Carter Lake, Iowa

Carter Lake, Iowa
—  City  —
Carter Lake is across the road from Eppley Airport
Location of Carter Lake, Iowa
U.S. Census Map
Coordinates: 41°17′34″N 95°54′50″W
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Pottawattamie
Area
• Total	2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2)
• Land	1.8 sq mi (4.7 km2)
• Water	0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)
Elevation	981 ft (299 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	3,248
• Density	1,799.7/sq mi (694.8/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	51510
Area code(s)	712
FIPS code	19-11215
GNIS feature ID	0455192

Carter Lake is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,248 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Carter Lake is located at 41°17′34″N 95°54′50″W (41.292647, -95.913989).

The city is surrounded on three sides by Omaha, Nebraska and on the fourth by the Missouri River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²), of which, 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) of it (9.95%) is water.

History

Carter Lake is the only city in Iowa located west of the Missouri River. This is due to a flood that occurred in March 1877, which redirected the course of the river 2 km (1.25 mi) to the southeast. The remnants of the old river course, which were called Saratoga Bend, became an oxbow lake, Carter Lake, for which the town is named today.

Soon after the formation of the lake, the site became a flourishing recreational area. It included, "a boathouse at the foot of Locust street, hotels and club houses were numerous and the lake was the scene of many a pleasant rowing and fishing party."

After extensive litigation between Iowa and Nebraska, in 1892 the Supreme Court of the United States finally ruled that Carter Lake belonged to Iowa in Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359 (1891). Although the general rule is that state boundaries follow gradual changes in the course of a river, the Court ruled that an exception exists when a river avulses one of its bends. In 1972, the court made another ruling on the circumstances of Carter Lake when it ruled on a boundary dispute between the two states in Nebraska v. Iowa, 406 U.S. 117 (1972).

Legally considered part of Council Bluffs, residents lacked the basic city services enjoyed by residents east of the Missouri but were still subject to city taxes. The community successfully seceded in the 1920s, intending to become part of Omaha, but the Nebraska city did not want to pay to extend sewers or water lines either and in 1930 Carter Lake was incorporated as its own municipality.

During the late 1930s and 1940s the Chez Paree nightclub and casino operated openly in Carter Lake because casinos were legal in Iowa but illegal in Nebraska. Consequently, Carter Lake gained the reputation as the biggest gambling spot between Chicago and Reno.

A mistaken belief that a defendant corporation located in Carter Lake was a legal resident of Nebraska resulted in a second U.S. Supreme Court case, Owen Equipment & Erection Co. v. Kroger, 437 U.S. 365 (1978). This case clarified the law regarding ancillary jurisdiction, which allows claims based on state law to be heard in federal courts when related to a claim based on federal law.

Carter Lake creates a geographic oddity for travelers going to Eppley Airfield which it surrounds on the south and west. Consequently travelers going to Eppley Airfield from anywhere except North Omaha will be going through Carter Lake, Iowa. It has caused great confusion when travelers not used to the area go through and see a "Welcome to Iowa" sign on their way to and from the airport.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 3,248 people, 1,221 households, and 914 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,799.7 people per square mile (696.7/km²). There are 1,292 housing units at an average density of 715.9 per square mile (277.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 96.71% White, 0.25% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.86% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 2.89% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Iowa welcome sign on Iowa Highway 165

There are 1,221 households out of which 32.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% are married couples living together, 13.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% are non-families. 20.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.66 and the average family size is 3.04.

Age/Gender Breakdown: 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $37,851, and the median income for a family is $42,794. Males have a median income of $30,946 versus $23,309 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,758. 7.1% of the population and 4.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.6% of those under the age of 18 and 2.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

See also

• Gambling in Omaha, Nebraska

External links

• City of Carter Lake
• History of Carter Lake
• Carter Lake Police Department
• Edward F. Owen Memorial Library
• Carter Lake Elementary School
• Carter Lake Community Resource Center
• Carter Lake Preservation Society
• Carter Lake Weather
• Map showing history of Missouri River shifts at Carter Lake
• City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Carter Lake