Sheldahl is a city in

Polk DNA polymerase kappa is a DNA polymerase that in humans is encoded by the ''POLK'' gene. It is involved in translesion synthesis DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell (biology), cell identifies and corrects damage to the ...

, Boone, and

Story Story or stories may refer to: Common uses * Narrative, an account of imaginary or real people and events ** Short story, a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting ** News story, an event or topic reported by a news orga ...

counties in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

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 ...

. The population was 297 at the time of the 2020 census. The Boone County portion of Sheldahl is part of the Boone Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the Story County portion is part of the

Ames AMES, short Air Ministry Experimental Station, was the name given to the British Air Ministry's radar development team at Bawdsey Manor (afterwards RAF Bawdsey) in the immediate pre-World War II era. The team was forced to move on three occasion ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area. Together, these two areas form the Ames–Boone Combined Statistical Area. The small portion of the city that extends into Polk County is part of the

Des Moines Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

– West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The area was settled by 120 Norwegian immigrants from Lisbon, Illinois on June 7, 1855; including Osmond and Anna Sheldahl and five of their children. It incorporated as a city on January 18, 1882. The

Chicago and Northwestern Railway The Chicago and North Western was a Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states befor ...

established a NE to S rail line through Sheldahl during the 1880s. The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad connected with this line 2 miles north in

Slater A slater, or slate mason, is a tradesperson who covers buildings with slate. Tools used The various tools of the slater's trade are all drop-forged. The slater's hammer is forged in one single piece, from crucible-cast steel, and has a lea ...

. In 2005,

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

sold a 25-mile discontinued rail corridor—which included the recently abandoned line through Sheldahl—to the

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) is a statewide non-profit natural conservation organization based in Des Moines, Iowa with a mission to protect and restore Iowa's land, water and wildlife. The organization has protected more than in 97 ...

, which enabled the construction of the recreational High Trestle Trail. Access to the trail, including a parking area and washroom, is located in Sheldahl.

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. The town sits on the tripoint of

, Boone, and

counties.

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 297 people, 125 households, and 97 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 370.2 inhabitants per square mile (142.9/km²). There were 131 housing units at an average density of 163.3 per square mile (63.0/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 91.2%

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 ...

, 0.7% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% 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 ...

, 1.3% from other races and 5.7% 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 1.0% of the population. Of the 125 households, 31.2% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% 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, 10.4% were cohabitating couples, 9.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 20.8% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 22.4% of all households were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 43.2 years. 23.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.1% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 and 44; 29.6% were from 45 and 64; and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.2% male and 46.8% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 319 people, 124 households, and 98 families living in the city. The

was . There were 132 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.7%

, 0.3% Native American, and 0.9% 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 0.9% of the population. There were 124 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were

living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 21.0% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in the city was 42.3 years. 25.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.3% were from 25 to 44; 29.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 336 people, 129 households, and 99 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 132 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 99.70%

, 0.30% from other races.

or Latino of any race were 0.30% of the population. There were 129 households, out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.9% were

living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.96. 26.2% are under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $48,393, and the median income for a family was $48,571. Males had a median income of $32,969 versus $25,000 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 $17,811. About 5.7% of families and 3.4% 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 2.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is within the North Polk Community School District.

Notable people

* Robert J. Hermann - 9th

Director of the National Reconnaissance Office The Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DNRO) of the United States is responsible to the United States Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Defense (through the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence) and the Director of National Int ...

* Richard D. Johnson - 30th

Iowa State Auditor The Iowa auditor of state is the state auditor of the government of Iowa, United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal ...

(1979-2001), Mayor of Sheldahl (1964-1975), City Clerk of Sheldahl (1959-1963)

References

External links

Sheldahl website
{{authority control Populated places established in 1855 Norwegian-American culture in Iowa Cities in Boone County, Iowa Cities in Polk County, Iowa Cities in Story County, Iowa Cities in Iowa Des Moines metropolitan area 1855 establishments in Iowa