Orient, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orient, Iowa
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Location of Orient, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | Adair |
| Township | Orient |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.43 sq mi (1.13 km2) |
| • Land | 0.43 sq mi (1.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,352 ft (412 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 368 |
| • Density | 845.98/sq mi (326.27/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
50858
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| Area code(s) | 641 |
| FIPS code | 19-59565 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396078 |
| Website | www.orientiowa.com |
Orient is a small city in Adair County, Iowa, United States. It is located within Orient Township, Adair County, Iowa. In 2020, the city had a population of 368 people.
Contents
History of Orient
Orient became an official city on March 21, 1882. It was founded on land that was set aside by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, a major railway company at the time.
Geography of Orient
Orient covers a total area of about 1.13 square kilometers (0.45 square miles). All of this area is land, meaning there are no large bodies of water like lakes or rivers within the city limits.
Population and People
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1880 | 31 | — |
| 1890 | 130 | +319.4% |
| 1900 | 359 | +176.2% |
| 1910 | 373 | +3.9% |
| 1920 | 500 | +34.0% |
| 1930 | 433 | −13.4% |
| 1940 | 442 | +2.1% |
| 1950 | 427 | −3.4% |
| 1960 | 341 | −20.1% |
| 1970 | 324 | −5.0% |
| 1980 | 416 | +28.4% |
| 1990 | 376 | −9.6% |
| 2000 | 402 | +6.9% |
| 2010 | 408 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 368 | −9.8% |
| Source: and Iowa Data Center Source: |
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How Many People Live Here?
In 2020, there were 368 people living in Orient. These people lived in 151 different homes, and 104 of these were families. The city had about 845 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Orient are White (95.1%). A small number are Black or African American (0.5%), or from two or more races (3.8%). About 2.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
Age and Gender
The average age of people in Orient in 2020 was 42.8 years old.
- About 22% of residents were under 20 years old.
- About 27.4% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- About 28.5% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- About 18.2% were 65 years or older.
The city had slightly more females (51.4%) than males (48.6%).
Education in Orient
The Orient-Macksburg Community School District runs the public schools in the area. This school district was created in 1960 when the Orient and Macksburg school districts joined together.
All students, from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, attend classes in one school building. This building is located where School and Division streets meet, right on Iowa Highway 25. Over the years, the school building has been improved with new additions, especially for elementary students, in 1979 and 1998.
However, in June 2024, it was announced that the school would close after the 2024-2025 school year. This decision was made because of fewer students, not enough staff, and money problems.
Famous People from Orient
Orient has been the birthplace of a few notable individuals.
Dazzy Vance: Baseball Star
Dazzy Vance, a famous baseball pitcher, was born in Orient in 1891. He played professional baseball for 20 years, from 1915 to 1935. Vance was known for his incredibly fast fastball. He is the only pitcher in history to lead the National League in strikeouts for seven years in a row!
In 1924, he won the Major League Baseball Triple Crown for pitchers and was also named the Most Valuable Player. Dazzy Vance was honored by being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.
Henry A. Wallace: U.S. Vice President
Henry A. Wallace, who served as the Vice President of the United States from 1941 to 1945, was born on a farm near Orient in 1888. His childhood home is now a popular place to visit called the Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center.
Wallace was a very important person in American history. He started a seed corn company called Pioneer Hi-Bred in 1926. He also worked as an editor for Wallace's Farmer magazine.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt chose Wallace to be the US Secretary of Agriculture from 1933 to 1941. This was during the Great Depression, a very difficult economic time for the country. Wallace also served as the US Secretary of Commerce from 1945 to 1946. Later, he ran for President in 1948 but did not win.
Wallace played a key role in helping President Roosevelt create the "New Deal" policies. These policies aimed to help the US economy recover. He also helped prepare the United States to join the Allies in fighting against Japan and Germany in World War II. In 1999, the Des Moines Register newspaper named him the "Most Influential Iowan of the 20th Century."
See also
In Spanish: Orient (Iowa) para niños
