Iowa, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Town of Iowa | |
 Location of Iowa in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. | |
.svg) Location of Louisiana in the United States | |
| Coordinates:30°14′15″N93°00′51″W / 30.23750°N 93.01417°W /30.23750; -93.01417 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Calcasieu |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Neal Watkins |
| Area | |
• Total | 3.43 sq mi (8.89 km2) |
| • Land | 3.40 sq mi (8.80 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 3,436 |
| • Density | 1,011.78/sq mi (390.64/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 70647[2] |
| Area code | 337 |
| FIPS code | 22-37445 |
| Website | iowala |
Iowa (/ˈaɪəweɪ/) is a town inCalcasieu Parish,Louisiana, United States. The population was 3,436 in 2020. It is part of theLake Charlesmetropolitan statistical area.
The history of this region is filled with stories of the early Midwestern settlers fromKansas,Illinois andIowa, of theAcadians (Cajuns), and ofJean Lafitte'spirates.[citation needed] The community of Iowa was developed in the mid-19th century.
The railroad that cut through this country brought settlers who were lured to the prairie land for rice farming, cattle raising and later oil fields. Much of southwest Louisiana was developed by the North American Land and Timber Co. Seaman A. Knapp, president of theIowa State College of Agriculture, was engaged in 1885 to demonstrate the suitability of the region forrice production. Knapp attracted a number of Iowans to settle the area.[3] The settlers were lured to this area by advertisements published in newspapers in the midwestern states.
Iowa experienced a growth boom when oil was struck in 1930 and oil companies came to try their luck in the Iowa oil and gas fields. Even though this was theGreat Depression era, Iowa thrived as more men came to work in the oil fields.
Today, oil continues to be a vital part of the town's economy, as are farming and cattle.[4][5]
The town of "Iowa" is actually pronounced with the long A sound at the end ("EYE-uh-way"), opposed to the pronunciation of the state of Iowa.
Iowa is located along the eastern edge ofCalcasieu Parish at30°14′15″N93°0′51″W / 30.23750°N 93.01417°W /30.23750; -93.01417 (30.237433, -93.014191).[6] The eastern border of the town is theJefferson Davis Parish line.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town of Iowa has a total area of 3.17 square miles (8.22 km2), of which 3.15 square miles (8.15 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.07 km2), or 0.80%, is water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1,857 | — | |
| 1970 | 1,944 | 4.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,437 | 25.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,588 | 6.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,663 | 2.9% | |
| 2010 | 2,996 | 12.5% | |
| 2020 | 3,436 | 14.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,082 | 60.59% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,059 | 30.82% |
| Native American | 11 | 0.32% |
| Asian | 19 | 0.55% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.15% |
| Other/Mixed | 172 | 5.01% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 88 | 2.56% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 3,436 people, 1,211 households, and 812 families residing in the town.
Iowa High School serves students both in Iowa and the surrounding area as part of theCalcasieu Parish Public Schools.
U.S. Route 90 passes through the center of town as 4th Street, andInterstate 10 passes along the northern edge, with access from exits 43 and 44. The southern terminus ofU.S. Route 165 is at US 90 on the eastern town border.Lake Charles is 13 miles (21 km) to the west via Highways 90 or 10, andLafayette is 63 miles (101 km) to the east. US 165 leads 85 miles (137 km) northeast toAlexandria.
Municipalities and communities ofCalcasieu Parish, Louisiana,United States | ||
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