Corning, Iowa
Corning, Iowa | |
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 View of Main Street in Corning | |
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  Corning, Iowa | |
| Coordinates: 40°59′29″N 94°44′13″W / 40.99139°N 94.73694°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Adams |
| Township | Quincy |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.59 sq mi (4.13 km2) |
| • Land | 1.59 sq mi (4.11 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,194 ft (364 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,635 |
• Estimate (2019)[3] | 1,433 |
| • Density | 902.39/sq mi (348.33/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 50841 |
| Area code | 641 |
| FIPS code | 19-16500 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0455634 |
Corning is a city in Quincy Township, Adams County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,635 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Adams County.[4] Corning is located just north of the intersection of U.S. Route 34 and Iowa Highway 148. Corning is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Johnny Carson. Daniel Webster Turner, who was governor of Iowa from 1931 to 1933, was born in Corning on March 17, 1877.
History
French Icarian settlement
The first European settlers here were a group of French Icarians who came from Nauvoo, Illinois in 1852; they established a community near Lake Icaria, north of Corning in 1854.[5] The new state of Iowa gave the town of "Icaria" a corporate charter in 1860. This community was dedicated to the utopian principles of Etienne Cabet and the democratic principles of the American Revolution and the French Revolution; this small French-speaking community considered themselves to be very patriotic Americans. In the 1860s, the community split between "traditionalists" and "progressives" (the latter favored women's right to vote). The "progressives" left the original site and moved to a new location about three miles (5 km) east of Corning's current location. Although the corporation formally dissolved in 1878, some continued to live in the communal dwellings until 1898, making this the longest-lasting Icarian colony in the United States.[6] Eventually the community disbanded and merged into the general population. Displays and documents about the Icarian community can be found at the Icarian History Foundation office and in the Adams County offices, both in Corning. The former colony east of Corning is slowly being restored with the help of state and federal grants, and it will become a historical site; as of 2006, only a couple of partially restored buildings and a very small cemetery (with grave markers inscribed in French) remain. Around the first weekend of June each year, Corning celebrates "Le Festival De L'Heritage Francais" in the French market.[7]
American settlement
Nearby Queen City had been established circa 1854. Surveyors came to the current location of Corning in 1857, though the area was largely uninhabited (except by the Icarians) until 1869.
The first Adams County seat was established by act of the Iowa Legislature on January 12, 1853, at Quincy. The building was later used as a schoolhouse and in 1932, it was torn down. In November 1872, the people voted to remove the courthouse from Quincy and locate the county seat in Corning.[8]
Points of interest
The Corning post office contains a mural, Band Concert, painted in 1941 by Marion Gilmore. Murals were produced from 1934 to 1943 in the United States through the Section of Painting and Sculpture, later called the Section of Fine Arts, of the Treasury Department. Gilmore's original entry won a federal-sponsored Forty-Eight States design competition in 1939 and depicted a Sunday band concert but a local jury of concerned citizens requested that Gilmore's image contain only actual architecture and landmarks in the downtown district and that she remove a cannon and an obelisk from the image. Gilmore made the changes to accommodate a WPA requirement stipulating that murals should "suit the taste of the local townspeople".[9]
In 1996, Main Street Corning won the Spirit of Main Street Award, and in 1998 received the Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center. The Main Street program is a volunteer driven program. Main Street Corning volunteers have logged over 76,606 hours since Corning became an Iowa Main Street Community in 1990.
The Johnny Carson board has restored the birthplace of Johnny Carson according to photographs. It is now a museum available to visitors.
Roger Sorensen’s R&S Collectibles is also available to visitors. It is a museum full of classic automobiles. Years range from 1929 to 1985.
Festivals
Corning hosts Lazy Days of Summer on the last weekend in July. The weekend includes a BBQ competition, street dance, Doctors' Dash race, and other events around the community.
Parks and recreation
Lake Icaria is a 650-acre man-made lake, four miles north of Corning on Iowa Highway 148. The lake has a beach, marina, playgrounds, picnic shelters, cabins, primitive campground, non-primitive campground, and numerous nature trails. Lake Icaria offers great fishing with largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, perch, walleye, and wiper. Boating and camping are very popular, bringing in visitors from all over Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. A smaller lake, Lake Binder, is located one mile east of Corning and offers a quieter setting for camping and fishing.
The Nodaway River has two tributaries that run through the area. The East Nodaway River flows through Corning, and the Middle Nodaway River runs four miles north of town and through Carbon. Both rivers are popular kayaking and tubing spots in the summer months and have river entry.
Sports
Corning is home to Adams County Speedway, which holds races on Saturday nights from April through September. Adams County Speedway is a part of the Whelen All-American Series, with Late Models, Modifieds, B-Mods, Pro Stocks, and Hobby Stocks.
Corning is also home to the Carnac Family Skatepark, a 1,200 sq ft (110 m2) skatepark built with donated money. Major donations included $75,000 from Corning native Johnny Carson, and $5,000 from well known skateboarder Tony Hawk. The skatepark is known as one of the best in the area, and draws big summer crowds. It is also the birthplace of college football player and long time coach, Robert Odell.
Geography
Corning is located at 40°59′29″N 94°44′13″W / 40.99139°N 94.73694°W (40.991340, −94.737028).[10]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.58 square miles (4.09 km2), all land.[11]
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1,526 | — |
| 1890 | 1,682 | +10.2% |
| 1900 | 2,145 | +27.5% |
| 1910 | 1,702 | −20.7% |
| 1920 | 1,840 | +8.1% |
| 1930 | 2,026 | +10.1% |
| 1940 | 2,162 | +6.7% |
| 1950 | 2,104 | −2.7% |
| 1960 | 2,041 | −3.0% |
| 1970 | 2,095 | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 1,939 | −7.4% |
| 1990 | 1,806 | −6.9% |
| 2000 | 1,783 | −1.3% |
| 2010 | 1,635 | −8.3% |
| 2019 | 1,433 | −12.4% |
| Source: "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2020-03-29. Source: | ||
2010 census
As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,635 people, 725 households, and 427 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,034.8 inhabitants per square mile (399.5/km2). There were 849 housing units at an average density of 537.3 per square mile (207.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.2% White, 0.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, and 0.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population.
There were 725 households, of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.1% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.80.
The median age in the city was 45.3 years. 21.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 24.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.
2000 census
As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 1,783 people, 803 households, and 452 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,132.3 people per square mile (438.5/km2). There were 880 housing units at an average density of 558.9 per square mile (216.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 99.16% White, 0.17% African American, 0.22% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 803 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% were single, and 43.6% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.87.
Age spread: 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,977, and the median income for a family was $45,227. Males had a median income of $26,667 versus $19,569 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,836. About 5.0% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public education for elementary and secondary school students is available from Corning Community Schools, which is the local public school district.[14] The school system, as of 2013,[citation needed] began whole grade sharing with the nearby Villisca Community School District, and the Corning district now operates jointly, with the Villisca district, Southwest Valley High School, with the mascot being the Timberwolf.[15] Students completing their studies previously graduated from Corning High School. The school's mascot and athletic emblem were the Red Raiders.
Notable people
- Byron Barr, actor, Double Indemnity, Tokyo Rose
- Johnny Carson, American talk show host and comedian, was born in Corning.
- Horace Mann Towner, United States Representative from Iowa's 8th congressional district, appointed Governor of Puerto Rico from 1923–1929.
- Daniel Webster Turner, Governor of Iowa from 1931–1933.
References
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
- ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Mutual Aid Community (1868). The Communist. Vol. 1. The Mutual Aid Community. p. 87. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
- ^ "History of the Icarian Movement". National Icarian Heritage Society. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
- ^ "Le Festival de l'Heritage Francais (sic)". March 1997. Archived from the original on 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2007-02-01.
- ^ "Adams County web site".
- ^ Marling, Karal A. (1982). Wall-to-Wall America : A Cultural History of Post Office Murals in the Great Depression (First ed.). University of Minnesota Press. pp. 95 to 104. ISBN 0816611165.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Corning Archived 2018-04-27 at the Wayback Machine." Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved on July 15, 2018.
- ^ Home. Southwest Valley Schools (joint website operated by the Corning and Villisca districts). Retrieved on July 15, 2018.
External links
- Adams County Speedway
- City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Corning
Municipalities and communities of Adams County, Iowa, United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Authority control databases: Geographic |
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