Riverside, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Riverside is a city in rural Washington County, Iowa
, United States
, along the English River
on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 928 at the 2000 census
. It is part of the Highland Community School District
.
Riverside proclaimed itself the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk, a fictional character from the television series Star Trek
, with the agreement of Gene Roddenberry
.
.
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway
built a 66-mile branch from Iowa City to What Cheer via Riverside in 1879. Riverside was just west of Iowa Junction, where the lines east to Muscatine
and north to Iowa City
diverged.
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land. Riverside is approximately 15 miles south of Iowa City along U.S. Route 218
and 30 miles west of Muscatine
on Iowa Highway 22. Riverside is on the north bank of the English River
.
of 2000, there were 928 people, 378 households, and 249 families residing in the city. The population density
was 921.6 people per square mile (354.8/km²). There were 396 housing units at an average density of 393.3 per square mile (151.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.00% White, 0.54% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.43% from other races
, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population.
There were 378 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples
living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,080, and the median income for a family was $52,344. Males had a median income of $30,526 versus $26,645 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,744. About 1.2% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Gene Roddenberry
, the creator of Star Trek
, asserts in his book The Making of Star Trek that the character of James Tiberius Kirk had been born in the state of Iowa
.
In March 1985, when the city was looking for a theme for its annual town festival, Steve Miller, a member of the Riverside City Council who had read Roddenberry's book, suggested to the council that Riverside should proclaim itself to be the future birthplace of Kirk. Miller's motion passed unanimously. The council later sent a letter to Roddenberry, along with a check for 52,000 dollars asking his permission to be designated as the official birthplace of Kirk, and Roddenberry agreed.
The proclamation declaring the city the "Official Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk", signed by Gene Roddenberry, is housed, along with a "Cigarstore Indian"-style carved wooden statue of James T. Kirk, at the Riverside Area Community Club (RACC), in a former beauty salon along Highway 22 in downtown Riverside. A large stone and plaque in the rear of the building purports to be the site of the future farmstead and birthplace of James T. Kirk, and the home of his family, in the c. 2230s. On the east end of downtown a former storefront now houses the The Voyage Home Heritage Center & Star Trek Museum, a unique collection of East Central Iowa regional history; it also houses a display of Star Trek and "Invasion Iowa" (see below) memorabilia, including Trek Fest Guests' autographed materials.
Nearby, Murphy's Bar and Grill in Riverside displays a special plaque of its own in the back section of the bar. The two sites are popular with tourists during the annual Trek Fest.
The city now hosts an annual Riverside Trek Fest that includes such events as a parade, carnival rides, and fireworks in the evening. The 2003 festival featured a "Spockapalooza" battle of the bands, as well as a lawn mower "trektor" pull. Other Trek Fests have featured minor celebrities as guests, including Grace Lee Whitney
(The Original Series' Yeoman Janice Rand
), and Charles Napier
(The Original Series' Adam of "The Space Hippies" of the episode "The Way to Eden"). In 2008, the Trek Fest sponsor "Riverside Area Community Club" invited actor Walter Koenig
, to be the Fest grand marshal. Koenig portrayed The Original Series' (TOS') navigator, Ensign Pavel Chekov
.
The 2009 25th anniversary edition of the Riverside Trek Fest featured special guests actors George Takei
(TOS' helmsman, Lt. Hikaru Sulu
), Nichelle Nichols
(TOS' Communications officer, Lt. Nyota Uhura
), and Walter Koenig
. Trek Fest's 2009 grand marshal was the aforementioned Steve Miller, returning to Riverside for the silver anniversary event.
Although not considered "canon", at least two Star Trek novels had material based in the real city of Riverside. "Best Destiny
", an immediate sequel to the events shown in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
, depicted Kirk's childhood in Riverside. The novel's opening chapter depicts a pre-teen Kirk, playing with friends in fields, in rushes and river wetland along the English River. This river in real life lies along the south side of downtown Riverside, bordering the site of the annual Trek fest, and ending at the city's boundaries.
Another novel, Final Frontier
, not to be confused with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
, was written as a "prequel" novel to the original series. Telling about the space adventures of James T. Kirk's father, Commander George Samuel Kirk, Sr., the opening and closing passages of the novel depict Captain Kirk, now an adult, mulling over his Starfleet
career options shortly after his first five-year mission. The younger Kirk was also depicted, walking around the farmhouse owned by his family in Riverside. Its wrap-around veranda had views of both the English River and the Iowa River to the east, which mirror the site of the real "Kirk's Birthstone" marker.
The USS Riverside NCC-1818 display/float, can be seen in the city's Triangle park, from the program Google Earth at the coordinates of 41°28'48.46" N, 91°34'42.78" W. As of November 2009, the Triangle Park will become Veterans' park, complete with a regional Veterans' Memorial monument; the temporary display area of the USS Riverside is at The Voyage Home Heritage Center and Star Trek Museum nearby on Highway 22.
The film Star Trek, set in an alternate reality
from the main Star Trek universe, shows that Kirk was born in space and raised in Iowa. Nearby are the (fictional) Riverside Quarry, where young Jim Kirk destroys a 20th Century Chevy Corvette in an act of vandalism, and the Riverside Shipyards, identified by name by Captain Christopher Pike as the construction site of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
, and an embarkation point for Starfleet Academy recruits, including an older Jim Kirk.
, the city learned that its residents had become the unwitting stars of a Spike TV
reality show
inspired by the Kirk connection. Over a week earlier, William Shatner had arrived in the city under the guise of filming a science fiction movie called Invasion 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...
, along the English River
English River (Iowa)
The English River is a tributary of the Iowa River in southeastern Iowa in the United States. The main stem of the river is long. Including its longest headwaters tributary, the North English River, the total length increases to . Via the Iowa River, it is part of the Mississippi River...
on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Iowa City metropolitan area
The Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Iowa anchored by the city of Iowa City...
. The population was 928 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...
. It is part of the Highland Community School District
Highland Community School District
The Highland Community School District is a school district in Highland Township, Washington County, Iowa that serves Riverside and Ainsworth and surrounding rural areas. The district covers most of Washington County and a small portion of Johnson County. The high school and middle school are...
.
Riverside proclaimed itself the future birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk, a fictional character from the television series Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, with the agreement of Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
.
History
The settlement of Riverside was established in 1872 and incorporated in 1882. The name, suggested by a Dr. Mott, is probably a reference to the townsite's location on the English RiverEnglish River (Iowa)
The English River is a tributary of the Iowa River in southeastern Iowa in the United States. The main stem of the river is long. Including its longest headwaters tributary, the North English River, the total length increases to . Via the Iowa River, it is part of the Mississippi River...
.
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway
Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway is a railroad that operated from 1876 to 1903. It had operations in Iowa and in Minnesota. It was succeeded by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway.At least three of its stations apparently survive:...
built a 66-mile branch from Iowa City to What Cheer via Riverside in 1879. Riverside was just west of Iowa Junction, where the lines east to Muscatine
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
and north to Iowa City
Iowa City, Iowa
Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, State of Iowa. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of about 67,862, making it the sixth-largest city in the state. Iowa City is the county seat of Johnson County and home to the University of Iowa...
diverged.
Geography
Riverside is located at 41°28′55"N 91°34′36"W (41.481891, -91.576631). According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land. Riverside is approximately 15 miles south of Iowa City along U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218
U.S. Route 218 is an original United States Highway, created in 1926. Although technically a spur of U.S. Route 18, US 218 neither begins nor ends at US 18, but overlaps US 18 for near Charles City, Iowa. US 218 begins at U.S. Route 136 in downtown Keokuk and ends away at...
and 30 miles west of Muscatine
Muscatine, Iowa
Muscatine is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 22,886 in the 2010 census, an increase from 22,697 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Muscatine County...
on Iowa Highway 22. Riverside is on the north bank of the English River
English River (Iowa)
The English River is a tributary of the Iowa River in southeastern Iowa in the United States. The main stem of the river is long. Including its longest headwaters tributary, the North English River, the total length increases to . Via the Iowa River, it is part of the Mississippi River...
.
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 928 people, 378 households, and 249 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 921.6 people per square mile (354.8/km²). There were 396 housing units at an average density of 393.3 per square mile (151.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.00% White, 0.54% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.43% 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 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.32% of the population.
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, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,080, and the median income for a family was $52,344. Males had a median income of $30,526 versus $26,645 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 $17,744. About 1.2% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Future birthplace of Captain Kirk
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
, the creator of Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
, asserts in his book The Making of Star Trek that the character of James Tiberius Kirk had been born in the state 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...
.
In March 1985, when the city was looking for a theme for its annual town festival, Steve Miller, a member of the Riverside City Council who had read Roddenberry's book, suggested to the council that Riverside should proclaim itself to be the future birthplace of Kirk. Miller's motion passed unanimously. The council later sent a letter to Roddenberry, along with a check for 52,000 dollars asking his permission to be designated as the official birthplace of Kirk, and Roddenberry agreed.
The proclamation declaring the city the "Official Future Birthplace of Captain James T. Kirk", signed by Gene Roddenberry, is housed, along with a "Cigarstore Indian"-style carved wooden statue of James T. Kirk, at the Riverside Area Community Club (RACC), in a former beauty salon along Highway 22 in downtown Riverside. A large stone and plaque in the rear of the building purports to be the site of the future farmstead and birthplace of James T. Kirk, and the home of his family, in the c. 2230s. On the east end of downtown a former storefront now houses the The Voyage Home Heritage Center & Star Trek Museum, a unique collection of East Central Iowa regional history; it also houses a display of Star Trek and "Invasion Iowa" (see below) memorabilia, including Trek Fest Guests' autographed materials.
Nearby, Murphy's Bar and Grill in Riverside displays a special plaque of its own in the back section of the bar. The two sites are popular with tourists during the annual Trek Fest.
The city now hosts an annual Riverside Trek Fest that includes such events as a parade, carnival rides, and fireworks in the evening. The 2003 festival featured a "Spockapalooza" battle of the bands, as well as a lawn mower "trektor" pull. Other Trek Fests have featured minor celebrities as guests, including Grace Lee Whitney
Grace Lee Whitney
Grace Lee Whitney, also known as Ruth Whitney and Lee Whitney is an American actress and entertainer. She is best known for playing the role of Janice Rand on the Star Trek television series and subsequent films.-Early life:...
(The Original Series' Yeoman Janice Rand
Janice Rand
Yeoman Janice Rand, played by Grace Lee Whitney, is a character in Star Trek: The Original Series. She subsequently appears in several Star Trek films and in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager.-Depiction:...
), and Charles Napier
Charles Napier (actor)
Charles L. Napier was an American actor, known for his portrayals of square-jawed tough guys and military types.-Early life:...
(The Original Series' Adam of "The Space Hippies" of the episode "The Way to Eden"). In 2008, the Trek Fest sponsor "Riverside Area Community Club" invited actor Walter Koenig
Walter Koenig
Walter Marvin Koenig is an American actor, writer, teacher and director, known for his roles as Pavel Chekov in Star Trek and Alfred Bester in Babylon 5. He wrote the script for the 2008 science fiction legal thriller InAlienable.-Early life:...
, to be the Fest grand marshal. Koenig portrayed The Original Series' (TOS') navigator, Ensign Pavel Chekov
Pavel Chekov
Pavel Andreievich Chekov is a Russian Starfleet officer in the Star Trek fictional universe. Walter Koenig portrayed Chekov in the original Star Trek series and first seven Star Trek films; Anton Yelchin portrayed the character in the 2009 film Star Trek.-Origin:Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry...
.
The 2009 25th anniversary edition of the Riverside Trek Fest featured special guests actors George Takei
George Takei
George Hosato Takei Altman is an American actor, author, social activist and former civil politician. He is best known for his role in the television series Star Trek and its film spinoffs, in which he played Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the...
(TOS' helmsman, Lt. Hikaru Sulu
Hikaru Sulu
Hikaru Sulu is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by George Takei in the original Star Trek series, Sulu also appears in the animated Star Trek series, the first six Star Trek movies, one episode of Star Trek: Voyager, and in numerous books, comics, and video games...
), Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols is an American actress, singer and voice artist. She sang with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before turning to acting...
(TOS' Communications officer, Lt. Nyota Uhura
Uhura
Nyota Uhura is a character in Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, the first six Star Trek films, and the 2009 film Star Trek...
), and Walter Koenig
Walter Koenig
Walter Marvin Koenig is an American actor, writer, teacher and director, known for his roles as Pavel Chekov in Star Trek and Alfred Bester in Babylon 5. He wrote the script for the 2008 science fiction legal thriller InAlienable.-Early life:...
. Trek Fest's 2009 grand marshal was the aforementioned Steve Miller, returning to Riverside for the silver anniversary event.
Although not considered "canon", at least two Star Trek novels had material based in the real city of Riverside. "Best Destiny
Best Destiny
- Charts, sales and certifications :...
", an immediate sequel to the events shown in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the sixth feature film in the Star Trek science fiction franchise and is the last of the Star Trek films to include the entire main cast of the 1960s Star Trek television series. Released in 1991 by Paramount Pictures, it was directed by Nicholas Meyer and...
, depicted Kirk's childhood in Riverside. The novel's opening chapter depicts a pre-teen Kirk, playing with friends in fields, in rushes and river wetland along the English River. This river in real life lies along the south side of downtown Riverside, bordering the site of the annual Trek fest, and ending at the city's boundaries.
Another novel, Final Frontier
Final frontier
Final Frontier may refer to:*Outer space, especially from the perspective of space colonization** "The final frontier", a description of space used in the opening narration of the science fiction TV series Star Trek...
, not to be confused with Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a 1989 American science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures. It is the fifth feature in the franchise and the penultimate to star the cast of the original Star Trek science fiction television series...
, was written as a "prequel" novel to the original series. Telling about the space adventures of James T. Kirk's father, Commander George Samuel Kirk, Sr., the opening and closing passages of the novel depict Captain Kirk, now an adult, mulling over his Starfleet
Starfleet
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet or the Federation Starfleet is the deep-space exploratory, peacekeeping and military service maintained by the United Federation of Planets . It is the principal means by which the Federation conducts its exploration, defense, diplomacy and research...
career options shortly after his first five-year mission. The younger Kirk was also depicted, walking around the farmhouse owned by his family in Riverside. Its wrap-around veranda had views of both the English River and the Iowa River to the east, which mirror the site of the real "Kirk's Birthstone" marker.
The USS Riverside NCC-1818 display/float, can be seen in the city's Triangle park, from the program Google Earth at the coordinates of 41°28'48.46" N, 91°34'42.78" W. As of November 2009, the Triangle Park will become Veterans' park, complete with a regional Veterans' Memorial monument; the temporary display area of the USS Riverside is at The Voyage Home Heritage Center and Star Trek Museum nearby on Highway 22.
The film Star Trek, set in an alternate reality
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
from the main Star Trek universe, shows that Kirk was born in space and raised in Iowa. Nearby are the (fictional) Riverside Quarry, where young Jim Kirk destroys a 20th Century Chevy Corvette in an act of vandalism, and the Riverside Shipyards, identified by name by Captain Christopher Pike as the construction site of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
, and an embarkation point for Starfleet Academy recruits, including an older Jim Kirk.
Invasion Iowa
During a September 28, 2004, town meetingTown meeting
A town meeting is a form of direct democratic rule, used primarily in portions of the United States since the 17th century, in which most or all the members of a community come together to legislate policy and budgets for local government....
, the city learned that its residents had become the unwitting stars of a Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
reality show
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
inspired by the Kirk connection. Over a week earlier, William Shatner had arrived in the city under the guise of filming a science fiction movie called Invasion Iowa.