Clear Lake

Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,687 at the 2020 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related businesses. The region around the lake that would later be called Clear Lake was a summer home to the Dakota and Winnebago American Indians. In the early hours of February 3, 1959, a Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper crashed in Clear Lake, killing everyone onboard. The event was later eulogized by folk singer Don McLean in his 1971 song "American Pie", which led to the crash being nicknamed "The Day the Music Died" Clear Lake is located at 43°811N 93°2248W (43.136479, 93.379927).According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.44 square miles (34.81 km²), of which 10.80 square miles. (27.97 km²) is land and 2.64 sq miles (6.84 km²).Clear Lake, Iowa has a hot/warm summer humid continental climate (Dfa) The 2010 census showed that the city had 7,777 people, 3,507 households, and 2,087 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.5% African American,0.1% Native American, 1.2% Asian, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2%.

History

Clear Lake was incorporated on May 26, 1871. The first bandstand in Clear Lake was built in 1877 at the City Park. In 1909, Bayside Amusement park opened for the first time. The Surf Ballroom opened up on the site of the old Tom Tom ballroom that had been destroyed by fire in 1933. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. The event was later eulogized by folk singer Don McLean in his 1971 song "American Pie", which led to the crash being nicknamed "The Day the Music Died" In June 1988, around 600 people gathered to witness the dedication of the monument to the three musicians. Clear Lake also renamed Second Place North to "Buddy Holly Place" The city was once home to the Dakota and Winnebago American Indians, who lived in the region around the lake in the 1800s and early 1900s. The city is now home to more than 2,000 people, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Iowa City, and Iowa City College. The town is located on the banks of Clear Lake, a body of water in the middle of the Iowa River that was once part of the Red River. It is located in the U.S. state of Iowa and is about 30 miles from the state capital of Iowa City. It has a population of around 2,500 people, most of whom live in or near the town of Mason City.

Geography

Clear Lake is located at 43°811N 93°2248W (43.136479, 93.379927).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.44 square miles (34.81 km²) of which 10.80 sq miles (27.97 km²), is land and 2.64sq miles (6.84km²) is water. Clear Lake, Iowa has a hot/warm summer humid continental climate (Dfa). The city is located on the Iowa Turnpike, which runs from the Iowa River to the Iowa/Illinois border. The city has an average daily rainfall of 2.2 inches (8.4 mm) and an average yearly temperature of 2 °C (7.7 °F). The town has a population of 2,816. It is located in the Iowa Bootheel, which is an area known as one of the hottest Bootheels in the United States, with an average annual rainfall of 1.7 inches (4.2 m) in the summer. The town's average annual temperature is 2.7 degrees (8 °S) and its average yearly rainfall is 1.8 inches (4 °M) The town is located near the Iowa-Wisconsin border. It has a high school football field, which was built in the early 1900s. It was named after the town's namesake, Clear Lake.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 7,777 people, 3,507 households, and 2,087 families residing in the city. There were 4,423 housing units at an average density of 409.5 per square mile (158.1/km²) The racial makeup of the city was 96.3% White, 0.5% African American, 1.1% Native American, and 1.2% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.86% of the population. About 5.6% of families were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 5.7% ofThose age 65 or over. Clear Lake is part of the Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Mason City, Iowa, and parts of Iowa, Iowa and Iowa. The city is located on the U.S. Geological Survey's Midcontinent Ranges, which are the only areas of the United States that are not covered by the National Park Service. It is the only city in the state of Iowa that is not on the National Highway System, which is the nation's second-busiest highway system. It has a population of 8,161, with a population density of 720.1 inhabitants per sq mile (278.0/km 2) The city's median age is 46.3 years, and the average household size is 2.78. The median income for a household is $35,097, and for a family is $45,589.

Arts and culture

Surf Ballroom: Site of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper's last concert. Lady of the Lake: A sternwheeler ferry boat which takes passengers on a scenic cruise around Clear Lake. Lake Theatre: Historic single screen movie theatre showing current titles. Central Gardens of North Iowa, Inc. has over 20 themed gardens on nearly 3 acres of land. It is the only free public garden within 90 miles of Clear Lake and offers over 50 free activities, events, and programs each year. The Guardian Angel Chapel overlooks Interstate 35 and is open to the public daily. The Patriarchs Militant camp (a subgroup of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows). Established in 1914, turned into a historical eating and lodging venue. The Clear Lake Fire Museum: Designed to resemble an early fire station, this museum's highlights include a 1924 Ahrens-Fox pumper truck, the city's 1883 hand-pulled hose cart, and the original fire bell used by the department. A memorial is dedicated to honor firefighters who have served Clear Lake, and is on display at the fire museum. The Clear Lake Arts Center: This non-profit organization displays local and regional artists' work along with a sales gallery and art classes. The Lake Theatre is a historic single-screen movie theatre. It was originally an Opera House, converted to movie theatre in 1935. It has an enclosed lower level and an open upper level. It's open daily, dawn to dusk, May 1 through October 31.

Education

There are three schools in the local public school district, Clear Lake Community School District. Clear Lake Classical, a preK8 Classical Christian school, is the only private school in the city. Lakeside Alternative, an alternative school program, is run jointly with the GarnerHayfieldVentura Community School district in neighboring Ventura, Iowa. Clear Creek Elementary School hosts preschool, kindergarten, and grades 15; Clear Lake Middle School hosts grades 68; and Clear Lake High School hostsgrades 912. The city is home to the American Museum of Natural History, which was founded in 1872. The museum is located in the town of Clear Lake, Iowa, and is open to the public. It is located on the banks of the Clear Lake River, which flows through the city to the north and south. The town has a population of about 2,000 people, mostly residents of the area's lakes and rivers. It also has a number of small businesses, such as a winemaking company, a car dealership, and an ice cream shop, among other businesses. The community has a reputation for being a good place to live and raise a family, and the city has a history of being a safe place to grow food and produce crops. The area is also known for its golf course, which is used by the city's high school and middle school students, as well as the local high school, which hosts grades 912 and 914. It has also been the site of several high school football games, including the Iowa State Championship.

Infrastructure

Clear Lake is located along Interstate 35 approximately halfway between the Twin Cities and Des Moines, Iowa. U.S. Highway 18 runs eastwest through the northern side of the city until it meets Interstate 35; at this interchange, Iowa Highway 122 begins and continues to the east. The city's electric power and natural gas utilities are provided by Alliant Energy. MercyOne Medical Center North Iowa in neighboring Mason City is the nearest hospital. Both MercyOne and Iowa Specialty Hospital operate clinics within the city. In September 2020, construction began on a wellness center near Clear Lake High School for joint use by Clear Lake Community School District and the community. Jefferson Lines, a private intercity bus service, maintains a stop in Clear Lake with service to locations throughout the Midwest. The North Iowa Area Council of Governments operates Region 2 Transit, which provides city and regional demand responsive public bus transit. Two freight rail lines run through the city; Canadian Pacific Railway operates a line parallel to U.S. 18, which stops at a minor grain facility; trackage rights are given to the Iowa Northern Railway. Progressive Rail maintains the Iowa Traction Railway, a shortline railroad which runs between Clear Lake and Mason City. Local provider CL Tel and Mediacom provides phone, cable television, and internet services. The City's water is drawn from shallow wells in the Cedar Valley Formation and is processed through a sequencing batch reactor, and disinfected with ultraviolet light. Some of the resulting treated effluent is routed to the nearby Alliant energy plant for cooling purposes.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa = 85. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 47. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 72. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Clear Lake = 3.8 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 7,687 individuals with a median age of 44 age the population dropped by -4.78% in Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 713.15 residents per square mile of area (275.34/km²). There are average 2.26 people per household in the 3,343 households with an average household income of $43,081 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 6.70% of the available work force and has dropped -2.75% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 27.80%. The number of physicians in Clear Lake per 100,000 population = 321.3.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Clear Lake = 32.1 inches and the annual snowfall = 37 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 101. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 190. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 5 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 46, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa which are owned by the occupant = 56.98%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 40 years with median home cost = $112,860 and home appreciation of -7.00%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $11.47 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,700 per student. There are 16.5 students for each teacher in the school, 494 students for each Librarian and 423 students for each Counselor. 9.90% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 17.25% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.71% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).