Albia is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Monroe County, in southern

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

, United States. The population was 3,721 at the 2020 census. The city of Albia is known for its historic square and city-wide

Victorian Architecture Victorian architecture is a series of Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the st ...

. Albia is also known for the annual "Restoration" days celebration which commemorates the refurbishment of the square and the town which began in the mid-1960s.

History

Albia was incorporated as a town in 1856. The town was named after Albia,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, the former home of an early settler. FI0013123

On Feb. 14, 1893, there was a coal mine explosion in the Chicago and Iowa mine, about 2.5 miles west of Albia. This

room and pillar Room and pillar or pillar and stall is a variant of breast stoping. It is a mining system in which the mined material is extracted across a horizontal plane, creating horizontal arrays of rooms and pillars. To do this, "rooms" of ore are dug out wh ...

mine had opened around 1877. By the time of the explosion, mining extended more than 1,000 yards from the hoisting shaft, and the mine employed 60 miners and 20 other men. One miner was killed outright and seven died later of their injuries, after a "shot" (gunpowder charge used to bring down the coal) ignited a

dust explosion A dust explosion is the rapid combustion of fine particles suspended in the air within an enclosed location. Dust explosions can occur where any dispersed powdered combustible material is present in high-enough concentrations in the atmosphere ...

in the mine. This was one of only two major mine disasters in Iowa between 1888 and 1913. In the early 20th century, the region around Albia was dotted with coal mining camps and

company town A company town is a place where all or most of the stores and housing in the town are owned by the same company that is also the main employer. Company towns are often planned with a suite of amenities such as stores, houses of worship, schoo ...

s. Of these,

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...

, 9 miles north of Albia, is the most widely studied. It had a large Black population. Other former coal camps in the area include Hiteman, Bluff Creek, Lockman, Coalfield, Hocking, and Hynes. The growth in membership in the

United Mine Workers The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American Labor history of the United States, labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing work ...

union, as shown by the following data, is a useful measure of the importance of mining in the region. In 1902, UMW Locals 692 and 793 in Albia had an aggregate membership of 216. By 1912, UMW Locals 407, 782 and 793 in Albia had an aggregate membership of 338 (about 7.2% of the 1910 population). Miners in Hiteman, 5 miles northwest of town, joined the UMWA in 1898; between 1902 and 1912, membership grew from 450 to 688. Miners in Hynes, 7 miles east, joined the UMWA in 1896; between 1902 and 1912, membership grew from 330 to 543.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

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

Climate

According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Albia 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 cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 3,721 people, 1,545 households, and 943 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was 1,151.2 inhabitants per square mile (444.5/km²). There were 1,703 housing units at an average density of 526.9 per square mile (203.4/km²). The

racial 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 16th century, when it was used to refer to groups of va ...

makeup of the city was 94.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.0% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 1.1% from other races and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race comprised 2.4% of the population. Of the 1,545 households, 32.2% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.2% were cohabitating couples, 31.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 19.0% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 39.0% of all households were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 38.6 years. 27.5% of the residents were under the age of 20; 6.7% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 and 44; 23.1% were from 45 and 64; and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 3,766 people, 1,540 households, and 960 families living in the city. The

was . There were 1,763 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.5%

, 0.3%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population. There were 1,540 households, of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were

living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age in the city was 40 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 19.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,706 people, 1,531 households, and 943 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,708 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.92%

, 0.32%

, 0.32% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population. There were 1,531 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.97. Age spread: 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,728, and the median income for a family was $41,607. Males had a median income of $33,025 versus $20,933 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $16,843. About 4.3% of families and 9.2% 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 10.1% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Albia Community School District operates public schools serving the community.

Activities

In Albia, there's the "Monroe Aquatic Center", "Washington Park", and the "City Park". The aquatic center has two water slides, low dive, high dive, children's area, basketball hoops above the water, and lockers. The city park includes a basketball court, a baseball field, a tennis court, and a playground with swings.

Notable people

* George Bennard (1873–1958), composer of " The Old Rugged Cross" * Nathan E. Kendall (1868–1936) politician, the 23rd Governor of Iowa * John Judge (born 1944), politician, served in the Iowa State Senate * Patty Judge (born 1943), politician,

State Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

and Lieutenant Governor of Iowa * Johnny Miler, né Miletich (1910–1976) Boxer, defeated

Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He r ...

in amateur bout * Wendell Nedderman (1921–2019), president of The

University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA or UT Arlington) is a public research university in Arlington, Texas, United States. It is the second oldest university in the University of Texas System and was founded in 1895. It was in the Texas A& ...

from 1972 to 1992 * Theodore Bolivar Perry, politician * James Stevens (1892–1971), musician and writer, most notably ''

Paul Bunyan Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack and folk hero in American and Canadian folklore. His tall tales revolve around his superhuman labors, and he is customarily accompanied by Babe the Blue Ox, his pet and working animal. The character originate ...

'' * Fred Townsend (1862–1918), politician and Iowa legislator, football player * Josiah T. Young (1831–1907), Iowa Secretary of State, and mayor of Albia * Taylor Yarkosky (born 1977), politician - Member of the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

References

External links

Albia Chamber of Commerce

Albia school district website
{{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Monroe County, Iowa County seats in Iowa