Everything about West Branch Iowa totally explained
West Branch is a city in
Cedar and
Johnson counties in the
U.S. state of
Iowa. The population was 2,188 at the 2000 census.
The Johnson County portion of West Branch is part of the
Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
President
Herbert Hoover was born in West Branch in 1874. The
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum was dedicated here by Hoover and his dear friend, President
Harry Truman, in 1962. The
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, which includes the Library-Museum, the Hoover Birthplace Cottage and the gravesites of President and Lou Henry Hoover, was authorized by Congress on August 12, 1965.
Before the Civil War, areas in and around West Branch were stops of the
Underground Railroad. Abolitionist
John Brown once stayed at the Maxson farm east of West Branch.
The West Branch Community School District has about 800 students and includes three schools: Hoover Elementary, West Branch Middle School and West Branch High School.
The city's industrial park is home to a major distribution center of Cincinnati-based [Procter& Gamble]. The building is 550,000 square feet and as of 2007, is undergoing an expansion. The industrial park is also home to Plastic Products, Wausau and, by the end of 2007, will be home to Acciona Energía's first North American wind turbine assembly plant.
West Branch has been one of 36 communities in the
Main Street Iowa program since being accepted on June 1, 2006. The program encourages downtown economic development through historic preservation.
Geography
West Branch is located at (41.673076, -91.345815).
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0
square miles (5.1
km²), all of it land.
West Branch is located approximately 10 miles east of
Iowa City, and 40 miles west of
Davenport.
The
ZIP code for West Branch is 52358.
Landmarks
West Branch is home to the
Herbert Hoover National Historical Site, run by the
National Park Service and
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, run by the
National Archives and Records Administration. The library holds the documentary legacy of
Rose Wilder Lane and her mother,
Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Scattergood Friends School, a Quaker boarding school, is located east of the town.
Oliphant Street Field, the playing field for the West Branch High School football team, is situated just northwest of downtown. Colloquially known as "the Little Rose Bowl", it was constructed by the
Works Progress Administration by escalating a sloped field, yielding a playing field with natural seating on three sides.
Sports
West Branch is known for a rich football tradition. From 1990 through 1997, West Branch High School won 62 consecutive regular season games. This is the second longest winning streak in the state of Iowa, following only Harlan High School's 66 consecutive wins. In addition, West Branch won 36 consecutive games (including postseason) from 1991 until the 1993 Iowa State football playoffs. During the winning streak, West Branch beat Clear Creek-Amana by scoring 81 points, the 22nd most points scored by one team in Iowa history.
The Bears are also known for having a very strong boys golf program. From 1989-1997, West Branch didn't lose a regular season dual meet. Their teams hold five state championships (1976, 1989-92), and have been the breeding grounds for PGA professionals Dave Rummells and Sean McCarty. McCarty is one of the more decorated golfers in Iowa's history, having won three state individual titles and one runner-up. Rummells finished in the top 30 money winnings on the PGA Tour in 1989.
The West Branch Bears boys golf team won four state championships, and the football team won three state championships, in 1989, 1991 and 1992.
The West Branch baseball team was State Runner-up in 2000.
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 2,188 people, 840 households, and 572 families residing in the city. The
population density was 1,106.8 people per square mile (426.7/km²). There were 876 housing units at an average density of 443.1/sq mi (170.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.71%
White, 0.37%
African American, 0.41%
Native American, 0.91%
Asian, 0.05%
Pacific Islander, 0.59% from
other races, and 0.96% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 1.74% of the population.
There were 840 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were
married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $51,667. Males had a median income of $31,949 versus $26,379 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $19,577. About 4.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Notable natives
Transportation
Interstate 80 cuts through West Branch.
Further Information
Get more info on 'West Branch Iowa'.
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