Victor is a town in Poweshiek and

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 ...

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 ...

. The population was 875 in the 2020 census, a decline from the population of 952 in

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

History

Prior to its opening for European settlement, the area around what is now Victor was home to the Sac and Fox Indians. The Dragoon Trail trail follows the path of the 1st U. S. Dragoons, the country's first mounted infantry unit, on their historic march in the summer of 1835. The purpose of the march was to scout Iowa after the Black Hawk Purchase of 1832. This trail generally followed the Bear Creek Valley in western Iowa County and passed about a mile south of what would later become Victor. In 1856 and 1857, Mormon Handcart Pioneers followed the Dragoon Trail south of Victor on their way from the end of the rail line in Iowa City to the Salt Lake Valley in Utah. The route was later referred to locally as the "State Road" and today is officially designated by the county as "A Diagonal". Later, until about 1863, Mormon pioneers passed through Victor in covered wagons. In April 1854, George W. Wilson, a native of Ohio, purchased from the federal government the land on which Victor now occupies. In October 1861, Wilson permanently moved from Ohio to Iowa and soon began negotiations with Thomas C. Durant of New York City, a railroad officer. The resulting agreement involved granting a right of way through Wilson's land, providing space for a switch yard and station, and building a depot. Construction of the depot started on November 15, 1861, and was completed by December 24. Materials were sourced partly from Wilson's timber land near Victor, with additional supplies purchased from Davenport and Iowa City. Samuel Howard, the foreman, led the construction with assistance from several workers who prepared and transported the timbers. The depot was the first building in what would become the town of Victor, laying the foundation for its growth. May 5, 1863, Joseph A. Blackburn - a brother-in-law of George Wilson - completed the legal steps necessary for the original town of "Wilson", named in honor of the man who entered the land. Another addition was made June 19, 1866, and still another December 20, 1867. In 1869, following Iowa's general law, the town was incorporated. Under the direction of Wilson and the town was divided into lots by surveyor Charles Stotwell. The town had been originally surveyed just eight years prior to its incorporation. In July 1854 the first post office in the region was established south of Victor on the State Road and given the name "Victor" after a village in New York. In 1865, the post office was relocated to where the town had been established and the town's name was changed from Wilson to Victor. A man named McEckley was the first to build a house, store and mill at what is now the site of Victor. The early settlers, primarily of Irish and German descent, came from Ohio, Indiana, and Maryland. Later, Belgian and Czech immigrants arrived.

Railroad

The first railroad to reach Victor was the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad (M&M Railroad) which arrived in 1862. Chartered in 1853, the M&M was Iowa's first railroad. It was created to connect Davenport on the Mississippi River to Council Bluffs on the Missouri River. It was the first railroad west of the Mississippi to be connected by a bridge to the East and it played a significant role in the development of the first transcontinental railroad. The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, under lease to the Chicago & North Western, however, was the first to actually reach Council Bluffs. Thomas C. Durant, vice president of the Union Pacific Railroad, held stock in both railroads and was accused of corruption in manipulating the railroads' stock prices and operating as a petty tyrant. The Rock Island Line bought the M&M on July 9, 1866.

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.

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 875 people, 379 households, and 243 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 1,818.3 inhabitants per square mile (702.1/km²). There were 417 housing units at an average density of 866.6 per square mile (334.6/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 94.9%

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 ...

, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% 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 ...

, 0.3% from other races and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 1.4% of the population. Of the 379 households, 27.2% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% 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, 7.4% were cohabitating couples, 23.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 18.2% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.9% of all households were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 24.7% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.0% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 and 44; 26.6% were from 45 and 64; and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.6% male and 49.4% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 893 people, 392 households, and 244 families living in the city. The

was . There were 430 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.1%

, 0.1%

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 ...

, 0.3% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 0.1% 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 1.7% of the population. There were 392 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were

living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.8% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23% were from 25 to 44; 29.4% were from 45 to 64; and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 952 people, 400 households, and 280 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 420 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.84%

, 0.21%

, 0.53% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.32% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.21% of the population. There were 400 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were

living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.87. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $38,542, and the median income for a family was $47,841. Males had a median income of $33,021 versus $22,000 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 $18,837. About 4.1% of families and 7.9% 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 12.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

* William Lawrence Adrian was a priest in Victor who became Bishop of Nashville * Ben Beran, born in Victor, is a former basketball player * Jackie Collum, born in Victor, was a major league pitcher * John W. Gwynne, born in Victor, was a U.S. Representative *

Leonard Raffensperger Leonard Raffensperger (November 6, 1903 – September 19, 1974) was an American football and basketball player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Iowa for two seasons in 1950 and 1951, compiling a record of 5–1 ...

, born in Victor, was a University of Iowa football coach * Albert M. Sackett, born in Victor, was a U.S. admiral

Education

H-L-V Community School District operates area public schools.

Healthcare

Victor area residents have access to healthcare services at the Victor Health Center Clinic, located at 709 Second St. When hospitalization is required the closest and most convenient hospital for residents is Compass Memorial Healthcare, located at 300 West May Street in Marengo, Iowa

Rolle Bolle

Victor is home to two Rolle Bolle courts, one indoor court at The 214 Bar and Grill and one outdoor court next to the post office. The yard game originated in Belgium (where it is known as krulbollen) and was brought over by Belgian immigrants to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. It is still played today by many Victor residents as well as in the nearby towns of Belle Plaine, Clutier, Marengo, Ladora, and Blairstown.

Victor Rolle Bolle Mural

The Victor Rolle Bolle Mural overlooks Victor's outdoor courts. From 2014 to 2016, about a dozen HLV students used black and white paints to replicate four photos, which they combined into a single image. The completed mural was unveiled during Victor Fun Day, June 25, 2016, just before the start of the tournament. From left to right, the people depicted in the mural are: Bill Stevens, Camiel Holevoet, Cyril Wauters, Julius DeBrower (bolling), Daisken Cornelius, Camiel DeGeeter, Camiel DeHooge, Alfonse Van Gampleare, Daisken Cornelius, John Claeys, Henry Ahrens, and Bob DeWitte.

References

External links

* Portal style website, government, library, events and more
City-Data
Comprehensive statistical data and more about Victor {{authority control Cities in Iowa Cities in Iowa County, Iowa Cities in Poweshiek County, Iowa 1860s establishments in Iowa