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Information About

West Branch, Iowa




West Branch is a city in Cedar County , Iowa , United States . The population was 2,188 at the 2000 census.


HISTORY

President , which includes the Library-Museum, the Hoover Birthplace Cottage and the gravesites of President and Lou Henry Hoover, was authorized by Congress on August 12, 1965.http://www.nps.gov/heho/herbert-hoover-site.htm

Before the Civil War, areas in and around West Branch were stops of the Underground Railroad . Abolitionist John Brown once stayed at the Maxson farm east of West Branch.http://iagenweb.org/history/soi/soi37.htmhttp://www.hooverassociation.org/johnbrown.html

The West Branch Community School District has about 800 students and includes three schools: Hoover Elementary, West Branch Middle School and West Branch High School.http://www.westbranchtimes.com/article.php?viewID=1227
The West Branch Bears boys golf team won four state championships, and the football team won three state championships, in 1989, 1991 and 1992.http://www.iahsaa.org/FB_4_CHAMPGAME.pdf

The city's industrial park is home to a major distribution center of Cincinnati-based & Gamble . The building is 550,000 square feet and as of 2007, is undergoing an expansion.http://www.westbranchtimes.com/article.php?viewID=1127 The industrial park is also home to Plastic Products, Wausau and, by the end of 2007, will be home to Acciona EnergĂ­a's first North American wind turbine assembly plant.http://www.westbranchtimes.com/article.php?id=1689

West Branch has been one of 36 communities in the Main Street Iowa program since being accepted on June 1, 2006.http://www.westbranchtimes.com/article.php?viewID=967 The program encourages downtown economic development through historic preservation.


GEOGRAPHY


West Branch is located at (41.673076, -91.345815).

According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 5.1 Km&2 (2.0 Mi&2 ), all land.

West Branch is located approximately 10 miles east of Iowa City , and 40 miles west of Davenport .

The ZIP Code for West Branch is 52358.


LANDMARKS

West Branch is home to the Herbert Hoover National Historical Site , run by the National Park Service and Herbert Hoover Presidential Library And Museum , run by the National Archives And Records Administration . The library holds the documentary legacy of Rose Wilder Lane and her mother, Laura Ingalls Wilder .

Scattergood Friends School , a Quaker boarding school, is located east of the town.


DEMOGRAPHICS

As of the Census of 2000, there were 2,188 people, 840 households, and 572 families residing in the city. The Population Density was 426.7/km&2 (1,106.8/mi&2). There were 876 housing units at an average density of 170.8/km&2 (443.1/mi&2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.71% White , 0.37% African American , 0.41% Native American , 0.91% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 0.59% from Other Races , and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.74% of the population.

There were 840 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were Married Couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $42,500, and the median income for a family was $51,667. Males had a median income of $31,949 versus $26,379 for females. The Per Capita Income for the city was $19,577. About 4.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the Poverty Line , including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.


NOTABLE NATIVES

  • Herbert Hoover , president of the United States 1929-1933

  • Dave Rummells , PGA golferhttp://www.press-citizen.com/sports/prepprofile/prepprofile041701.htm

  • Marv Cook , Football playerhttp://www.hawkcentral.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070228/HAWKS0104/70228016/1058/HAWKS0104



TRANSPORTATION

Interstate 80 cuts through West Branch.


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EXTERNAL LINKS