Mediapolis, Iowa facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mediapolis, Iowa
City
Location of Mediapolis, Iowa
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Des Moines
Area
• Total	1.20 sq mi (3.11 km2)
• Land	1.20 sq mi (3.11 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	771 ft (235 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,688
• Density	1,406.67/sq mi (543.13/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	52637
Area code(s)	319
FIPS code	19-50790
GNIS feature ID	0458946
Current Mayor	Devin Weyrick

Mediapolis is a city located in Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. In 2020, about 1,688 people lived there. It is part of the larger Burlington area, which includes parts of Iowa and Illinois.

History of Mediapolis

Mediapolis was founded a long time ago, in the year 1869. It started as a train station for a nearby town called Kossuth, Iowa. This station was on a railway line that connected Burlington and Wapello.

The name Mediapolis has a special meaning. Media means "middle," and polis means "village." So, Mediapolis means "middle village" because it was halfway between Wapello and Burlington on the train line.

Railroads and Industry

From 1875 until the mid-1900s, Mediapolis was an important place where two different train lines met. This made it a busy hub for travel and trade.

However, in 1980, one of the main railroads, the Rock Island Railroad, stopped running. This led to the train line through Mediapolis being closed.

Today, there is still a big industry near Mediapolis. About two miles southwest of town is the United States Gypsum Sperry mine. This mine opened in 1961 and digs for gypsum, a mineral used to make things like drywall. The mine is very deep, going down 620 feet! Around 200 people work there, with some working underground. The mine uses a special method called "room and pillar" mining, where large pillars of rock are left to support the roof.

Geography of Mediapolis

Mediapolis is located at specific coordinates: 41.008233 degrees north latitude and 91.164838 degrees west longitude.

The city covers a total area of about 1.20 square miles (3.11 square kilometers). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large lakes or rivers within the city limits.

Population Information

2020 Census Details

In 2020, the census showed that 1,688 people lived in Mediapolis. There were 640 households, which are groups of people living together in one home.

Most of the people living in Mediapolis were White (93.3%). A small number were Black or African American (1.4%), Asian (0.1%), or from two or more races (4.6%). About 1.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (36.9%) had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Mediapolis was 36.2 years old. About 30.9% of residents were under 20 years old.

2010 Census Details

According to the census from 2010, there were 1,560 people living in the city. There were 628 households.

The racial makeup of the city was mostly White (98.5%). About 1.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 32.3% of households had children under 18. The average age in the city was 41.6 years. Around 24% of residents were under 18 years old.

Local School

On the north side of Mediapolis, you'll find the Mediapolis Community School District. This district includes an elementary, middle, and high school. It serves students from Mediapolis and the surrounding rural areas. The school's sports teams are known as the Bulldogs and Bullettes.

Famous People from Mediapolis

Mediapolis has been home to some notable individuals:

• William P. Battell was a Major General and a former Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps.
• Virginia Christine was an American actress who graduated from Mediapolis High School in 1937.
• Drew Foster became a national champion in wrestling in 2019, winning the NCAA Division 1 title at 184 pounds.
• Vernon "Bud" McLearn (1933–1999) was a very successful basketball coach, known for his high winning percentage.

See also

In Spanish: Mediapolis (Iowa) para niños