Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city in and the county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S. Routes 20 and 169.
History
Fort Dodge traces its beginnings to 1850 when Capt. Samuel Woods, with his E Company of the 6th Infantry were sent from Fort Snelling to erect and garrison a fort at the junction of the Des Moines River and Lizard Creek, they arrived August 2, 1850. It was originally named Fort Clarke, in honor of Brev. Brig. Gen. Newman S. Clarke, colonel of the Sixth 151, but was renamed Fort Dodge because there was another fort with the same name in Texas. It was named after Henry Dodge, a governor of Wisconsin Territory. The fort was abandoned by the Army in 1853.The next year William Williams, a civilian storekeeper in Fort Dodge, purchased the land and buildings of the old fort. The town of Fort Dodge was founded in 1869. In 1872 the long and continuing history of gypsum production in Iowa started when George Ringland, Webb Vincent, and Stillman T. Meservey formed the Fort Dodge Plaster Mills to mine, grind, and prepare gypsum for commercial use. The Company constructed the first gypsum mill west of the Mississippi River, at the head of what is now known as Gypsum Creek.
In 2018, Kris Patrick, executive director of Fort Dodge Main Street, stated that Fort Dodge is locally referred to as "Little Chicago" because architects modeled downtown buildings to resemble Chicago in the mid-1900s.
Geography
Fort Dodge is located on the Des Moines River.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
Climate
Fort Dodge has a Humid continental climate with cold winters and hot humid summers.Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 24,871 people, 9,946 households, and 5,428 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,553.7 inhabitants per square mile. There were 11,298 housing units at an average density of 705.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 83.3% White, 7.0% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.2% from other races and 5.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 6.8% of the population.Of the 9,946 households, 25.3% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.1% were married couples living together, 8.0% were cohabitating couples, 32.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 23.1% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 45.4% of all households were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.
The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 24.9% of the residents were under the age of 20; 7.5% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 25.5% were from 25 and 44; 22.9% were from 45 and 64; and 19.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.8% male and 48.2% female.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 25,206 people, 10,275 households, and 5,850 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 11,215 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 90% White, 5.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.0% of the population.There were 10,275 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.1% were non-families. 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.89.
The median age in the city was 36.8 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.3% male and 48.7% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,136 people, 10,470 households, and 6,376 families residing in the city. The population density was. There were 11,168 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 92.47% White, 3.79% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.94% of the population.There were 10,470 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94.
Age spread: 24.3% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,361, and the median income for a family was $42,555. Males had a median income of $31,253 versus $23,360 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,018. About 7.7% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The major industries of Fort Dodge are biofuels, livestock feed, gypsum and limestone mining, can production, drywall manufacturing, trucking, the manufacture of veterinary pharmaceuticals and vaccines, and retail.Gypsum rock is processed into drywall and plaster products at several Fort Dodge manufacturing facilities. Drywall was patented by a Fort Dodge resident, and the gypsum used to create the Cardiff Giant hoax of the late 19th century was mined at Fort Dodge. Currently National Gypsum Company, Georgia Pacific Corporation, Celotex Corporation and the United States Gypsum Company operate gypsum facilities in and around Fort Dodge.
Fort Dodge is the home of Elanco, the facility was previously owned by Boehringer Ingelheim, a major producer of pharmaceuticals and vaccines for veterinarian use. The company's headquarters were moved from Fort Dodge to Overland Park, Kansas in 1995. Two of the company's three United States manufacturing plants are located in Fort Dodge.
In 2022, Cargill announced it would build a corn syrup refinery in Fort Dodge.
At least three major national trucking companies are based in Fort Dodge. The city also serves as a retail center for North-Central Iowa.
For most of the 20th century, meatpacking was a major industry in Fort Dodge. The last two large meatpacking plants closed during the 1980s, when such companies moved their facilities closer to beef production in western states such as the Dakotas. One of the laboratories of Fort Dodge Animal Health was built on the site of a former Hormel processing plant.
The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility, a 1,250-bed medium-security state prison, opened in 1998.
Arts and culture
Historical
The Fort Museum and Frontier Village is located on the southwest edge of Fort Dodge. It is a full-scale recreation of a military outpost on the prairie from the 19th century. It also features a reconstructed village from the same time period. Additionally, The Fort Museum has a replica of the Cardiff Giant, an archaeological hoax sculpted from gypsum mined at Fort Dodge. A "Frontier Days" event is held annually on the Fort Museum grounds. It features a parade, beauty pageant, historical reenactments, a buckskinner camp, and live entertainment. 2014 marked the 40th year of the event. Not all portrayals of early history at the Fort Museum are historically accurate and the facility is intended to be more of a tourist attraction as opposed to an actual museum.The Blanden Memorial Art Museum, the first public museum of art in the state of Iowa, is located in the historic Oak Hill district of Fort Dodge. The Blanden opened June 5, 1932. The permanent collection on display includes European and American artists prints, sculptures and paintings. The museum also offers art classes for children and adults.
Music
Fort Dodge maintains several music organizations, including a civic choral society, a city-funded municipal band, regional symphony orchestra, a Christian choral union, and a men's barbershop chorus. In 1896, the famous composer Edvard Grieg composed a piece entitled "Impromptu to Grieg Men's Chorus in Fort Dodge, Iowa."Shellabration is an annual rock concert held in late July/early August at the Oleson Park Music Pavilion, featuring nationally touring rock groups. Previous performing bands include Styx, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The Lizard Creek Blues Society sponsors an annual blues festival, "Blues Under the Trees", every summer, drawing blues musicians from all over the United States.
Fort Dodge has most recently been named the "Live Music Capital of Iowa." It is home to various live music venues hosting a variety of local aspiring artists and bands.
Fort Dodge Choir Boosters hosts the annual "Fort Dodge Choral Festival", which features high school and college choirs from around the upper Midwest under the direction of a nationally recognized conductor/composer.
Fort Dodge Senior High School serves as a host location for the Iowa State Marching Band Festival, State Solo & Small Ensemble Festival, and regional high school jazz band competitions.