Parkersburg, Iowa
| Parkersburg, Iowa | |
|---|---|
| City | |
Downtown Parkersburg
|
|
 Location of Parkersburg, Iowa |
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| Coordinates: 42°34′28″N 92°47′12″W / 42.57444°N 92.78667°WCoordinates: 42°34′28″N 92°47′12″W / 42.57444°N 92.78667°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 Iowa
|
| County | Butler |
| Incorporated | December 7, 1874 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.42 sq mi (3.68 km2) |
| • Land | 1.42 sq mi (3.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 971 ft (296 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,870 |
| • Estimate (2012) | 1,929 |
| • Density | 1,316.9/sq mi (508.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 50665 |
| Area code(s) | 319 |
| FIPS code | 19-61590 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0460029 |
Parkersburg is a city in Butler County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,870 in the 2010 census, a decline from 1,889 in the 2000 census. Parkersburg, although not the county seat, has the highest population of all the cities in Butler County.
The first known settlers to the Parkersburg area were John Connell and his son William, who built a log cabin in 1857. A railroad company surveyed the area in the early 1860s. A depot was erected in 1865 and two railroads, the Illinois Central and the Chicago North Western, were built through the town. The town was soon platted and recorded and given the name of "Parkersburg" in honor of Pascal P. Parker, a prominent settler and the town's first postmaster. The first major business was a hotel built by Thomas Williams, called The Williams House. Later it became known as the Commercial House. Parkersburg was incorporated on December 7, 1874.
The first "School House" was built in the 1860s. Parkersburg became an independent school district in the Spring of 1871. A new school was built in 1872. This building burned beyond repair on October 9, 1893 in the "great fire of Parkersburg" which also destroyed most of the business district. In 1894 a modern, three-story, brick structure was built. In 1930 the school added an auditorium and gymnasium.
The first electric power was furnished by the Parkersburg Electric Light & Power Company, composed of local citizens who built the plant in 1898 at a cost of ten thousand dollars. Parkersburg's roads were paved around 1920. The first water tower only had a capacity of 40,000 gallons.
Seven people died in Parkersburg and two in rural New Hartford from injuries sustained when a confirmed EF5 tornado struck the region on May 25, 2008. At least 70 individuals were injured and transported to nearby hospitals. The south side of Parkersburg was completely destroyed and turned into rubble. Over 400 homes were destroyed or damaged, the roof was taken off the high school and destroyed, and the Elementary School was damaged as well. The surviving residents were evacuated while the rescue operation was in progress. Today, Parkersburg is considered to be a model of disaster recovery and resiliency in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
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Wikipedia