Carbon is a small city in Douglas Township, Adams County,

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 ...

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. The population was 36 at the 2020 census. There is a church at Carbon, and a community center, and no other businesses or services. It is the 24th smallest place in Iowa by population. Other places in Iowa have been named Carbon: there was a Carbon Post Office in Davis County, six miles south of Ottumwa, that operated for less than a year in 1881. There was also a Carbon Post Office in Webster County, three miles south-east of

Fort Dodge Fort Dodge is a city in and the county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Ce ...

, that operated from 1870 to 1872. A post office on the latter location was known as Gypsum from 1902 to 1905.

History

Carbon is located on the Middle Nodaway River. This was home to the Pottawatomie, Oto and Iowa Indian tribes, until the treaty of 1851 forced their removal to

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

or Indian Territory, now known as

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. The first settler to Carbon was Elijah Walters, who established a sawmill there in 1849. He reported seeing huts and old camp fires but stated that the tribes had moved on, only to see an occasional "red man" appear and look over old camp sites and burial sites, then move on. Elijah built a mill on the Middle Nodaway river that became a great social center of its time. The village was originally named Walters, after its first settler, but was renamed Carbon after the discovery of coal. The city was established in 1873, but was not incorporated until July 18, 1903. A post office was established in Carbon in 1874, but from 1877 to 1880, the name was changed to Shinn. By the time of the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, there were small coal mines along the riverbanks near Carbon.Henry Hinds, Adams County, Part VI -- Coal Deposits of Southwestern Iowa, The Coal Deposits of Iowa
Annual Report with Accompanying Papers, 1908
Iowa Geological Survey, 1909; pages 391-396. In 1894, there were nine coal mines in Carbon, of which five were then in use. Typical mine shafts were 80 feet deep, working a coal seam 12 to 20 inches (30 to 50 cm) thick. The town at that time was described as a

mining camp A mining community, also known as a mining town or a mining camp, is a community that houses miners. Mining communities are usually created around a mine or a quarry. Historical mining communities Australia * Ballarat, Victoria * Bendig ...

. Unlike the vast majority of Iowa's coal camps, the UMWA had no union local in Carbon between 1900 and 1912; during that period, most of Iowa's coal camps were organized, and the largest UMWA locals in the country were based in

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 ...

and

Centerville, Iowa Centerville is a city in and the county seat of Appanoose County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,412 in the 2020 census, a decline from 5,924 in 2000. After the turn of the 20th century Centerville's coal mining industry attracted ...

. By 1908, it was estimated that the total coal production of the county had exceeded 350,000 tons, despite the lack of any rail connections. Most of this was from the Carbon area. Coal from the Carbon mines was sold locally, with some sold as far away as Corning and other towns within a 25-mile radius. The two most notable mines in the area in 1908 were the Jones, Smith and Tindall mine, a new mine employing 25 miners, 1/4 mile south of Carbon and the J.F. Ruth mine, a year-old mine employing 30 miners, 1/2 mile northeast of town. Both used horse whims to power their hoists, and had minimal safety features. At the time, one other mine had recently been closed by a cave-in, and another was just being opened. The heyday of the Carbon coal mines lasted approximately 75 years, beginning in the late 19th century and ending in the early 20th century. Carbon has always been known as a lawless town for those that like to fight. Many a gun fight did take place in the streets when the coal mines were booming. Until 1998, the only water supply was on what is now called the "pump road". On the edge of this road, sits an old hand pump. The pump has stood for over 100 years. Horse-drawn wagons would carry ice from the river and water from the pump back to town. Only one home within the Carbon city limits had a well. It was only in the late 1990s that rural water was finally piped in.

Geography

Carbon is located on the south bank of the Middle Nodaway River, just east of its confluence with Bull Creek. 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.

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 36 people, 16 households, and 10 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 48.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.5/km²). There were 24 housing units at an average density of 32.0 per square mile (12.4/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 86.1%

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 ...

, 2.8% Black or African American, 2.8% Native American, 2.8% 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 ...

, 0.0% from other races and 5.6% from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

persons of any race comprised 5.6% of the population. Of the 16 households, 37.5% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% 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, 0.0% were cohabitating couples, 12.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 43.8% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 37.5% of all households were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 57.5 years. 13.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.6% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 and 44; 22.2% were from 45 and 64; and 36.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.8% male and 47.2% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 34 people, 18 households, and 6 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 21 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.1%

and 2.9% Native American.

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 2.9% of the population. There were 18 households, of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 22.2% were

living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 66.7% were non-families. 50.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age in the city was 50 years. 17.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 11.7% were from 25 to 44; 47.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 55.9% male and 44.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 28 people, 15 households, and 4 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 28 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.00%

. There were 15 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.0% were

living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 66.7% were non-families. 46.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 33.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.80. Age spread: 21.4% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. The median income for a household in the city was $10,500, and the median income for a family was $0. Males had a median income of $8,750 versus $0 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 $9,891. There were no families and 45.5% of the population living 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 no under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education

Carbon is within the Corning Community School District. Residents are zoned to Southwest Valley High School, operated by the Corning district, and shared with the Villisca Community School District as part of a grade-sharing agreement.HomeSouthwest Valley Schools
(joint website operated by the Corning and Villisca districts). Retrieved on July 15, 2018. It was previously served by Corning High School.

References

{{authority control Cities in Adams County, Iowa Cities in Iowa Populated places established in 1849 1849 establishments in Iowa