Ackley, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Ackley is a city in Franklin
and Hardin
Counties in the U.S. state
of Iowa
. The population was 1,809 at the 2000 census
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.4 km²), of which, 2.5 square miles (6.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.21%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,809 people, 734 households, and 482 families residing in the city. The population density
was 737.8 people per square mile (285.1/km²). There were 817 housing units at an average density of 333.2 per square mile (128.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.75% White, 0.17% African American, 0.28% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.48% from other races
, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.24% of the population.
There were 734 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples
living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 26.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.
The median income
for a household in the city was $36,250, and the median income for a family was $44,200. Males had a median income of $30,428 versus $21,607 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,406. About 5.8% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
area. In the fall of 1852, L.H. Artedge, a frontiers-man from Indiana staked a claim just north of the Hardin County line and built a cabin close to where Highway 57 now passes. Another settler, Thomas Downs, became the first permanent resident
of Ackley. Later his widow sold a strip of land from Butler Street to the four county corner for $3.00 an acre to Minor Gallop. Gallop built a house, just east of Highway 57 which became an inn, a stopover for stagecoaches, and the first post office.
Many caravans arrived in anticipation of settling in this area. Roby Parriott and wife, Abigail, settled in Washington Township, Butler County
. Parriott immediately began to acquire more land and purchased what is now the business section of Ackley.
Mills were built on the Iowa River
south of the community and in 1856 a stage line
was built from Cedar Falls
to Fort Dodge. The Dubuque and Pacific Railroad Company received a charter from the State of Iowa in the 1850s to build a railroad. Surveying teams were sent out. One of the members was J. William Ackley. He decided Etna Township was a good place for a railroad station
. The land was owned by Parriott and his wife, who had purchased it for speculation.
William Ackley purchased the land for the railroad and discussed founding a town. Ackley and three other land developers purchased the land which is now the town for $25.00 an acre. They then sold sites for developing the town. In 1857 the town of Ackley was staked out. The plan was signed December 12, 1857. Even though Ackley never lived here, he gave the town his name.
In 1865 the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad bought nearly all the timber at Island Grove and corded it up where the Illinois Central depot stands. By October, when the railroad reached Ackley, there were 10 business establishments and several homes. The completion of the railroad brought on a rush of settlers and businessmen and the town boomed. Elevators for grain storage and shipment were built, lumber yards provided materials for buildings, grocery store
s, hardware and farming equipment was sold, restaurants and saloons sprang up and many doctors and lawyers came to the town.
The Fontaine post office
was moved to Ackley and its name was changed. The town of Ackley was incorporated and William A. Francis became the first mayor. The Ackley Civic Center
now stands at the site of a store once owned by Francis.
As Ackley expanded more buildings were being constructed in the business area. A brick, six-room school was built at State and Second Street for $14,000. Catholics, Methodists and Presbyterians built frame churches. The population soared to 500.
By 1870 the town had a brick schoolhouse, five churches, a mayor and council, a newspaper, and many stores. In the next thirty years the town replaced the frame buildings on Main Street with brick structures, built a waterworks, established a light plant, and built hotels. The population at that time was approximately 2,000.
In the 1870s Ackley acquired businesses such as a hardware store
, furniture store, harness shop, boots and shoe store, general merchandise
, jewelry and a brewery. The Ackley Independent Newspaper as well as lawyers, a doctor and fraternal organizations
became part of the town.
The Hook and Ladder fire department was organized in the 1880s. The Goettels and the C.H. Doepke buildings appeared on the landscape in the 1880s. A four-year high school opened with an enrollment of 40 students. The Iowa state constitution was amended in 1882, making the production and sale of alcoholic beverage
s illegal within the state (i.e. Iowa became a “dry state
.”) The Supreme Court
declared the amendment unconstitutional in 1883, but the Iowa legislature then passed another very strict prohibition law. Due to this, the Ackley brewery closed.
The streets were lit with oil lamp
s by the late 19th century. Seven students graduated from the high school in the 1890s. Plans for the Ackley Hotel were developed in the last decade of the 19th century. The project was financed by selling shares for $25 to $1000 a share. The hotel was built on the corner of State and Railroad Street (Park). During the 1890s, water mains
and sewer drains were laid. Electric lights and telephone service also appeared in Ackley.
The first rural mail route was established in 1900. The first Sauerkraut Days
celebration was held September 17, 1903. A high school building was erected on the northeast corner of the playground. The wooden water tower
was replaced with a steel tower at Main and Cerro Gordo Streets.
There was much excitement over the coming of the automobile. A local mechanic constructed a horseless carriage
in 1905 which ran to Spencer
and back but was not further promoted. Ackley did pave its main streets by 1915 and many auto dealers started business.
Marshall Canning Plant and husking shed was built in 1918 and canning began in 1919. The "Glacier Trail" (the road now designated as "County S-56") was marked through Ackley in 1922. More streets were paved.
In 1927 a new school was built to house 12 grades. Ackley participated in athletic sports, music and academic activities with surrounding schools. A food processing company was established.
The 1930s brought the Great Depression
and 3 banks in Ackley closed. The Municipal Building was erected in 1939. The mayor and town council
, fire department,, police station
, library and a large meeting room were housed in the building.
School bus
es started running in 1946. City mail delivery was inaugurated in 1947. In 1948, the Ackley Golf Club
was designed and the club house was built. In 1954, twenty-two rural school districts joined with Ackley to form the Ackley Community School. Ackley celebrated its Centennial in 1957.
Franklin County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,680 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,894 housing units, of which 4,332 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Hardin
Hardin County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 17,534 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,224 housing units, of which 7,296 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 1,809 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
Geography
Ackley is located at 42°33′9"N 93°3′14"W (42.552498, -93.053772).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 2.5 square miles (6.4 km²), of which, 2.5 square miles (6.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (1.21%) is water.
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 1,809 people, 734 households, and 482 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 737.8 people per square mile (285.1/km²). There were 817 housing units at an average density of 333.2 per square mile (128.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.75% White, 0.17% African American, 0.28% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.48% 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 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.24% of the population.
There were 734 households out of which 29.0% 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, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 26.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.
The median income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
for a household in the city was $36,250, and the median income for a family was $44,200. Males had a median income of $30,428 versus $21,607 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 $17,406. About 5.8% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.
History
In 1852 immigrants began purchasing farms and settling in the north Hardin CountyHardin County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 17,534 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,224 housing units, of which 7,296 were occupied.-2000 census:...
area. In the fall of 1852, L.H. Artedge, a frontiers-man from Indiana staked a claim just north of the Hardin County line and built a cabin close to where Highway 57 now passes. Another settler, Thomas Downs, became the first permanent resident
Permanent residency
Permanent residency refers to a person's visa status: the person is allowed to reside indefinitely within a country of which he or she is not a citizen. A person with such status is known as a permanent resident....
of Ackley. Later his widow sold a strip of land from Butler Street to the four county corner for $3.00 an acre to Minor Gallop. Gallop built a house, just east of Highway 57 which became an inn, a stopover for stagecoaches, and the first post office.
Many caravans arrived in anticipation of settling in this area. Roby Parriott and wife, Abigail, settled in Washington Township, Butler County
Washington Township, Butler County, Iowa
Washington Township is one of sixteen townships in Butler County, Iowa, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 377.-Geography:Washington Township covers an area of and contains no incorporated settlements. According to the USGS, it contains two cemeteries: Memorial Park and Washington...
. Parriott immediately began to acquire more land and purchased what is now the business section of Ackley.
Mills were built on the Iowa River
Iowa River
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States. It is about long and is open to small river craft to Iowa City, about from its mouth...
south of the community and in 1856 a stage line
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
was built from Cedar Falls
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
to Fort Dodge. The Dubuque and Pacific Railroad Company received a charter from the State of Iowa in the 1850s to build a railroad. Surveying teams were sent out. One of the members was J. William Ackley. He decided Etna Township was a good place for a railroad station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
. The land was owned by Parriott and his wife, who had purchased it for speculation.
William Ackley purchased the land for the railroad and discussed founding a town. Ackley and three other land developers purchased the land which is now the town for $25.00 an acre. They then sold sites for developing the town. In 1857 the town of Ackley was staked out. The plan was signed December 12, 1857. Even though Ackley never lived here, he gave the town his name.
In 1865 the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad bought nearly all the timber at Island Grove and corded it up where the Illinois Central depot stands. By October, when the railroad reached Ackley, there were 10 business establishments and several homes. The completion of the railroad brought on a rush of settlers and businessmen and the town boomed. Elevators for grain storage and shipment were built, lumber yards provided materials for buildings, grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
s, hardware and farming equipment was sold, restaurants and saloons sprang up and many doctors and lawyers came to the town.
The Fontaine post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was moved to Ackley and its name was changed. The town of Ackley was incorporated and William A. Francis became the first mayor. The Ackley Civic Center
Civic center
A civic center or civic centre is a prominent land area within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. It usually contains one or more dominant public buildings, which may also include a government building...
now stands at the site of a store once owned by Francis.
As Ackley expanded more buildings were being constructed in the business area. A brick, six-room school was built at State and Second Street for $14,000. Catholics, Methodists and Presbyterians built frame churches. The population soared to 500.
By 1870 the town had a brick schoolhouse, five churches, a mayor and council, a newspaper, and many stores. In the next thirty years the town replaced the frame buildings on Main Street with brick structures, built a waterworks, established a light plant, and built hotels. The population at that time was approximately 2,000.
In the 1870s Ackley acquired businesses such as a hardware store
Hardware store
Hardware stores, sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware including: fasteners, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for...
, furniture store, harness shop, boots and shoe store, general merchandise
Product (business)
In general, the product is defined as a "thing produced by labor or effort" or the "result of an act or a process", and stems from the verb produce, from the Latin prōdūce ' lead or bring forth'. Since 1575, the word "product" has referred to anything produced...
, jewelry and a brewery. The Ackley Independent Newspaper as well as lawyers, a doctor and fraternal organizations
Fraternal and service organizations
A "fraternal organization" or "fraternity" is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. Please list college fraternities and sororities at List of social fraternities and sororities.-International:...
became part of the town.
The Hook and Ladder fire department was organized in the 1880s. The Goettels and the C.H. Doepke buildings appeared on the landscape in the 1880s. A four-year high school opened with an enrollment of 40 students. The Iowa state constitution was amended in 1882, making the production and sale of alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s illegal within the state (i.e. Iowa became a “dry state
Dry state
A dry state is a U.S. state in which alcohol manufacture or sale is prohibited or tightly restricted. In modern times, no state is completely 'dry'. However, during the temperance movement, many states 'went dry', culminating in nationwide prohibition. Some states, such as North Dakota, entered the...
.”) The Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
declared the amendment unconstitutional in 1883, but the Iowa legislature then passed another very strict prohibition law. Due to this, the Ackley brewery closed.
The streets were lit with oil lamp
Oil lamp
An oil lamp is an object used to produce light continuously for a period of time using an oil-based fuel source. The use of oil lamps began thousands of years ago and is continued to this day....
s by the late 19th century. Seven students graduated from the high school in the 1890s. Plans for the Ackley Hotel were developed in the last decade of the 19th century. The project was financed by selling shares for $25 to $1000 a share. The hotel was built on the corner of State and Railroad Street (Park). During the 1890s, water mains
Water supply network
A water supply system or water supply network is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components which provide water supply. A water supply system typically includes:# A drainage basin ;...
and sewer drains were laid. Electric lights and telephone service also appeared in Ackley.
The first rural mail route was established in 1900. The first Sauerkraut Days
Sauerkraut Days
Sauerkraut Days is an annual festival event held in Ackley, Iowa during the summer . The first one was held in 1902. The Ackley Chamber of Commerce organizes and operates the festival....
celebration was held September 17, 1903. A high school building was erected on the northeast corner of the playground. The wooden water tower
Water tower
A water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
was replaced with a steel tower at Main and Cerro Gordo Streets.
There was much excitement over the coming of the automobile. A local mechanic constructed a horseless carriage
Brass Era car
The automotive Brass Era is the first period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such things as lights and radiators. It extends from the first commercial automobiles marketed in the 1890s until about World War I...
in 1905 which ran to Spencer
Spencer, Iowa
Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa , and the county seat of Clay County . It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers. The population was 11,233 in the 2010 census, a decline from 11,317 in the 2000 census. Spencer is famous as the home of the Clay County Fair,...
and back but was not further promoted. Ackley did pave its main streets by 1915 and many auto dealers started business.
Marshall Canning Plant and husking shed was built in 1918 and canning began in 1919. The "Glacier Trail" (the road now designated as "County S-56") was marked through Ackley in 1922. More streets were paved.
In 1927 a new school was built to house 12 grades. Ackley participated in athletic sports, music and academic activities with surrounding schools. A food processing company was established.
The 1930s brought the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and 3 banks in Ackley closed. The Municipal Building was erected in 1939. The mayor and town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
, fire department,, police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, library and a large meeting room were housed in the building.
School bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
es started running in 1946. City mail delivery was inaugurated in 1947. In 1948, the Ackley Golf Club
Country club
A country club is a private club, often with a closed membership, that typically offers a variety of recreational sports facilities and is located in city outskirts or rural areas. Activities may include, for example, any of golf, tennis, swimming or polo...
was designed and the club house was built. In 1954, twenty-two rural school districts joined with Ackley to form the Ackley Community School. Ackley celebrated its Centennial in 1957.