Janesville, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Janesville is a city in Black Hawk
and Bremer counties in the U.S. state
of Iowa
. The population was 829 at the 2000 census. Janesville's population increased to 930 at the 2010 United States Census, an increase of 12.2%. It is part of the Waterloo
–Cedar Falls
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
. According to the book, "The Janesvillians, Volumes I and II" by Maxine Leonard, John T. Barrick built the first mill and frame house in the area. He platted the town of Janesville, which he named in honor of his wife, Jane McPherson Barrick.
It has been established that a tunnel once existed under the business district of Janesville. The tunnel ran between basements and below buildings on both sides of Janesville's Main Street, crossing below the street in the center of town and continuing westward to the Cedar River. One branch of the tunnel continued northward, connecting to the site of Fort John, a shelter built to protect settlers during the Ho-Chunk
uprising in June, 1854. The tunnel terminated in the basement of the home of Abel Crail, who later served in Union Army
in the American Civil War
, and was the first Commander of Janesville Post No. 172, Grand Army of the Republic
. According to local legend, the Barricks and other townsfolk sympathetic to their cause aided in the escape of runaway slaves as part of the Underground Railroad
. Slaves were moved through Janesville from Grinnell, Iowa
and continued to Decorah, Iowa
and into Southeastern Minnesota
.
Janesville was a farming community of with a population of 311 in 1900, according to the Iowa Data Center http://www.iowadatacenter.org. The town's population increased to just 445 by 1950. Due to its proximity to Waterloo-Cedar Falls, the population of Janesville increased to 840 by 1980, when the town was referred to as a "bedroom community
". During the farm crisis and economic recession that hit Northeast Iowa in the 1980s, Janesville's population declined slightly. Since the mid-1990s, with the completion of the four lane bypass U.S. Highway 218 / Iowa Highway 27, known as the "Avenue of the Saints
", http://www.avenueofthesaints.com Janesville's population is again increasing. New residential subdivisions continue to develop within the city of Janesville and the surrounding area. http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/04/11/news/regional/e5b9ba5169661a14862572ba004e8eb6.txt
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.68%) is water.
of 2000, there were 829 people, 349 households, and 246 families residing in the city. The population density
was 572.5 people per square mile (220.7/km²). There were 359 housing units at an average density of 247.9 per square mile (95.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.16% White, 0.36% Asian, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population.
There were 349 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% 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 2.83.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,060, and the median income for a family was $47,143. Males had a median income of $31,488 versus $21,481 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,878. About 2.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
The Janesville Public Library was created in 1962 with the inspiration of Clark Corwin with help from Hattie Zo Shoesmith and Margaret Theis. The library started as an all volunteer and all donated materials library in a room located in the city hall. Arlene Warm volunteered her services as a librarian. In the late 1960s the city council authorized a 200 dollar a year grant for the library. In 1973 the library received a $10,000 grant from the Kinney Lindstrom Foundation that had to be matched by the local public. These funds allowed the library to expand into a new area. the library has approximately 10,000 books, 55 magazine and newspaper subscriptions, 1,200 videos, 85 audio tapes, 6 computers for patron access, and offers audio book downloads. The library has an average of 1,000 patrons each month.
Riviera Ballroom
Author Deb (Mather) Renner wrote a book, released December 15, 2010 and published by The Printery in Waverly
, about the Riviera Ballroom that was torn down and replaced with the Riviera Roose center. Madge and Heine Kurtz opened the ballroom in 1951 and it closed in the late 1980s. Renner was a graduate of Janesville high school in 1982.
es. http://www.wcfcourier.com/special/JanesvilleSchool.pdf
Students at Janesville High School can choose to take advanced courses at nearby Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Waverly, the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, and Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo. Wartburg College is located in nearby Waverly.
Black Hawk County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 131,090 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,887 housing units, of which 52,470 were occupied.-2000 census:...
and Bremer 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 829 at the 2000 census. Janesville's population increased to 930 at the 2010 United States Census, an increase of 12.2%. It is part of the Waterloo
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
–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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area
The Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in Iowa, anchored by the cities of Waterloo and Cedar Falls...
.
History
Janesville was founded in 1849 by John T. Barrick, a Quaker and abolitionist who had relocated to Iowa from OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. According to the book, "The Janesvillians, Volumes I and II" by Maxine Leonard, John T. Barrick built the first mill and frame house in the area. He platted the town of Janesville, which he named in honor of his wife, Jane McPherson Barrick.
It has been established that a tunnel once existed under the business district of Janesville. The tunnel ran between basements and below buildings on both sides of Janesville's Main Street, crossing below the street in the center of town and continuing westward to the Cedar River. One branch of the tunnel continued northward, connecting to the site of Fort John, a shelter built to protect settlers during the Ho-Chunk
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
uprising in June, 1854. The tunnel terminated in the basement of the home of Abel Crail, who later served in Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and was the first Commander of Janesville Post No. 172, Grand Army of the Republic
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, US Marines and US Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. Founded in 1866 in Decatur, Illinois, it was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died...
. According to local legend, the Barricks and other townsfolk sympathetic to their cause aided in the escape of runaway slaves as part of 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,...
. Slaves were moved through Janesville from Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
and continued to Decorah, Iowa
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
and into Southeastern Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
Janesville was a farming community of with a population of 311 in 1900, according to the Iowa Data Center http://www.iowadatacenter.org. The town's population increased to just 445 by 1950. Due to its proximity to Waterloo-Cedar Falls, the population of Janesville increased to 840 by 1980, when the town was referred to as a "bedroom community
Commuter town
A commuter town is an urban community that is primarily residential, from which most of the workforce commutes out to earn their livelihood. Many commuter towns act as suburbs of a nearby metropolis that workers travel to daily, and many suburbs are commuter towns...
". During the farm crisis and economic recession that hit Northeast Iowa in the 1980s, Janesville's population declined slightly. Since the mid-1990s, with the completion of the four lane bypass U.S. Highway 218 / Iowa Highway 27, known as the "Avenue of the Saints
Avenue of the Saints
The Avenue of the Saints is a highway in the Midwestern United States that connects St. Paul, Minnesota, and St. Louis, Missouri.-Missouri:Within Missouri, the Avenue of the Saints is Interstate 64, U.S...
", http://www.avenueofthesaints.com Janesville's population is again increasing. New residential subdivisions continue to develop within the city of Janesville and the surrounding area. http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/04/11/news/regional/e5b9ba5169661a14862572ba004e8eb6.txt
Geography
Janesville is located at 42°38′46"N 92°27′46"W (42.646008, -92.462663). The city is located on the county line between Bremer and Black Hawk Counties, and is bisected by the Cedar River.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 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), of which, 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (2.68%) 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 829 people, 349 households, and 246 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 572.5 people per square mile (220.7/km²). There were 359 housing units at an average density of 247.9 per square mile (95.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.16% White, 0.36% Asian, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.24% of the population.
There were 349 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% 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, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% 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 2.83.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $40,060, and the median income for a family was $47,143. Males had a median income of $31,488 versus $21,481 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 $18,878. About 2.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Janesville Public LibraryThe Janesville Public Library was created in 1962 with the inspiration of Clark Corwin with help from Hattie Zo Shoesmith and Margaret Theis. The library started as an all volunteer and all donated materials library in a room located in the city hall. Arlene Warm volunteered her services as a librarian. In the late 1960s the city council authorized a 200 dollar a year grant for the library. In 1973 the library received a $10,000 grant from the Kinney Lindstrom Foundation that had to be matched by the local public. These funds allowed the library to expand into a new area. the library has approximately 10,000 books, 55 magazine and newspaper subscriptions, 1,200 videos, 85 audio tapes, 6 computers for patron access, and offers audio book downloads. The library has an average of 1,000 patrons each month.
Riviera Ballroom
Author Deb (Mather) Renner wrote a book, released December 15, 2010 and published by The Printery in Waverly
Waverly, Iowa
Waverly is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,874 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bremer County and is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, about the Riviera Ballroom that was torn down and replaced with the Riviera Roose center. Madge and Heine Kurtz opened the ballroom in 1951 and it closed in the late 1980s. Renner was a graduate of Janesville high school in 1982.
Education
Janesville and the surrounding area, including the unincorporated town of Finchford, are served by the Janesville Consolidated School District. The public school district serves approximately 335 students, pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade. Extensive renovations and an addition to the Janesville schools were completed in early 2008, funded by operating surplusOperating surplus
Operating surplus is an accounting concept used in national accounts statistics Operating surplus is an accounting concept used in national accounts statistics Operating surplus is an accounting concept used in national accounts statistics (such as United Nations System of National Accounts (UNSNA)...
es. http://www.wcfcourier.com/special/JanesvilleSchool.pdf
Students at Janesville High School can choose to take advanced courses at nearby Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Waverly, the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, and Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo. Wartburg College is located in nearby Waverly.
Notable people
- Bill DixBill DixBill Dix is a Republican politician and farmer from Shell Rock, Iowa. He served 10 years as a representative in the Iowa legislature representing Iowa House District 17, before deciding in 2006 to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Iowa's 1st district to replace seven-term Congressman...
, Republican, former member of Iowa Legislature, Janesville High School Class of 1981 - Tolly Thompson, 1995 NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, University of Nebraska; Member of USA Freestyle Wrestling National Team, named 2005 Freestyle Wrestler of the Year; Janesville High School Class of 1993
- Albert J. LovelandAlbert J. LovelandAlbert J. Loveland , served as Under-Secretary of Agriculture, now known as United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, under President Harry S. Truman. Loveland was appointed to the post by Truman in 1948 and served until 1952. A member of the Democratic Party, Loveland ran unsuccessfully...
, Democrat, former U.S. Under-Secretary of Agriculture and candidate for U.S. Senate, 1950
External links
- City Data Comprehensive statistical data and more about Janesville