Clarion, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Clarion, Iowa
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Wright County Courthouse
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| Motto(s):
A Community On The Horizon
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Location of Clarion, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Wright |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.36 sq mi (8.70 km2) |
| • Land | 3.36 sq mi (8.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,171 ft (357 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,810 |
| • Density | 836.56/sq mi (322.99/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
50525-50526
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| Area code(s) | 515 |
| FIPS code | 19-13620 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0455428 |
Clarion is a city in Wright County, Iowa, United States. It is the main city, also known as the county seat, of Wright County. In 2020, about 2,810 people lived there.
Contents
History of Clarion
Clarion is famous for being the place where the four-leaf clover symbol for 4-H Clubs of America was created. A local school leader, O.H. Benson, came up with the idea in 1907.
The city was first called Grant. It was planned to be exactly in the middle of Wright County. The courthouse was built a little to the east because the very center was a swamp back then.
Geography and Climate in Clarion
Clarion covers about 3.26 square miles (8.44 square kilometers) of land. There is no water within the city limits.
Clarion's Climate
Clarion has a climate with hot summers and cold winters. It's known as a "hot-summer humid continental climate." This means it gets warm and humid in summer, and very cold with snow in winter.
| Climate data for Clarion, Iowa, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1944–2021 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
67 (19) |
86 (30) |
96 (36) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
103 (39) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
94 (34) |
85 (29) |
67 (19) |
103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 44.6 (7.0) |
49.0 (9.4) |
68.4 (20.2) |
81.7 (27.6) |
87.9 (31.1) |
92.6 (33.7) |
93.6 (34.2) |
91.3 (32.9) |
89.9 (32.2) |
82.4 (28.0) |
66.3 (19.1) |
50.3 (10.2) |
95.4 (35.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 25.8 (−3.4) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
44.0 (6.7) |
59.0 (15.0) |
71.6 (22.0) |
82.0 (27.8) |
85.0 (29.4) |
82.3 (27.9) |
76.3 (24.6) |
63.1 (17.3) |
45.4 (7.4) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
58.1 (14.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 16.0 (−8.9) |
21.1 (−6.1) |
34.2 (1.2) |
47.0 (8.3) |
59.6 (15.3) |
70.3 (21.3) |
73.4 (23.0) |
71.1 (21.7) |
63.6 (17.6) |
50.7 (10.4) |
35.1 (1.7) |
22.2 (−5.4) |
47.0 (8.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 6.2 (−14.3) |
11.2 (−11.6) |
24.5 (−4.2) |
35.0 (1.7) |
47.7 (8.7) |
58.6 (14.8) |
61.9 (16.6) |
59.9 (15.5) |
50.9 (10.5) |
38.3 (3.5) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
36.0 (2.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −15.6 (−26.4) |
−9.4 (−23.0) |
1.1 (−17.2) |
20.7 (−6.3) |
33.3 (0.7) |
46.6 (8.1) |
51.8 (11.0) |
48.7 (9.3) |
35.8 (2.1) |
22.4 (−5.3) |
9.2 (−12.7) |
−7.9 (−22.2) |
−18.3 (−27.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −32 (−36) |
−30 (−34) |
−26 (−32) |
3 (−16) |
21 (−6) |
34 (1) |
42 (6) |
32 (0) |
21 (−6) |
12 (−11) |
−18 (−28) |
−26 (−32) |
−32 (−36) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.73 (19) |
0.91 (23) |
1.96 (50) |
3.75 (95) |
4.81 (122) |
5.81 (148) |
4.04 (103) |
4.10 (104) |
3.13 (80) |
2.29 (58) |
1.52 (39) |
1.22 (31) |
34.27 (872) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 8.9 (23) |
6.2 (16) |
5.7 (14) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
2.9 (7.4) |
5.9 (15) |
31.1 (79.25) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 5.1 | 4.5 | 6.0 | 8.5 | 11.8 | 10.6 | 8.9 | 8.0 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 5.5 | 4.9 | 87.9 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.9 | 3.6 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 17.6 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Housing in Clarion
Clarion has many types of homes. The city has added land for new housing developments. For example, the White Fox Landing Subdivision is building new homes near the high school. There is also the Southpointe Housing Subdivision with lots for new houses.
People of Clarion (Demographics)
| Historical population | ||
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1870 | 37 | — |
| 1880 | 147 | +297.3% |
| 1890 | 744 | +406.1% |
| 1900 | 1,475 | +98.3% |
| 1910 | 2,065 | +40.0% |
| 1920 | 2,826 | +36.9% |
| 1930 | 2,578 | −8.8% |
| 1940 | 2,971 | +15.2% |
| 1950 | 3,150 | +6.0% |
| 1960 | 3,232 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 2,972 | −8.0% |
| 1980 | 3,060 | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 2,703 | −11.7% |
| 2000 | 2,968 | +9.8% |
| 2010 | 2,850 | −4.0% |
| 2020 | 2,810 | −1.4% |
| Source: Source: |
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2020 Census Information
In 2020, Clarion had 2,810 people living there. Most people (about 75%) were White. About 26% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The average age in the city was about 39 years old. Many residents were under 20 (28.2%), and many were 65 or older (20%).
2010 Census Information
In 2010, Clarion had 2,850 people. About 92% of the people were White, and about 16% were Hispanic or Latino. The average age was about 41 years old.
Religion in Clarion
Clarion has several churches, including First Methodist Church, First Lutheran Church, and St. John's Catholic Church. Some churches share pastors with nearby towns. There are also many faith-based groups for young people and adults. These groups help people learn and serve the community. Examples include CHICKS for girls and G3 for middle school boys.
Clarion's Economy
Downtown Area
Clarion's downtown has many old buildings from the 1800s. The most important building is the Wright County Courthouse. It is a historic building that is being updated while keeping its original look.
Local Industries
Clarion has growing industries that create jobs. The Clarion Industrial Park has a new factory called Clarion Packaging LLC. This factory makes egg cartons from recycled paper and has created 120 new jobs.
Hagie Manufacturing is another big company in Clarion. It was started by Ray Hagie. This company designs and builds special farm sprayers. These sprayers have very long arms (booms) that are 120 feet long. Hagie Manufacturing has grown a lot and is one of the biggest employers in the area.
Other companies in Clarion include Monsanto Company and Wright County Egg. Wright County is known for producing more eggs than any other county in the country!
Education in Clarion
Clarion is part of the Clarion–Goldfield–Dows Community School District. This district was formed by combining smaller school districts over the years.
Clarion Public Library
The Clarion Public Library was built in 1908. In 2009, the library was made much bigger and updated. During the renovation, workers found the original ceiling from 1908 and old items from the early 1900s in a small attic.
Fun and Activities in Clarion
Parks and Recreation
Clarion has a great Aquatic Center that opened in 2006. It has two big slides, diving boards, and a shallow area like a beach for younger kids. The city also has three parks: Aquatic Center Park, Firemen's Park, and Gazebo Park.
Just north of town is Lake Cornelia, a natural lake formed by glaciers. It has a large park with camping spots and a new path for walking and biking. Clarion also has a community movie theater that was updated in 2012. Gazebo Park hosts an annual festival called "Festival in the Park."
Culture and Things to See
Places to Visit
The Heartland Museum is on the west side of Clarion. It has a large hall with old farm equipment and displays showing the history of farming. You can also see part of Alvina Sellers' amazing collection of over 6,000 hats! The museum also has an Artist Teddy Bear Museum and recreated old Clarion businesses. The Wright County Historical Library, located inside the museum, has lots of information about Wright County's history.
Another cool place to visit at the Heartland Museum complex is the 4-H Schoolhouse Museum, which was added in 2017.
The old Rock Island Depot (a train station) has been restored and is now used as a Senior Center.
Famous People from Clarion
- Lee Handley, a professional baseball player
- Roy E. Wilson, a professional baseball player
- Glen Buxton, a guitarist for the band Alice Cooper
- Glen Brand, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling
- Verlyn Klinkenborg, a writer for The New York Times
- Bernice Durand, a physicist
- Clifford Joy Rogers, a politician
- Mark Thompson, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives
See also
In Spanish: Clarion (Iowa) para niños
