Waverly, Iowa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Waverly is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 8,968 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bremer CountyGR6. The sister city of Waverly is the German city of Eisenach, which is famous for the Wartburg castle. Waverly is also the home of Wartburg College which is named after this castle.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Waverly is located at (42.726530, -92.475366)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.7 km² (11.5 mi²). 28.9 km² (11.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (2.70%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 8,968 people, 3,238 households, and 2,143 families residing in the city. The population density was 310.3/km² (803.4/mi²). There were 3,394 housing units at an average density of 117.4/km² (304.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.11% White, 1.05% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population.
There were 3,238 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 20.4% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $39,587, and the median income for a family was $52,656. Males had a median income of $36,369 versus $22,031 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,285. About 2.1% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Early Waverly history
Indian Reservation: The first permanent residents of Waverly were settled there against their will. Because of their alleged assistance given to Chief Blackhawk during the Blackhawk War (1832) the Winnebago were forced to cede their lands east of the Mississippi and to move to Neutral Ground in what is now northeastern Iowa. They were to receive $270,000 ($10,000 per year for 27 years) and were required to surrender several of their tribesmen accused of murdering whites during the war. At that time there were three tribes living in the area, the Winnebagoes numbering about 500, the Mesquakie numbering about 100 and the Pottawattomies numbering about 50. With Iowa statehood in 1846, the Winnebago were moved again. In an 1845 treaty, the Winnebago exchanged their Iowa lands for the 800,000 acre Long Prairie (Crow Wing River) reserve in Minnesota and $190,000. In 1848 a detachment of United States troops from Fort Atkinson came to enforce the removal. All told, between 1840 and 1863 the Winnebagoes were moved five times. They were pushed first to northeastern Iowa, then to Long Prairie, Minnesota, then to Blue Earth, Minnesota, then to Crow Creek, South Dakota. In 1865, after the constant upheaval cost 700 tribal members’ lives, the current Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska was established by the treaties of 1865 and 1874. The tribe lost more than two thirds of this land in the General Allotment Act of 1887. By 1913, only 120,000 acres of cropland, woodland, and pasture remained. The tribe is federally recognized and organized under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act. The Winnebago Tribe established a constitution in 1936 which was amended in 1968.
Early Settlement: Frederick Cretzmeyer is credited with being the first settler in Waverly, having purchased 160 acres in 1852, he built a log hut in on the East side of the Cedar River (or what was once called the Red Cedar River). Soon more homes were constructed as other settlers arrive with some of their later homes built just over the hill, behind what is now the recycling center. William Patterson Harmon came to Waverly in the spring of 1853 with the idea of establishing a town and a saw mill. He purchased most of what is now Waverly from the United States Government for $1.25 an acre. The area was incorporated as a town in June 1859. Two stories exist on how the town was named. The speaker at the ceremony was said to have been a fan of the Sir Walter Scott’s Waverly Novels and when it came time to name the town (which settlers had wanted to call Harmonville or Harmon) he inadvertently called it Waverly. The myth goes that Jennie Harmon Case later wrote that it was her father who was the speaker and that he made the decision to name the town after the favorite book, instead of the proposed "Harmonville." Coincidentally, Bremer county’s name also honors a person eminent in literature. Bremer was named in 1850 by Governor Hempstead, who was an admirer of the Swedish authoress and feminist Fredricka Bremer.
The first school was started by Charles Ensign in a log cabin in 1854. A stone school house was erected by 1855. Additional schools were needed to be built by 1861 and 1868. The first graduating class of the Waverly High School was the class of 1875 with two students. Wartburg College moved to Waverly from Clinton, Iowa in 1856. The public library was established in 1866.
[edit] Education
Wartburg College founded in 1852 Wartubrg is a "nationally recognized selective four-year liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and is dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning." There at 1,811 students enrolled which creates a Student-faculty ratio of 12:1 and an average class size of 21. The five largest majors (in order): business administration, biology, communication arts, elementary education, and psychology.
Waverly-Shell Rock School Districtis made of Seven schools including five elementary schools, a junior high and a high school. The district strives "to create a passion for learning that will sustain students for a lifetime." In the 2005-06 school year this district had 2,020 K-12 students of whom 1,823 are regular education students and 197 special education students. Thirty four of the special education students are served in Greenview High School, an alternative high school program at Lutheran Services of Iowa—Bremwood. The attendance Rate: (averages) W-SR 96%, Iowa 95%, U.S. 73% 85%+ of junior high and 77% of senior high students participate in one or more co-/extra curricular activity. Waverly-Shell Rock Senior High is currently erecting a new gymnasium and auditorium onto its current structure.
Saint Paul's Schoolis a ministry of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, ELCA, and is committed to providing quality education in an environment where Christian faith is taught, learned and lived. Saint Paul's has 123 students in K-6, 75 students in Preschool of whom more than half come from neighboring congregations. Assistance is given to families who demonstrate financial need
[edit] Government
The City of Waverly has a Mayor Council form of government. The City has a professional City Administrator that is hired by the City Council. There is a 7 member City Council: 5 elected members from wards, 2 members elected at-large. The Mayor is elected by all citizens.
[edit] Public service
Police Department [1]:
Personnel Currently, there are a total of 15 sworn officers and 1 full-time office manager serving the Police Department.
| Field Operations | |
|---|---|
| Patrol | The patrol unit consists of sworn, uniformed officers, assigned to line services. Responsibilities include: making arrests, responding to calls-for-service, initial investigation, initiating reports of incidents, traffic enforcement, school talks, and crime prevention. |
| Bike Patrol | The Waverly Police Department has added "Bike Patrol" to the Department's service functions. The bike patrol will be active from April through October on an "as available basis." Officers assigned to the bike patrol receive specialized training in the area of bicycle law enforcement techniques and are certified by the State of Iowa. The Department desires to be available for assistance and service to the City of Waverly and as an added presence to the Waverly Bike Trail, which extends into Bremer County. |
| Investigation | Investigation is staffed by sworn, uniformed and plainclothes officers and civilian office manager. Responsibilities include: follow-up criminal investigations such as fraud, narcotics, gangs, property crimes, crimes against persons, juvenile offenses, and internal investigations. |
| Identification | Uniformed officers, along with the criminal investigators, are responsible for collection and preservation of evidence and property, crime scene processing, police laboratory work, computer entry of data, consigning materials to major labs for analysis, and writing report assignments. |
Fire Department:
The Waverly Volunteer Fire Department proudly serves Waverly and the surrounding areas with fire protection coverage. We also respond to emergency calls for river rescues, automobile accidents and such, wherever and whenever we are called out to assist. Our organization consists at any time of between 30-40 citizens of the city of Waverly who are all volunteers dedicated to protecting the community through public service.
[edit] Renewable energy
Waverly is a leader in the use of renewable energy. In 1993 Waverly Light & Power Company became the first public power system in the Midwest to own and operate wind generation. The Zond 80 kW turbine was installed on a farm just outside of the city. In 1999 two 75 kW turbines were added near Alta, Iowa. They are part of the 259 turbines on a wind farm near Storm Lake. In 2001 the first turbine was replaced by a [2] 90 kW turbine which as produced 111,000kwh in 15 days. WLP has set a goal known as "20 by 20-20" which means they are striving to generate 20% of its energy with renewable sources by the year 2020. The latest step in reaching that goal is to build a new ISEP energy park in Dallas County.
Waverly Light & Power has also been instrumental in development of soybean based transformer oil.
[edit] Industry and commerce
Waverly Economic Development lists 16 separate industries but certainly education provides the most jobs and the Lutheran Church and it's related ministries is the largest employer. Among the other area industries in Waverly are:
Cuna MutualA financial service company with $10 billion life insurance in force and $2 billion in assets. Product lines incorporate life insurance, annuities, and investment products
GMT CorporationDesigners and builders of automated systems, special machinery, dies, fixtures and gauges; CNC machining of production and prototype parts with CAD expertise
NestlesProducers of such items as Instant Breakfast, Hot Cocoa Mix, Instant Non-Fat Dairy Milk, and various sauces sold in the retail and food service market
TerexA major producer of cranes for a wide variety of construction, utility, and industrial applications
Twice a year the Waverly Sale Barn conducts a horse sale which attracts thousands of buyers and sellers from around the country. The sale includes draft horses, halflingers, fjords, saddle horses, light drivers, ponies, miniatures, and tack. The event was reported in the New York Times in 1996.
[edit] Arts and entertainment
The Wartburg Community SymphonySince 1952, Waverly has been one of the smallest communities in the country to support a semi-professional symphony orchestra. Over the past few years, that support has mushroomed, with membership in the Wartburg Community Symphony Association experiencing substantial growth in all levels, including corporate support
Wartburg Artist SeriesEach year Wartburg College offers a diverse arts program for the campus community and surrounding area.
The Wartburg Players The Wartburg Players is a drama organization designed to promote active participation on stage and off. All students are welcome and encouraged to participate and will receive information regarding plays and other acting/entertainment opportunities. The local community is welcomed to attend productions.
Christmas With WartburgThis musical celebration provides a fitting opportunity for Wartburg, as a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, to proclaim the Good News of Christ’s birth in word and song. It involves a substantial commitment at the busiest time of the academic term for more than 200 student musicians. It showcases the talents of the Wartburg Choir, Castle Singers, and Wind Ensemble, which tour annually and travel abroad every third year. The four-concert series includes a performance at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, the Des Moines Civic Center, and two performances in Neumann Auditorium on the Wartburg campus.
The Waverly Municipal Bandis made of community members of all ages and presents a weekly concert on the lawn of the Bremer County Courthouse during early summer months and participates in local parades.
[edit] Recreation
Waverly is the site of the annual Bremer County Fairheld in early August at the County Fair Grounds.
The Waverly Rail Trail is one of Northeast Iowa's finest and Bremer County's only scenic bike trail. The 10-foot wide asphalt trail is 7.5 miles in length beginning on the west side of the Cedar River in Waverly, heading southeast, crossing a spectacular 500-foot bridge over the Cedar River through the downtown area. The Trail connects Waverly to Denver IA.
The City of Waverly Parks and Recreation Department maintain 19 city parks including Memorial Park with a swiming pool mini-golf, a large playscape called Kids'Kingdom, and a skate park; Three Rivers Parkwhich offers a boat dock and Kohlmann Park which offers ice skating.
The Waverly Golf Course is an 18-hole public course. The Waverly Golf Course Named 18 Hole Golf Course of the Year for 2003 by the Iowa Golf Association.
Centennial Oaks Golf and Country Club This private 18-hole "links" British style course features five tee boxes on every hole to allow each golfer to play the course according to their individual expertise.
Waverly offers two disc golf (a.k.a frisbee golf) courses one on the campus of Wartburg College and one at Riversdie Park.
[edit] Libraries, museums, and galleries
The Waverly Public Library offers are large collection of books and periodicals, and electronic media as well as drive-up check out, web based catalog, Free internet access, WiFi, Fax Services, interactive video conferencing, community meeting rooms, and a butterfly garden.
The Vogel Library located at Wartburg College offers a large collection and all the services one would expect of a college library. The front of the library includes the Konditorei Coffee Shop.
The Bremer County Museum is located in the Waverly House at 402 West. Bremer Avenue. This site is on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum occupies a roadside inn, built in 1864 from native timber and brick from a local kiln and includes an authentic 1873 drugstore, model railroad display, and Native American artifacts. Open May 3 through October. Monday through Saturday, 1:30 to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 2-4 p.m.
Waldemar A. Schmidt Gallery 222 Ninth St. N.W. The gallery is located within the Fine Arts Center. Exhibits are composed of work from local, national and international artists. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the academic year. Exhibits requiring additional security have reduced hours.
The Schield International Museum was established in 1969 and is located directly across from the Wartburg College campus at 805 West Bremer Avenue features the treasures collected by the late Waverly industrialist Vern Schield on his world travels. Also on display is the first Bantam dragline, designed and built by Schield in 1942 as a prototype for the original Schield Bantam Company, now part of the Terex Corporation. Directly across from the Wartburg College campus. Hours are 1-5 pm Tuesday through Sunday, May through August. Special tours can be arranged by calling the Wartburg College at 319-352-8318.
[edit] Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Waverly may have the highest national per capita concentration of ordained Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) clergy. One estimate in the 1990s suggested Waverly had 37 ordained ELCA clergy, with a population of about 9,000. This estimate was made during the days preceding the ELCA decision regarding Called to Common Mission. If accurate, this would equal a ratio of 1 clergy member for every 243 people. ELCA institutions in Waverly include:
- The chapel clergy and Religion Department faculty at Wartburg College
- Redeemer Lutheran Church, ELCA
- St. Paul's Lutheran Church, ELCA
- St. Paul's Elementary - a private Lutheran elementary school
- The headquarters of Lutheran Services of Iowa and their Bremwood Lutheran Children's home
- Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community
- The headquarters for the Northeastern Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Waverly is also home to St. John Lutheran Church, which is affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
[edit] Trivia
- The fictional Marvel comics superhero, Hawkeye was born in Waverly.
- Michael Talbott, an actor best known for his role in TV's Miami Vice, was born in Waverly.
- The female ice skater, Alexis Winston (played by Lynn-Holly Johnson), from the 1978 movie "Ice Castles" was from Waverly.
- Wes Gade, pitcher for Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks baseball team, once struck out 4 batters in one inning during a Varsity baseball game against Charles City in 1996.[citation needed]
- Sister City since 1992 - Eisenach Germany, Home of Wartburg Castle
[edit] External links
- Waverly's Official Website
- Waverly-Shell Rock School District
- The Official Website for Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa
- 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
