Van Buren County, Iowa

Van Buren County (/væn ˈbjʊərən/ van BEWR-ən) is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2010 census, the population was 7,570.[1] The county seat is Keosauqua,[2] which contains the oldest continuously operational courthouse in the state of Iowa, and second oldest in the United States.

Van Buren County
U.S. county
Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
Iowa's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°45′00″N 91°57′06″W
Country United States
State Iowa
FoundedDecember 7, 1836
Named forMartin Van Buren
SeatKeosauqua
Largest cityKeosauqua
Area
 • Total491 sq mi (1,270 km2)
 • Land485 sq mi (1,260 km2)
 • Water5.7 sq mi (15 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total7,570
 • Estimate 
(2018)
7,020
 • Density15/sq mi (6.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitevanburencoia.org

History
Plaque on the Van Buren County courthouse, indicating its age and historic status.

Van Buren County was formed on December 7, 1836 as a part of Wisconsin Territory, and was split off from Des Moines County. It was named for President Martin Van Buren. It became a part of Iowa Territory (later the state of Iowa) when that territory was organized on July 4, 1838.[3]

The county's courthouse was built in September 1843 in the style of Greek Revival and stands as Iowa's oldest, and the nation's second oldest, courthouse in operation.[4]

"The Honey War" refers to a colorful episode in Van Buren County's history when the State of Missouri and Wisconsin Territory border came into dispute. Missouri attempted to collect taxes from residents north of the disputed Sullivan Line of 1816, which residents said was not rightfully theirs to tax. The sheriff of Van Buren County subsequently arrested and jailed the sheriff from Kahoka, Missouri, and Missourians were charged with "stealing honey from bee trees in what in now Lacey-Keosauqua State Park. Each governor sent troops to resolve the problem but no bloodshed resulted. The matter was turned over to the U.S. Congress for arbitration".[5] The dispute, however, was not resolved until 1846, when Iowa became a state. Congress ruled "in favor of Iowa, allowing the original Sullivan line of 1816 to remain intact".[6]

Van Buren County is also home to Iowa's oldest community theater group still in operation, the "Van Buren Players," founded in 1963.[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 491 square miles (1,270 km2), of which 485 square miles (1,260 km2) is land and 5.7 square miles (15 km2) (1.2%) is water.[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
185012,270—
186017,08139.2%
187017,6723.5%
188017,043−3.6%
189016,253−4.6%
190017,3546.8%
191015,020−13.4%
192014,060−6.4%
193012,603−10.4%
194012,053−4.4%
195011,007−8.7%
19609,778−11.2%
19708,643−11.6%
19808,626−0.2%
19907,676−11.0%
20007,8091.7%
20107,570−3.1%
2018 (est.)7,020[9]−7.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2018[1]

2010 census
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Van Buren County

As of the census[14] of 2010, there were 7,570 people, 3,108 households, and 2,058 families residing in the county. The population density was 15.614/sq mi (6.029/km2) people per square mile. There were 3,670 housing units at an average density of 7.570/sq mi (2.923/km2) per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 98.3% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. 1.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,108 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 33.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18 and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.3 years. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males.

As of the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the county was $31,094, and the median income for a family was $36,420. Males had a median income of $27,379 versus $20,925 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,748. About 8.70% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 15.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships

According to the 1850 US Census Records.

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Van Buren County.[15]

† county seat

Rank City/Town/etc. Municipal type Population (2010 Census)
1 † Keosauqua City 1,006
2 Farmington City 664
3 Birmingham City 448
4 Milton City 443
5 Bonaparte City 433
6 Stockport City 296
7 Cantril City 222
8 Douds CDP 152
9 Leando CDP 115
10 Mount Sterling CDP 36

Politics

Van Buren County has been predominantly Republican throughout its history, only voting for the Democratic candidate only six times in presidential elections from 1896 onward. However, the county was a national bellwether between 1964 & 2004, but voted Republican by wide margins in years the nation went Republican. Aside from Lyndon B. Johnson's landslide victory in 1964, the margins of victory Democrats won the county by in this 40-year period were incredibly narrow, with the difference being less than one hundred votes when Jimmy Carter & Bill Clinton won the county. From 2000 on, the county has trended strongly Republican, particularly in 2016 where Hillary Clinton received the lowest percentage by a Democratic candidate in 60 years. Clinton also failed to win even 1,000 votes, a feat which every major party candidate prior to 2016 had been able to accomplish in the county.

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 71.0% 2,527 23.7% 845 5.3% 189
2012 57.8% 2,064 39.3% 1,402 2.9% 103
2008 55.0% 1,986 42.8% 1,546 2.2% 80
2004 57.6% 2,211 40.9% 1,568 1.5% 57
2000 56.6% 2,016 40.4% 1,440 3.0% 105
1996 43.3% 1,460 45.5% 1,536 11.2% 379
1992 38.2% 1,418 39.5% 1,464 22.3% 828
1988 50.8% 1,692 48.4% 1,612 0.9% 30
1984 56.7% 2,138 42.6% 1,606 0.7% 25
1980 58.2% 2,142 35.6% 1,311 6.2% 227
1976 49.1% 1,804 49.2% 1,807 1.6% 60
1972 63.2% 2,272 35.3% 1,268 1.6% 56
1968 59.3% 2,294 34.4% 1,331 6.3% 244
1964 39.9% 1,700 60.0% 2,555 0.1% 2
1960 63.9% 3,129 36.0% 1,760 0.1% 5
1956 63.8% 3,233 36.2% 1,833 0.0% 2
1952 70.6% 3,870 28.8% 1,577 0.6% 33
1948 57.6% 2,702 40.9% 1,917 1.5% 69
1944 60.4% 3,095 39.0% 1,997 0.6% 30
1940 62.7% 4,108 36.9% 2,416 0.4% 26
1936 55.1% 3,535 43.7% 2,804 1.3% 83
1932 42.6% 2,375 56.2% 3,135 1.3% 71
1928 66.5% 3,904 33.1% 1,944 0.5% 27
1924 60.7% 3,623 20.3% 1,209 19.1% 1,138
1920 71.0% 4,321 27.6% 1,682 1.4% 83
1916 52.5% 1,994 45.7% 1,735 1.8% 68
1912 39.4% 1,483 39.7% 1,495 21.0% 790
1908 53.9% 2,133 43.7% 1,730 2.5% 97
1904 61.5% 2,469 35.3% 1,416 3.2% 129
1900 56.4% 2,547 41.9% 1,893 1.7% 76
1896 53.5% 2,478 44.9% 2,076 1.6% 74

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "WI: Individual County Chronologies". publications.newberry.org. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  4. Van Buren County Archived October 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  5. Van Buren County, Iowa, a Pictorial History. Villages of Van Buren. 2007. p. 46.
  6. Van Buren County, Iowa, a Pictorial History. Villages of Van Buren. 2007. p. 46.
  7. Mary Ovrum; editor (1999). The Van Buren Players. The Van Buren Players.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 22, 2019.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  14. "Population & Housing Occupancy Status 2010". United States Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
  15. https://www.census.gov/2010census/
  16. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 28, 2018.

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