Tabor, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Tabor is a city in Fremont
and Mills
counties in the U.S. state
of Iowa
. The population was 993 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
) and their families. They chose to settle in what is now Tabor in order to found a Christian college, which eventually became Tabor College
. The founders "were impressed with this high location and mutually selected the name "Tabor" after the Biblical name of Mount Tabor
, a mountain near Nazareth
, the town of Jesus
' childhood." In the 1850s the abolitionist John Brown
kept a store of weapons in Tabor, and met here with other supporters to plan his raids in Kansas and Virginia, including the Raid on Harpers Ferry. The town was the home of many abolitionists, including John Todd, a 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad
and co-founder of Tabor College. Tabor College was located in the city from 1853 to 1927 before it closed its doors for financial reasons. The college's buildings housed German P.O.W.s during World War II
. The only building remaining from the college has now now been subdivided into apartments.
of 2000, there were 993 people, 387 households, and 267 families residing in the city. The population density
was 777.4 people per square mile (299.5/km²). There were 416 housing units at an average density of 325.7 per square mile (125.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.60% White, 0.10% Asian, and 0.30% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 387 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples
living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.2% have someone living alone who is 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,750, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $31,042 versus $23,068 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,979. About 3.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
's novel of that title
, is a fictionalised version of Tabor.
Fremont County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 7,441 in the county, with a population density of . There were 3,431 housing units, of which 3,064 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Mills
Mills County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,059 in the county, with a population density of . There were 6,109 housing units, of which 5,605 were occupied.-2000 census:...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. The population was 993 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Tabor is located at 40°53′48"N 95°40′21"W (40.896605, -95.672368).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 1.3 square miles (3.3 km²).None of the area is covered with water.
History
In 1853 the city of Tabor was founded by several Christian clergymen, who were also active abolitionists, (George Gaston, Samuel A. Adams, and Rev. John ToddJohn Todd (abolitionist)
John Todd was a U.S. Congregationalist minister, co-founder of Tabor College in Tabor, Iowa, a leading abolitionist and a ‘conductor’ on the Underground Railroad....
) and their families. They chose to settle in what is now Tabor in order to found a Christian college, which eventually became Tabor College
Tabor College (Iowa)
Tabor College was a Christian college in Tabor, Iowa that operated from 1853 to 1927. It is now defunct.-History:The school's roots date to 1852 when Deacon Samuel A. Adams, George Gaston, and Rev. John Todd came to Iowa for the purpose of establishing a Christian college, and in 1853 they...
. The founders "were impressed with this high location and mutually selected the name "Tabor" after the Biblical name of Mount Tabor
Mount Tabor
-Places:*Mount Tabor, a hill in Israel near Nazareth believed by many to be the site of the Transfiguration of ChristIn the United States:*Mount Tabor, Indiana, an unincorporated community...
, a mountain near Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
, the town of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
' childhood." In the 1850s the abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
kept a store of weapons in Tabor, and met here with other supporters to plan his raids in Kansas and Virginia, including the Raid on Harpers Ferry. The town was the home of many abolitionists, including John Todd, a 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
and co-founder of Tabor College. Tabor College was located in the city from 1853 to 1927 before it closed its doors for financial reasons. The college's buildings housed German P.O.W.s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The only building remaining from the college has now now been subdivided into apartments.
Demographics
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 993 people, 387 households, and 267 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 777.4 people per square mile (299.5/km²). There were 416 housing units at an average density of 325.7 per square mile (125.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.60% White, 0.10% Asian, and 0.30% from two or more races. 0.81% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 387 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% 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, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.2% have someone living alone who is 65 or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,750, and the median income for a family was $50,000. Males had a median income of $31,042 versus $23,068 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 $16,979. About 3.7% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
National Historic Places and attractions
- Todd HouseTodd House (Tabor, Iowa)Todd House is a historic house museum that was the home to abolitionist and Congregationalist minister, John Todd. The house is located on Park Street in Tabor, Iowa....
(1853), home of abolitionist John Todd and Underground RailroadUnderground RailroadThe Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
station, now a museum - Hunter SchoolHunter SchoolHunter School is a historic school in Tabor, Iowa.The one-room Schoolhouse was built in 1901 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007....
(1901), one room school house - Tabor Antislavery Historic DistrictTabor Antislavery Historic DistrictTabor Antislavery Historic District is a historic district on Park, Center, Orange & Elm Streets in Tabor, Iowa.The area was largely settled in 1853 and many mid-19th century revival buildings survive. The district includes the Todd House and the Public Square . This area was the home to several...
(1853), series of abolitionist related buildings and places
Cultural references
The town of Gilead, in Marilynne RobinsonMarilynne Robinson
-Biography:Robinson was born and grew up in Sandpoint, Idaho, and did her undergraduate work at Pembroke College, the former women's college at Brown University, receiving her B.A., magna cum laude in 1966, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She received her Ph.D...
's novel of that title
Gilead (novel)
Gilead is a novel written by Marilynne Robinson and published in 2004. It won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award. The novel is the fictional autobiography of the Reverend John Ames, an elderly congregationalist pastor in the small, secluded town...
, is a fictionalised version of Tabor.