Le Mars, Iowa

Le Mars /ləˈmɑːrz/ is the county seat of Plymouth County, Iowa, United States.[4] It is located on the Floyd River northeast of Sioux City. The population was 9,826 at the 2010 census. Le Mars is part of the Sioux City metropolitan area.

Le Mars, Iowa
City
Nickname(s): 
"Ice Cream Capital Of The World"
Location of Le Mars within County and State
U.S. Census Map
Le Mars
Location of Le Mars within County and State
Le Mars
Le Mars (the United States)
Coordinates: 42°47′20″N 96°9′57″W
Country United States
State Iowa
CountyPlymouth
Government
 • TypeMayor-council
 • MayorDick Kirchoff
Area
 • Total9.01 sq mi (23.33 km2)
 • Land9.00 sq mi (23.31 km2)
 • Water0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation
1,234 ft (376 m)
Population
 • Total9,826
 • Estimate 
(2019)[3]
10,081
 • Density1,120.24/sq mi (432.54/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
51031
Area code(s)712
FIPS code19-44400
GNIS feature ID0458255
Websitelemarsiowa.com

History

Le Mars is the home of Wells Enterprises, Inc., world's largest producer of ice cream novelties in one location and is the "Ice Cream Capital of the World".

Le Mars was platted in 1869, but no lots were sold until the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad, later part of the Illinois Central Railroad, arrived in 1870. Railroad magnate John I. Blair hosted an excursion to the new town, which was then called St. Paul Junction. Blair asked the women in the party to name the town, and they submitted an acronym based upon their first names' initials: Lucy Ford and Laura Walker, Ellen Cleghorn or Elizabeth Underhill, Martha Weare and Mary Weare, Adeline Swain, Rebecca Smith and Sarah Reynolds. (Note that some letters represent more than one person.)[5] There was some subsequent uncertainty about who the women of the acronym actually were. For example, the city's web page contains a somewhat different list.

In 1885, Frederick Brooke Close, a young Englishman who had passed up attending Cambridge University to live in Iowa, founded the Northwestern Polo League in Le Mars.[6][7]

Entrance sign to Le Mars
"Ice Cream Capital of the World"

During the Great Depression in 1933, at a time when banks were foreclosing on many farmers, Le Mars caught the attention of the nation when "over five hundred farmers crowded the court room in Le Mars", according to an account by historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.. The farmers were there to demand that Judge Charles C. Bradley suspend foreclosure proceedings until recently passed laws could be considered. Judge Bradley refused. One farmer remarked that the court room wasn't his alone, that farmers had paid for it with their taxes. The crowd rushed the judge, slapped him, and placed a rope around his neck and a hub cap on his head. They did not, however lynch him.[8]

President George W. Bush came to Le Mars on November 3, 2006, to campaign for Jim Nussle, then candidate for Iowa governor, as well as Rep. Steve King. He spoke at Le Mars Community High School to a crowd of over 2500 people.[9] Le Mars is a popular stop for presidential candidates as they make their way across caucus-famous Iowa, and has been visited by nearly every presidential candidate over the past several elections including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, John McCain, etc.

Wells Enterprises

By 1925, Wells and his sons had opened an ice cream manufacturing plant there. However, the plant (and the Wells name) was purchased by Fairmount Ice Cream in 1928. In 1935, Fred and his sons sought to begin selling ice cream again, but could no longer use their name. They therefore sponsored a “Name That Ice Cream” contest in the Sioux City Journal. The winner of the $25 prize suggested "Blue Bunny" because his son had enjoyed seeing blue bunnies in department store windows at Easter.

Dominating the skyline of present-day Le Mars is Wells' Blue Bunny Dairy's 900,000-square-foot (84,000 m2) plant with a 12-story tall refrigeration tower called the "South Ice Cream Plant" – so-named because it is on the south side of town. As of 2005, the plant employed 1,000 and produces 75 million gallons of frozen treats, the milk coming mainly coming from three large Iowa dairy farms.[10] The size of this plant has led to speculation that the company is the world's largest family-owned and managed dairy processor and the world's largest manufacturer of ice cream in one location, with Le Mars claiming to be the "Ice Cream Capital of the World".

Wells is best known for its various sweet products, including Blue Bunny, Bomb Pop, Blue Ribbon, and Chilly Cow. To showcase its sweet treats, Le Mars has an ice cream parlor, which was remodeled in 2019, and includes an old fashioned ice cream serving station, museum displays, roof-top seating, and gift shop. The ice cream parlor in Le Mars is one of the largest tourist attractions in the state of Iowa. Le Mars hosts an annual celebration "Ice Cream Days" every year in late June which includes many activities such as ice cream socials, concerts, art exhibitions, parades, and more.

Geography

Le Mars is located at 42°47′20″N 96°9′57″W (42.788799, −96.165944).[11] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.97 square miles (23.23 km2), of which 8.96 square miles (23.21 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.[12]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18904,036—
19004,1462.7%
19104,1570.3%
19204,68312.7%
19304,7882.2%
19405,35311.8%
19505,8449.2%
19606,76715.8%
19708,15920.6%
19808,2761.4%
19908,4542.2%
20009,2379.3%
20109,8266.4%
2019 (est.)10,081[3]2.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]

Le Mars is a part of the Sioux City metropolitan area.

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2015, there were 9,436 people, 4,013 households, and 2,593 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,096.7 inhabitants per square mile (423.4/km2). There were 4,220 housing units at an average density of 471.0 per square mile (181.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.5% White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.4% of the population.

There were 4,013 households, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.

The median age in the city was 39.2 years. 25.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 9,237 people, 3,640 households, and 2,453 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,356.9 people per square mile (523.7/km2). There were 3,818 housing units at an average density of 560.9 per square mile (216.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.24% White, 0.45% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.44% of the population.

There were 3,640 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.05.

Age spread: 27.2% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,892, and the median income for a family was $47,409. Males had a median income of $35,936 versus $21,757 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,598. About 4.5% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Le Mars is home to two educational institutions, one public and one private.

Le Mars Community School District

Le Mars Community School District is the public school serving over 2,000 students grades PK–12. Le Mars Community, known locally as "Community", has a mascot of a bulldog. Le Mars was a member of the Lakes Conference until July 2019, when it switched to the Missouri River Conference.

Elementary
  • Clark Elementary School (K–5)
  • Franklin Elementary School (K–5)
  • Kluckhohn Elementary School (K–5)

Middle School
  • Le Mars Community Middle School (6–8)

High School
  • Le Mars Community High School (9–12)

Alternative education
  • Individualized Learning Center

Gehlen Catholic Schools

Gehlen Catholic is a private school associated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City serving over 350 students in grades PK–12. Gehlen Catholic's mascot is a jay. Gehlen Catholic is a member of the War Eagle Conference.

Elementary
  • Gehlen Catholic Elementary School

Middle
  • Gehlen Catholic Middle School

High School
  • Gehlen Catholic High School

Westmar University

Westmar University was a private four-year liberal arts college in Le Mars. It permanently closed on November 21, 1997.

Transportation

Airports

Le Mars Municipal Airport is owned by the city of Le Mars and located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of its central business district.

Major roads

Notable places

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. Brigham, Johnson. "How Le Mars was Named". Annals of Iowa. State Historical Society of Iowa. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  6. Horace A. Laffaye, Polo in Britain: A History, Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, 2012, p. 70
  7. Curtis Harnack, Gentlemen on the Prairie: Victorians in Pioneer Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa: University of Iowa Press, 2011 p. 138
  8. Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., The Coming of the New Deal, Houghton Mifflin, 5th printing, 1958, pages 42–43.
  9. "Bush rallies the party faithful in Le Mars". Le Mars Daily Sentinel, Horlyk, Earl, Published on November 6, 2006. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  10. The big chill: Wells' Dairy's South Ice Cream Plant dominates the world of frozen dessert production – Allbusiness.com – January 1, 2005
  11. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  12. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2012.
  13. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. L, Magdalene; egent (February 17, 2009). "Perfect cut: Archie's Waeside ranked one of top U.S. steakhouses". Le Mars Daily Sentinel. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  16. "2015 America's Classics: Archie's Waeside | James Beard Foundation". www.jamesbeard.org. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  17. Team, Klem Web (May 24, 2018). "People Magazine Names Bob's Drive-In As Best Hot Dog In Iowa". KLEM 1410. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  18. "Disaster in Korea: The Chinese Confront MacArthur". Roy E. Appleman. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  19. "Knox College Catalog". Knox College. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  20. "Teens find famed 1946 plane wreck in Swiss glacier". The History Blog. Archived from the original on November 3, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
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