Webster City, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Webster City
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Downtown Webster City
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Location of Webster City, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Hamilton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.91 sq mi (23.07 km2) |
| • Land | 8.89 sq mi (23.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,040 ft (317 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,825 |
| • Density | 879.91/sq mi (339.73/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
50595
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| Area code(s) | 515 |
| FIPS code | 19-83145 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0462774 |
Webster City is a city in Hamilton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,825 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Hamilton County. Webster City is known as 'Boone River Country', as the Boone River meanders along the east side of the city.
Contents
History
Webster City was originally called Newcastle, and under the latter name was platted in 1854 by Wilson Brewer. In 1855, Walter C. Willson came to Newcastle. Willson was elected to the Iowa State House the next year and, with John F. Duncombe, crafted a bill to divide the very large Webster County in half. Newcastle would be renamed "Webster City," and would become the county seat of the new county. Wilson suggested "Hamilton County" after The Hon. William W. Hamilton, the president of the State Senate who helped pass the legislation. The law took effect on January 1, 1857, giving birth to both Webster City and Hamilton County. Willson was also instrumental in getting the Dubuque & Sioux City rail line to pass through Webster City on to Fort Dodge and personally oversaw the laying of track.
Geography
Webster City is located at 42°27′59″N 93°49′14″W / 42.46639°N 93.82056°W (42.466300, -93.820582).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.88 square miles (23.00 km2), of which, 8.86 square miles (22.95 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.
Demographics
| Historical populations | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1870 | 1,339 | — |
| 1880 | 1,848 | +38.0% |
| 1890 | 2,829 | +53.1% |
| 1900 | 4,613 | +63.1% |
| 1910 | 5,208 | +12.9% |
| 1920 | 5,657 | +8.6% |
| 1930 | 7,024 | +24.2% |
| 1940 | 6,738 | −4.1% |
| 1950 | 7,611 | +13.0% |
| 1960 | 8,520 | +11.9% |
| 1970 | 8,488 | −0.4% |
| 1980 | 8,572 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 7,894 | −7.9% |
| 2000 | 8,176 | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 8,070 | −1.3% |
| 2020 | 7,825 | −3.0% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
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2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,070 people, 3,433 households, and 2,096 families residing in the city. The population density was 910.8 inhabitants per square mile (351.7/km2). There were 3,800 housing units at an average density of 428.9 per square mile (165.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.8% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.4% Asian, 3.5% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.4% of the population.
There were 3,433 households, out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.9% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 19.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
Transportation
U.S. Route 20, a four-lane east-west corridor through north central Iowa, was built along Webster City. Approximately 12 miles east is Interstate 35. The city has a municipal airport with a 4,007 feet (1,221 m) runway and full-time Fixed-base operator. A junction of lines of the Canadian National and Union Pacific Railroads is located in Webster City. There is no Uber in the community.
Recreation
Webster City has eleven parks, two golf courses, indoor and outdoor community swimming pools, a recreation center, over seven miles of walking trails, and many camping areas:
- Kendall Young Park along the Boone River with 4 shelter houses, 6 picnic areas, a baseball diamond, 2 shuffle board courts, a volleyball court, horseshoe pit, playground, walking trail and fishing area.
- Twin Parks located in downtown Webster City and feature a new shelter house, picnic tables, modern playground, sun shelter, and a skatepark.
- Nokomis Park features a canoe access point.
- Middleton Sports Complex has 2 softball fields and an ice rink.
- Lions Park includes a play area, picnic area and basketball court.
- Riverside Park is located off East Second Street.
- Brewer Creek Park is open year-round and includes a shelter house with picnic tables along Brewer Creek. Brewer Creek is home to a 2.2-mile nature/walking trail, volleyball court and nine-hole disc golf course.
- Sketchly Park features a picnic area and playground.
- E.V. Wehrhelm Park is a neighborhood park with play equipment and a shelter.
- Boone River Recreational Trail is a 5.7-mile trail from Webster City Country Club in the north part of the city limits to Briggs Woods Park in the south of the city limits. The trail winds along the Boone River and features a 10-foot-wide concrete pathway for biking, walking, running, and rollerblading.
- Briggs Woods Park is a 550-acre park with an 18-hole golf course, 81 campsites, 3 shelters, 4 cabins and a 62-acre lake for fishing, boating and swimming.
- Webster City Municipal Swimming Pool is an outdoor swimming pool with a zero-depth entry, 25-meter lap lanes, a diving well with high and low diving boards, and a waterslide.
- Fuller Hall Recreation Center is partially endowed and managed by the Fuller Hall Trust. It features activities for adults, children, and families, including a swimming pool with 25-meter lap lanes, a fitness room, a game room with pool tables, television lounge, basketball court, locker rooms, two racquetball courts, and a remodeled conference facility.
- Briggs Woods Golf Course is an 18-hole golf course.
- Webster City Country Club is a nine-hole golf course situated along the Boone River.
Events and activities
Webster City is home to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, which holds the county fair every July. In addition, the fairgrounds is home to the Historic Hamilton County Speedway.
Webster City's annual community celebration is the Boone Bash River Dash, which features a cardboad regatta. The Boone Bash River Dash is held every June.
Education
Public education in Webster City is provided by Webster City Community School District, with Webster City High School, Webster City Middle School, and Pleasant View or Sunset Heights for elementary education. A private Catholic school at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church offers a preschool through 6th grade elementary education.
Notable people
- Jeremy Ferguson (Jinxx), Black Veil Brides' rhythm guitarist and violinist
- MacKinlay Kantor, writer and 1956 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction for his novel Andersonville
- Chuck Lamson, professional football player
- Clark R. Mollenhoff, journalist and 1958 Pulitzer Prize winner for journalism in the category of National Reporting (Des Moines Register and Tribune).
- Carla Nelson, Minnesota state Senator, candidate for United States House of Representatives in 2018
- Rod Rust, football coach
- Jennifer Simpson, distance runner, medalist at Olympics and World Championships
- Abastenia St. Leger Eberle, sculptor
Images for kids
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A main street in Webster City, Iowa was captured in a real photo postcard
See also
In Spanish: Webster City (Iowa) para niños
