Ottumwa ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,529 at the time of the 2020 U.S. census. Located in the state's southeastern section, the city is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River.
The original town was founded on the former camps of Meskwaki Chiefs Wapello and Appanoose. Ottumwa first developed as an industrious city economically based in farm-equipment manufacturing and meatpacking, those being John Deere and John Morrell & Co. (now JBS) respectively. The city is also home to Indian Hills Community College to provide for higher education. Ottumwa is the center of the Ottumwa Micropolitan Area which includes all of Wapello and Davis counties.
History
The city's name derives from Fox, an Algonquian language of the native Meskwaki people, translating to 'tumbling waters' in reference to the Appanoose Rapids on the Des Moines River.
In May 1843, several investors formed the Appanoose Rapids Company and staked claim to of land in the present site of Ottumwa. Their colonization involved claiming land supporting three indigenous settlements. The first official cabin was built in May 1843 after the area was opened to settlement (an earlier cabin built in defiance of this date was destroyed by Army troops at that time). The original platt was titled Louis Ville. In 1844 the city was named as the county seat.
The town was severely damaged during the flood of 1851.
In 1857, coal was being mined from the McCready bank, a site along Bear Creek west of Ottumwa. In 1868, Brown and Godfrey opened a drift mine four miles northwest of town. By 1872, Brown and Godfrey employed 300 men and had an annual production of 77,000 tons. In 1880, the Phillips Coal and Mining Company opened a mine northwest of town. In subsequent years, they opened 5 more shafts in the Phillips and Rutledge neighborhoods, just north of Ottumwa. The Phillips number 5 shaft was deep, with a steam hoist. By 1889, the state mine inspector's report listed 15 mine shafts in Ottumwa. In 1914, the Phillips Fuel Company produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state. Coal mining was so important to the local economy that, from 1890 to 1892, the Coal Palace was erected in Ottumwa as an exhibition center.
John Morrell & Company and their meat packing comples played a significant role in the development of Ottumwa from 1877 to 1973.
When the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad arrived in Ottumwa in September 1859, it ran parallel to the river channel. The availability of rail transportation encouraged both commercial and industrial expansion along the northwest to southeast axis. Access to the south bank of the river at first was by ferry from the foot of Green Street. By 1875 this ferry had been replaced by a bridge, and a number of additions had been made to the city during the first thirty years, all located on the north side of the Des Moines River. As development (almost exclusively residential) climbed the bluffs, the streets on top of the hills were laid out to compass points, rather than parallel to the river. Although there was some development on the south side of the river, South Ottumwa was not brought into the city limits until the 1880s.
Presidential visits Visits by a sitting U.S. president include:
Benjamin Harrison in 1890; toured the Coal Palace and spoke to a crowd of over 40,000. Theodore Roosevelt in 1903; made a brief train stop while travelling the United States. Harry Truman in 1950; while on a 16-state train trip in support of his Fair Deal. Richard Nixon in 1971; arrived in Air Force One at the Ottumwa Industrial Airport to dedicate the nearby Rathbun Lake dam and reservoir. Nixon had been stationed at the Ottumwa airport while serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Barack Obama in 2010; spoke at Indian Hills Community College.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Northeastern Wapello County contains large deposits of coal, and there are also large deposits of clay in the region, which played an important role in the industrial development of Ottumwa.
Ottumwa is the center of the Ottumwa Micropolitan Statistical Area which includes all of Wapello County.
Climate According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Ottumwa has a hot-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Ottumwa had a population of 25,529, with 10,098 households and 6,048 families. The population density was 1,589.5 inhabitants per square mile (613.7/km2). There were 11,254 housing units at an average density of 700.7 per square mile (270.5/km2); 10.3% were vacant, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 2.3% and a rental vacancy rate of 11.5%.
Of all households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them; 39.6% were married-couple households and 8.5% were cohabitating couples. Households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present accounted for 30.6%, while 21.4% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present; 40.1% were non-families. About 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The median age was 36.7 years. Residents under the age of 20 made up 27.9% of the population (including 24.7% under age 18); 6.3% were between 20 and 24; 26.0% were from 25 to 44; 22.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.0% were 65 or older. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.0 males age 18 and over; the gender makeup was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
Overall, 97.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.3% lived in rural areas.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 18,966 74.3% Black or African American 1,371 5.4% American Indian and Alaska Native 205 0.8% Asian 576 2.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 504 2.0% Some other race 2,197 8.6% Two or more races 1,710 6.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 4,013 15.7%
2010 census As of the 2010 United States census there were 25,023 people, 10,251 households, and 6,208 families in the city. The population density was . There were 11,257 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.2% White, 4.06% Hispanic or Latino, 1.6% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.5% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races.
There were 10,251 households, of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.4% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.97.
The median age in the city was 37.4 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 16% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States census, there were 24,998 people, 10,383 households, and 6,530 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,038 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.33% White, 1.27% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.38% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% of the population.
There were 10,383 households, out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88.
Age spread: 22.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,174, and the median income for a family was $37,302. Males had a median income of $31,222 versus $20,934 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,040. About 10.9% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Top employers According to Ottumwa's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:
# Employer # of Employees 1 JBS Live Pork, LLC (subsidiary of JBS USA)2,5502 Ottumwa Community School District8003 Ottumwa Regional Health Center6924 John Deere Ottumwa Works5505 Winger Companies4496 Indian Hills Community College3697 Hy-Vee3508 Walmart Supercenter3019 City of Ottumwa22410 Keurig Dr Pepper200
The Quincy Place Mall is a Shopping mall in Ottumwa.
Arts and culture
Historic districts Historic Railroad District Fifth Street Bluff Historic District Ottumwa Cemetery Court Hill Historic District Vogel Place Historic District North Fellows Historic District
Historic structures
B'nai Jacob Synagogue Benson Block Benson Building 1930 First National Bank Building 1915 Foster/Bell House Hofmann Building Hotel Ottumwa J.W. Garner Building Jay Funeral Home Jefferson Street Viaduct Burlington Depot Ottumwa City Hall Ottumwa Public Library Ottumwa Young Women's Christian Association St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church Trinity Episcopal Church Wapello County Courthouse
Video games Twin Galaxies, was an arcade that opened in Ottumwa on November 10, 1981. The arcade would gain worldwide fame and notoriety for hosting its “Twin Galaxies’ International Video Game Scoreboard,” which accepted and kept track of high scores for video arcade games from around the world.
Due to its growing notoriety as the epicenter of video game high-score tracking, Ottumwa’s then-mayor, Jerry Parker, proclaimed the city the “Video Game Capital of the World” in 1982, a designation that was recognized by U.S. Senator Charles Grassley. The moment was commemorated in the November issue of Life magazine. Later that year, Twin Galaxies hosted the first North American Video Olympics.
Walter Day would eventually leave the arcade side of Twin Galaxies, and the arcade would close its doors on March 6, 1984. The International Scoreboard remains active today as a social media platform.
In 2009, the International Video Game Hall of Fame was established in Ottumwa. Since its establishment, the Hall of Fame has inducted several individuals who have made significant contributions to the video game industry.
Currently, the Hall of Fame has no permanent location, but it has continued to hold induction ceremonies in Ottumwa.
Education Public School System
The city of Ottumwa and the surrounding rural areas of Wapello County are served by the Ottumwa Community School District.
Ottumwa is served by Ottumwa High School, Evans Junior High, and multiple neighborhood elementary schools including Douma and Liberty on the Southern side of the city, and James, Horace Mann, Wilson, Eisenhower, and Fahrney Elementary serving the Northern side.
Higher education