Carter Lake, Iowa

Carter Lake is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. It is a suburb of Omaha, Nebraska. In 2020, 3,791 people lived there.

History
Carter Lake is an example of the border irregularities of the United States. It is the only city in Iowa that is west of the Missouri River. In March 1877, a flood changed the course of the river 1.25 mi (2 km) to the southeast. The parts of the old river course, called Saratoga Bend, became an oxbow lake. It is named Carter Lake. After the creation of the lake, the place became a 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."1890. "The Rise and Fall of Cut-Off Lake" from the Omaha Bee.

In 1892, after a lot of litigation between Iowa and Nebraska, the Supreme Court of the United States said that Carter Lake is part of Iowa in Nebraska v. Iowa, 143 U.S. 359 (1892)."Nebraska v. Iowa", 143 U.S. 359 (1892). The general rule is that state borders follow small changes in the course of a river. However, the Court said that an there's an exception when a river avulses one of its bends. In 1972, the Supreme Court made another ruling about Carter Lake when it ruled on a border dispute between the two states in Nebraska v. Iowa, 406 U.S. 117 (1972).Nebraska v. Iowa, 406 U.S. 117 (1972).

Geography
Carter Lake is at  (41.292647, -95.913989).

The city is surrounded on three sides by Omaha, Nebraska, and on the fourth by the Missouri River.

The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of . Of that,  is land and  is water.

People

2020 census
The 2020 census says that there were 3,791 people living in Carter Lake. These people made up 1,438 households.

Politics
The current mayor of Carter Lake is Ron Cumberledge. He was elected on November 7th, 2017.

References

Other websites

City of Carter Lake
History of Carter Lake
Edward F. Owen Memorial Library 
Carter Lake Elementary School 
Carter Lake Community Resource Center
Carter Lake Preservation Society
Carter Lake Weather
Map showing history of Missouri River shifts at Carter Lake
City-Data Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Carter Lake

Category:1930 establishments in the United States
Category:1930s establishments in Iowa
Category:Cities in Pottawattamie County, Iowa