Mason City, Iowa
| Mason City, Iowa | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Principal Financial Group Building in Downtown Mason City
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| Nickname(s): River City | |
 Location of Mason City, Iowa |
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| Coordinates: 43°8′55″N 93°12′7″W / 43.14861°N 93.20194°WCoordinates: 43°8′55″N 93°12′7″W / 43.14861°N 93.20194°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Iowa |
| County | Cerro Gordo |
| Area | |
| • Total | 28.10 sq mi (72.78 km2) |
| • Land | 27.81 sq mi (72.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.29 sq mi (0.75 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,129 ft (344 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 28,079 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 27,823 |
| • Rank | 16th in Iowa |
| • Density | 1,000/sq mi (390/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC−6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC−5) |
| ZIP codes | 50401, 50402, 50467 |
| Area code(s) | 641 |
| FIPS code | 19-50160 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0458840 |
| Website | http://www.masoncity.net/ |
Mason City is a city in and the county seat of Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 28,079 in the 2010 census, a decline from 29,172 in the 2000 census. The Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties. It is commonly referred to as the "River City", as the city grew up centered on the Winnebago River.
The region around what would later be first called "Shibboleth" was a summer home to the Sioux and Winnebago natives. The first settlement was made at Shibboleth in 1853 at the confluence of the Winnebago River and Calmus Creek. The town had several names: Shibboleth, Masonic Grove, and Masonville, until the name Mason City was adopted in 1855, in honor of a founder's son, Mason Long.
In 1854, John McMillin opened the first store, and Dr. Silas Card opened the first medical practice in the area. Lizzie Thompson established the first schoolhouse in a log cabin in 1856. The United States Post Office Department started service to the town in 1857. Mason City was named as the county seat in 1858.
Mason City, above all else, is known for its outstanding musical heritage, consistently producing successful performers and educators. Mason City's "favorite son" Meredith Willson grew up in Mason City, having played in the Mason City Symphonic Band as a student at Mason City High School. Willson's crowning achievement was the famous musical The Music Man, which was first a successful Broadway musical, then a popular film. Many of the characters in it were taken from people Willson knew from his childhood in Mason City. The show first opened on Broadway in 1957 and became a hit, with a three-year run at the Majestic Theatre, followed by an additional 1,375 performances at the Broadway Theatre. The Music Man garnered many awards, including 5 Tony Awards in 1958. The 1962 film version starred Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, and Buddy Hackett. It was both a critical and commercial success, being nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and winning one (Best Musical Score).
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