Nevada, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Nevada is a city in and the county seat
of Story County
, Iowa
, United States
. The population was 6,798 in the 2010 census, an increase from 6,658 in the 2000 census. It is also part of the 'Ames, Iowa
Metropolitan Statistical Area', which is a part of the larger 'Ames-Boone, Iowa
Combined Statistical Area
'. Eight miles west of Nevada are Ames (and Iowa State University) which are much larger in population. Nontheless, Nevada is the county seat with all Story County offices located here. The city's name is pronounced differently from the state of the same name.
by appointment of the Iowa Legislature to find the county seat
of Story County
. Its name, "Nevada," was proposed by Joseph Thrift after the Sierra Nevada mountains. The city was named a decade before the state
received a similar name.
The city was originally surveyed at 49 blocks
in a square. This plat
of 7 by 7 blocks had six east-west streets and six north-south streets. The east-west streets were named:
And the north-south streets were named:
The original block numbers were:
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km2), of which, 4.2 square miles (10.8 km2) of it is land and 0.24% is water.
of 2000, there were 6,658 people, 2,716 households, and 1,787 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,594.7 people per square mile (615.0/km2). There were 2,882 housing units at an average density of 690.3 per square mile (266.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.97% White, 0.59% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.54% from other races
, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 2,716 households out of which 33.07% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% 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 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,527, and the median income for a family was $48,700. Males had a median income of $32,635 versus $24,680 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,392. About 3.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
The Nevada Journal publishes a weekly newspaper which comes out on Thursday, and the "Story Today" released on Wednesday. The Nevada Journal provides in-depth coverage of local and regional issues as well as sports and is the official newspaper for the City of Nevada.
National news coverage is provided on a daily basis by the Des Moines Register
and the Ames Tribune
.
Radio and Television
While Nevada had no broadcast stations of its own, it is well served from the Ames-Des Moines television and radio markets.
which was known as the Lincoln Highway
and Lincoln Way in town. It bisects Nevada north and south through the business district. A new US Highway 30 bypass was built in the 1970s to the south of the city and Lincoln Way through town was reduced to county road status. Iowa Highway 133 now connects the business district to the new US Highway 30 to the south. Nevada is also served well by a network of paved farm to market county roads.
Nevada was served by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The Union Pacific Railroad
now owns the line which crosses the city east to west north of the business district. Up until the mid 1980's, all railroad crossings except for a new one in the northwest section of town were protected by WRRS center harp style wigwag
signals. Shortly thereafter, these signals were replaced with standard flashers and gates due to safety concerns and lack of available wigwag parts.
Nevada was also served by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
's "Spine Line" between Minneapolis, MN and Kansas City
, MO. This north-south line jogged east-west through southern Nevada. It then veered north again and crossed under the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad mainline east of Nevada. An agency station was maintained until 1980 when the Rock Island went bankrupt and ceased to function.
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad purchased the Rock Island "Spine Line" which offered better and more direct connections for Minneapolis and Kansas City
. Since they did not directly interchange east of town, a new line was built from the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad east-west main line on the west side of Nevada to connect with the former Rock Island "Spine Line on the southwest side of Nevada. The junction on the Spine Line was referred to as "Chicago Junction" while the junction on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad east-west mainline was referred to as "Kansas City Junction". This new line necessitated the building of an overpass for the old Lincoln Highway on the west side of Nevada.
The Union Pacific Railroad
purchased the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad in 1995. Rail traffic on both the east-west mainline and the "Spine Line" along with interchange traffic has increased considerably in the years since the purchase.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Story County
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 6,798 in the 2010 census, an increase from 6,658 in the 2000 census. It is also part of the 'Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
Metropolitan Statistical Area', which is a part of the larger 'Ames-Boone, Iowa
Boone, Iowa
Boone is a city in and the county seat of Des Moines Township, Boone County, Iowa, United States. It is the principal city of the 'Boone, Iowa Micropolitan Statistical Area', which encompasses all of Boone County. This micropolitan statistical area, along with the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan...
Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
'. Eight miles west of Nevada are Ames (and Iowa State University) which are much larger in population. Nontheless, Nevada is the county seat with all Story County offices located here. The city's name is pronounced differently from the state of the same name.
History
The city was founded October 12, 1853 by Johnson Edgar of Jasper CountyJasper County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 36,842 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,181 housing units, of which 14,806 were occupied.-2000 census:...
by appointment of the Iowa Legislature to find the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Story County
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...
. Its name, "Nevada," was proposed by Joseph Thrift after the Sierra Nevada mountains. The city was named a decade before the state
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
received a similar name.
The city was originally surveyed at 49 blocks
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
in a square. This plat
Plat
A plat in the U.S. is a map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. Other English-speaking countries generally call such documents a cadastral map or plan....
of 7 by 7 blocks had six east-west streets and six north-south streets. The east-west streets were named:
- Sixth Street (northern-most street)
- Fifth Street
- Fourth Street
- Third Street
- Second Street
- First Street (southern-most street)
And the north-south streets were named:
- Sycamore Street (western-most street)
- Walnut Street
- Chestnut Street
- Main Street
- Lynn Street
- Oak Street (eastern-most street)
The original block numbers were:
| 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 35 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 29 |
| 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 |
| 49 | 48 | 47 | 46 | 45 | 44 | 44 |
Geography
Nevada's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 42.019152, -93.451775.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km2), of which, 4.2 square miles (10.8 km2) of it is land and 0.24% is water.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 6,798 in the city, with a population density of . There were 2,990 housing units, of which 2,761 were occupied.2000 census
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,658 people, 2,716 households, and 1,787 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,594.7 people per square mile (615.0/km2). There were 2,882 housing units at an average density of 690.3 per square mile (266.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.97% White, 0.59% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.54% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.02% of the population.
There were 2,716 households out of which 33.07% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% 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 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,527, and the median income for a family was $48,700. Males had a median income of $32,635 versus $24,680 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,392. About 3.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Media
NewsprintThe Nevada Journal publishes a weekly newspaper which comes out on Thursday, and the "Story Today" released on Wednesday. The Nevada Journal provides in-depth coverage of local and regional issues as well as sports and is the official newspaper for the City of Nevada.
National news coverage is provided on a daily basis by the Des Moines Register
Des Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
and the Ames Tribune
Ames Tribune
The Tribune is a newspaper published Tuesday through Sunday based in Ames, Iowa. The newspaper is owned by Las Vegas-based company Stephens Media. Its publisher, Geoff Schumacher, replaced Tom Stallbaumer, who replaced John Goossen, who left in November 2010 when Stephens purchased the Tribune from...
.
Radio and Television
While Nevada had no broadcast stations of its own, it is well served from the Ames-Des Moines television and radio markets.
Transportation
Nevada is served by US Highway 30U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
which was known as the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
and Lincoln Way in town. It bisects Nevada north and south through the business district. A new US Highway 30 bypass was built in the 1970s to the south of the city and Lincoln Way through town was reduced to county road status. Iowa Highway 133 now connects the business district to the new US Highway 30 to the south. Nevada is also served well by a network of paved farm to market county roads.
Nevada was served by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
now owns the line which crosses the city east to west north of the business district. Up until the mid 1980's, all railroad crossings except for a new one in the northwest section of town were protected by WRRS center harp style wigwag
Wigwag (railroad)
Wigwag is the nickname given to a type of railroad grade crossing signal once common in North America, named for the pendulum-like motion it used to signal the approach of a train...
signals. Shortly thereafter, these signals were replaced with standard flashers and gates due to safety concerns and lack of available wigwag parts.
Nevada was also served by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
's "Spine Line" between Minneapolis, MN and Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, MO. This north-south line jogged east-west through southern Nevada. It then veered north again and crossed under the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad mainline east of Nevada. An agency station was maintained until 1980 when the Rock Island went bankrupt and ceased to function.
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad purchased the Rock Island "Spine Line" which offered better and more direct connections for Minneapolis and Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. Since they did not directly interchange east of town, a new line was built from the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad east-west main line on the west side of Nevada to connect with the former Rock Island "Spine Line on the southwest side of Nevada. The junction on the Spine Line was referred to as "Chicago Junction" while the junction on the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad east-west mainline was referred to as "Kansas City Junction". This new line necessitated the building of an overpass for the old Lincoln Highway on the west side of Nevada.
The Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
purchased the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad in 1995. Rail traffic on both the east-west mainline and the "Spine Line" along with interchange traffic has increased considerably in the years since the purchase.
Notable people
- Billy SundayBilly SundayWilliam Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielderOutfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder... - Neva PattersonNeva PattersonNeva Louise Patterson was an American character actress.Born on a farm near Nevada in Story County in central Iowa, she and her parents moved to New York City in 1938. She made her Broadway debut in 1947's The Druid Circle. In 1952, she played "Helen Sherman" in The Seven Year Itch...
, actress - Daniel Selby, modelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and singer - Paul RhoadsPaul RhoadsPaul Rhoads is an American college football head coach at Iowa State University. Rhoads was formerly the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach of the Auburn University football team before then-head coach Tommy Tuberville was forced to resign at the 2008 season's end...
(1967– ) college footballCollege footballCollege football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach, currently (2010) head coach at Iowa State UniversityIowa State UniversityIowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
Further reading
- Nevada Community Historical Society, Inc. (2003). Voices from the Past: The Story of Nevada, Iowa, Its Community and Families. Unknown press (Nevada Community Historical Society, Inc., PO Box 213, Nevada, Iowa 50201-0213; 515-382-6684)
External links
- City of Nevada website
- City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Nevada