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Montrose, Iowa
Montrose iowa.jpg
Location of Montrose, Iowa
Location of Montrose, Iowa
Country  United States
State  Iowa
County Lee
Area
 • Total 1.23 sq mi (3.18 km2)
 • Land 1.21 sq mi (3.13 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
531 ft (162 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 738
 • Density 610.42/sq mi (235.60/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
52639
Area code(s) 319
FIPS code 19-53760
GNIS feature ID 0459199

Montrose is a city in Lee County, Iowa. The population was 738 at the time of the 2020 census. The town is located on the Mississippi River. It is part of the Fort Madison-Keokuk Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Lee ft dm rapids 1837
Robert E. Lee map of the head of the Des Moines Rapids, 1837, showing Fort Des Moines No. 1, later Montrose, Iowa.

The area around Montrose has been occupied continuously since at least the 1780s, when Quashquame's village was established nearby. The area was strategically important because it is at the head of the Des Moines Rapids, a major impediment to river traffic that caused large boats to land in this area and transfer freight overland to avoid the rapids. Montrose was the location of Fort Des Moines No. 1, a military post from 1834 to 1837. In 1836 the commander of Fort Des Moines, Lieutenant-Colonel Mason, would begin to plat out the town. Later that year David W. Kilbourne would finish laying out the town, and would name it Montrose. From 1839 to 1846 Montrose was the home of many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This was especially true in 1839 when many people lived in an abandoned barracks at Montrose that served as a good short term residence while homes were being built in nearby Nauvoo, Illinois. Among Montrose's residents at this time were Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff and Erastus Snow. Despite legends that the streets of Montrose were aligned to allow a direct view of the Nauvoo Temple across the Mississippi River in Illinois, the streets actually align with the 1834 layout of Fort Des Moines.

Montrose was incorporated in 1857, with Doctor J. Anderson elected the first mayor in June. Montrose became an important river town until the construction of a canal near Keokuk ended the lightering business.

Geography

Montrose's longitude and latitude coordinates
in decimal form are 40.53, -91.417.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.14 square miles (2.95 km2), of which 1.12 square miles (2.90 km2) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) is water.

Montrose is located in Montrose Township on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad.

Demographics

Historical populations
Year Pop. ±%
1850 454 —    
1870 905 +99.3%
1880 983 +8.6%
1890 778 −20.9%
1900 748 −3.9%
1910 708 −5.3%
1920 549 −22.5%
1930 621 +13.1%
1940 592 −4.7%
1950 643 +8.6%
1960 632 −1.7%
1970 735 +16.3%
1980 1,038 +41.2%
1990 957 −7.8%
2000 957 +0.0%
2010 898 −6.2%
2020 738 −17.8%
Source: and Iowa Data Center
Source:
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 898 people, 359 households, and 242 families residing in the city. The population density was 801.8 inhabitants per square mile (309.6/km2). There were 405 housing units at an average density of 361.6 per square mile (139.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.2% White, 0.4% African American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 359 households, of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age in the city was 47.4 years. 18.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 32.6% were from 45 to 64; and 20.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.9% male and 51.1% female.

Education

Montrose is served by Central Lee Community School District.

Notable people

  • Cal McVey, 19th century Major League Baseball player.
  • Margaret Warner Morley (1858–1923) educator, scholar and writer.
  • Cato Mead, the only known African American American Revolutionary War veteran buried west of the Mississippi River.
  • Nedra Volz (1908-2003) character actress
  • Jerry R. Junkins, president, chairman, and CEO of Texas Instruments, Incorporated
  • Lowell Junkins, (1973 to 1985) Iowa State Senator, (1996–Present) Chairman of the Board at Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation

Buildings

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Montrose (Iowa) para niños

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