Waukon is a city in Makee Township,

Allamakee County Allamakee County () is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,061. Its county seat is Waukon. History Allamakee County was formed on February 20, 1847. The derivation of the name is ...

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, 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 Allamakee County. The population was 3,827 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

Waukon is often said to be named for

Waukon Decorah Waukon Decorah (–1868), also known as Wakąhaga (Wau-kon-haw-kaw) or "Snake-Skin", was a prominent Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) warrior and orator during the Winnebago War of 1827 and the Black Hawk War of 1832. Although not a hereditary chief, he em ...

, a Ho Chunk (Winnebago) leader who was a U.S. ally during the 1832

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crosse ...

, although the city is also said to be named for his son Chief John Waukon. Winnebagos lived in this area of Iowa in the 1840s, before being forced to relocate to Minnesota. The first white settler arrived in 1849, and the town was founded and the Waukon Post Office opened in 1853. A courthouse was completed in 1861, and the county seat was moved to Waukon in 1867 after 8 elections attempting to decide the location of the county seat.W. E. Alexander, Chapter XII- Chronology, History of Allamakee County
History of Winneshiek and Allamakee Counties, Iowa
Western, Sioux City, 1882; pp. 463-464. The town was incorporated in 1883. Ryan Griffith was the first mayor of Waukon, winning the 1883 election by unanimous decision. Waukon is only about 16 miles from Waukon Junction, on the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

, but the rail line between these two points was 33 miles long, climbing 600 feet through some of the roughest terrain in Iowa.Samuel Calvin, What Glaciers have done for Iowa
Annual Report of the Iowa Weather and Crop Service, 1899
Conway, Des Moines, 1900; p. 62. The Waukon and Mississippi Railroad, which opened in 1877, was originally built as a

narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...

line. The line was originally controlled by the Chicago and Northwestern but was quickly acquired by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway. The line was widened to standard gauge after purchase by the Milwaukee Road. Its only marginal traffic through its existence led to the road's abandonment in the late 1960s. MississipiValleyIronWaukon

There is a deposit of

limonite Limonite () is an iron ore consisting of a mixture of hydrated iron(III) oxide-hydroxides in varying composition. The generic formula is frequently written as FeO(OH)·H2O, although this is not entirely accurate as the ratio of oxide to hydroxid ...

(Iron Ore) about 3 miles northeast of Waukon called Iron Hill, holding an estimated 10 million tons of ore. This is the highest point in northeastern Iowa. the Waukon Iron Company began developing an open-pit mine and ore-washing plant on this site in 1899, with a capacity of 300 tons per 10-hour shift. Production was seriously limited by the need to haul the ore 3 miles to the railroad, and the mine was, ultimately, a failure. A second and better capitalised attempt to mine this deposit was begun in 1907 by the Missouri Iron Company, with a railroad connection built in 1910 and a new ore processing plant completed in 1913 with a capacity of 350 to 400 tons per day. The total investment was estimated at $225,000, and two patents were issued for the machinery in the ore processing plant. This mine became the principal mine of the new Mississippi Valley Iron Company of

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

in 1916. That year, the mine produced 10,151 tons of concentrated ore, and in 1917, it produced 22,612 tons. In 1918 the mine produced over 7000 tons before it was shut down because of

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 ...

. The mine never recovered from this shutdown, and the equipment was sold for scrap in 1937. Iron Mine Drive and Allamakee Street cross north of the sites of both old mines ().

Geography

Waukon is located at (43.268889, -91.479212). The headwaters of the north branch of Paint Creek are in Waukon, and the town is just south of the headwaters of Village Creek. This is on the west edge of the deeply eroded

Driftless Area The Driftless Area, a topographical and cultural region in the American Midwest, comprises southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa, and the extreme northwestern corner of Illinois. Never covered by ice during the last ...

of northwest Iowa. The town sits on a plain underlain by the

Galena Limestone Galena, also called lead glance, is the natural mineral form of lead(II) sulfide (PbS). It is the most important ore of lead and an important source of silver. Galena is one of the most abundant and widely distributed sulfide minerals. It cryst ...

formation. There are many

sinkhole A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...

s in this plain south of Waukon. To the north, a tongue of Galena Limestone underlies Iron Hill. 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.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 3,827. 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 1,939 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.5%

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 ...

, 0.7%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.1%

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 ...

, 1.2% 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 2.2% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.7%

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 ...

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.

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 3,897 people, 1,781 households, and 1,008 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 1,946 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.4%

, 0.4%

, 0.1% Native American, 0.1%

, 0.3% from

, and 0.7% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 1,781 households, of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.4% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.11 and the average family size was 2.77. The median age in the city was 45.8 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.7% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 24% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 4,131 people, 1,790 households, and 1,068 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,909 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.74%

, 0.10% Native American, 0.22%

, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.15% from

, and 0.77% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.73% of the population. There were 1,790 households, out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were

living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.3% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.89. Age spread: 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,325, and the median income for a family was $41,068. Males had a median income of $27,532 versus $18,833 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 $17,047. About 8.3% of families and 12.3% 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 19.7% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Waukon Family Aquatic Area: The aquatic pool is the main attraction in Waukon's park. Also in the park is a small area with a lake, as well as some playgrounds. The park also includes some softball/athletic fields.

Education

The

Allamakee Community School District The Allamakee Community School District (also known as ACSD) is a public school district based in the city of Waukon, Iowa, Waukon in Allamakee County, Iowa, United States. The district is mainly in Allamakee County, with a small portion in Winne ...

operates local

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

schools.

Media

Newspaper

Waukon Standard ''The Standard,'' formerly the ''Waukon Standard'' is the local paper in Waukon, Iowa and Lansing, Iowa Lansing is a city in Lansing Township, Allamakee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 968 at the time of the 2020 census. Hist ...

Radio

KNEI-FM KNEI-FM (103.5 MHz) is a country radio station licensed to Waukon, Iowa, serving portions of Minnesota, Iowa & Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area an ...

103.5 Bluff Country

Notable people

* Dudley W. Adams,

horticulturalist Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

who led the granger movement *

Mark Farley Mark Farley (born April 5, 1963) is an American football coach. He is the head coach at the University of Northern Iowa, a position he has held since 2001. Farley started at inside linebacker at Northern Iowa from 1983 to 1985. He led the team in ...

, head football coach of the

University of Northern Iowa The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa. UNI offers more than 90 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities, Arts, and Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences and grad ...

* Bess Goodykoontz, educator and federal official * Gregory D. Hager, famous professor at the

Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins is the oldest research university in the United States and in the western hem ...

* Isaiah H. Hedge, MD, abolitionist, early donor to

Bates College Bates College () is a private liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian Houses as some of the dormitories. It maintains of nature p ...

, physician * Levi M. Hubbell, politician and businessman'Annals of Iowa,' Vol X, No. 1, 3rd Series, Notable Deaths, pg. 75 * Hugh Kidder, officer in the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

during

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 ...

* Edward P. Ney, famous professor at the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

* Cletus F. O'Donnell, second

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison The Diocese of Madison ( la, Diœcesis Madisonensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the U.S. State of Wisconsin. It comprises Columbia, Dane, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Marquette, Rock, and Sauk counties. The are ...

Michael Osterholm Michael Thomas Osterholm (born March 10, 1953) is an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor, and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. On November 9, 2020, Osterholm was named to ...

, public-health scientist and

biosecurity Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, etc.) to animals and plants in order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious disease. In agriculture, thes ...

and infectious-disease expert *

Joseph Taggart Joseph Taggart (June 15, 1867 – December 3, 1938) was a lawyer and a Democratic Party (United States), Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives, representing the Kansas's 2nd congressio ...

, member of the

U.S. 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 chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

References

External links

City of WaukonWaukon Chamber of Commerce
Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Waukon
Allamakee History
{{authority control Cities in Allamakee County, Iowa Cities in Iowa County seats in Iowa Dakota toponyms 1853 establishments in Iowa Populated places established in 1853