Council Bluffs, Iowa
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Council Bluffs is the county seat of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States on the east bank of the Missouri River. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,268. Council Bluffs is several decades older than its neighbor across the river, the much larger city of Omaha, Nebraska, which was founded by Council Bluffs businessmen and speculators in 1854 following the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Although Council Bluffs is only the eighth largest city in Iowa, the population of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area far exceeds any other city in the state.
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[edit] History
The city was named for the 1804 meeting of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with the Otoe tribe that took place near present-day Ft. Calhoun, Nebraska. The area in northwestern Mills County, Iowa across the Missouri River from present-day Bellevue, Nebraska was later known as Council Bluffs.
The present city of Council Bluffs was first settled by Billy Caldwell's Pottawatomi during the 1830s after they were removed from what became Chicago. Father Pierre-Jean De Smet operated a mission among the Potawatomi for a time and Fort Croghan was built to control liquor traffic on the Missouri. In 1844 the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party crossed the Missouri River here and by 1848 the town had become Kanesville (named for Thomas L. Kane), the main outfitting point for the Mormon Exodus to Utah. The Mormon Battalion began their march to California during the Mexican-American War from here, plural marriage was first openly practiced, and Brigham Young was introduced as the second leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church).
The community was transformed by the California Gold Rush and the majority of Mormons left for Utah by 1852. The town was renamed Council Bluffs and remained a major outfitting point on the Missouri for the Emigrant Trail with a lively steamboat trade. The completion of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad into Council Bluffs in 1867, the transcontinental railroad in 1869, and the opening of the Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge in 1872 made Council Bluffs a major railroad center. Other railroads operating in the city included the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific, the Chicago and Great Western, the Wabash, the Illinois Central, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy, and the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific and made Council Bluffs the fifth largest rail center in the country by the 1930's. The railroads also made Council Bluffs a center for grain storage and several grain elevators continue to dot the city's skyline. Other industries in the city have included Giant Manufacturing, Reliance Batteries, Monarch, Mona Motor Oil, Woodward's Candy, Kimball Elevators, World Radio, Dwarfies Cereal, Reliance Battery, Georgie Porgie Cereal, Blue Star Foods, and Frito-Lay. In 1926 the portion of Council Bluffs west of the Missouri River seceded to form Carter Lake, Iowa. During the 1940s, Meyer Lansky operated a greyhound racing track in Council Bluffs.
The late 20th century brought economic stagnation, downtown urban renewal, and a declining population. The liberalization of Iowa gambling laws was followed by the opening of The Bluffs Run Greyhound Park in 1986. By 2006, Council Bluffs was home to three casinos: Ameristar, Harrah's, and Harrah's Horseshoe and had become Iowa's most profitable gambling center. In 2007, the old Bluffs Run hosted the World Series of Poker. Tyson Foods, Con-Agra, American Games, Omaha Standard, Barton Solvents, Katelman Foundry, Red Giant Oil, and Griffin Pipe all have manufacturing plants in the city. Interstate 80, Interstate 29, U.S. Route 6, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, and the Union Pacific, BNSF, Iowa Interstate, and Canadian National Railroads all pass through Council Bluffs and MidAmerican Energy has a large coal-burning power plant near the southern city limits.
[edit] Geography
Council Bluffs is located at (41.253698, -95.862388)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 102.7 km² (39.7 mi²). 96.8 km² (37.4 mi²) of it is land and 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it (5.70%) is water.
Council Bluffs covers a unique topographic region originally composed of prairie and savanna in the Loess Hills with extensive wetlands and deciduous forest along the Missouri River. Excellent vistas can be had from Fairmont Park, the Lincoln Monument, Kirn Park, and the Lewis and Clark Monument. Lake Manawa State Park is located at the southern edge of the city.
[edit] Neighborhoods
- The West End: A geographically large area on the flood plain east of the Missouri River and downtown Omaha, Nebraska, west of 10th Street and the Broadway Viaduct, and north of 9th Avenue and the Union Pacific railyards. These neighborhoods of long, tree-shaded avenues are divided by the commercial corridor of West Broadway (U.S. Route 6 ), once part of the Lincoln Highway and now prominent for its abundance of fast food restaurants, including Alvarado's 24-Hour Mexican, Runza Restaurants, Godfather's Pizza, Taco Bell, Wendy's, McDonalds, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Popeye's Chicken, Sonic Drive-In, Arby's, and Long John Silver's. This portion of West Broadway has also traditionally been home to several automobile dealerships and a large grain elevator. West Broadway ends at the Interstate 480 bridge to downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Iowa Highway 192 follows North 16th Street from West Broadway to Interstate 29. Employment with the railroads or factories in nearby Omaha made the West End generally more integrated and egalitarian than elsewhere in Council Bluffs. Landmarks include the 1890's Illinois Central Railroad Missouri River bridge, Thomas Jefferson High School, Stan Bahnsen Park, the Golden Spike monument, the Narrows River Park, Big Lake Park, and many fine examples of late 19th and early 20th century residential architecture. The West End was used as a location by film director Alexander Payne in the movies Citizen Ruth and About Schmidt.
- Twin City: located south of where Interstate 29 splits from Interstate 80, east of South Omaha, Nebraska, west of Indian Creek, and north of the South Omaha Bridge Road (U.S. Route 275 and Iowa Highway 92) and South Omaha Veterans Memorial Bridge). This neighborhood developed mostly during the 1950's and 60's for workers in nearby Omaha factories and at Offutt Air Force Base. The Interstate 80 Exit at 1-B on South 24th St. includes two large truck stops, a Sapp Bros. and a Pilot Travel Centers, along with a Best Western, Super 8, other motels, the Western Historic Trails Center, and the Bluffs Acres manufactured home development. The Willows on the South Omaha Bridge Road is a fine example of mid-20th century roadside motel architecture that featured, until recently, neon signage. Unfortunately now the Willows Motel now only offers complementary herpes from thier restroom facilities that never get cleaned. Further east at South 24th St was Bart's Motel which also had prominent neon signage, was used as a location in the Sean Penn motion picture The Indian Runner, and has since been demolished.
- Manawa: The portion of Council Bluffs from the combined Interstate 80 and Interstate 29 south to the city limits between Mosquito and Indian Creeks. The area first developed as a trolley park by the Omaha & Council Bluffs Streetcar Company after the former channel of the Missouri River was “cut-off” during an 1881 flood to become modern Lake Manawa State Park. Later development followed the establishment of U.S. Route 275 and the completion of Interstate 80 with additional growth during the 1990s. A McDonald’s, La Mesa, Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, Motel 6, Red Lobster, Dairy Queen, Wal-mart, Menards, Home Depot, Best Buy, TA Travel-Center truck stop, a variety of automobile dealerships, and other businesses are located between Interstate 80 and Interstate 29 south to the state park. The Council Bluffs Drive-In Theater was located on the South Omaha Bridge Road from 1948-2007 and the nearby Lake Manawa Inn hosts early examples of roadside cabin architecture. In February and March bald eagles can frequently be seen at Lake Manawa, particularly along the southwest shore.
- The South End: Bordered by 12th Avenue on the north, South 16th St. and the Union Pacific railyards on the west, Interstate 80 and Interstate 29 on the south, and the South Expressway (Iowa Highway 192) on the east. This neighborhood developed during the late 19th century with the railroads, especially the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad. In the early 20th century much of the area was dubbed "Dane Town" for the large number of Danish immigrants with several Croatian and Mexican families near the Union Pacific railyards. Landmarks include Peterson Park and the 1899 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific passenger depot, now a museum.
- Oakland Avenue: This neighborhood developed during the 1890’s and features a wealth of 19th century architecture, including the Judge Finley Burkey mansion at 510 Oakland built in 1893 out of Minnesota granite. The neighborhood is also home to the Lincoln Monument erected in 1911 by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution that, according to folklore, commemorates the spot where Abraham Lincoln decided on the location of the transcontinental railroad. The monument offers expansive views across the Missouri River valley to downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Nearby is the entrance to Fairview Cemetery which predates the establishment of the present city and includes the Kinsman Monument and the burial place of many early settlers, including Amelia Bloomer. At adjacent Lafayette Street stands the Ruth Anne Dodge Memorial, the "Black Angel" designed by Daniel Chester French, although the wife of Grenville Dodge is actually buried elsewhere.
- Old Town/Kanesville: “Old Town” was adjudged by Judge Frank Street in the 1850 as the area between West Broadway and Glen Avenue and East Broadway and Frank Street between Harmony and Pierce Streets. This area encompasses Billy Caldwell‘s settlement of Potawatomi on Indian Creek during the 1830s and Kanesville established by the Mormons as Miller’s Hollow during the late 1840s. Kanesville was the home of Mormon leaders Orson Hyde, George A. Smith, and Ezra T. Benson and served as a major outfitting point on the Mormon Trail during the California Gold Rush. The reconstructed Kanesville Tabernacle in the 300 block of East Broadway is operated as a museum by the LDS Church.
- Huntington Avenue: Neighborhood of early 20th century Craftsman homes that winds along the top of the Loess Hills past the 1920s studios of radio station KOIL, now apartments.
- Casino Row: Located on or near the Missouri River south of West Broadway and Interstate 480 off South 35th St. and north of Interstate 80 along 23rd Avenue west of South 24th St. The opening of the Bluffs Run Greyhound Park in 1986 was followed in the 1990's by riverboat casinos operated by Ameristar and Harvey's Casino (now Harrah's). New development in this previously industrial area has included the Mid-America Center, Famous Dave's, Ruby Tuesday, other restaurants and hotels, the second-largest number of theaters in the Star Cinema (theater) chain, and Bass Pro Shops. The appearance of legalized gambling in Council Bluffs became a major issue in Omaha where Mayor Hal Daub had declared Iowa a "XXX state" in 1995 as horse-racing came to an end at Ak-Sar-Ben.
- Historic Red-light district: During the late 19th century at least 10 separate brothels were located on Pierce Street east of Park Avenue with another three brothels down the block on the south side of West Broadway east of Park. One 1890 newspaper article referenced in Lt. RL Miller's "Selected History of the Council Bluffs Police" noted the "places of vice and corruption on Pierce" and Stella Long's above the Ogden House along with the "terrible den at the corner of Market and Vine" and Belle Clover's bagnio at 8th and West Broadway.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 58,268 people, 22,889 households, and 15,083 families residing in the city. The population density was 601.9/km² (1,558.7/mi²). There were 24,340 housing units at an average density of 251.4/km² (651.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.76% White, 1.05% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 4.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 22,889 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03.
Age/gender spread: 26.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,221, and the median income for a family was $42,715. Males had a median income of $30,828 versus $23,476 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,143. About 8.2% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Culture and attractions
Council Bluffs is the location of the Pottawattamie County "Squirrel Cage" Jail, in use from 1885 until 1969, which is one of three remaining examples of a lazy Susan jail. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was built as a rotary jail with pie-shaped cells on a turntable somewhat based on Jeremy Bentham's panopticon. To access individual cells, the jailer turned a crank to rotate the cylinder until the desired cell lined up with a fixed opening on each floor. According to the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County, the Squirrel Cage Jail is the only three-story rotary jail constructed. Although the rotary mechanism was disabled in 1960 the building remained the county jail for another nine years. Similar, smaller examples of the concept can be seen in Crawfordsville, Indiana and Gallatin, Missouri.
The black squirrel is the city's mascot and was first reported by John James Audubon in 1843 along the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and the Blacksnake Hills, now St. Joseph, Missouri.
The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League play at the Mid-America Center. The Mid-America Center, casinos, and Westfair Amphitheater have made Council Bluffs a growing entertainment venue, particularly since the late 1990s, and have brought Waylon Jennings, James Brown, Tim McGraw, The Foo Fighters, Coolio, Kid Rock, Cher, B.B. King, Pearl Jam, David Alan Coe, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, and many others to town.
Council Bluffs is also home to the Iowa School for the Deaf, Iowa Western Community College, the Chanticleer Community Theater, and Hamilton College (Iowa) - Council Bluffs.
[edit] Faith and worship
Council Bluffs places of worship include:
- East Side Christian Church
- First Christian Church
- Holy Family Catholic Church
- Southside Christian Church
- Walnut Grove Baptist Church
- Broadway United Methodist Church
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
[edit] Noted residents
- Grenville Dodge: US Congressman, Civil War General, Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific during construction of the transcontinental railroad.
- Amelia Bloomer: 19th century suffragist.
- Sauganash or Billy Caldwell: Potawatomi spokesman, son of William Caldwell (ranger).
- Jon Lieber: baseball player.
- Harry Langdon: silent movie star.
- Nathan M. Pusey: educator, former president of Harvard University.
- Ernest Schoedsack: film director, including the original King Kong and Mighty Joe Young.
- Stan Bahnsen: baseball player.
- Lee De Forest: inventor. The "Grandfather of Television".
- Art Farmer: jazz musician.
- Ron Stander: boxer, the "Bluffs Butcher" who fought Joe Frazier in 1972 for the heavyweight title.
- Michael Gronstal: former Minority Leader, present Majority Leader Iowa Senate.
- Tim Kasher: singer/songwriter, Cursive (band) and The Good Life (band), associated with Saddle Creek Records.
- John S. McCain, Jr.: Navy Admiral, father of John S. McCain III.
- Hans Schlegel: German astronaut.
- William Harrison Folsom: architect.
- Coleen Seng: Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska.
- Charles Roscoe Savage: photographer.
- John Durbin: actor.
- William Pfaff: journalist.
- Watseka: niece of Potawatomi Chief, married to Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard and Noel Le Vasseur.
- Ben Leber: football player.
- Don Chandler: football player.
- Joan Freeman: actress, co-starred with Elvis in Roustabout.
- Martin Burns: championship wrestler, founder of mail-order "Farmer Burns Scientific School of Wrestling".
- Marjabelle Young Stewart: etiquette expert.
- David Yost: actor, the Power Rangers.
- Jonathan Browning: gunsmith.
- Sam Brown (activist): organizer Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam, former Colorado State Treasurer.
- Elizabeth Dean: author.
- Thomas Beer: author.
- Hard-Heart: Ioway Chief.
- Ralph Doubleday: rodeo pioneer.
- Zoe Ann Olson: awarded the silver medal in diving at the 1948 Summer Olympics.
- General Frank Everest: Air Force Commander in Europe during the Cold War.
- Terry Kiser: actor, Weekend at Bernie's.
- Canada Bill Jones: gambler, confidence man.
- Ben Marks: confidence man.
- Tom Limerick: gangster, killed attempting to escape Alcatraz in 1938.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Historical Society of Pottawattamie County
- The Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce
- The Council Bluffs Public Library
- The City of Council Bluffs
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
