Eldon is a city in Wapello County,

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, 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: Wiscon ...

, United States. The population was 783 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the site of the small

Carpenter Gothic Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic or Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures ...

style house that has come to be known as the ''American Gothic'' House. Artist

Grant Wood Grant DeVolson Wood (February 13, 1891 February 12, 1942) was an American painter and representative of Regionalism, best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest. He is particularly well known for ''American Gothic'' (1930 ...

used this home for the background in his world-famous 1930 painting ''

American Gothic ''American Gothic'' is a 1930 painting by Grant Wood in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood was inspired to paint what is now known as the American Gothic House, ''American Gothic'' House in Eldon, Iowa, along with "the kind of ...

''. Eldon today is a regional tourist destination with visitors coming to visit the

American Gothic House The ''American Gothic'' House, also known as the Dibble House, is a house in Eldon, Iowa, designed in the Carpenter Gothic style with a distinctive upper window.Rock Island Railway depot, and the Historic

McHaffey Opera House The McHaffey Opera House is an historic building located in Eldon, Iowa, United States. It was constructed in 1891 and in use by the community through the 1940s. The building was mainly unused for many decades until a volunteer community group boug ...

History

Eldon got its start in the year 1870, following construction of the Keokuk and Des Moines Railway through the territory. It was incorporated in 1872. Roseanne Barr and

Tom Arnold Tom Arnold may refer to: * Tom Arnold (actor) (born 1959), American actor * Tom Arnold (economist) (born 1948), Irish CEO of Concern Worldwide * Tom Arnold (footballer) (1878–?), English footballer * Tom Arnold (literary scholar) (1823–1900), B ...

, who was born in nearby Ottumwa, operated Roseanne and Tom's Big Food Diner in Eldon from 1993 to 1995. Eldon is also the home of the Wapello County Fair which began in 1868.

Geography

Eldon is located in the southeast corner of Wapello County eleven miles southeast of Ottumwa on the northeast bank of the

Des Moines River The Des Moines River () is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the upper Midwestern United States that is approximately long from its farther headwaters.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe Na ...

across the river from the Soap creek confluence.

Iowa Highway 16 Iowa Highway 16 (Iowa 16) is a state highway running from west to east in southeastern Iowa. The highway has a length of . The western terminus of Iowa Highway 16 is at an intersection with U.S. Highway 34 (US 34) between Agency and Batavia ...

passes through the community. The Eldon Water Management Area is across the river in adjacent Davis County two miles to the southwest along Soap Creek.''Iowa Atlas & Gazetteer,'' DeLorme, 7th ed., 2021, pp. 59-60 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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Education

Eldon is served by the

Cardinal Community School District The Cardinal Community School District is a public school district headquartered in Eldon, Iowa. It spans areas in Wapello, Davis, Jefferson and Van Buren counties. It serves the cities of Eldon, Agency, and Batavia, the unincorporated com ...

which has its campus located 2.5 miles north of the town in rural Wapello County. Eldon is consolidated with the towns of

Agency Agency may refer to: Organizations * Institution, governmental or others ** Advertising agency or marketing agency, a service business dedicated to creating, planning and handling advertising for its clients ** Employment agency, a business that ...

, Batavia, and the unincorporated communities of Selma and Bladensburg within the Cardinal Community School District. Cardinal Schools mascot is the "Comet". The Cardinal athletic teams participate in the South Central Conference.

Demographics

2010 census

At the 2010 census 927 people, 406 households, and 260 families were residing in the city. The population density was . The 448 housing units had an average density of . The racial makup of the city was 98.4% White, 0.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1%. Of 406 households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.3% of households were made up of individuals, and 15% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28, and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 42.3 years old. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census 998 people, 438 households, and 275 families were residing in the city. The population density was . The 470 housing units had an average density of . The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

of the city was 98.20% White, 0.40% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50%. Of the 438 households 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.7% of households were one person and 18.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.91. The age distribution was 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median household income was $26,950 and the median family income was $37,250. Males had a median income of $29,261 versus $20,573 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,495. About 11.4% of families and 15.5% 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 ...

, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.

National Register of Historic Places

In addition to the ''American Gothic'' House, the following properties are 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 ...

: * Big 4 Fair Art Hall * Eldon Public Library *

Grant Wood - American Gothic - Google Art Project

References

External links

American Gothic House Center site
Has links to area attractions

Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Eldon
Cardinal Community School District

{{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Wapello County, Iowa Populated places established in 1870 1870 establishments in Iowa