Seymour is a city in Wayne County,

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

, United States. The population was 634 at the time of the 2020 census.

History

The first coal mines in Seymour were opened in 1884. In 1902, the Numa Block Coal Company took over these mines. In 1908, the largest coal mine in Appanoose-Wayne Coalfield was Numa Block number 2, known as "Big Jim." "Big Jim" was located just east of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Depot, and was able to produce 100,000 tons of coal per year at full capacity. The Mystic coal seam was just over thick here, reached by a shaft. Numa Block Mine number 3, the Sunshine Mine, was in the southeast part of town, served by the Rock Island, with a shaft to the Mystic seam. In 1884, Local Assembly 3143 of the Knights of Labor, based in Seymour, had 40 members. In 1912,

United Mine Workers The United Mine Workers of America (UMW or UMWA) is a North American Labor history of the United States, labor union best known for representing coal miners. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing work ...

Local 206 in Seymour had 299 members, approximately 13% of the entire population. On March 6, 2017, an EF-2 tornado (confirmed by National Weather Service WFO, Des Moines, IA damage survey) hit Seymour at approximately 8:00 pm CST, damaging homes and the high school.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Transportation

Seymour is served by a county-maintained road which used to be Iowa Highway 55 and is now County Road S60. Seymour is served by the CPKC Railroad, formerly Canadian Pacific Railway which currently operates the former Milwaukee Railroad tracks. Seymour was also served by the CRI&P (Rock Island) until the early 1980s. This line passed on the southwest corner of the town square with the depot in this location. This line was abandoned when the Rock Island went bankrupt. It used to be part of the Golden State Route which was a luxury passenger train operated by the Rock Island and the Southern Pacific.Pictorial History of Wayne County, Wayne County Historical Society, Corydon, Iowa The two railroad lines crossed at the western edge of Seymour and was protected by an interlocking tower until the Rock Island was abandoned.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2020, there were 634 people, 274 households, and 167 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 265.0 inhabitants per square mile (102.3/km²). There were 312 housing units at an average density of 130.4 per square mile (50.4/km²). The

racial Race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 16th century, when it was used to refer to groups of va ...

makeup of the city was 93.1%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.0% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.0% from other races and 5.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 1.6% of the population. Of the 274 households, 27.7% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 4.0% were cohabitating couples, 33.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 21.5% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 39.1% of all households were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 41.6 years. 26.3% of the residents were under the age of 20; 5.5% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 21.0% were from 25 and 44; 26.7% were from 45 and 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 701 people, 295 households, and 192 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 348 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.7%

, 0.4% Asian, and 0.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population. There were 295 households, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were

living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.9% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age in the city was 47.1 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20% were from 25 to 44; 27.4% were from 45 to 64; and 24.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 810 people, 336 households, and 219 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 393 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.53%

, 0.37% Native American, 0.99% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.10% of the population. There were 336 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,172, and the median income for a family was $32,692. Males had a median income of $24,531 versus $20,833 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,581. About 12.7% of families and 22.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.3% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Seymour Community School District operates local area public schools.

Notable people

* Marcus Collins, actor and singer with The Texas Tenors * John C. Mabee,

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

owner/breeder * Jane Wilson, artist

References

{{authority control Cities in Wayne County, Iowa Cities in Iowa 1884 establishments in Iowa