Postville, Iowa | |
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 Jewish market and community center in Postville | |
 Logo | |
| Motto: | |
 Location of Postville, Iowa | |
| Coordinates:43°05′03″N91°34′04″W / 43.08417°N 91.56778°W /43.08417; -91.56778 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| Counties | Allamakee,Clayton |
| Townships | Post (Allamakee County),Grand Meadow (Clayton County) |
| Settled | June 1843 |
| Incorporated | March 11, 1873 |
| Named after | Joel Post |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.08 sq mi (5.38 km2) |
| • Land | 2.08 sq mi (5.38 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,175 ft (358 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,503 |
| • Density | 1,205.1/sq mi (465.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 52162 |
| Area code | 563 |
| FIPS code | 19-64290 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396261[4] |
| Website | www |
Postville is a city inAllamakee andClayton counties in theU.S. state ofIowa. It lies near the junction of four counties and at the intersection of U.S. Routes18 and52 andIowa Highway 51, with airport facilities in the neighboring communities ofWaukon,Decorah,Monona andPrairie du Chien. The population was 2,503 at the time of the2020 census, up from 2,273 in 2000.[5] The city is in Allamakee County's southwestern corner and Clayton County's northwestern corner in a quad county, or four-corner region, where four counties intersect.Winneshiek County is just to the west andFayette County is just to the southwest of Postville.
The area of what is now Postville was first settled in 1843 by pioneer settler and mill worker Joel Post, hence the name of the city.[6] Postville wasplatted in 1853.[7] The population had ancestry from Germany and Norway.[8] Stephanie Simon of theLos Angeles Times wrote that, until circa the 1990s, "Postville was basically all white and all Christian."[9]
On March 17, 1873, Postville was officially incorporated as a city.[10]
In 1987, a group ofHasidic Jews startedAgriprocessors, aKosher slaughterhouse, in Postville.[11] By 1999, the plant attracted immigrants from various countries, especially those from Latin America and the former Soviet Union.[8] After numerous accusations of mistreatment of cattle, pollution, and violations of labor law, the federal governmentraided the facility in May 2008, resulting in hundreds of arrests of undocumented workers.[12] Agriprocessors filed for bankruptcy on November 5, 2008; SHF Industries bought the plant at auction in July 2009 and it has resumed production under the new nameAgri Star.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.11 square miles (5.46 km2), all land.[13]
| Climate data for Postville, Iowa (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 58 (14) | 66 (19) | 83 (28) | 88 (31) | 105 (41) | 104 (40) | 108 (42) | 102 (39) | 99 (37) | 89 (32) | 76 (24) | 64 (18) | 108 (42) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 25.7 (−3.5) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 43.0 (6.1) | 57.5 (14.2) | 69.4 (20.8) | 79.0 (26.1) | 82.8 (28.2) | 80.8 (27.1) | 74.0 (23.3) | 60.6 (15.9) | 44.7 (7.1) | 31.4 (−0.3) | 56.6 (13.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 16.6 (−8.6) | 20.2 (−6.6) | 32.7 (0.4) | 45.8 (7.7) | 58.2 (14.6) | 68.4 (20.2) | 71.9 (22.2) | 69.5 (20.8) | 61.6 (16.4) | 48.8 (9.3) | 35.1 (1.7) | 22.7 (−5.2) | 46.0 (7.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 7.4 (−13.7) | 10.5 (−11.9) | 22.4 (−5.3) | 34.0 (1.1) | 46.9 (8.3) | 57.8 (14.3) | 60.9 (16.1) | 58.2 (14.6) | 49.2 (9.6) | 37.0 (2.8) | 25.5 (−3.6) | 14.0 (−10.0) | 35.3 (1.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −35 (−37) | −29 (−34) | −18 (−28) | 6 (−14) | 20 (−7) | 34 (1) | 39 (4) | 35 (2) | 20 (−7) | −7 (−22) | −12 (−24) | −27 (−33) | −35 (−37) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 1.12 (28) | 1.21 (31) | 2.09 (53) | 4.14 (105) | 4.99 (127) | 5.88 (149) | 4.52 (115) | 4.36 (111) | 3.96 (101) | 3.00 (76) | 2.10 (53) | 1.57 (40) | 38.94 (989) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 12.0 (30) | 10.4 (26) | 5.0 (13) | 1.6 (4.1) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 2.7 (6.9) | 8.0 (20) | 39.8 (101) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 5.8 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 10.1 | 12.2 | 11.2 | 8.8 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 7.7 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 97.4 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 5.2 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 19.5 |
| Source:NOAA[14][15] | |||||||||||||
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 732 | — |
| 1890 | 884 | +20.8% |
| 1900 | 984 | +11.3% |
| 1910 | 952 | −3.3% |
| 1920 | 1,039 | +9.1% |
| 1930 | 1,060 | +2.0% |
| 1940 | 1,194 | +12.6% |
| 1950 | 1,343 | +12.5% |
| 1960 | 1,554 | +15.7% |
| 1970 | 1,546 | −0.5% |
| 1980 | 1,475 | −4.6% |
| 1990 | 1,472 | −0.2% |
| 2000 | 2,273 | +54.4% |
| 2010 | 2,227 | −2.0% |
| 2020 | 2,503 | +12.4% |
| Source:"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau. RetrievedMarch 29, 2020. andIowa Data Center Source: | ||
As of thecensus of 2020,[17] the population was 2,503. Thepopulation density was 1,205.7 inhabitants per square mile (465.5/km2). There were 859 housing units at an average density of 413.8 per square mile (159.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 52.7%White, 8.7%Black orAfrican American, 2.8%Native American, 0.6%Asian, 26.8% fromother races, and 8.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 43.0%Hispanic orLatino of any race.
As of thecensus[18] of 2010, there were 2,227 people, 744 households, and 497 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 1,055.5 inhabitants per square mile (407.5/km2). There were 902 housing units at an average density of 427.5 per square mile (165.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 77.0%White, 4.4%African American, 0.6%Native American, 1.0%Asian, 0.7%Pacific Islander, 14.3% fromother races, and 2.0% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 32.0% of the population.
There were 744 households, of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% weremarried couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.2% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.54.
The median age in the city was 30.2 years. 32.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 18.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.4% male and 49.6% female.
In 2017 about one quarter of Postville's population were recent immigrants from Latin America and Somalia; Greg Flakus ofVoice of America stated that this was ethnically diverse compared to most Iowa towns, which are almost uniformly non-Hispanic white, even though "Postville is not all that diverse" compared to major American metropolitan areas.[19] The earliest immigrants were from England, Germany, and Scandinavia.[19]
Orthodox Jews established Agriprocessors circa 1987; its founders came from New York City.[19] At its peak, there were about 100 Orthodox Jewish families in Postville. After the 2008 raid, the number declined, and in 2017 there were about 50.[20] Postville has services for Jewish families typically seen in larger communities.[19] It also has a Jewish elementary school and ayeshiva. A Judaic library opened in 2005, but closed after the raid.[20]
The 2008 raid led to the arrests of Hispanics; the resulting lack of labor drew Somalis to Postville from Minnesota and Wisconsin to work in the area kosher factory.[20]Mother Jones said this caused a "cultural shift".[21]
Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America discusses the arrival of the Orthodox Jews.
Postville's growth was due to the presence of two large meat processing plants,Agriprocessors and Iowa Turkey Products. The Iowa Turkey Products plant burned in December 2003; it was rebuilt inMarshall,Minnesota.
Agriprocessors, akosher meat plant, was the largest of its type in the world. As of February 2008 it employed about 900 people and purchased $100 million worth of livestock annually. In May 2008, it was the target of a federalImmigration and Customs Enforcement raid.[22] Subsequently, a criminal complaint was filed against Agriprocessors and its principal for alleged violations ofchild labor laws.[23] As a result of its legal problems, Agriprocessors became insolvent and was run by a Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee until SHF Industries bought it at auction in July 2009. It resumed business as Agri Star Meat & Poultry, LLC under the new ownership.
As of 2017[update], 700 people, more than 30% of the total population, work at Agri Star; about 100 are of Somali origin.[20]
Postville is also the home of a composites factory,Norplex-Micarta, started in 1975.[24] The Norplex factory produces laminated plastics plate, sheet, and profile shapes. As of 2007 it employed between 150 and 200 workers.[25]
Postville Community School District operates public schools.[26]John R. Mott High School is the local high school.
Mesivta of Postville is the areayeshiva.[27]
Municipalities and communities ofAllamakee County, Iowa,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofClayton County, Iowa,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
