Mason City, Iowa
Encyclopedia : M : MA : MAS : Mason City, Iowa
Mason City is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 29,172 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cerro Gordo County[Geographic references#6GR6]. North Iowa Area Community College is located here.
Mason City is the birthplace and childhood home of composer and playwright Meredith Willson. The fictional city of River City, Iowa in his musical The Music Man is loosely based on Mason City. Willson's birthplace has been restored as a tourist attraction and is part of the Music Man Square complex that includes a plaza with a bronze statue of Willson in a band major's uniform. Puppeteer Bil Baird was also born in Mason City; his creations were featured in The Sound of Music and are now exhibited at the [MacNider Art Museum]. After a concert at the Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake, IA, Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash after taking off from the Mason City airport.
Mason City is also known for its sizable amount of Prairie School architecture - the largest concentration in one location outside of Oak Park, Illinois. The Rock Glen and Rock Crest districts along Willow Creek feature homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and Walter Burley Griffin. Wright's Stockman House has been restored and is open to the public. Also, Wright's Park Inn Hotel, the only remaining hotel in the world designed by him still standing, is in the process of being restored.
Mason City is home to the Iowa Traction Railroad. The IATR is one of the last surviving electric interurban railroads in the U. S., and the only one that still uses electric locomotives to haul freight in regular service.
The largest employer is Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. Other major industry includes door manufacturer Curries/Graham Company and the Kraft Foods plant that produces the nation's entire supply of refrigerated ready-to-eat [Jell-O] gelatin and Jell-O pudding snacks. Mason City is also a major production center for Portland cement.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 67.8 km² (26.2 mi²). 66.8 km² (25.8 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it (1.45%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 29,172 people, 12,368 households, and 7,507 families residing in the city. The population density was 436.7/km² (1,131.3/mi²). There were 13,029 housing units at an average density of 195.1/km² (505.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.40% White, 1.17% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.07% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.There were 12,368 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% 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 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,852, and the median income for a family was $45,160. Males had a median income of $32,451 versus $21,756 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,899. About 7.2% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
The town is served by Iowa Highway 122, and U.S. Highway 65. U.S. Highway 18 now bypasses the town to the south. A business loop for Interstate 35 (eight miles to the west) serves the town as well.The town also has a municipal airport, though Northwest Airlines runs flights to the Twin Cities.
Crime
Dustin Honken/Angela Johnson Death Penalty Cases
In 2004 and 2005, Dustin Honken and Angela Johnson received federal death sentences for the 1993 deaths of five people. Terri DeGeus and Greg Nicholson were witnesses in a federal drug case against them; Lori Duncan and her two children were also killed. These were the first death penalties handed down in Iowa since the state abolished the death penalty in 1963.Jodi Huisentruit Abduction
In the early morning hours of June 27, 1995 local television news anchor Jodi Huisentruit was abducted in front of her apartment building. The case remains unsolved.Media
- KIMT - Channel 3 CBS
- Globe Gazette - Daily newspaper
Famous people
Famous basketball players from Mason City include:- Dean Oliver - [Mason City High School] (1994-1997); University of Iowa (1998-2001)
- Jeff Horner - [Mason City High School] (1999-2002); University of Iowa (2003-2006)
External links
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