Thompson is home to the Winnebago County Fair, held annually, various agricultural businesses, a public outdoor swimming pool, the Thompson Museum, and Bethany Lutheran Church, built in 1902.[3][4]
History
Thompson was platted in 1892. It was incorporated as a city in 1894.[5]
A post office opened in 1890, and rural carrier service was established in 1904.
The Thompson Courier began publication in 1894, and is still in business. In 1938, the paper expanded operations with the purchase of the Rake Register, becoming the Thompson Courier and Rake Register.[4][6]
Thompson's first telephone switchboard was installed in the home of Dr. G.M. Lee in 1894. Groups of farmers joined together to establish their own small phone companies, and 12 systems shared the town's joint switchboard and party lines. By the 1940s, the Switchboard Company had purchased its own building, and the Thompson Telephone Company and Thompson Telephone Cooperative were formed. In 1951, the local Rural Electrification Association released a movie featuring several Thompson residents, who described the struggles for adequate phone service in Winnebago County, until a federal Rural Electrification Administration telephone loan finally enabled the Winnebago Cooperative Telephone Association to provide modern dial service.[7]
The Thompson Cooperative Creamery was chartered in 1897. The creamery consolidated the earlier milk station operations at Amund corner, Vinje, and three other locations, which used large volume separators to skim off cream. Cooling and churning were powered by a steam boiler until electricity was installed.[8]
The Farmers Cooperative Elevator Company formed in 1907, as farmers were dissatisfied with the prices received at the three independent grain elevators.[9]
The Thompson Fire Department built its fire hall in 1925.[10]
Thompson was without a bank for over a year after the First National Bank shut its doors on June 26, 1932, and the State Bank of Thompson and First National Bank of Thompson failed. The Peoples State Bank opened in Thompson on August 1, 1933.[11]
The Thompson Public Library was established in 1937-1938, as a civic improvement project by the Thompson Study Club.[12] The library was located in the Town Hall for 45 years. The library moved into a remodeled section of the fire station in 1983.[13]
In 1938, the Winnebago Rural Electric Cooperative was established. The first section of lines was energized on January 3, 1940.[14]
A large cement grain elevator was built in 1950, and an even larger cement elevator in 1967.[15]
The landmark Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad depot on Main Street burned to the ground on February 26, 1963. The railroad brought in a small structure which served as its replacement until the line shut down in 1980.[16]
On October 30, 1974, Peoples State Bank was robbed by three unmasked men. An abandoned getaway car was found on a gravel road about six miles from town, but the robbers were never apprehended.[11]
One of the worst fires in Thompson's history occurred on December 22, 1980, and destroyed about half of the Main Street business block, including the Branding Iron Supper Club, which moved into a new building.[17]
In 1983, one of the cement grain elevators ruptured, and was demolished.[18]
As of the census[23] of 2010, there were 502 people, 236 households, and 141 families residing in the city. The population density was 570.5 inhabitants per square mile (220.3/km2). There were 285 housing units at an average density of 323.9 per square mile (125.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 1.0% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.0% of the population.
There were 236 households, of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.3% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.67.
The median age in the city was 44 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.4% were from 45 to 64; and 18.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.
2000 census
As of the census[24] of 2000, there were 596 people, 261 households, and 169 families residing in the city. The population density was 681.3 inhabitants per square mile (263.1/km2). There were 278 housing units at an average density of 317.8 per square mile (122.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.65% White, 0.34% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.67% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.
There were 261 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.76.
23.5% were under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,868, and the median income for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $27,727 versus $21,630 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,919. About 8.4% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The independent school district of Thompson was incorporated in 1894. Thompson High School graduated its first class in 1900, and its last class in 1989. Thompson's horse drawn school bus was replaced by a motorized school bus in 1909.[25]
Thompson is now within the North Iowa Community School District,[26] which was established on July 1, 1996, by the merger of the Buffalo Center–Rake–Lakota Community School District and the Thompson Community School District. There was a Buffalo Center School District that merged with the Rake School District to form the Buffalo Center-Rake district on July 1, 1978. On July 1, 1992, that district merged with the Lakota School District to form the Buffalo Center–Rake–Lakota district, and that district merged into North Iowa in 1996.[27]
Agriculture & business
Linden Hill, a small CSA (community sponsored agriculture) farm and farm stand, produces vegetables, honey and herbs.[28]
In 2021, Ovation Farms, a former Rembrandt Foods farm, was acquired by Iowa Cage-Free, part of the Versova family of companies. The 240-acre farm "houses one million cage-free hens and pullets", a feed mill, and an egg processing plant.[29]
Horswell Potato Farms, established in 1953, sold potatoes to Midwestern chain stores. It was one of the first farms to wash its potatoes and package them in consumer sized bags. The farm also grew sugar beets, The operation was sold in 1968.[25]
Between 1979 and 2019, 223 recipients in the Thompson zipcode, 50478, received a total of $37,500,717 in farm subsidy payments.[citation needed]
Businesses serving travelers include the Branding Iron Restaurant, Bucket's Bar and Grill, Hometown Market, and a car wash.[30][6][31]
Winnebago County is a county in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,679. The county seat is Forest City. The county was founded in 1847 and named after the Native American tribe. It is the location of the motor homes manufacturer Winnebago Industries.
Waverly is a city in Bremer County, Iowa, United States. The population was 10,394 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Bremer County and is part of the Waterloo–Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Mason City is a city and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,338 in the 2020 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties. It is commonly referred to as the "River City", as the city grew up centered on the Winnebago River.
Milford is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,321 at the time of the 2020 census. The town includes many businesses related to its location in the Iowa Great Lakes region and is often referred to as the southern gateway to the Iowa Great Lakes.
Hampton is a town in Franklin County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,337 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County.
Klemme is a city in Hancock County, Iowa, United States. The population was 441 at the time of the 2020 census.
Lakota is a city in Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The population was 267 at the time of the 2020 census. Prior to 1919, the town was known as Germania.
Haverhill is a city in Marshall County, Iowa, United States. The population was 165 at the time of the 2020 census.
Kingsley is a city in Plymouth County, Iowa, United States, which is located within Garfield Township. The population was 1,396 at the time of the 2020 census. The city was originally known as the village Quorn, which was founded by two brothers, Frederick and William B. Close. Quorn was named after the Quorn Hunt in England. The village was later relocated to a different part of Iowa and named Kingsley due to a railroad not running through the original area. The railroad was designed by the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company. Kingsley was founded on January 15, 1884 and the centennial celebration was held in June 1984. Kingsley includes organizations, recreational activities, and a local government consisting of a mayor and a city council. The schools are an elementary school and a high school, with the middle school being located in Pierson.
Fonda is a city in Pocahontas County, Iowa, United States. The population was 636 at the time of the 2020 census.
Buffalo Center is a city in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. The population was 857 at the time of the 2020 census. Its ZIP code is 50424.
Rake is a town in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. The population was 186 at the time of the 2020 census. Its ZIP code is 50465.
Scarville is a city in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. The population was 74 at the time of the 2020 census.
Forest City is a city in Hancock and Winnebago counties in the U.S. state of Iowa, and the county seat of Winnebago County. The population was 4,285 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 4,362 population in 2000.
Eden Township is a township in Winnebago County, Iowa, United States.
King Township is a township in Winnebago County, Iowa, in the USA.
Linden Township is a township in Winnebago County, Iowa, in the USA.
Vinje is an unincorporated community in Logan Township, Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. Vinje was founded by Norwegian settlers and is the site of an 1880 church.
Amund was a rural unincorporated community in Eden Township, Winnebago County, Iowa, United States. It is located along county highways A16 and R34.
Thompson Community School District was a school district serving Thompson, Iowa.
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