Oelwein is a city located in Fayette County, Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,692.
Oelwein is located at 42°40'37" North, 91°54'57" West (42.676996, -91.915745).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.5 km2 (4.8 mi2). 12.4 km2 (4.8 mi2) of it is land and 0.1 km2 (0.1 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 1.03% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 6,692 people, 2,808 households, and 1,819 families residing in the city. The population density is 539.4/km2 (1,395.8/mi2). There are 3,040 housing units at an average density of 245.0/km2 (634.1/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 97.19% White, 0.42% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 2.29% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,808 households out of which 28.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% are married couples living together, 10.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% are non-families. 31.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 17.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.31 and the average family size is 2.87.
In the city the population is spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 41 years. For every 100 females there are 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $27,347, and the median income for a family is $32,279. Males have a median income of $28,075 versus $19,479 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,502. 13.7% of the population and 11.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.4% of those under the age of 18 and 13.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The town of Oelwein was laid out in a corn field purchased from Gustav Oelwein on the coming of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Minnesota Railroad (later called the Rock Island) in 1872. Some years later the two dividing streets of Oelwein were named after his sons, Frederick and Charles.
The town of Oelwein is named after the Oelwein family, but they were not the original settlers of the land. On the contrary, it was entered by a professional man at Dubuque, who made it his business to enter land, add a good fee for his trouble, plus a high rate of interest, and then not turn it over to the man in whose name it was registered until he was able to pay the price. Oelwein's present site was entered in 1852 by J. B. Burch. It was Burch who built the cabin in 1852 which still stands at Orville Christophel Park in downtown Oelwein, within a block of the present Hotel Mealey. The hamlet of Oelwein was instituted in 1873; incorporated as a town in 1888 with Dr. Pattison becoming its first mayor. The town suffered its chief setback in 1887, when nearly all of the old Main Street business district (now First Avenue SE) was destroyed by fire. In 1890 the census gave the population as 830.
By January of 1892, Oelwein had become the center of the Chicago Great Western Railway; the CGW made the town the cite of their locomotive and car repair shop. Clearing the land for the shops began in June 1894. The shops were completed and put into operation in May 1899. Thus, Oelwein became known as the "Hub City" because of the rail lines coming into town and the repair shops located here.
In 1890, the city had 830 people. By 1895 the population had increased to 1,928, and in 1897 Oelwein was incorporated as a city. In 1900, Oelwein had 5,142 people within the city limits, of whom 789 were foreign-born. Oelwein was one of few Iowa towns to experience an influx of Italian immigrants who were employed in the railroad industry. In 1910, the population was 6028, and in 1940, 7801.
In 1968, the town suffered another setback when a tornado swept through the main business district and destroyed the junior high school, a grade school, two churches, and many homes and places of business.
Oelwein remained a "railroad town" until the 1980's when most of the railroad business was moved out of town. Transco Railway Products exists in Oelwein today. That business employs about 70 people repairing railroad cars. Employees donated their time to refurbish a caboose and an engine that are displayed near the Hub City Heritage Museum, 26 2nd Avenue SW, the museum of railroad memorabilia.
Source:
OelweinIowa.com
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