E-mail: spencer@smunet.net

GENERAL INFORMATION & INDEX Index to City of Spencer Pages General Information and Statistics History of Spencer YaHoo's Spencer City Map

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INDEX TO CITY OF SPENCER PAGES

Listed here is an Index Summary of the City of Spencer pages to assist you in locating the information you need. Should you need further assistance, please feel free to contact the City of Spencer.

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GENERAL INFORMATION AND STATISTICS

CENSUS

• 2000 Census: 11,317
• 1990 Census: 11,066
  
  VALUATION
• 1996 Valuation: $243,348,702 Reg City Levy: $11.481 per $1000 Val.
• 1995 Valuation: $238,973,451 Reg City Levy: $11.414 per $1000 Val.
  
  MANUFACTURING & EMPLOYMENT
• 25 Manufacturing Plants, with 5 Employers with over 100 Emplyees
  
  ELETRICAL & WATER
• Municipal Electric and Water
• Questions on electricity or water usage should be directed to Spencer Municipal Utilities at 712/580-5800
  
  CLIMATE
• Avg winter temperature: 18 degrees
• Avg summer temperature: 71.1 degrees
• Avg annual rainfall: 28.3"
• Avg annual snowfall: 34.7"
  
  EMERGENCY 911
• Dial 911 for ambulance or fire
  
  BEFORE YOU DIG
• Before digging in your yard, call Iowa One Call 1-800-292-8989 for locates
  
  MISCELLANEOUS
• Fire Rating: 6
• Certified CEPP Community
• City Council meets 1st & 3rd Monday of each month at 7:30 pm at City Hall
• For street or sewer emergencies which take place on evenings or weekends, contact Police Dept.
• Recycling containers are available at City Hall
• Property pin locates are NOT done by City personnel, but magnetic locators are available at City Hall
• Questions on traffic tickets  should be directed to Clay County Clerk at 712/262-4335
  Question on death certificates, marriage licenses and passports should be directed to
  the Clay County Recorder at 712/262-1081
• Car license information is available at Clay County Treasurer's Office at 712/262-2179

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL CITY HALL AT 712/580-7200 FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE!

Index to City of Spencer Pages | History of Spencer | City of Spencer Main Menu

HISTORY OF SPENCER

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1859, George E. Spencer gave his name to the City of Spencer. Mr. Spencer lived in Iowa before serving as U.S. Senator from Alabama. The settlement grew from 300 people to our current population of 11,066. The first schoolhouse was built in Spencer in 1866, with the first railroad built in 1878. Spencer was incorporated as a town on March 26, 1880, and organized as a City of the Second Class on March 21, 1892.

Due to a twist of fate, early settlers were spared in the Spirit Lake Massacre due to a blizzard sweeping over the Spencer area at that time, forcing the Indians to pass up the settlement.

The Clay County Agriculture Society was organized in 1879, and in 1917 the Clay County Fair Association was formed. Since that time, the fair attracts a quarter of a million people a year.

On June 27, 1931, a sparkler dropped in a drugstore fireworks display started the devastating Spencer fire that destroyed 50 downtown stores. Buildings were blasted with dynamite to create a fire barrier, but not before there was $2,000,000.00 damage. Within a year, in the midst of a major depression, every building had been rebuilt and Mainstreet had been repaired and repaved.

Spencer consists of six square miles of stores, factories, warehouses, and homes. Spencer City limits include 6,115 acres of land.

Spencer is a progressive City and has much to offer. Each of the 85 full time employees of the City of Spencer is a contributor to what makes our City what it is today. Even though most of our names won't be remembered in the history of our City, we'll know we were a part of it!!

Index to City of Spencer Pages | General Info and Statistics | City of Spencer Main Menu

City of Spencer
418 2nd Avenue West
Spencer, IA 51301
712/580-7200
E-mail: spencer@smunet.net

Copyright © 1996-1997 City of Spencer
All Rights Reserved