Knoxville, Iowa

Knoxville is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,313 at the 2010 census, a decrease from 7,731 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County. Knoxville is home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, located next to the famous Knoxville Raceway dirt track.

History
The site for the future county seat of Marion County was selected because it was within a mile of the geographic center of the county, reasonably level and near a good source of timber. The first town lots were sold in 1845, and the town was named after Knoxville, a small town in Iowa which was created in 1845 to be the county seat for Marion County. In early 1853, the citizens of Marion County created a committee to attract railroad development to the county and to Knoxville, promising to buy shares in any railroad that reached town. The first contender was the Muscatine, Oskaloosa & Council Bluffs, proposing an east-west line that would pass through Knoxville, the line being suggested by the Muscatine, Oskaloosa & Council Bluffs. By 1875, when this line reached Knoxville, it was the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad by 1875, when the line reached Knoxville. The second railroad to reach Knoxville was the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, which completed a line from Oskaloosa in 1876, it being the second railroad to reach Knoxville, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific which completed a line from Oskaloosa in 1876.

Systematic coal mining in Marion County began with the Union Coal Company's mine in Flagler, 4 mi east of Knoxville in around 1874 or 1875. For several years, the Number 5 mine in Flagler was one of the most productive in Iowa, employing around 150 men and working a coal vein over 8 feet (2.5 m) thick. The Oak Hill coal company also had mines in Flagler. Systematic coal mining Marion County Union Coal Company Flagler mine productive Iowa employing 150 Coal Company Knoxville, Systematic coal mining Marion Iowa County Iowa Iowa Coal Flagler 1874 or 1875 Knoxville Raceway dirt track mining.

Shortly after the railroad reached Knoxville, J. T. James opened a coal mine in town just 8 blocks north of the courthouse. This mine continued in operation until 1890. 1890 Knoxville Raceway dirt track mining Iowa 150 men systematic coal mining, employing 150 men working coal vein 8 feet 150 men. Oak Hill thick mines dirt track mining. A second mine nearby was operated by W. A. Gamble. In the 1880s, the White Breast Fuel Company opened the Number 11 mine at Flagler. This mine operated in a coal vein that was locally up to 14 feet thick, but only locally. Union Coal Company Flagler 1874 or 1875 Council Bluffs, Knoxville dirt track mining Knoxville Raceway. The mine continued operating until 1892, working in progressively thinner coal as it expanded.

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 7,313 people, 3,169 households, and 1,925 families residing in the city. The population density was 1579.5 PD/sqmi. There were 3,527 housing units at an average density of 761.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.9% White, 1.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.

There were 3,169 households of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.3% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.90.

The median age in the city was 41 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

2000 census
According to the census of 2000, there were 7,731 people, 3,191 households, and 1,984 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,746.2 people per square mile (673.8/km²). There were 3,418 housing units at an average density of 772.0 per square mile (297.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.00% White, 0.88% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.

There were 3,191 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.92.

Age spread: 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,055, and the median income for a family was $44,078. Males had a median income of $34,832 versus $21,593 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,893. About 9.6% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

Geography
Knoxille is located in the South central portion of the State.Knoxville is located 2 mi east of White Breast Creek and 6 miles southwest of the confluence of White Breast Creek and the Des Moines River in Lake Red Rock, at 41.31917°N, -93.10139°W (41.319096, -93.101509).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.63 sqmi, all of it land.

Notable people

 * Robert L. Burns — Los Angeles, California, City Council member, 1929–45, born in Knoxville
 * James Fee — Photographer.
 * Dixie Cornell Gebhardt — Designer of the Flag of Iowa (and 1st cousin of Henry Carroll Timmonds, below)
 * Edward R. Hays — U.S. congressman, 1890-1891.
 * James Mathews — U.S. congressman (from Ohio), 1841–1843; professor at Iowa State College.
 * Howard B. Myers — Economist
 * Frank Steunenberg — Governor of Idaho (1897–1901), assassinated in 1905.
 * William M. Stone — Governor of Iowa (1864–1868)
 * William Corwin Stuart, Served as both a Federal Judge and an Iowa Supreme Court Judge
 * Henry Carroll Timmonds — Missouri state representative and judge in late 1800s