Red Oak, Iowa
| Red Oak, Iowa | |||
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| Coordinates: 41°0′42″N 95°13′38″W / 41.01167°N 95.22722°WCoordinates: 41°0′42″N 95°13′38″W / 41.01167°N 95.22722°W | |||
| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Iowa |
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| County | Montgomery | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 3.7 sq mi (9.7 km2) | ||
| • Land | 3.7 sq mi (9.5 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 1,050 ft (320 m) | ||
| Population (2010)[1] | |||
| • Total | 5,742 | ||
| • Density | 1,551.9/sq mi (599.2/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) | ||
| ZIP codes | 51566, 51591 | ||
| Area code(s) | 712 | ||
| FIPS code | 19-66135 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0460554 | ||
Red Oak is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Iowa, United States,[2] located along the East Nishnabotna River. The population was 5,742 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 6,197 population in the 2000 census.[1][3]
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[edit] History
In the two bloodiest wars involving the United States, Red Oak paid a particularly high price. In the American Civil War, the area provided more Union troops per capita than any other in the state.[4] Early World War II battles claimed a disproportionate number of soldiers from Red Oak (although the final casualty statistics tend to disprove the oft-repeated statement that Red Oak suffered more losses per capita than any other American community).[4][5][6] In the Battle of the Kasserine Pass in February 1943, forty-five soldiers from Red Oak alone were captured or killed.[7] In recognition of Red Oak's extraordinary sacrifice, the city's name was given to a "victory ship".[8] The SS Red Oak Victory has become a floating museum in the shipyard where it was built, in Richmond, California.[8]
[edit] Geography
Red Oak is located at 41°0′42″N 95°13′38″W / 41.01167°N 95.22722°W (41.011681, -95.227227)[9].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2), of which 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2) are land and 0.1-square-mile (0.26 km2) (1.60%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
| Red Oak Population History |
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 1,315 |
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| 1880 | 3,755 | 185.6% | |
| 1890 | 3,321 | −11.6% | |
| 1900 | 4,355 | 31.1% | |
| 1910 | 4,830 | 10.9% | |
| 1920 | 5,578 | 15.5% | |
| 1930 | 5,778 | 3.6% | |
| 1940 | 5,763 | −0.3% | |
| 1950 | 6,526 | 13.2% | |
| 1960 | 6,421 | −1.6% | |
| 1970 | 6,210 | −3.3% | |
| 1980 | 6,810 | 9.7% | |
| 1990 | 6,264 | −8.0% | |
| 2000 | 6,197 | −1.1% | |
| 2010 | 5,742 | −7.3% | |
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[edit] 2010 census
The 2010 census recorded a population of 5,742 in the city, with a population density of 1,552/sq mi (599/km2). There were 2,887 housing units, of which 2,406 were occupied.[1]
The racial makeup of the city in the 2010 census was 96.3% White American, 0.3% African American, 0.4% Native Americans in the United States, 0.2% Asian American, 0.0% Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islander American, 1.4% other races and 1.3% were from two or more races. Of those 4.2% were Hispanic and Latino Americans.[10]
[edit] 2000 census
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 6,197 people, 2,670 households, and 1,650 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,684.7 people per square mile (650.2/km²). There were 2,985 housing units at an average density of 811.5 per square mile (313.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.42% Caucasian, African American African American (U.S. Census), 0.11% Asian (U.S. Census), 0.50% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.
There were 2,670 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.8% 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 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,098, and the median income for a family was $37,007. Males had a median income of $28,942 versus $20,047 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,793. About 7.9% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.8% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Heath care
The Montgomery County Memorial Hospital is located in Red Oak. MCMH is a modern 25-bed facility with birth to hospice capabilities. MCMH management puts an emphasis on health care for the local community inside the hospital and with programs outside of the hospital.[12]
- Hospital history
Originally began as Red Oak Hospital when Dr. B.F. Gillmor opened a 15 bed hospital in 1920. In 1931 it was renamed the Murphy Memorial Hospital in honor of a bequest of $40,000 from Thomas D. and Ina C. Murphy. In 1941 a 26 bed hospital was built in a new location with an addition in 1951. In 1961 a long-term care unit, named Highland Acres, was constructed. In 1978 in a special election voters approved of Montgomery County taking ownership of Murphy Memorial Hospital. The facility then became known as Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. In 1989 a new hospital was built and in 1993 a Physicians Center was added.[12]
[edit] Points of interest
- Red Oak is the smallest town in Iowa to have had a streetcar system.[citation needed]
- It currently has a transmitter for the Iowa Public television system.[13]
- This community holds a rich history including ties to the Underground Railroad[citation needed] and a wealth of lineage to the American railroad expansion.[citation needed]
- Red Oak is mentioned in Willa Cather's 1912 short story The Bohemian Girl.
[edit] Notable people
- Dennis Ashbaugh, painter
- James R. Bennett, Secretary of State of Alabama 1993-2003
- Johnny Carson (1925–2005) entertainer, host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson [14]
- James E. Kearney (1884–1977) Roman Catholic bishop [15]
- Dick Kenworthy, Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago White Sox
- Stephen Shortridge, actor
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ a b "Data from the 2010 Census". State Data Center of Iowa. http://www.iowadatacenter.org/archive/2011/02/feb10. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ a b "Victory at Sea," TIME, 1966-3-11.
- ^ Red Oak Home Page, Red Oak Victory Amateur Radio Club. Accessed 2007-09-02.
- ^ "Emmet County Leads in War Dead Ratio," Council Bluffs Nonpareil, p. 2, 1946-01-03 (Montgomery County ranked third among Iowa counties in World War II casualties per capital).
- ^ Rick Atkinson, An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943, p. 397 (Macmillan 2003) ISBN 0-8050-7448-1.
- ^ a b SS Red Oak Victory (Victory Ship), National Park Service. Accessed 2007-09-02.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin in Iowa's Incorporated Places: 2010". State Data Center of Iowa. http://www.iowadatacenter.org/archive/2011/02/cityrace.pdf. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b "Montgomery County Memorial Hospital". Home website. http://www.mcmh.org/index.html. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ http://www.iptv.org/about.cfm
- ^ Garrison, Webb B.; Janice Beck Stock (2000). A treasury of Iowa tales. Rutledge Hill Press. ISBN 1-55853-751-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=TluzWxUQIccC&pg=PT178&lpg=PT178&dq=Johnny+Carson+%22red+oak%22#v=onepage&q=Johnny%20Carson%20%22red%20oak%22&f=false. Retrieved 2010-12-25.
- ^ Curtis, Georgina Pell (1961). The American Catholic Who's Who. XIV. Grosse Pointe, Michigan: Walter Romig.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Red Oak, Iowa |
- Red Oak's Website Portal style website.
- The Red Oak Express Area wide local print and online newspaper.
- City Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Red Oak.
- Red Oak Community School District Local School District Website
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