois Central
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, was a railroad in the Central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois, with New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama. A line also co ...
and the
Chicago North Western, were built through the town. The town was soon platted and recorded and given the name of "Parkersburg" in honor of Pascal P. Parker, a prominent settler and the town's first postmaster. The first major business was a hotel built by Thomas Williams, called The Williams House. Later, it became known as the Commercial House.
Parkersburg was
incorporated on December 7, 1874.
The first "School House" was built in the 1860s. Parkersburg became an independent school district in the spring of 1871. A new school was built in 1872. This building burned beyond repair on October 9, 1893, in the "great fire of Parkersburg", which also destroyed most of the business district. In 1894 a modern, three-story, brick structure was built. In 1930, the school added an auditorium and gymnasium.
The first electric power was furnished by the Parkersburg Electric Light & Power Company, composed of local citizens who built the plant in 1898 at a cost of $10,000. Parkersburg's roads were paved ''circa'' 1920. The first water tower only had a capacity of 40,000 gallons.
2008 tornado
Seven people died in Parkersburg and two in rural
New Hartford from injuries sustained when a confirmed
EF5 tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
struck the region on May 25, 2008. At least 70 individuals were injured and transported to nearby hospitals. The south side of Parkersburg was completely destroyed and turned into rubble. Over 400 homes were destroyed or damaged, the roof was taken off the high school and destroyed, and the elementary school was damaged as well. The surviving residents were evacuated while the rescue operation was in progress. Today, Parkersburg is considered to be a model of disaster recovery and resiliency in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
The local water utility called the
Iowa Rural Water Association for assistance after the city went on a boiled water notice. Utility infrastructure was left largely intact, but the tornado and clean-up efforts damaged the connections in numerous homes.
Geography
Parkersburg's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 42.574419, -92.786729.
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
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 incl ...
of 2010, there were 1,870 people, 779 households, and 529 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 870 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.0%
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 ...
, 0.2%
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%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1% 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 0.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
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 1.0% of the population.
There were 779 households, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% 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, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.1% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
The median age in the city was 38.9 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 18.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% 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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 1,889 people, 811 households, and 550 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 850 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.99%
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 ...
, 0.11%
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 ...
, 0.05%
Native American, 0.05%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.16% 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 0.64% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
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 0.53% of the population.
There were 811 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% 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, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.89.
Age spread: 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,083, and the median income for a family was $40,313. Males had a median income of $31,949 versus $20,000 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 $16,978. About 5.5% of families and 7.3% 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 9.2% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Parks and recreation
Miracle Park on the west side of Parkersburg is a premier outdoor recreational attraction. It encompasses two expansive and separate playground areas, one for younger children (2–5 years old) and another for older children (5–12 years old). Miracle Park is one of the top outdoor playgrounds you will find in the Midwest. Miracle Park also includes an outdoor swimming pool, three shelter houses, concrete basketball courts, and a granite Veterans Memorial constructed in 2010.
Schwartz Memorial Park on the east end of town contains a playground, gazebo shelter house, walking path, and a small fishing pond for the youngsters.
The Depot Park on the north side of Parkersburg is adjacent and on the south side of Beaver Creek. It features a shelter house, historic Parkersburg depot and caboose, playground equipment, and plenty of area to fish.
Adjacent to the Depot Park on the north side of the river is Beaver Meadows Golf Course and Campground. This area includes a nine-hole, par 34 golf course with 2,554 yards of play. The public campground includes spaces with and without electric hookups, a new restroom and shower facility, shelter houses, and is a convenient place for fisherman and avid golfers and an all-around relaxing place to enjoy a weekend.
Legend Trail Golf Course on the east side of Parkersburg. It includes a nine-hole, par 36 golf course with 3,313 yards of play. Legend Trail Golf Course provides a large club house for weddings, graduations, etc., driving range, a walking path, and is also near Schwartz Memorial Park.
The Big Marsh Wildlife Management Area is Iowa's largest timber, wetland, and grassland area. It encompasses over of land for public hunting, fishing, bird watching, and hiking. ''The Big Marsh'' is a recreational paradise during any season and is located six miles north of Parkersburg on Highway 14.
Education
It is served by the
Aplington–Parkersburg Community School District
Aplington–Parkersburg Community School District is a rural public school district in Parkersburg, Iowa. Occupying portions of Butler and Grundy counties, it serves the towns of Aplington and Parkersburg.
History
The district formed on Jul ...
, which operates
Aplington–Parkersburg High School. The district formed on July 1, 2004, after the
Aplington Community School District merged with the
Parkersburg Community School District.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Parkersburg is located at the junction of
Iowa Highway 14
Iowa Highway 14 (Iowa 14) is a state highway that runs from north to south across the state of Iowa for . The begins in Corydon at an intersection with Iowa 2 and ends in Charles City at an intersection with U.S. Highway 18 (US ...
and
Iowa Highway 57
Iowa Highway 57 is a state highway that runs from west to east in northern Iowa. Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 65 northeast of Iowa Falls. Its eastern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Highway 218, Iowa Highway 27, and Iowa High ...
just north of
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...
at exit 208 (IA 14).
Notable people
*
Pauline Pfeiffer
Pauline Marie Pfeiffer (July 22, 1895 – October 1, 1951) was an American journalist, and the second wife of writer Ernest Hemingway.Harris, Peggy (Associated Press) (30 July 2000)Ernest Hemingway Museum Popular in Quiet Farm Town ''The Tusc ...
, the second wife of author
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century fic ...
.
*
Roy Luebbe,
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
for the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
*
William Wallace McCredie
William Wallace "W. W." McCredie (April 27, 1862 – May 10, 1935) was a U.S. Representative from Washington.
Early years
Born in Montrose, Pennsylvania, McCredie moved to Iowa with his parents, who settled on a farm near Manchester in Delaware ...
,
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
member from
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered on ...
*
Harold Duane Vietor
Harold Duane Vietor (December 29, 1931 – July 23, 2016) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
Education and career
Born in Parkersburg, Iowa in 1931, Vietor was in the United ...
,
federal judge Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state/provincial/local level.
United States
A US federal judge is appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate in accordance with Article 3 of ...
['Harold Vietor, longtime federal judge in Iowa, had died,' Sioux City Journal, Ryan J. Foley. June 25, 2016]
*
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
players
Brad Meester
Bradley Ryan Meester (born March 23, 1977) is a former American football Center (American football), center for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jaguars in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He p ...
, and
Casey Wiegmann
Casey Peter Wiegmann (born July 20, 1973) is a former American football Center (American football), center who played sixteen seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Iowa. He was signed by ...
, are natives of Parkersburg.
*Major General
John B. Anderson,
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
officer who served in both
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and
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 opposin ...
, where he commanded the
XVI Corps
Sister cities
See also
*
All-American Red Heads
References
External links
Parkersburg, IowaOfficial City Website
{{authority control
Cities in Butler County, Iowa
Cities in Iowa
Populated places established in 1874
1874 establishments in Iowa