Tower City, North Dakota
Encyclopedia
As of the census
of 2000, there were 252 people, 107 households, and 75 families residing in the city. The population density
was 121.2 people per square mile (46.8/km²). There were 113 housing units at an average density of 54.3 per square mile (21.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.81% White, and 1.19% from two or more races.
There were 107 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples
living together, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 104.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,607, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $26,806 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,652. About 5.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 4.9% of those sixty five or over.
led to the railroad seeking bankruptcy protection in June 1875. A member of the board of directors of the company, Pennsylvania
attorney Charlemagne Tower
purchased huge tracts of the railroad's lands in Minnesota
, Washington, and North Dakota
.
In 1878, a man named George Ellsbury, a former artist for Harper's Weekly
and Leslie's Illustrated Magazine
turned real estate agent, came to Tower's lands in Cass
and Barnes
Counties, ND. Convinced that the area then known as Spring Tank would be the ideal setting for a community, Ellsbury contacted Tower about purchasing the site. Tower then hired Ellsbury as his land agent for this area, offering him a 5% commission on all land sold. Ellisbury acquired Spring Tank by January 1879, and laid out the town that came to be known as Tower City, after Ellsbury's benefactor. Tower had written Ellsbury requesting that he name the town after himself instead, but that request was turned down.
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 252 people, 107 households, and 75 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 121.2 people per square mile (46.8/km²). There were 113 housing units at an average density of 54.3 per square mile (21.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.81% White, and 1.19% from two or more races.
There were 107 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% 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, 4.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 104.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,607, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $26,806 versus $21,875 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 $15,652. About 5.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under the age of eighteen and 4.9% of those sixty five or over.
History
The area in Cass and Barnes counties that eventually became Tower City was purchased in the 1860s by the Northern Pacific Railroad, for the purpose of constructing a northern transcontinental railroad. Difficulties in management and the influence of the Panic of 1873Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
led to the railroad seeking bankruptcy protection in June 1875. A member of the board of directors of the company, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
attorney Charlemagne Tower
Charlemagne Tower
Charlemagne Tower, was an American lawyer, soldier, and businessman.-Early life and start of law career:Charlemagne Tower was born on April 18, 1809 in Paris, Oneida County, New York, the eldest of the eight children of Reuben Tower, a New York State Legislator, and Deborah Taylor Pierce...
purchased huge tracts of the railroad's lands in 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...
, Washington, and North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
In 1878, a man named George Ellsbury, a former artist for Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor...
and Leslie's Illustrated Magazine
Frank Leslie's Weekly
Frank Leslie's Weekly, later often known in short as Leslie's Weekly, was an American illustrated literary and news magazine founded in 1852 and continuing publication well into the 20th century. As implied by its name, it was published weekly, on Tuesdays. Its first editor was John Y. Foster...
turned real estate agent, came to Tower's lands in Cass
Cass County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 123,138 people, 51,315 households, and 29,814 families residing in the county. The population density was 70 people per square mile . There were 53,790 housing units at an average density of 30 per square mile...
and Barnes
Barnes County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Hobart Lake National Wildlife Refuge*Stoney Slough National Wildlife Refuge*Tomahawk National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
Counties, ND. Convinced that the area then known as Spring Tank would be the ideal setting for a community, Ellsbury contacted Tower about purchasing the site. Tower then hired Ellsbury as his land agent for this area, offering him a 5% commission on all land sold. Ellisbury acquired Spring Tank by January 1879, and laid out the town that came to be known as Tower City, after Ellsbury's benefactor. Tower had written Ellsbury requesting that he name the town after himself instead, but that request was turned down.