Oelwein, Iowa
Encyclopedia
As of the census
of 2000, there were 6,692 people, 2,808 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,395.8 people per square mile (539.4/km²). There were 3,040 housing units at an average density of 634.1 per square mile (245.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.19% White, 0.42% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races
, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.29% of the population.
There were 2,808 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,347, and the median income for a family was $32,279. Males had a median income of $28,075 versus $19,479 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,502. About 11.7% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
Walter P. Chrysler Park
Size: 2 acres (8,093.7 m²). Located at North Frederick and 2nd Street, originally two small parks referred to as "Twin Parks" or "Gazebo Park". Dedicated to Walter P. Chrysler, who once resided in Oelwein, the part to the east offers a gazebo with picnic facilities, water fountain, flower gardens, and a planting of Thunderchild Flowering Crabapple Trees, received through an Arbor Day Challenge Grant and Oelwein Trees Forever. The second part holds the Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorials, donated by the McNamara family in 1998.
Orville Christophel Park
Size: 1 acres (4,046.9 m²). Located at 1st Avenue and 1st Street SW, this park is known as Orville Christophel Memorial or Log Cabin Park. Most people believe it was Gustav Oelwein
who built the cabin in the Orville Christophel Park, but he was not involved with the cabin. J.B Burch built the cabin in 1852 which still stands at the park today. The park offers a historical monument from days of yore, picnic tables, benches, and parking for downtown shopping.
City Park
Size: 69 acres (279,233.3 m²). Located on South Frederick this park is frontage property to a 55 acres (222,577.3 m²) artificial lake named Lake Oelwein. Modern playground equipment was installed with the help of the Kids Playground Fund.
The park offers picnic shelters with tables, open play area, tennis court, sand volleyball, horseshoe courts, restroom facilities, modern and primitive camping, and a dump station. The lake offers "no wake" boating.
The campground overlooks Lake Oelwein and provides public boating access. Facilities include 30 modern RV sites, primitive campsites, private shower facilities, and dump station. For more information, call City Hall at 283-5440.
Levin Park
Size: 2 acres (8,093.7 m²). Located at 4th Avenue and 4½ Street SW, this park offers picnic tables, an open play field, and is bordered by a natural wooded environment. A bike/skateboard/walking trail accesses it on the west.
Platt's Park
Size: 16 acres (64,749.8 m²). Located at 7th Street and 7th Avenue SE, this park offers 1.25 miles (2 km) of foot paths, picnic shelters and tables, playground equipment, horseshoe court, restrooms, and a large playfield. This park is the home of a Gazebo and "Trail of Dreams" created by Oelwein Care Center. New playground equipment was installed with the help of the Kids Playground Fund.
Redgate Park
Size: 24 acres (97,124.6 m²). Located on West Charles Street, this park offers a large wooded area, as well as picnic facilities, playground equipment, tennis court, horseshoe courts, restrooms and Bocce Ball courts. This park has new playground equipment installed by the Kids Playground Fund.
Reidy Park
Size: 3 acres (12,140.6 m²). Located at 2nd Street and Hillside Drive SE, this park offers a basketball court, playground equipment, picnic facilities, new and improved tennis courts, and new playground equipment installed by the Kids Playground Fund.
Wings Park
Size: 24 acres (97,124.6 m²). Located at 4th Street and 5th Avenue NE, Wings Park is the home of the Oelwein Family Aquatics Center. The park offers picnic shelters and tables, tennis courts, 3 softball fields, basketball court, horseshoe courts, restrooms, and playground equipment installed with the help of the Kids Playground Fund.
Great Western Park
Newest park in town, on northwest side, is a wildlife preserve.
, and Stanley
attend school there. The schools are listed as follows:
In addition, Oelwein is also home to the Regional Academy for Math and Science (RAMS). RAMS is an educational facility that strengthens area high schools and serves college and adult learners through courses offered by Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC)
. RAMS provides a challenging curriculum for high school and college students and serves as a summer regional center for gifted and talented programs. RAMS also partners with the regent universities to offer summer coursework for teachers.
Size: 32 acres (129,499.5 m²). Located on 20th Street SE, this park offers two soccer fields, two softball/baseball fields, and the home baseball field of the Oelwein Huskies. The complex is restricted in use, for league play only at this time. Modern restrooms, concessions stand, and drinking fountains are available.
Oelwein Family Aquatics Center
Located at 411 4th Street NE, this facility offers a zero-depth entry pool, 150 feet (45.7 m) water slide, 6 racing lanes, 1 and 3 meter diving boards, sunning deck & grass areas, modern changing facilities, playground facility, concessions facility, and a 9-hole miniature golf course.
Williams Wellness Center
The Wellness Center is open 7 days a week. It features a variety of fitness and dance classes, circuit weight and cardiovascular equipment, a gymnasium and indoor track. Offerings also include Personal Training and Massage Therapy.
Historic
Census
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 6,692 people, 2,808 households, and 1,819 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 1,395.8 people per square mile (539.4/km²). There were 3,040 housing units at an average density of 634.1 per square mile (245.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.19% White, 0.42% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.64% 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 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.29% of the population.
There were 2,808 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,347, and the median income for a family was $32,279. Males had a median income of $28,075 versus $19,479 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 $17,502. About 11.7% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
Arts and culture
Williams Center for the Performing Arts is a modern auditorium with seating for 800. Performers include frequent visits from regional and national performers as well as local talent.Parks and recreation
Recreational opportunities include public parks, campgrounds, children's playgrounds, and picnic areas. Canoeing, boating and swimming are available at City Park. A paved hiking/biking trail is being extended to connect all parks in town. Tennis courts, a skateboard rink, and softball diamonds are at Wings Park. Two beautifully located 9-hole golf courses are available. A new ball field includes lighted fields for school games and will soon include soccer fields. In the winter, enjoy cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing.Walter P. Chrysler Park
Size: 2 acres (8,093.7 m²). Located at North Frederick and 2nd Street, originally two small parks referred to as "Twin Parks" or "Gazebo Park". Dedicated to Walter P. Chrysler, who once resided in Oelwein, the part to the east offers a gazebo with picnic facilities, water fountain, flower gardens, and a planting of Thunderchild Flowering Crabapple Trees, received through an Arbor Day Challenge Grant and Oelwein Trees Forever. The second part holds the Korean and Vietnam Veterans Memorials, donated by the McNamara family in 1998.
Orville Christophel Park
Size: 1 acres (4,046.9 m²). Located at 1st Avenue and 1st Street SW, this park is known as Orville Christophel Memorial or Log Cabin Park. Most people believe it was Gustav Oelwein
Gustav Oelwein
Gustav A. Oelwein was the founder of the city of Oelwein, Iowa in the United States.Gustav A. Oelwein, after whose family the city of Oelwein was named, was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and the only surviving child of Frederick and Cecelia Oelwein, who were natives of Saxony, Germany, and...
who built the cabin in the Orville Christophel Park, but he was not involved with the cabin. J.B Burch built the cabin in 1852 which still stands at the park today. The park offers a historical monument from days of yore, picnic tables, benches, and parking for downtown shopping.
City Park
Size: 69 acres (279,233.3 m²). Located on South Frederick this park is frontage property to a 55 acres (222,577.3 m²) artificial lake named Lake Oelwein. Modern playground equipment was installed with the help of the Kids Playground Fund.
The park offers picnic shelters with tables, open play area, tennis court, sand volleyball, horseshoe courts, restroom facilities, modern and primitive camping, and a dump station. The lake offers "no wake" boating.
The campground overlooks Lake Oelwein and provides public boating access. Facilities include 30 modern RV sites, primitive campsites, private shower facilities, and dump station. For more information, call City Hall at 283-5440.
Levin Park
Size: 2 acres (8,093.7 m²). Located at 4th Avenue and 4½ Street SW, this park offers picnic tables, an open play field, and is bordered by a natural wooded environment. A bike/skateboard/walking trail accesses it on the west.
Platt's Park
Size: 16 acres (64,749.8 m²). Located at 7th Street and 7th Avenue SE, this park offers 1.25 miles (2 km) of foot paths, picnic shelters and tables, playground equipment, horseshoe court, restrooms, and a large playfield. This park is the home of a Gazebo and "Trail of Dreams" created by Oelwein Care Center. New playground equipment was installed with the help of the Kids Playground Fund.
Redgate Park
Size: 24 acres (97,124.6 m²). Located on West Charles Street, this park offers a large wooded area, as well as picnic facilities, playground equipment, tennis court, horseshoe courts, restrooms and Bocce Ball courts. This park has new playground equipment installed by the Kids Playground Fund.
Reidy Park
Size: 3 acres (12,140.6 m²). Located at 2nd Street and Hillside Drive SE, this park offers a basketball court, playground equipment, picnic facilities, new and improved tennis courts, and new playground equipment installed by the Kids Playground Fund.
Wings Park
Size: 24 acres (97,124.6 m²). Located at 4th Street and 5th Avenue NE, Wings Park is the home of the Oelwein Family Aquatics Center. The park offers picnic shelters and tables, tennis courts, 3 softball fields, basketball court, horseshoe courts, restrooms, and playground equipment installed with the help of the Kids Playground Fund.
Great Western Park
Newest park in town, on northwest side, is a wildlife preserve.
Education
There are eight different schools located in Oelwein. Children from Oelwein, HazletonHazleton, Iowa
Hazleton is a city in Buchanan County, Iowa, United States. The population was 950 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hazleton is located at ....
, and Stanley
Stanley, Iowa
Stanley is a city in Buchanan and Fayette Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 128 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stanley is located at ....
attend school there. The schools are listed as follows:
- Little Husky Learning Center - Kindergarten, Preschool, and Head Start
- Parkside Elementary - 1st Grade
- Harlan Elementary - Closed
- Wings Park Elementary - 2nd-5th Grade
- Sacred Heart - Kindergarten-6th Grade
- Oelwein Middle School - 6th-8th Grade
- Oelwein High School - 9th-12th Grade
- Oelwein Alternative School - 10th-12th Grade
In addition, Oelwein is also home to the Regional Academy for Math and Science (RAMS). RAMS is an educational facility that strengthens area high schools and serves college and adult learners through courses offered by Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC)
Northeast Iowa Community College
Northeast Iowa Community College serves the Iowa counties of Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, Winneshiek, Dubuque, and Delaware counties. It also includes sections of Bremer, Buchanan, Jones, Jackson, and Mitchell counties. The college is commonly referred to as NICC. There are two...
. RAMS provides a challenging curriculum for high school and college students and serves as a summer regional center for gifted and talented programs. RAMS also partners with the regent universities to offer summer coursework for teachers.
Notable people
- Walter ChryslerWalter ChryslerWalter Percy Chrysler was an American machinist, railroad mechanic and manager, automotive industry executive, Freemason, and founder of the Chrysler Corporation.- Railroad career :...
(1875–1940) founder of the Chrysler CorporationChryslerChrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925.... - Gustav OelweinGustav OelweinGustav A. Oelwein was the founder of the city of Oelwein, Iowa in the United States.Gustav A. Oelwein, after whose family the city of Oelwein was named, was a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and the only surviving child of Frederick and Cecelia Oelwein, who were natives of Saxony, Germany, and...
- Kermit TylerKermit TylerKermit A. Tyler was an American Air Force officer. Tyler was assigned as a pilot in the 78th Pursuit Squadron at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.-Biography:...
Other points of interest
Oelwein Sports ComplexSize: 32 acres (129,499.5 m²). Located on 20th Street SE, this park offers two soccer fields, two softball/baseball fields, and the home baseball field of the Oelwein Huskies. The complex is restricted in use, for league play only at this time. Modern restrooms, concessions stand, and drinking fountains are available.
Oelwein Family Aquatics Center
Located at 411 4th Street NE, this facility offers a zero-depth entry pool, 150 feet (45.7 m) water slide, 6 racing lanes, 1 and 3 meter diving boards, sunning deck & grass areas, modern changing facilities, playground facility, concessions facility, and a 9-hole miniature golf course.
Williams Wellness Center
The Wellness Center is open 7 days a week. It features a variety of fitness and dance classes, circuit weight and cardiovascular equipment, a gymnasium and indoor track. Offerings also include Personal Training and Massage Therapy.
External links
- Official City Website
- Oelwein Public Library
- Oelwein Police Department
- Oelwein Community School District
- Regional Academy for Math and Science
- Oelwein Chamber and Area Development
Historic