Primghar, Iowa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Primghar, Iowa
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Location of Primghar, Iowa
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Iowa |
| County | O'Brien |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2) |
| • Land | 1.34 sq mi (3.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,526 ft (465 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 896 |
| • Density | 667.16/sq mi (257.55/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
51245
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| Area code(s) | 712 |
| FIPS code | 19-64650 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0460449 |
Primghar is a city in, and the county seat of, O'Brien County, Iowa, United States. The population was 896 at the time of the 2020 census. Primghar is 23.5 miles south of Iowa State Highway 9, 28 miles east of Sioux Center and 6.75 miles north of Iowa State Highway 10.
Contents
History
In a brief history of O'Brien County, Arthur M. Schierholz states: "the courthouse location in (the village of) O'Brien in the extreme southeast corner of the county became a growing issue. To resolve the matter, an election was held on November 11, 1872, to determine the location of the courthouse." A total of 360 votes were cast, with 307 voting to move the courthouse to the exact geographical center of the county. Another historian wrote, "Probably the only case in Iowa, perhaps anywhere, where a bare spot of raw prairie was actually voted to be the county seat." This eventually became the town of Primghar. The present O'Brien County Courthouse was completed in 1917. The name Primghar was received from the first letter of eight people who had a major part in platting the town.
Geography
Primghar is located at 43°5′16″N 95°37′40″W / 43.08778°N 95.62778°W (43.087722, -95.627892).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.38 square miles (3.57 km2), all of it land.
Roads and highways
The only highway that goes through Primghar is U.S. 59, going north-south. B40 road goes east-west through the town.
Topography
Elevation is 1520 feet. This area of northwest Iowa is gently rolling. Today fields are marred by few boggy areas and much of the land is terraced to reduce erosion. Until fill was hauled in, the south side of the courthouse square was a "boggy, muddy slough." When the first settlers arrived there were few trees and almost without exception prairie grass grew to six foot.
In the immediate vicinity of Primghar the topsoils and subsoils are silty clay loam. (Galva, Marcus, Primghar, and Sac soils by name.) Clay loam glacial till is at a depth of 30 to 60 inches in most places. There are no mineral assets of commercial value save rock and gravel. Back in 1873 this dearth of underground wealth was yet to be decided. There was a $1000 reward posted for anyone finding mineable coal reserves. No one claimed the prize.
There is an abandoned rock quarry a mile SSE of Primghar which was donated by the Tjossem family to Primghar in 1989 and is now known as Tjossem Park, a fishing area and public picnic/camp ground.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 143 | — | |
| 1890 | 519 | 262.9% | |
| 1900 | 814 | 56.8% | |
| 1910 | 733 | −10.0% | |
| 1920 | 921 | 25.6% | |
| 1930 | 962 | 4.5% | |
| 1940 | 1,081 | 12.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,152 | 6.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,131 | −1.8% | |
| 1970 | 995 | −12.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,050 | 5.5% | |
| 1990 | 950 | −9.5% | |
| 2000 | 891 | −6.2% | |
| 2010 | 909 | 2.0% | |
| 2020 | 896 | −1.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 909 people, 392 households, and 247 families residing in the city. The population density was 658.7 inhabitants per square mile (254.3/km2). There were 444 housing units at an average density of 321.7 per square mile (124.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.
There were 392 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.0% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.77.
The median age in the city was 43.9 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.4% were from 45 to 64; and 23.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.
Transportation
The transportation for Primghar is by road (U.S. 59, B40 road), or by air (Primghar Airport).
Education
Primghar is served by the South O'Brien Community School District. The district was formed on July 1, 1993 by the merger of three school districts: Paullina, Primghar, and Sutherland. Primghar houses the South O'Brien Elementary School.
Notable people
- Keli McGregor (1963–2010), former NFL player and president of the Colorado Rockies baseball team.
- Rick and Michael Mast, founders of Mast Brothers chocolate.
- Joseph Welch (1890–1960), the head counsel for the United States Army, most famous for asking Senator Joseph McCarthy, "Have you no decency, sir?" during the height of McCarthyism.
See also
In Spanish: Primghar para niños
