Iowa Park
Texas
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City of Iowa Park
History
In 1888 David C. Kolp and his wife, Jennie, along with General Granville M. Dodge, railroad builder, filed the plat for the town of Iowa Park. Natives of Iowa, these founders envisioned a park like development and provided many spaces for parks in 100' wide Park Boulevard which crossed the city in all directions. They did not, however, realize the problems with sporadic rainfall. They planned for a thriving business district, naming the downtown streets Cash and Bond and Wall. That same year the post office was opened with A. J. Kolp as the first postmaster. A plan for the first addition to the community was filed in August 1889.
In 1891 Iowa Park became incorporated. During that year a fire destroyed much of the town sparking the community to develope into an agricultural marketing center, making use of its rail connection to ship wheat and cotton produced on area farms. In spite of the difficult times brought on by drought and "the panic" of 1893, Iowa Park's population continued to grow, reaching 792 by 1900.
The population level declined slightly before World War I, but the discovery of oil just south of town before the end of the war introduced a period of growth. Between 1914 and 1926 the population soared from 602 to 2,041. By 1927 a new and modern concrete highway connected Iowa Park with Wichita Falls. Other growth included the construction of a new high school. By the mid-1930s Iowa Park's population had stabilized to a reported 2,009 residents and some ninety businesses.
After World War II there was a slight decline in the population to 1,980 residents and some fifty businesses. During the 1950's, Iowa Park expierenced some dramatic growth because of new oil, grain, and cotton industires. With this growth came two grain elevators, two banks, some eighty businesses, and a surge in population to 2,110. Although rail service to the community had ended in the late 1960s, the city had continued to grow to 4,995 and approximately 155 businesses. During the 1970's, the population had grown to 6,233, in spite of the decline in local businesses. By 1990 Iowa Park had 6,072 residents and ninety businesses, including national and international businesses, with a variety of products which included plastic products, fertalizer, and oil field equipment.
In 1888 David C. Kolp and his wife, Jennie, along with General Granville M. Dodge, railroad builder, filed the plat for the town of Iowa Park. Natives of Iowa, these founders envisioned a park like development and provided many spaces for parks in 100' wide Park Boulevard which crossed the city in all directions. They did not, however, realize the problems with sporadic rainfall. They planned for a thriving business district, naming the downtown streets Cash and Bond and Wall. That same year the post office was opened with A. J. Kolp as the first postmaster. A plan for the first addition to the community was filed in August 1889.
In 1891 Iowa Park became incorporated. During that year a fire destroyed much of the town sparking the community to develope into an agricultural marketing center, making use of its rail connection to ship wheat and cotton produced on area farms. In spite of the difficult times brought on by drought and "the panic" of 1893, Iowa Park's population continued to grow, reaching 792 by 1900.
The population level declined slightly before World War I, but the discovery of oil just south of town before the end of the war introduced a period of growth. Between 1914 and 1926 the population soared from 602 to 2,041. By 1927 a new and modern concrete highway connected Iowa Park with Wichita Falls. Other growth included the construction of a new high school. By the mid-1930s Iowa Park's population had stabilized to a reported 2,009 residents and some ninety businesses.
After World War II there was a slight decline in the population to 1,980 residents and some fifty businesses. During the 1950's, Iowa Park expierenced some dramatic growth because of new oil, grain, and cotton industires. With this growth came two grain elevators, two banks, some eighty businesses, and a surge in population to 2,110. Although rail service to the community had ended in the late 1960s, the city had continued to grow to 4,995 and approximately 155 businesses. During the 1970's, the population had grown to 6,233, in spite of the decline in local businesses. By 1990 Iowa Park had 6,072 residents and ninety businesses, including national and international businesses, with a variety of products which included plastic products, fertalizer, and oil field equipment.