Carter Lake

History

Carter Lake is an example of the border irregularities of the United States, being the only city in Iowa located west of the Missouri River. A flood redirected the course of the river 1.25 mi (2 km) to the southeast in March 1877. The remnants of the old river course, called Saratoga Bend, became an oxbow lake, named Carter Lake. Soon after the formation of the lake, the site became a flourishing recreational area. It included "a boathouse at the foot of Locust street, hotels and club houses were numerous and the lake was the scene of many a pleasant rowing and fishing party." After extensive litigation between Iowa and Nebraska, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in 1892 that Carter Lake belonged to Iowa in Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359 (1892). Although the general rule is that state boundaries follow gradual changes in the course of a river, the Court ruled that an exception exists when a river avulses one of its bends. The Supreme Court made another ruling on the circumstances of Carter Lake in 1972 when it ruled on a boundary dispute between the two states in Nebraska v. Iowa, 406 U.S. 117 (1972). Although Carter Lake was legally considered part of Council Bluffs and residents paid city taxes, they lacked the basic city services enjoyed by residents east of the Missouri River. The city became a gambling hot spot in the 1930s and '40s, as law enforcement was limited and because of its important location. At The Chez Paree, you "could listen to Sophie Tucker, have the best prime rib in town and enjoy a gambling raid or two." Patrons could "bet on any horse race in the United States," and the business was described as "the most active casino between Chicago and the West Coast." The mistaken belief that a defendant corporation located in Carter…

Geography

The city is surrounded on three sides by Omaha, Nebraska, and on the fourth by the Missouri River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Carter Lake creates a geographic oddity for travelers going to Eppley Airfield, which it surrounds on the south and west. Consequently, travelers going to Eppley Airfield from anywhere except North Omaha will go through Carter Lake, Iowa. It has reportedly caused confusion when unfamiliar travelers see a "Welcome to Iowa" sign on their way to and from the airport.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  15,469
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  14,951
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12,616
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  11,384
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  11,092
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,077
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  9,486
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  9,263

Largest nearby schools

• Abraham Lincoln High School
  High · Council Bluffs · 1,399 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• Thomas Jefferson High School
  High · Council Bluffs · 1,243 students · 19.4:1 ratio
• Gerald W Kirn Middle School
  Middle · Council Bluffs · 956 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• Lewis Central Senior High School
  High · Council Bluffs · 927 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• Woodrow Wilson Middle School
  Middle · Council Bluffs · 900 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• Titan Hill Intermediate School
  Elementary · Council Bluffs · 863 students · 16.3:1 ratio
• Lewis Central Middle School
  Middle · Council Bluffs · 742 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Franklin Elementary School
  Elementary · Council Bluffs · 497 students · 17.1:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.3 — 2010-11-18
  4 km E of Octavia, Nebraska
• M 3.6 — 2009-12-17
  2 km NW of Auburn, Nebraska
• M 3.5 — 2004-07-16
  6 km SSE of Riverton, Iowa