THE STORY OF VINING…

Vining is Tama County’s smallest incorporated town. Vining first appeared on the map in 1881 with the building of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, which crossed Tama County from east to west. Vining became known as “The biggest little town in Tama County” because of the large area within its incorporation. It is also known as “The Little Town in the Bohemian Alps”. Like many other areas in the rural Midwest, the Vining community was first settled almost exclusively by emigrants from Europe—in this case all or nearly all from Bohemia. They and their families quickly became loyal Americans, and many members of the older generation took out United States citizenship papers at the first opportunity. The York Township news corre-spondent of the Toledo Chronicle wrote this in one of the issues of April 1880: “This neighborhood is gradually giving away to the foreign element. There have been several farms sold here in the past ten years and everyone of them with a single exception has been bought by a Bohemian. There are yet two or three farms to be absorbed in this same way, and then there will be a stretch of coun-try covering seven miles or more occupied entirely by foreigners.” Vining commemorated its 125th anniversary in 2006 and hosts an annual flea market and auction every April. Vining City Hall P.O. Box 7, Vining, IA 52348 641-489-2071 nanci0315@yahoo.com www.tamacountyiowa.org/vining

POPULATION 70 DEMOGRAPHICS White……………….…...…98.6% African American……………0.0% American Indian:…………….0.0% Asian: ……………………….1.4% Native Hawaiian……………0.0% Other race……………….….0.0% Two or more races…………..0.0% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)....0.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS High school grad or higher…...86% Bachelors degree or higher...... 0% Civilian veterans….....………...11% Disability status………….…....10%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

WORKFORCE In labor force (age 16+):.....61.9% Ave. travel time to work.....15.5 min Median family income:…..$40,833 Families below poverty level:.8.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

www.tamacountyiowa.org

VINING IOWA

GEOGRAPHY/CLIMATE: Gently rolling mid-continent fertile/high yield farmlands. Ave. High Low Precip. Snow Summer 83 61 13 0 Winter 31 14 4 21

Source: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, 2007

EMPLOYMENT: Corn, soybeans, cattle, & hogs anchor the agricultural economy. Larger payrolls: Benda Ag & Repair …………..…11 Vining Grocery ………………….. 2 Beck’s Repair ……………………. 1 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS The nearest bank is five miles away in Chelsea. TAXES: Sales tax:……..….….……… 7% State income tax......0.36%-8.98% (plus a base rate)

Source: Iowa Department of Revenue, 2008

HOUSING median value of single family house….…...$31,900 median mortgage:…………..$621

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000

UTILITIES: Electric………...……Alliant Energy Water………..…. Poweshiek Water Sewer…....……… Poweshiek Water Phone……………….Iowa Telecom Internet ………….….Iowa Telecom EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: South Tama Co. Comm. School District Elementary…………….…..Tama Middle school……………...Toledo High school………………...Tama Enrollment………………..…1,637 Graduation rate…………....87.5% Curriculum units taught……..60.75 Total units required………...25.0 Marshalltown Comm College ...31 mi Iowa State University…...…….65 mi Univ of Northern Iowa………...36 mi University of Iowa……….….....49 mi Kirkwood Comm. College ……42 mi

Source: Iowa Department of Education, 2008

PUBLIC LIBRARY: The nearest library is four miles away in Elberon. HOUSES OF WORSHIP Vining Alliance Church RECREATION: City Park. Swimming, fishing, boating at Otter Creek Lake & Park, northwest of Vining.

VINING, IOWA FACTS | Page 2

Updated 07/2009