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Altoona, IA

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We would like to provide the residents of  Altoona  a basic history overview.

The WikiXM 'Altoona' platform is your gateway to becoming an active part of our vibrant community, regardless of your age or how long you've called 'Altoona' home. It's more than just a news platform; it's a thriving hub where the collective wisdom of every 'Altoona' resident converges to ignite discussions, foster learning, and empower one another with knowledge about our beloved town.

Here in 'Altoona', we have a diverse tapestry of residents. Some have roots that run deep, their knowledge steeped in the rich history of our town. Others are students, dedicated to keeping us updated on school activities, while many are committed to sharing the ebb and flow of daily life.

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Altoona, IA - History


We would like to provide the residents of  Altoona  a basic history overview.


Welcome to the Altoona Home page. The Altoona Home page provides as much information as possible on Altoona. Knowing Altoona’s history is essential to guiding its future. Within Altoona’s Home page, you will also find Altoona’s Founders, Holiday, and Birthday sections.

Altoona has a population of 18917. 47.3% of Altoona’s inhabitants are Male, and 52.7 are female. 53.9% of Altoona is married and 68.6% own their own home. The Average Home price is $200,690, and the average rent is $1,027. Household median income in Altoona is $79,482, and the individual median income is $40,688. Altoona’s Ethnic is the following: White(91.1%), Hispanic(4.1%), Black(4%), Multiple(2.2%), Pacific(1.1%), Asian(0.8%), Native(0.6%), Other(0.3%).


Anthony Yant first settled in what is now Altoona in 1854, the same year Gilbert T. Taylor settled there. The land was originally surveyed in 1847 and put up for sale by the US government in 1848, but it took six years to sell. After many sales between different families, the Davis family ended up with the land on February 1, 1868.The Davises hired surveyor Juian B.


Bausman to lay out the city. He is also credited for giving the city the current name. Altoona is named for the Latin word for "high," altus, after surveyor Julian B. Bausman discovered Altoona was the highest point on the Des Moines Valley Railroad between Des Moines and Keokuk.The plot was recorded on July 30, 1868, and the Post office opened the next day.


When the Rock Island Railroad came to Altoona in September of that year, they referred to Altoona as Yant, the city's original name.Altoona was incorporated as a city on March 11, 1876.In addition to serving as Altoona's first mayor, Francis English was the town doctor. After the great train crash of 1877, English was the first doctor on the scene.Altoona's second mayor was Thomas Haines, who operated the T.E.


Haines tile and brick company. Haines donated land to the City of Altoona to be used as a park, now known as Haines Park.The only other mayor of Altoona to have a park dedicated to him is Sam Wise, noted for paving the streets of Altoona, and building a sewer system that was advanced for its time and allowed for future expansion.


His dedication to Altoona's parks led to the city's sports complex being named the "Sam Wise Youth Complex."By the turn of the 20th century, Altoona could almost be classified as a coal camp. United Mine Workers of America Local 407 was organized in Altoona in 1897, and by 1902, it had 61 members. This was close to 20 percent of the town's population at the time.On May 5, 2003, the Altoona City Council recognized the Altoona Area Historical Society as the City's official organization to collect, secure, and preserve the artifacts and records of the City of Altoona and surrounding areas.


In 2011 the Altoona Area Historical Society started major renovation work on the interior of Altoona's oldest building. The building is now a museum.In 2013, construction began for a new Facebook data center. Facebook asked local company RPM Access to build and operate a wind farm that will put more energy into the system than the data center will consume.In February 2016, the Cinemark Altoona theater opened.


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