The Ho-Chunk people, also known as Winnebago, had long occupied this area and had a village along the Cedar River.
In 1851 Joseph Kelly, the first-known European-American settler in the area, came here after the Ho-Chunk had been pushed out. He believed that the site was ideal for a town, as it had water from the Cedar River and adjacent timberland to supply building needs. The settlement was first called "Charlestown" after his son. By 1852, twenty-five other settler families had joined Kelly. The town name was changed, first to "St. Charles" and then to "Charles City," to avoid duplication of other Iowa town names.
Charles City became the county seat after Floyd County was established in 1851 and officially organized in 1854. Floyd County was named for Sergeant Charles Floyd, a member of the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Hart-Parr Charles City nameplate on an early tractorHart-Parr 30-60 "Old Reliable"
Charles City is known for the role it played in the history of the American tractor. A native son Charles Walter Hart, whose father owned three local farms,[4] met Charles H. Parr in college. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin, Hart and Parr developed a two-cylinder gasoline engine. They set up their Hart-Parr Gasoline Engine Company in Charles City in 1897. In 1901 the two founders coined the word "tractor",[5] with Latin roots and a combination of the words "traction" and "power".[6] In 1903 the firm built fifteen "tractors", the first successful production-model tractor line in the U.S. The 14,000-pound No. 3 is the oldest surviving internal combustion engine tractor in the United States. It is displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.[7]
In 1929, Hart-Parr was one of the four companies that merged to form Oliver Farm Equipment Company and finally the White Farm-New Idea Equipment Co. At its peak in the mid-1970s, the sprawling plant complex encompassed 23 acres and employed nearly 3,000 workers. [citation needed] The 1980s farm crisis and other economic pressures led to the closing of the plant in 1993. As of 2013, the vacant site stands ready for re-use.
HART-PARR washing machine
Although best known for producing tractors, the Hart-Parr company also made some of the first washing machines. They sold for $155 in the 1920s, and the buyer had the option of ordering either an electric or gasoline engine.
The Floyd County Historical Museum preserves the plant's history and memories in an extensive collection of documents and artifacts.
Charles City is the location of the last lynching in Iowa, that of James Cullen in 1907.[8]
National women's rights leader Carrie Lane Chapman Catt spent her girlhood years on a farm south of Charles City. Catt is well known as a prominent leader of the woman's suffrage movement and was instrumental in gaining passage of the 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, which granted women the right to vote. Carrie Catt also founded the League of Women Voters. Her home and a visitor's center are open for public viewing.[9]
On June 9, 2008, record flooding caused major damage in the town. Charles City's historic suspension bridge, which crossed over the Cedar River, collapsed. Numerous homes around the city were also destroyed. A new bridge, built with FEMA and state funding, opened in early 2010.
Charles City is in a location subject to tornadoes, and has been severely damaged by them many times in its history. In the summer of 1858 (possibly July 21), while still known as the village of St. Charles, a "Terrific Tornado" was recorded. There were 16 deaths, 13 inside the village. The property value of buildings destroyed was into the thousands of dollars (1858 dollars), and the loss of crops was said to be "beyond competition", according to the newspaper account.[10]
On June 8, 1908, a tornado destroyed or substantially damaged around 200 homes and barns. Residents W. R. Beck and a child were killed. The path of the tornado ran through the southeast part of the city, missing the business district. Loss of property was fifty thousand dollars (1908 dollars).[11][12]
1968 Charles City tornado
Many people around the region remember Charles City as the site of a devastating F5 tornado that ripped through town on May 15, 1968. It resulted in 13 dead, hundreds injured, and was one of the largest twisters ever recorded in the state, this storm destroyed much of the downtown – 256 businesses and 1,250 homes. Damage estimates were of more than $20million.[13]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.31 square miles (16.34km2), of which 6.22 square miles (16.11km2) is land and 0.09 square miles (0.23km2) is water.[14]
Climate
Climate data for Charles City, Iowa (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
The population of Charles City, Iowa from US census data
2010 census
As of the census[18] of 2010, there were 7,652 people, 3,440 households, and 1,964 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,230.2 inhabitants per square mile (475.0/km2). There were 3,761 housing units at an average density of 604.7 per square mile (233.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.7% White, 2.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.
There were 3,440 households, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.9% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.86.
The median age in the city was 42.9 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.7% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 23.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.
2000 census
As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 7,812 people, 3,339 households, and 2,083 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,269.9 inhabitants per square mile (490.3/km2). There were 3,597 housing units at an average density of 584.7 per square mile (225.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.92% White, 0.44% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.
There were 3,339 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.82.
Age spread: 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,568, and the median income for a family was $38,297. Males had a median income of $29,536 versus $19,904 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,659. About 8.5% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Floyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,627. The county seat is Charles City.
Bremer County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 24,988. Its county seat is Waverly. The county was named for Fredrika Bremer, a Swedish feminist writer.
Adair is a city in Adair and Guthrie counties of Iowa in the United States. The population was 791 at the 2020 census.
Gilbertville is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 794 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.
New Hartford is a city in Butler County, Iowa, United States. The population was 570 at the time of the 2020 census.
Manson is a city in Calhoun County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,709 at the time of the 2020 census.
Pomeroy is a city in Calhoun County, Iowa, United States. The population was 526 at the time of the 2020 census.
Anita is a city in Cass County, Iowa, United States, platted in 1869 and incorporated in 1875. The population was 963 at the 2020 census. Lake Anita State Park is located just outside the town.
Ryan is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 350 at the time of the 2020 census.
Floyd is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States. The population was 313 at the time of the 2020 census.
Rockford is a city in Floyd County, Iowa, United States, at the confluence of the Shell Rock and Winnebago rivers. The population was 758 at the time of the 2020 census.
Thurman is a city in Fremont County, Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 167.
Keota is a city in Keokuk and Washington counties, Iowa, United States. The population was 897 at the time of the 2020 census.
Algona is the county seat of Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,487 at the 2020 census. Ambrose A. Call State Park is located two miles southwest of the city.
Winterset is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Iowa. The population was 5,353 at the time of the 2020 census.
Northboro is a city in Page County, Iowa, United States. The population was 52 at the time of the 2020 census.
Bondurant is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,365 in the 2020 census, an increase of 90.8% from the 3,860 population in 2010. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines metropolitan statistical area.
Hospers is a city in Sioux County, Iowa, United States, along the Floyd River. The population was 718 at the time of the 2020 census.
Sergeant Bluff is a city in Woodbury County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,015 at the time of the 2020 census.
Creston is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Iowa. The population was 7,536 at the time of the 2020 Census.
↑ "Terrific Tornado in Iowa". Chicago Press and Tribune. August 3, 1858. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2010– via GenDisasters.
↑ "[no title]". The Iowa City Citizen. June 8, 1908. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2010– via GenDisasters.
↑ "Station: Charles City, IA". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States 
Iowa 
