Cass County, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cass County
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Location within the U.S. state of Iowa
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 Iowa's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Named for | Lewis Cass |
| Seat | Atlantic |
| Largest city | Atlantic |
| Area | |
| • Total | 565 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| • Land | 564 sq mi (1,460 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (2 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,127 |
| • Density | 23.234/sq mi (8.971/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Cass County is a place in Iowa, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 13,127 people lived here. The main city and government center is Atlantic. The county is named after Lewis Cass, who ran for president in 1848.
Contents
History of Cass County
Cass County is named after Lewis Cass. He was a senator from Michigan. He also ran for president in 1848 but did not win. The county was officially created in 1851. Its current borders were set in 1853.
The first European settlers came to Cass County because they were looking for a safe place to live. These early settlers were Mormons. They came from Illinois in 1846. They started a community called Indiantown.
Two people were chosen to pick a spot for the county seat. They chose a place about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Indiantown. This new place was named Lewis. Most people and businesses moved to Lewis soon after. In 1856, a wooden courthouse was built there. Eight years later, a small stone building was added. In 1869, the county seat was moved to Atlantic.
The first courthouse in Atlantic was finished in 1872. Before that, county offices used different empty buildings. In 1882, a second courthouse was built in Atlantic. This building cost $65,000. Sadly, a fire destroyed it in 1932. The fire started in the clock tower. Most county records and equipment were saved.
The current courthouse was finished in 1934. It is the fourth courthouse for Cass County. While it was being built, offices were in the Atlantic Motors building. The new courthouse cost $130,000. Some money came from a county bond. Insurance and a federal grant also helped pay for it. This building is made of concrete and brick. It has three stories. The Governor of Iowa, Clyde L. Herring, spoke at its opening. A new jail was added in 1984.
Geography of Cass County
Cass County covers about 565 square miles (1,463 km²). Most of this area is land. Only a very small part, about 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), is water.
Main Roads
Interstate 80
U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Highway 71
Iowa Highway 48
Iowa Highway 83
Iowa Highway 92
Iowa Highway 148
Iowa Highway 173
Neighboring Counties
- Audubon County (north)
- Adair County (east)
- Adams County (southeast)
- Montgomery County (southwest)
- Pottawattamie County (west)
- Shelby County (northwest)
People of Cass County
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 1,612 | — | |
| 1870 | 5,464 | 239.0% | |
| 1880 | 16,943 | 210.1% | |
| 1890 | 19,642 | 15.9% | |
| 1900 | 21,274 | 8.3% | |
| 1910 | 19,047 | −10.5% | |
| 1920 | 19,421 | 2.0% | |
| 1930 | 19,422 | 0.0% | |
| 1940 | 18,647 | −4.0% | |
| 1950 | 18,532 | −0.6% | |
| 1960 | 17,919 | −3.3% | |
| 1970 | 17,007 | −5.1% | |
| 1980 | 16,932 | −0.4% | |
| 1990 | 15,128 | −10.7% | |
| 2000 | 14,684 | −2.9% | |
| 2010 | 13,956 | −5.0% | |
| 2020 | 13,127 | −5.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 13,130 | −5.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018 |
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2020 Census Information
In 2020, the county had 13,127 people. This means there were about 23 people per square mile. Most people (96.75%) said they were of one race. About 92.23% were non-Hispanic White. There were 6,398 homes in the county. About 5,818 of these homes were lived in.
2010 Census Information
The 2010 census counted 13,956 people in Cass County. This was about 25 people per square mile. There were 6,591 homes, and 5,980 of them were lived in.
Famous People from Cass County
- Edwin Perkins, who invented Kool-Aid.
- Ed Podolak, a former football player for the Kansas City Chiefs.
- Earl Caddock, a champion wrestler from the early 1900s.
- Steve H. Hanke, a professor and economic advisor.
Communities in Cass County
Cities
Townships
Cass County is divided into sixteen smaller areas called townships:
- Bear Grove
- Benton
- Brighton
- Cass
- Edna
- Franklin
- Grant
- Grove
- Lincoln
- Massena
- Noble
- Pleasant
- Pymosa
- Union
- Victoria
- Washington
City Populations (2020 Census)
This table shows the population of cities in Cass County based on the 2020 census. † county seat
| Rank | City/Town/etc. | Type | Population (2020 Census) |
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| 1 | † Atlantic | City | 6,792 |
| 2 | Griswold | City | 994 |
| 3 | Anita | City | 963 |
| 4 | Massena | City | 359 |
| 5 | Lewis | City | 357 |
| 6 | Cumberland | City | 251 |
| 7 | Marne | City | 110 |
| 8 | Wiota | City | 91 |
Images for kids
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2022 population pyramid for Cass County
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Cass (Iowa) para niños
