Sac City, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Sac City is a city in and the county seat
of Sac County
, Iowa
, United States
, located in the rolling hills along the valley of the North Raccoon River
, in one of America's prime agricultural regions. U.S. Route 20
bisects the city, forming its Main Street, and the city is one of 45 designated Main Street Iowa communities through the Main Street Iowa development program. The population was 2,220 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 2,368 population in the 2000 census.
. The town was so named because the Sac and Fox
Indians (sometimes known as the Sauk and Fox - the French name "Sac" and the English equivalent "Sauk" are both correct and interchangeable. Both words were derived from the Indian word "Asakiwaki", meaning "yellow earth people") were in possession of the land at the time of the Louisiana Purchase
. The City of Sac City was incorporated nineteen years later, in 1874.
Judge Eugene Criss, credited with being the father of Sac City, left Wisconsin
and crossed the Mississippi River
in the early months of 1855 by covered wagon
. He was in search of waterpower and had the desire to establish a settlement in a new and untried country. Deciding upon the North Raccoon River to begin his settlement, Judge Criss proceeded to erect the first log cabin
in Sac City, establish himself in the hotel
business, as well as keep a stage station and general store
for nearby settlers.
As early as 1859, there was talk of building a railroad through Sac County, but the first railroad did not come through Sac City until 1879. The railroad companies refused to lay tracks through undeveloped or mildly developed areas, and Sac City did not meet the requirements. The railroad companies demanded communities be far enough advanced to provide a quick return to capital before they would construct a steam and iron highway through the area. When it came, the railroad benefited Sac City incredibly. The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company connected Sac City, Wall Lake, Auburn, Odebolt, Lake View, Early, and Schaller as well as the cities where crops were sold.
The first Sac County Fair was held in 1871 on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of ground east of Sac City that had been purchased by the Sac County Agricultural Society the same year. The fair was one of the biggest events of the year and brought people in wagons and buggies from miles around to see the harness races, livestock exhibits, produce, needlework, and art goods.
The Sac City Chautauqua
Association was organized in December 1904 with 120 members. The Association brought many fine programs to the community, and because transportation was still slow and laborious, many families stayed in tents on the grounds for the entire Chautauqua session, about eight or nine days. At first the meetings were held in a tent, but by 1908, the citizens of Sac City built a Chautauqua Building in which to hold their meetings, and which is now the only one left of its kind in the state of Iowa.
homes to the historic Sac County courthouse
.
The business district is complemented by specialty shops, antique stores, and restaurants. Sac City is home to a wood products manufacturer, metal fabrication plant, wholesale garden products distributor, popcorn distributor, textile firms and a variety of other businesses.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²), of which, 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²) of it is land and 0.20% is water.
The racial makeup of the city in the 2010 census was 98.3% White American
, 0.1% African American
, 0.0% Native Americans in the United States
, 0.2% Asian American
, 0.0% Native Hawaiians
or Pacific Islander American
, 0.0% other races and 1.3% were from two or more races. Of those 0.2% were Hispanic and Latino Americans
.
of 2000, there were 2,368 people, 1,082 households, and 642 families residing in the city. The population density
was 483.0 people per square mile (186.6/km²). There were 1,209 housing units at an average density of 246.6 per square mile (95.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.61% White, 0.34% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.34% from other races
, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.
There were 1,082 households out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 29.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,300, and the median income for a family was $39,139. Males had a median income of $25,409 versus $19,137 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,229. About 7.9% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
In February 2007, in its third annual list of the “Best Places to Live in Rural America”, Progressive Farmer
magazine placed Sac County as #7 in the overall rankings. In 2009, the magazine ranked Sac County as the tenth "Best Place" in the Midwest Region.
The Sac City Municipal Airport (ICAO: KSKI) is located approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the central business district. Access to the airport is provided by U.S. Highway 20, State Highway 196 and County Roads D42 and M54. The Airport is located on 136 acre (0.55037296 km²) owned by the City of Sac City. The established elevation is 1250 feet (381 m) above sea level (MSL).
The Sac City Municipal Airport is a Class III Airport with a concrete main runway (18/36) 4,100 feet and 75 ft (22.9 m) wide with a crosswind runway of 44 ft (13.4 m) by 2667 ft (812.9 m) The secondary runway (14/32) surface is blacktop.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Sac County
Sac County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,350 in the county, with a population density of . There were 5,429 housing units, of which 4,482 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, 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...
, located in the rolling hills along the valley of the North Raccoon River
Raccoon River
The Raccoon River is a tributary of the Des Moines River in central Iowa in the United States. As measured using the longest of its three forks, its length increases to...
, in one of America's prime agricultural regions. U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
bisects the city, forming its Main Street, and the city is one of 45 designated Main Street Iowa communities through the Main Street Iowa development program. The population was 2,220 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 2,368 population in the 2000 census.
History
Sac City was first platted in 1855 by Joshua Keith Powell of Fort Dodge, IowaFort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
. The town was so named because the Sac and Fox
Meskwaki
The Meskwaki are a Native American people often known to outsiders as the Fox tribe. They have often been closely linked to the Sauk people. In their own language, the Meskwaki call themselves Meshkwahkihaki, which means "the Red-Earths." Historically their homelands were in the Great Lakes region...
Indians (sometimes known as the Sauk and Fox - the French name "Sac" and the English equivalent "Sauk" are both correct and interchangeable. Both words were derived from the Indian word "Asakiwaki", meaning "yellow earth people") were in possession of the land at the time of the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
. The City of Sac City was incorporated nineteen years later, in 1874.
Judge Eugene Criss, credited with being the father of Sac City, left Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and crossed the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in the early months of 1855 by covered wagon
Covered wagon
The covered wagon, also known as a Prairie schooner, is an icon of the American Old West.Although covered wagons were commonly used for shorter moves within the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century thousands of Americans took them across the Great Plains to Oregon and California...
. He was in search of waterpower and had the desire to establish a settlement in a new and untried country. Deciding upon the North Raccoon River to begin his settlement, Judge Criss proceeded to erect the first log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
in Sac City, establish himself in the hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
business, as well as keep a stage station and general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
for nearby settlers.
As early as 1859, there was talk of building a railroad through Sac County, but the first railroad did not come through Sac City until 1879. The railroad companies refused to lay tracks through undeveloped or mildly developed areas, and Sac City did not meet the requirements. The railroad companies demanded communities be far enough advanced to provide a quick return to capital before they would construct a steam and iron highway through the area. When it came, the railroad benefited Sac City incredibly. The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company connected Sac City, Wall Lake, Auburn, Odebolt, Lake View, Early, and Schaller as well as the cities where crops were sold.
The first Sac County Fair was held in 1871 on 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of ground east of Sac City that had been purchased by the Sac County Agricultural Society the same year. The fair was one of the biggest events of the year and brought people in wagons and buggies from miles around to see the harness races, livestock exhibits, produce, needlework, and art goods.
The Sac City Chautauqua
Chautauqua
Chautauqua was an adult education movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua brought entertainment and culture for the whole community, with...
Association was organized in December 1904 with 120 members. The Association brought many fine programs to the community, and because transportation was still slow and laborious, many families stayed in tents on the grounds for the entire Chautauqua session, about eight or nine days. At first the meetings were held in a tent, but by 1908, the citizens of Sac City built a Chautauqua Building in which to hold their meetings, and which is now the only one left of its kind in the state of Iowa.
Modern-day
Now in the 21st century Sac City has celebrated its Sesquicentennial and is a safe and family-oriented community with a wonderful mixture of old and new: award winning schools, a recreation center with indoor pool, a new outdoor swimming pool and aquatic park, a recently built public library, and beautiful tree-lined streets filled with turn-of-the-20th-century architecture, from grand VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
homes to the historic Sac County courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
.
The business district is complemented by specialty shops, antique stores, and restaurants. Sac City is home to a wood products manufacturer, metal fabrication plant, wholesale garden products distributor, popcorn distributor, textile firms and a variety of other businesses.
Geography
Sac City's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 42.421154, -94.995083.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 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²), of which, 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²) of it is land and 0.20% is water.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 2,220 in the city, with a population density of . There were 1,165 housing units, of which 1,018 were occupied.The racial makeup of the city in the 2010 census was 98.3% White American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 0.1% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.0% Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.2% Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.0% Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
or Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander American
Pacific Islander Americans, also known as Oceanian Americans, are residents of the United States with original ancestry from Oceania. They represent the smallest racial group counted in the United States census of 2000. They numbered 874,000 people or 0.3 percent of the United States population...
, 0.0% other races and 1.3% were from two or more races. Of those 0.2% were Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
.
2000 census
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 2,368 people, 1,082 households, and 642 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 483.0 people per square mile (186.6/km²). There were 1,209 housing units at an average density of 246.6 per square mile (95.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.61% White, 0.34% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.34% 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 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.
There were 1,082 households out of which 21.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were non-families. 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.70.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 29.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,300, and the median income for a family was $39,139. Males had a median income of $25,409 versus $19,137 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 $17,229. About 7.9% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Library
The Sac City Public Library contains over 20,000 volumes, magazines, films, educational, videos, and computers available to the public. Patrons may make use of the children's wing, an adult wing, a periodical room, computer room, group study area, individual study area and the children's activity area. Through association with the Iowa Library Network, additional volumes contained in libraries throughout the state may be obtained.Landmarks
- Sac County CourthouseSac County CourthouseThe Sac County Courthouse in Sac City, Iowa, United States was built in 1889. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource...
- Listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation... - Monument Square - Features a monument to the soldiers of the Union ArmyUnion ArmyThe 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...
Pop culture
Best Places to Live in Rural AmericaIn February 2007, in its third annual list of the “Best Places to Live in Rural America”, Progressive Farmer
Progressive Farmer
DTN/The Progressive Farmer is a country life oriented magazine, published twelve times a year by DTN, a division of Telvent. The magazine is based in Birmingham, Alabama.-History:...
magazine placed Sac County as #7 in the overall rankings. In 2009, the magazine ranked Sac County as the tenth "Best Place" in the Midwest Region.
Transportation
AirportThe Sac City Municipal Airport (ICAO: KSKI) is located approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the central business district. Access to the airport is provided by U.S. Highway 20, State Highway 196 and County Roads D42 and M54. The Airport is located on 136 acre (0.55037296 km²) owned by the City of Sac City. The established elevation is 1250 feet (381 m) above sea level (MSL).
The Sac City Municipal Airport is a Class III Airport with a concrete main runway (18/36) 4,100 feet and 75 ft (22.9 m) wide with a crosswind runway of 44 ft (13.4 m) by 2667 ft (812.9 m) The secondary runway (14/32) surface is blacktop.
Health care
Loring Hospital in Sac City, Iowa, is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital serving the health care needs throughout Sac County and bordering Iowa counties. Loring Hospital opened its doors in September 1950, and it continues to grow today with a $10 million construction and renovation project which will allow Loring Hospital to better meet today's health care needs, and position itself for future growth.Popcorn ball
Sac City is home to a previous world's largest popcorn ball, which weighs 3,100 pounds and is housed in its own building. A new popcorn ball was created in 2009, weighing 5,060 pounds.External links
- City website
- East Sac County Schools website
- City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Sac City