Council Bluffs is a city located in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,268. It is often considered a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska, which is just across the Missouri River, and was founded by real estate speculators from Council Bluffs. What is now Council Bluffs was first settled by Billy Caldwell's Pottawatomi during the 1830's. During the mid-1840's the town became Kanesville, the main outfitting point for the Mormon emigration to Utah. After the Mormons left in 1852 the town was renamed Council Bluffs. Now home to three casinos -- Ameristar Casino Hotel, Bluffs Run Casino, and Harrah's Council Bluffs Casino & Hotel -- many Omahans travel to Council Bluffs for gambling, which is more loosely regulated in Iowa than in Nebraska. During the middle 19th century, the city was, along with Omaha, one of the major "jumping off" points for the Emigrant Trail. By 1852, over half the emigrants on the Oregon Trail passed through Council Bluffs. By 1930 the city was the country's fifth largest rail center.
Council Bluffs is home to the Squirrel Cage Jail, which was built in 1885 and is one of three remaining examples of a "lazy Susan" or rotary Jail. A rotary jail contains pie-shaped cells located on a turntable. To access an individual cell, the jailor turned a crank, which rotated the cylinder of cells until the desired cell lined up with a fixed opening located on each floor. According to the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County, the Squirrel Cage Jail is the only three-story rotary jail ever built.
Council Bluffs is also home to the Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Western Community College.
The black squirrel is common in the city and was first reported by John James Audubon in 1843 and living along the Missouri River from Council Bluffs south to the Blacksnake Hills (now St. Joseph, MO).
Council Bluffs is located at 41°15'13" North, 95°51'45" West (41.253698, -95.862388).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 102.7 km2 (39.7 mi2). 96.8 km2 (37.4 mi2) of it is land and 5.9 km2 (2.3 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 5.70% water, most of this being Lake Manawa.
Council Bluffs is part of a unique topographic region composed of loess hills and prairie. Excellent vistas can be had from Fairmont Park, the Lincoln Monument, Kirn Park, and the Lewis and Clark Monument. North Broadway follows Indian Creek for about a mile, in an area that is lushly landscaped. Lake Manawa State Park is located at the southern edge of the city.
As of the census of 2000, there are 58,268 people, 22,889 households, and 15,083 families residing in the city. The population density is 601.9/km2 (1,558.7/mi2). There are 24,340 housing units at an average density of 251.4/km2 (651.1/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 94.76% White, 1.05% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. 4.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 22,889 households out of which 31.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% are married couples living together, 14.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% are non-families. 27.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.49 and the average family size is 3.03.
Age/gender spread: 26.0% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,221, and the median income for a family is $42,715. Males have a median income of $30,828 versus $23,476 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,143. 10.3% of the population and 8.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.0% of those under the age of 18 and 6.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Source:
CouncilBluffsIA.com
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