Creston, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Creston is a city in and the county seat
of Union County, Iowa
, United States
. The population was 7,597 at the 2000 census
. McKinley Lake lies within a large, multi-purpose municipal park within the city limits, and three additional recreational lakes are located within seven miles of Creston: Green Valley State Park
, Summit Lake, Twelve Mile Lake and Three Mile Recreation Area.
Creston has a long railroad history. Today, Amtrak
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Creston
, operating its California Zephyr
daily in both directions between Chicago
, Illinois
, and Emeryville, California
, across the bay from San Francisco. Creston is also a stop on the BNSF Railway
. Rail crews based in Creston work from Creston to Galesburg, Illinois
and Lincoln, Nebraska
. The former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
railroad depot, a 2-story, yellow-brick, red tile-roofed French Provincial
structure, now serves as Creston's City Hall.
in decimal form are 41.059039, -94.364378.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13.3 km2), of which, 5.1 square miles (13.2 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km2) of it (0.97%) is water.
of 2000, there were 7,597 people, 3,346 households, and 1,974 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,496.2 people per square mile (577.4/km2). There were 3,598 housing units at an average density of 708.6 per square mile (273.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.13% White, 0.34% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.38% from other races
, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.
There were 3,346 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,831, and the median income for a family was $41,003. Males had a median income of $27,580 versus $20,172 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,411. About 7.0% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
. The campsite was on the crest on the railroad line between the Missouri and Mississippi, hence the name "Creston."
Creston was chosen as the division point for the railroad (now the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe
, which built machine shops, roundhouse and a construction camp to the new town. The town was incorporated in 1871.
A new railroad station was constructed in 1899 and the three-story structure served passengers for 69 years. The depot was renovated in 1978 to serve as a City Municipal Building. The old machine shop building was destroyed by a tornado in 1946. The remainder of the roundhouse burned down in 1981.
High School- Creston High School
Middle School- Creston Middle School
Elementary School- Creston Elementary School
Private Schools in Creston include:
Higher Education
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 Union County, 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...
. The population was 7,597 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...
. McKinley Lake lies within a large, multi-purpose municipal park within the city limits, and three additional recreational lakes are located within seven miles of Creston: Green Valley State Park
Green Valley State Park
Green Valley State Park is a state park in Iowa in the United States. The park is composed of Green Valley Lake and land around it, approximately north of the town of Creston.-External links:*...
, Summit Lake, Twelve Mile Lake and Three Mile Recreation Area.
Creston has a long railroad history. Today, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Creston
Creston (Amtrak station)
The Creston Station is an unstaffed Amtrak train station in Creston, Iowa. Amtrak shares the building with the BNSF Railway, which uses the building as a yard office...
, operating its California Zephyr
California Zephyr
The California Zephyr is a long passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the midwestern and western United States.It runs from Chicago, Illinois, in the east to Emeryville, California, in the west, passing through the states of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California...
daily in both directions between Chicago
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and Emeryville, California
Emeryville, California
Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California, in the United States. It is located in a corridor between the cities of Berkeley and Oakland, extending to the shore of San Francisco Bay. Its proximity to San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, the University of California, Berkeley, and...
, across the bay from San Francisco. Creston is also a stop on the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. Rail crews based in Creston work from Creston to Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
and Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
. The former Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
railroad depot, a 2-story, yellow-brick, red tile-roofed French Provincial
French Provincial
French Provincial is a 1975 French drama film directed by André Téchiné, starring Jeanne Moreau, Michel Auclair and Marie-France Pisier. The film presents an overview of French life and politics though the changes within one family in southwestern France from the 1930s through the 1970s.-Plot :At...
structure, now serves as Creston's City Hall.
Geography
Creston's longitude and latitude coordinatesin decimal form are 41.059039, -94.364378.
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 5.1 square miles (13.3 km2), of which, 5.1 square miles (13.2 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km2) of it (0.97%) 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 7,597 people, 3,346 households, and 1,974 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 1,496.2 people per square mile (577.4/km2). There were 3,598 housing units at an average density of 708.6 per square mile (273.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.13% White, 0.34% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.38% 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 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.26% of the population.
There were 3,346 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% 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, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,831, and the median income for a family was $41,003. Males had a median income of $27,580 versus $20,172 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 $16,411. About 7.0% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.
History
Creston originally settled in 1868 as a survey camp for the workers with the Burlington and Missouri RailroadBurlington and Missouri River Railroad
The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was an American railroad company incorporated in Iowa in 1852, with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. It was developed to build a railroad across the state of Iowa and began operations in 1856...
. The campsite was on the crest on the railroad line between the Missouri and Mississippi, hence the name "Creston."
Creston was chosen as the division point for the railroad (now the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
, which built machine shops, roundhouse and a construction camp to the new town. The town was incorporated in 1871.
A new railroad station was constructed in 1899 and the three-story structure served passengers for 69 years. The depot was renovated in 1978 to serve as a City Municipal Building. The old machine shop building was destroyed by a tornado in 1946. The remainder of the roundhouse burned down in 1981.
Education
Creston is served by the Creston Community School District.High School- Creston High School
Middle School- Creston Middle School
Elementary School- Creston Elementary School
Private Schools in Creston include:
- St. Malachy School (K-8)
- Mayflower Heritage Christian Academy (K-8)
Higher Education
- Southwestern Community CollegeSouthwestern Community College (Iowa)Southwestern Community College is a public two-year community college with its main campus in Creston, Iowa, and centers in Red Oak, Iowa, and Osceola, Iowa...
Notable people
- Julee CruiseJulee CruiseJulee Cruise is an American singer, and actress.With a distinctive, airy voice, Cruise has recorded three albums, but is probably best known for the lead vocal on "Falling," the theme song for the cult U.S. television series Twin Peaks...
, actress and singer - Walter CunninghamWalter CunninghamRonnie Walter Cunningham , known as Walt Cunningham, is a retired American astronaut. In 1968, he was the Lunar Module pilot on the Apollo 7 mission...
(born 1932) astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
on the Apollo 7Apollo 7Apollo 7 was the first manned mission in the American Apollo space program, and the first manned US space flight after a cabin fire killed the crew of what was to have been the first manned mission, AS-204 , during a launch pad test in 1967...
mission - Sherry Edmundson FrySherry Edmundson FrySherry Edmundson Fry was an American sculptor, who also played a prominent role in U.S. Army camouflage during World War I.-Early years:...
, sculptor and co-founder of the American Army CamouflageCamouflageCamouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
Corps - Jerry HarringtonJerry HarringtonJeremiah Peter "Jerry" Harrington was a professional baseball player whose career spanned six season, including four seasons in Major League Baseball . Harrington played the majority of his games in the majors at catcher, however, he did play first base and third base on occasion...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Jerome C. HunsakerJerome Clarke HunsakerJerome Clarke Hunsaker was an American airman born in Creston, Iowa, and educated at the Naval Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.-Life:...
(1886–1984), designer of flying boatFlying boatA flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s and airshipAirshipAn airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s - James M. McCoyJames M. McCoyChief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James M. McCoy was the sixth Chief Master Sergeant appointed to the highest Non-commissioned officer position in the United States Air Force.-Career:...
, Chief Master SergeantChief Master SergeantCMSgt ChevronChief Master Sergeant is the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force, just above Senior Master Sergeant, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The official term of address is "Chief Master Sergeant" or "Chief".Attaining the rank of Chief Master Sergeant is the...
in the United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. - Edward E. MillerEdward E. MillerEdward Edwin Miller was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born in Creston, Iowa, Miller attended the common schools. He moved to East St. Louis, St. Clair County, Illinois, in 1892, where he entered the real estate and insurance business in 1900. He served as private secretary to Congressman...
, U.S. Representative from IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... - Frank Phillips, founder of the Phillips Petroleum Company
- John JR RobinsonJohn Robinson (drummer)John Robinson is an American drummer and session musician...
(born 1954) One of the most recorded drummerDrummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
s in history - Marcia WallaceMarcia WallaceMarcia Karen Wallace is an American character actress, comedienne and game show panelist, primarily known for her roles in television situation comedies...
, actress
External links
- Creston City Website
- Union County Website
- Creston Community School District
- City Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Creston