Zap, North Dakota
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Zap is a town located in Mercer County, North Dakota. The 2000 census lists the population as 231, but in 2005, the town website (http://www.wrtc.com/zapnd/) listed the population as 290.
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The Zip to Zap
Zap is probably most widely known for the Zip to Zap which happened on May 10, 1969. This event took place at the height of civil unrest over racial segregation and the Vietnam War, but was originally intended as a spring break diversion. Between 2000 and 3000 people descended upon the small town of Zap as a result of an article that originally appeared in the North Dakota State University's Spectrum newspaper and was later picked up by the Associated Press.
As the resources of the small country town were depleted, the amiable revelry began to turn ugly, and the residents of Zap asked the visitors to leave. Some of them complied, but others stayed behind, and the event became a full-fledged riot. The National Guard was called in and the crowd was dispersed.
The Zip to Zap occurred just three months before the famous Woodstock Festival, and the situation in Zap, North Dakota undoubtedly caught the attention of the organizers in Woodstock, New York.
Geography
Zap is located at 47°17'14" North, 101°55'26" West (47.287157, -101.923787)Template:GR. It is located in the prairie country along Spring Creek, a tributary of the Knife River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²). This area is entirely land; none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 231 people, 101 households, and 68 families residing in the city. The population density is 85.8/km² (221.8/mi²). There are 129 housing units at an average density of 47.9/km² (123.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 95.24% White, 3.90% Native American, and 0.87% from two or more races.
There are 101 households out of which 25.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.4% are married couples living together, 4.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% are non-families. 29.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.29 and the average family size is 2.78.
In the city the population is spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 44 years. For every 100 females there are 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $30,536, and the median income for a family is $34,063. Males have a median income of $30,625 versus $18,125 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,175. 10.9% of the population and 5.2% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.6% of those under the age of 18 and 18.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Town of Zap (http://www.wrtc.com/zapnd/)
- North Dakota Public Radio article (http://www.prairiepublic.org/programs/datebook/bydate/04/0504/051004.jsp) with details on the Zip to Zap
- Another article (http://www.in-forum.com/specials/century/jan3/week9.htm) discussing the historical importance of the Zip to Zap
- Spinning the Zip to Zap: Student Journalist Responsibility and Vulnerability in the Late 1960s (http://www.edutech.nodak.edu/ndsta/shafer.htm) by Richard Shafer