Spillville, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Spillville is a city in Winneshiek County
, Iowa
, United States
. The population was 386 at the 2000 census. It is located in Calmar Township, about 4 mi (6.4 km) west of Calmar and about 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest of Decorah
, the county seat.
, German and Swiss immigrants.
Spillville boasts a strong cultural and musical history. The Czech composer Antonín Dvořák
spent the summer of 1893 in Spillville, where he composed two of his most famous chamber
works, including the String Quartet in F
("The American"). Spillville is also the site of the Inwood Ballroom, established in 1920 and the destination of several popular 20th century musicians such as Louis Armstrong
, Glenn Miller
, Guy Lombardo
and The Byrds
. Many tourists to Spillville have also visited the Bily Clocks Museum (see link below), a collection of intricately designed clocks created by two brothers in Spillville.
The Roman Catholic parish in Spillville, St. Wenceslaus
Church, was built in 1860 and is the oldest Czech
Catholic church in the United States.
Originally named Spielville after the founder, but was misread and became Spillville.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), of which 0.4 square miles (1 km²) is land and 2.33% is water.
of 2000, there were 386 people, 172 households, and 110 families residing in the city. The population density
was 920.8 people per square mile (354.8/km2). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 438.9 per square mile (169.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.70% White, 0.78% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.26% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population.
There were 172 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples
living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $41,563. Males had a median income of $30,909 versus $20,938 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,674. About 5.0% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line
, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 20.5% of those age 65 or over.
Winneshiek County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 21,056 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,721 housing units, of which 7,997 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 386 at the 2000 census. It is located in Calmar Township, about 4 mi (6.4 km) west of Calmar and about 12 miles (19.3 km) southwest of Decorah
Decorah, Iowa
Decorah is a city in and the county seat of Winneshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,172 at the 2000 census. Decorah is located at the intersection of State Highway 9 and U.S...
, the county seat.
History
Largely settled by BohemianBohemian
A Bohemian is a resident of the former Kingdom of Bohemia, either in a narrow sense as the region of Bohemia proper or in a wider meaning as the whole country, now known as the Czech Republic. The word "Bohemian" was used to denote the Czech people as well as the Czech language before the word...
, German and Swiss immigrants.
- 1849: the first pioneer, Charles Korek, settled near Turkey River.
- 1850: Joseph Spielmann arrived, from Germany.
- 1854: the first groups arrived from Bohemia and Moravia: Martin Bouska, Frank Payer, Wenzel Mikesh, John Novak and Andrew Kubesh with their families.
- 1855: five families from Switzerland arrived.
Spillville boasts a strong cultural and musical history. The Czech composer Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Dvorák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of late Romantic music, who employed the idioms of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. Dvořák’s own style is sometimes called "romantic-classicist synthesis". His works include symphonic, choral and chamber music, concerti, operas and many...
spent the summer of 1893 in Spillville, where he composed two of his most famous chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
works, including the String Quartet in F
String Quartet No. 12 (Dvorák)
The American string quartet, opus 96 in F major, is the 12th string quartet composed by Antonín Dvořák. It was written in 1893, during Dvořák's visit to the United States. Dvořák wrote that the quartet - one of the most popular in the chamber music repertoire - is influenced by American folk music...
("The American"). Spillville is also the site of the Inwood Ballroom, established in 1920 and the destination of several popular 20th century musicians such as Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician , arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands"...
, Guy Lombardo
Guy Lombardo
Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo was a Canadian-American bandleader and violinist.Forming "The Royal Canadians" in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert, and Victor and other musicians from his hometown, Lombardo led the group to international success, billing themselves as creating "The Sweetest...
and The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
. Many tourists to Spillville have also visited the Bily Clocks Museum (see link below), a collection of intricately designed clocks created by two brothers in Spillville.
The Roman Catholic parish in Spillville, St. Wenceslaus
Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia
Wenceslaus I , or Wenceslas I, was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935, purportedly in a plot by his own brother, Boleslav the Cruel....
Church, was built in 1860 and is the oldest Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
Catholic church in the United States.
Originally named Spielville after the founder, but was misread and became Spillville.
Geography
Spillville is located at 43.202433°N 91.952071°W (43.202433, -91.952071).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 0.4 square miles (1 km²), of which 0.4 square miles (1 km²) is land and 2.33% 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 386 people, 172 households, and 110 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 920.8 people per square mile (354.8/km2). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 438.9 per square mile (169.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.70% White, 0.78% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.26% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.55% of the population.
There were 172 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% 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, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $41,563. Males had a median income of $30,909 versus $20,938 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 $15,674. About 5.0% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 20.5% of those age 65 or over.