Grinnell, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Poweshiek County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 18,914 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,949 housing units, of which 7,555 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...
. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell
Josiah Bushnell Grinnell
Josiah Bushnell Grinnell was a U.S. Congressman from Iowa's 4th congressional district, an ordained Congregational minister, founder of Grinnell, Iowa and benefactor of Grinnell College....
and is the home of Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
.
History
Grinnell was founded in 1854 by Josiah B. Grinnell. The city was originally slated to be named "Stella," but J.B. Grinnell convinced other members of the colony to adopt his own name for the city, citing it as a rare and concise name. By 1880 Grinnell had a population of around 2000. Located at the junction of two railway lines (east-west line of the Rock Island Railroad and the north-south Minneapolis & St Louis (M&St L) Railroad) it became and remains the largest community in Poweshiek County.Grinnell was a stop on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
Grinnell is home to Grinnell College, the first college established west of the Mississippi. On June 17, 1882 a tornado destroyed most of the college campus and much of the community with a death toll near 100. In 1889 fire destroyed most of the downtown area.
Grinnell was home to Spaulding Manufacturing. H.W. Spaulding began making carriages and spring wagons in Grinnell, Iowa in 1876. In 1909 the Spaulding Manufacturing Company
Spaulding (automobile)
Spaulding was a name used for automobiles from two different companies. One company was based in Grinnell, Iowa and the other in Buffalo, New York.-Spaulding of Iowa:...
added automobiles to its production line. At one time, the factory was the largest employer in the county. Automobile production ceased at the Spaulding factory in 1916 when it could no longer compete with the cheaper Ford automobile. The Spaulding factory site became home to the Spaulding Center for Transportation/Iowa Transportation Museum.
Geography
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 5 square miles (12.9 km²), of which, 5 square miles (12.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.80%) is water.
Climate
Grinnell has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
with clear seasons, hot, humid summers, and cold, snowy winters. The precipitation averages 36.07 in (916 mm) yearly. Summers are the rainiest times of year, with over two thirds of the precipitation falling between April and September in an average year.
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 9,105 people, 3,498 households, and 2,067 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 1,825.7 people per square mile (704.5/km²). There were 3,725 housing units at an average density of 746.9 per square mile (288.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.88% White, 1.04% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.37% 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 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.57% of the population.
There were 3,498 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% 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, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.5% under the age of 18, 19.9% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,625, and the median income for a family was $48,991. Males had a median income of $33,956 versus $23,864 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 $17,939. About 8.9% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Grinnell is the home of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company.Downtown renovations
In the spring of 2005, Grinnell embarked upon a renovation project to make its downtown area more inviting for residents and visitors. The renovation encompassed new water mains, restoration of two-way traffic flow, brick crosswalks in the middle of each block, and more uniform parking spaces in front of downtown businesses. Additionally, a median stripCentral reservation
On divided roads, such as divided highways or freeways/motorways, the central reservation , median, parkway , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic...
at each intersection was designed with Grinnell's distinctive Jewel Box pattern. Infrastructure upgrades and aesthetic renovations were also planned for the southern section of the downtown area, to include Commercial Street.
Library
In 1901, Joel Stewart funded the construction of the current Stewart Library, which remains in service today as the headquarters for the Grinnell Arts Counsel.Plans for a new library for Grinnell began in 2006 with the passage of a Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) to assist with funding. In addition to the funds raised through the LOST tax, the library committed to raising $3.5 million in public funds through the Chapter campaign. Groundbreaking took place in the spring of 2008 and the library opened in the fall of 2009 although it is now known as Drake Community Library.
Architectural landmarks
Grinnell has several notable architectural landmarks:- Merchants' National BankMerchants' National BankMerchants' National Bank building is located at 833 Fourth Avenue in Grinnell, Iowa. It is one of a series of small banks designed by Louis Sullivan in the Midwest between 1909 and 1919. All of the banks are built of brick and for this structure he employed various shades of brick, ranging in...
- architect Louis SullivanLouis SullivanLouis Henri Sullivan was an American architect, and has been called the "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" He is considered by many as the creator of the modern skyscraper, was an influential architect and critic of the Chicago School, was a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, and an...
. - Ricker House - architect Walter Burley GriffinWalter Burley GriffinWalter Burley Griffin was an American architect and landscape architect, who is best known for his role in designing Canberra, Australia's capital city...
- See Also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Poweshiek County, IowaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Poweshiek County, IowaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Poweshiek County, Iowa.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States...
for more listings
Education
The first school in Grinnell was founded in 1855.Public schools
Schools within the Grinnell-Newburg School District include:
- Fairview Elementary School (K-2nd for the eastern side of the city)
- Bailey Park Elementary School (K-2nd for the western side of the city)
- Davis School (3rd-4th)
- Grinnell Middle School (5th-8th)
- Grinnell High School (9th-12th)
Private schools
There is one private school, Central Iowa Christian School, which enrolls about 35 students in Kindergarten through eighth grade.
Advanced Education
Grinnell is the home of Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
, a private liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
.
Health care
Grinnell is served by Grinnell Regional Medical CenterGrinnell Regional Medical Center
Grinnell Regional Medical Center is an 49-bed rural community hospital in Grinnell, Iowa. GRMC is a private, nonprofit and non-tax supported medical center serving an estimated 40,000 residents in a six-county rural area of east-central Iowa. It is located at 210 Fourth Avenue, Grinnell, Iowa,...
, an acute care hospital licensed for 81 beds. GRMC was established in 1967 after the merger of two hospitals. Nearly 60 physicians provide care at the medical center.
Notable people
- See also: Grinnell College's Notable alumni
- John O. BaileyJohn O. BaileyJohn Ora Bailey was an American judge and politician in the state of Oregon. He was the 27th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court, serving on Oregon’s highest court from 1933 to 1950. Bailey also served in the Oregon House of Representatives and the Oregon State Senate...
(1880-1959), judge and politician who served as the Chief JusticeChief JusticeThe Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Oregon Supreme CourtOregon Supreme CourtThe Oregon Supreme Court is the highest state court in the U.S. state of Oregon. The only court that may reverse or modify a decision of the Oregon Supreme Court is the Supreme Court of the United States. The OSC holds court at the Oregon Supreme Court Building in Salem, Oregon, near the capitol...
, was born in Grinnell and attended local schools before enrolling at Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. - Bruce BraleyBruce BraleyBruce Braley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district lies in northeastern Iowa and includes Davenport, Bettendorf, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Dubuque, and Clinton....
(born 1957), member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Iowa's 1st congressional districtIowa's 1st congressional districtIowa's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers the northeastern part of the state. The district includes Dubuque, Clinton, Davenport and Waterloo....
, was born in Grinnell. - Jeff CriswellJeff CriswellJeffrey L. Criswell is a former American football offensive lineman who played twelve professional seasons in the National Football League. Criswell attended Lynnville-Sully High School and Graceland University....
(born 1964), offensive lineman who played twelve seasons in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, was born in Grinnell. - Kirby CriswellKirby CriswellKirby Lynn Criswell was a linebacker for the St. Louis Cardinals in the NFL and a 2nd round draft pick in the 1980 NFL Draft.-Football career:...
(born 1957), linebacker who played two seasons in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, was born and raised in Grinnell and attended Grinnell High School. - Josiah Bushnell GrinnellJosiah Bushnell GrinnellJosiah Bushnell Grinnell was a U.S. Congressman from Iowa's 4th congressional district, an ordained Congregational minister, founder of Grinnell, Iowa and benefactor of Grinnell College....
(1821–1891), city founder and abolitionist to whom Horace GreeleyHorace GreeleyHorace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
is quoted as having said : "Go West, young man, go West." - Hallie FlanaganHallie FlanaganHallie Flanagan was an American theatrical producer and director, playwright, and author, best known as director of the Federal Theatre Project, a part of the Works Progress Administration .-Background:...
(1890–1969), Federal Theater Project head, grew up in Grinnell and also attended Grinnell College. - Harry HopkinsHarry HopkinsHarry Lloyd Hopkins was one of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's closest advisers. He was one of the architects of the New Deal, especially the relief programs of the Works Progress Administration , which he directed and built into the largest employer in the country...
(1890–1946), one of President Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's advisors and New DealNew DealThe New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
architect, lived in Grinnell as a teenager before attending Grinnell College. - David R. NagleDavid R. NagleDavid R. Nagle in Grinnell, Iowa was a Representative in the United States House of Representatives, representing Iowa's 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 1993. Nagle is a member of the Democratic Party....
(born 1943), Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993, was born in Grinnell. - Robert NoyceRobert NoyceRobert Norton Noyce , nicknamed "the Mayor of Silicon Valley", co-founded Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 and Intel in 1968...
(1927–1990), inventor and Intel co-founder who grew up in Grinnell and also attended Grinnell College. - Billy RobinsonBilly Robinson (aviator)William C. "Billy" Robinson was an early American aviator. Robinson moved to Grinnell in 1896 at age 12. He was a handyman, tinkerer, and bicycle repairman who designed and built his own flying machine...
(1884–1916), pioneer aviator, moved to Grinnell at the age of 12.
External links
- Official Website for the City of Grinnell
- Grinnell Historical Museum
- Grinnell Chamber of Commerce
- City Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Grinnell, Iowa