Council Bluffs, Iowa
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Council Bluffs is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,268. It is often considered a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska, which is just across the Missouri River, and was founded by real estate speculators from Council Bluffs. What is now Council Bluffs was first settled by Billy Caldwell's Pottawatomi during the 1830s. During the mid-1840s the town became known as Kanesville (named for Thomas L. Kane) the main outfitting point for the Mormon emigration to Utah. After the Mormons left in 1852, the town was renamed Council Bluffs. Now home to three casinos — Ameristar Casino Hotel, Horseshoe Casino, and Harrah's Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel — many Omahans travel to Council Bluffs for gambling, which is more loosely regulated in Iowa than in Nebraska. During the middle 19th century, the city was, along with Omaha, one of the major "jumping off" points for the Emigrant Trail. By 1852, over half of the emigrants on the Oregon Trail passed through Council Bluffs. By 1930, the city was the country's fifth largest rail center.
Culture and attractions
Council Bluffs is home to the Pottawattamie County "Squirrel Cage" Jail, in use from 1885 until 1969, which is one of three remaining examples of a "lazy Susan" or rotary jail. A rotary jail contains pie-shaped cells located on a turntable. To access an individual cell, the jailor turned a crank, which rotated the cylinder of cells until the desired cell lined up with a fixed opening located on each floor. According to the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County, the Squirrel Cage Jail is the only three-story rotary jail ever built although the rotary mechanism was disabled in 1960.
The black squirrel is common in the city and was first reported by John James Audubon in 1843 and can be found along the Missouri River from Council Bluffs south to the Blacksnake Hills (now St. Joseph, Missouri).
The Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League play at the Mid-America Center.
Council Bluffs is also home to the Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Western Community College.
Geography
Council Bluffs is located at (41.253698, -95.862388)[Geographic references#1GR1].
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. most of this being Lake Manawa.
Council Bluffs is part of a unique topographic region composed of loess hills and prairie. Excellent vistas can be had from Fairmont Park, the Lincoln Monument, Kirn Park, and the Lewis and Clark Monument. North Broadway follows Indian Creek for about a mile, in an area that is lushly landscaped. Lake Manawa State Park is located at the southern edge of the city.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] 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.
Faith and worship
Council Bluffs places of worship include:
- [East Side Christian Church]
- [First Christian Church]
- [Family Catholic Church]
- [Southside Christian Church]
- [Walnut Grove Baptist Church]
- [Broadway United Methodist Church]
- [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]
External links
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