Cresco, Iowa

Cresco is a city in Howard County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,868 in the 2010 census, a decline from 3,905 in 2000 census.[6] It is the county seat of Howard County.[7][8]

Cresco, Iowa
City
Howard County Courthouse in Cresco
Motto(s): 
"Iowa's Year Round Play Ground"[1]
Location of Cresco, Iowa
Coordinates: 43°22′28″N 92°6′54″W
CountryUnited States
StateIowa
CountyHoward
IncorporatedJune 6, 1868[2]
Government
 • MayorMark Bohle
Area
 • Total3.35 sq mi (8.67 km2)
 • Land3.35 sq mi (8.67 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,293 ft (394 m)
Population
 • Total3,868
 • Estimate 
(2019)[5]
3,739
 • Density1,116.79/sq mi (431.19/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
52136
Area code(s)563
FIPS code19-17220
GNIS feature ID0455712
WebsiteCresco Iowa Website

History

Cresco was platted in 1866 at the time the railroad was expanding into the area.[9] Cresco is a Latin phrase meaning "I grow".[8] Cresco was incorporated on June 6, 1868.[10]

On October 20, 1980, The David Letterman Show was broadcast from Cresco, the winner in a competition to host the show.[11]

Geography

Cresco's longitude and latitude coordinates in decimal form are 43.374491, −92.115121.[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.35 square miles (8.68 km2), all of it land.[13]

Climate

Cresco experiences a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) with long, cold, snowy winters and very warm, humid summers.

Climate data for Cresco
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 54
(12)		 63
(17)		 83
(28)		 91
(33)		 91
(33)		 100
(38)		 102
(39)		 101
(38)		 98
(37)		 92
(33)		 75
(24)		 62
(17)		 102
(39)
Average high °F (°C) 21.5
(−5.8)		 27.6
(−2.4)		 40.0
(4.4)		 55.6
(13.1)		 68.7
(20.4)		 78.3
(25.7)		 81.9
(27.7)		 79.7
(26.5)		 71.6
(22.0)		 59.2
(15.1)		 41.4
(5.2)		 26.7
(−2.9)		 54.4
(12.4)
Average low °F (°C) 2.8
(−16.2)		 9.4
(−12.6)		 21.9
(−5.6)		 34.0
(1.1)		 45.8
(7.7)		 55.5
(13.1)		 59.6
(15.3)		 57.3
(14.1)		 47.9
(8.8)		 36.2
(2.3)		 23.5
(−4.7)		 9.4
(−12.6)		 33.6
(0.9)
Record low °F (°C) −35
(−37)		 −36
(−38)		 −29
(−34)		 −1
(−18)		 23
(−5)		 34
(1)		 40
(4)		 34
(1)		 24
(−4)		 10
(−12)		 −16
(−27)		 −30
(−34)		 −36
(−38)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.02
(26)		 0.88
(22)		 2.21
(56)		 3.52
(89)		 3.92
(100)		 4.65
(118)		 4.54
(115)		 5.17
(131)		 3.69
(94)		 2.40
(61)		 2.36
(60)		 1.27
(32)		 35.63
(904)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 10.0
(25)		 6.9
(18)		 6.4
(16)		 2.5
(6.4)		 trace 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.4
(1.0)		 4.9
(12)		 9.0
(23)		 40.1
(102)
Source: NOAA[14]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1870912—
18801,875105.6%
18902,0187.6%
19002,80639.0%
19102,658−5.3%
19203,19520.2%
19303,069−3.9%
19403,53015.0%
19503,6383.1%
19603,8094.7%
19703,9273.1%
19803,860−1.7%
19903,669−4.9%
20003,9056.4%
20103,868−0.9%
2019 (est.)3,739[5]−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

2010 census

As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 3,868 people, 1,660 households, and 962 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,154.6 inhabitants per square mile (445.8/km2). There were 1,821 housing units at an average density of 543.6 per square mile (209.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

There were 1,660 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.0% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.95.

The median age in the city was 39.8 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.6% were from 45 to 64; and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 3,905 people, 1,652 households, and 1,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,184.1 people per square mile (456.9/km2). There were 1,791 housing units at an average density of 543.1 per square mile (209.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.77% White, 0.23% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.03% from other races, and 0.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.72% of the population.

There were 1,652 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.95.

Age spread: 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,236, and the median income for a family was $43,682. Males had a median income of $30,088 versus $21,444 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,190. About 2.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Museums and other points of interest

The Mighty Howard County Fair is held annually in Cresco every June. 2014 was the 121st year that the fair was held.[17]

Cresco Community Theatre is a non-profit organization open to anyone with an idea or the desire to contribute. The decision of which shows to be produced on the Cresco stage are reached by the contributing members, and range from famously named productions to the locally written plays.[18]

Cresco is home to the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa that had its first inductee banquet in 1970. As of April 2010 there are 97 members who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of amateur wrestling.[19]

Although Cresco is no longer on a railroad line, it is home to a restored Milwaukee Road FP7 diesel engine which is known as the Heritage Train and displayed in Beadle Park at the center of the city on Highway 9. Cresco is also headquarters for Featherlite Trailers.

The Cresco post office contains a mural, Iowa Farming, painted in 1937 by Richard Haines. Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department. The mural recalls his earliest days in Marion, Iowa depicting a farm scene with horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and family members performing chores as a mother reads a letter just delivered by the postal service.[20]

Media

The city newspaper is the weekly Cresco Times Plain Dealer, published on Wednesdays.

KCZQ 102.3 FM is a radio station licensed to Cresco. The studios are located just off Elm Street, next to Dollar General and across from Fareway Grocery. It is owned by Mega Media LTD and operations began in 1991.

Education

Cresco is home to one of the largest school districts in Iowa in terms of square miles, the Howard-Winneshiek Community School District.[21] The district was formed from the merger of the Cresco, Lime Springs/Chester, Elma, and Ridgeway school districts, opening on July 1, 1960.[22] As of 2019 Crestwood Secondary School is the secondary school.

Notre Dame Catholic School in Cresco, and Trinity Catholic school in Protivin, offer private education to elementary school students. There was previously a Notre Dame High School in Cresco. Notre Dame High School graduated its final class in 1989.[22]

Notable people

Attractions

References
  1. "Cresco Iowa Chamber of Commerce". Cresco Iowa Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  2. "Cresco-Iowa". City-Data. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  3. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  6. "Data from the 2010 Census". State Data Center of Iowa. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  7. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  8. "Profile for Cresco, Iowa, IA". ePodunk. Archived from the original on August 29, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  9. Fairbairn, Robert Herd (1919). History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa, Volume 1. S. J. Clarke Publishing Company. p. 416.
  10. "Cresco, Iowa". City-Data.com. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
  11. David Letterman (October 20, 1980). "The David Letterman Show". NBC. Missing or empty |series= (help)
  12. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  13. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  14. "Climatography of the United States NO.20" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 3, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  15. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  16. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  17. "Mighty Howard County Fair". Howard County Fairgrounds. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  18. "Cresco Community Theatre". CCT. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  19. "Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame". IROC Web Design. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  20. "Public Library mural, Cresco, Iowa". livingnewdeal.org. Living New Deal. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  21. "Howard-Winneshiek" (PDF). Iowa Department of Education. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 27, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  22. "CHS Handbook". Howard-Winneshiek Community School District. August 10, 2003. Archived from the original on August 10, 2003. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  23. "Famous Iowans - Norman Borlaug | DesMoinesRegister.com". data.desmoinesregister.com. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  24. "Howard County Economic Development: Howard County, Iowa | Cresco, Iowa | Riceville, Iowa | Elma, Iowa | Lime Springs, Iowa | Protivin, Iowa | Chester, Iowa". www.howard-county.com. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  25. Latson, Jennifer (May 15, 2015). "Hired for Their Looks, Promoted For Their Heroism: The First Flight Attendants". Time Magazine. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  26. The American Catholic who's who. 14. Grosse Pointe, MI: Walter Romig. 1911. p. 144. ISSN 0364-6394.
  27. Clark, George (2008). United States Marine Corps Generals of World War II: A Biographical Dictionary. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 56. ISBN 978-0786432035.
  28. "Edward Howard, 105, Senior U.S. Archbishop". New York Times. January 4, 1983. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
  29. "Edouard Victor Michel Izac". www.usna.edu. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  30. "Five Admirals | Howard County". www.extension.iastate.edu. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  31. Gregory, John (1932). Southwestern Wisconsin, a history of old Crawford County. 3. S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. p. 57. OCLC 834199797.
  32. "Register Sports Hall of Fame Database - Harold Nichols | DesMoinesRegister.com". data.desmoinesregister.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  33. Kallenbach, Joseph (1977). American State Governors, 1776-1976. 2. Dobbs Ferry, N.Y: Oceana Publications. p. 243. ISBN 9780379006650.
  34. "Elmarie Wendel". IMDb. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
  35. Iowa State Historical Department - Office of Historic Preservation (May 27, 1986). "Iowa Site Registry - Polygonal Barn". National Parks Gallery. Retrieved June 18, 2019.


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