Boonville, Missouri
Encyclopedia
This page is about the city in Missouri
. For other communities of the same name, see Boonville (disambiguation)
Boonville is a city in Cooper County
, Missouri
, USA. The population was 8,202 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Cooper County
. The city was the site of a skirmish early in the American Civil War
on July 17, 1861. Union forces defeated a small and poorly equipped force of the Missouri State Guard
in the first Battle of Boonville
.
, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), of which, 6.9 square miles (17.9 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (6.26%) is water.
of 2000, there were 8,202 people, 2,667 households, and 1,696 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,190.8 people per square mile (459.6/km²). There were 3,041 housing units at an average density of 441.5 per square mile (170.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.22% White, 16.84% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races
, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.
There were 2,667 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples
living together, 11.8% had a female house holder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 20.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 138.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 146.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,440, and the median income for a family was $40,294. Males had a median income of $28,498 versus $20,739 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,854. About 9.5% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
, a 225-mile state park enjoyed by cyclists and hikers. Katy Trail Bridge in Boonville, which crosses the Missouri near the Isle of Capri Casino and Historic Selwyn Shoe Factory (which has been refurnished as apartments), has been subject of controversy. The railroad would like the bridge to be taken down so the metal can be melted and reused. However, Friends of Historic Boonville and others across the state oppose the idea.
Annually, Boonville celebrates Boonville Heritage Days. This is a summer weekend event that focuses on heritage. Activities include a parade, craft booths, a carnival and much fun for people of all ages. On the last evening there is a fireworks show.
Other annual events include the Festival of the Leaves, which is held on the last Saturday in September, and The Festival of The Lights, which is held every Thursday night in September. Shops stay open late, and there are booths with food, free stuff, and games. The historic Thespian Hall located downtown is used for concerts, art shows, and plays.
The annual Halloween parade features the award winning Boonville Silver Pirate Band dressed up in a variety of costumes.
Twillman Field in Harley Park is also a source of some pride, as it hosts several baseball tournaments every year, including state and regional championships, with ages ranging from 13 to 18. At one time in the late 1980s through 1990s, it was considered by some to be the 3rd best baseball field in the state, trailing only the Major League
parks in St. Louis
and Kansas City
.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. For other communities of the same name, see Boonville (disambiguation)
Boonville
-Places in the United States:*Boonville, California*Boonville, Indiana*Boonville, Missouri*Boonville , New York**Boonville , New York, within the town of Boonville*Boonville, North Carolina*Boonville, Texas-Other uses:...
Boonville is a city in Cooper County
Cooper County, Missouri
Cooper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. In 2010, the population was 17,601. Its county seat is Boonville. The county was organized in 1818 and is named for Sarshall Cooper, a frontier settler who was killed by Indians near Arrow Rock in 1814.-Geography:According to the 2000...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, USA. The population was 8,202 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Cooper County
Cooper County, Missouri
Cooper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. In 2010, the population was 17,601. Its county seat is Boonville. The county was organized in 1818 and is named for Sarshall Cooper, a frontier settler who was killed by Indians near Arrow Rock in 1814.-Geography:According to the 2000...
. The city was the site of a skirmish early in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
on July 17, 1861. Union forces defeated a small and poorly equipped force of the Missouri State Guard
Missouri State Guard
The Missouri State Guard was a state militia organized in the state of Missouri during the early days of the American Civil War. While not initially a formal part of the Confederate States Army, the State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at times, under regular Confederate...
in the first Battle of Boonville
Battle of Boonville
The First Battle of Boonville was a minor skirmish of the American Civil War, occurring on June 17, 1861, near Boonville in Cooper County, Missouri. Although casualties were extremely light, the battle's strategic impact was far greater than one might assume from its limited nature...
.
Geography
Boonville is located at 38°57′54"N 92°44′30"W (38.965017, -92.741757). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.3 square miles (18.9 km²), of which, 6.9 square miles (17.9 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (6.26%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,202 people, 2,667 households, and 1,696 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,190.8 people per square mile (459.6/km²). There were 3,041 housing units at an average density of 441.5 per square mile (170.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.22% White, 16.84% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.23% of the population.
There were 2,667 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.8% had a female house holder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 20.8% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 138.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 146.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,440, and the median income for a family was $40,294. Males had a median income of $28,498 versus $20,739 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,854. About 9.5% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
Boonville is near the middle of the Katy TrailKaty Trail State Park
The Katy Trail State Park is a recreation rail trail that runs in the right-of-way of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The nickname "Katy" comes from the phonetic pronunciation of 'KT' in the railroad's abbreviated name, MKT. The trail, widely known as the Katy Trail, is a Missouri...
, a 225-mile state park enjoyed by cyclists and hikers. Katy Trail Bridge in Boonville, which crosses the Missouri near the Isle of Capri Casino and Historic Selwyn Shoe Factory (which has been refurnished as apartments), has been subject of controversy. The railroad would like the bridge to be taken down so the metal can be melted and reused. However, Friends of Historic Boonville and others across the state oppose the idea.
Annually, Boonville celebrates Boonville Heritage Days. This is a summer weekend event that focuses on heritage. Activities include a parade, craft booths, a carnival and much fun for people of all ages. On the last evening there is a fireworks show.
Other annual events include the Festival of the Leaves, which is held on the last Saturday in September, and The Festival of The Lights, which is held every Thursday night in September. Shops stay open late, and there are booths with food, free stuff, and games. The historic Thespian Hall located downtown is used for concerts, art shows, and plays.
The annual Halloween parade features the award winning Boonville Silver Pirate Band dressed up in a variety of costumes.
Twillman Field in Harley Park is also a source of some pride, as it hosts several baseball tournaments every year, including state and regional championships, with ages ranging from 13 to 18. At one time in the late 1980s through 1990s, it was considered by some to be the 3rd best baseball field in the state, trailing only the Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
parks in St. Louis
Busch Memorial Stadium
Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005....
and Kansas City
Kauffman Stadium
Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium is a Major League Baseball stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the Kansas City Royals of the American League. Together with Arrowhead Stadium, home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, it is a part of the Truman Sports Complex...
.
Notable residents
- Julia LeeJulia Lee (musician)Julia Lee was an American blues and dirty blues musician.-Biography:Born in Boonville, Missouri, United States, Lee was raised in Kansas City, and began her musical career around 1920, singing and playing piano in her brother George Lee's band, which for a time also included Charlie Parker...
, blues singer and pianist - Minus StoryMinus StoryMinus Story is an indie rock based in Lawrence, Kansas. The core members of the band met growing up in Boonville, Missouri and are known for their off-kilter, sunny melodies and quirky instrumentation that forms the "wall of crap" sound....
(band) - Joseph Franklin RutherfordJoseph Franklin RutherfordJoseph Franklin Rutherford , also known as "Judge" Rutherford, was the second president of the incorporated Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, and played a primary role in the organization and doctrinal development of Jehovah's Witnesses, which emerged from the Bible Student movement established...
(Founder of Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
and 2nd President of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society) Other references list his birthplace as Versailles, MissouriVersailles, MissouriVersailles is a city in Morgan County, Missouri, United States. According to the 2000 census the population is 2,565. It is the county seat of Morgan County...
. - Frederick T. KemperFrederick T. KemperFrederick T. Kemper was the founder of the school that later became Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri.Kemper was born in Madison County, Virginia in 1816. His brother was General James Kemper, who gained fame at the Battle of Gettysburg, and later became Governor of Virginia...
, founder of school later known as Kemper Military SchoolKemper Military SchoolKemper Military School & College was a private military school located in Boonville, Missouri. Kemper filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2002. The school's motto was "Nunquam Non Paratus" .-Early years under Frederick T. Kemper:...
. - Colonel Thomas A. JohnstonThomas A. JohnstonThomas A. Johnston , was the President of the Kemper Family School and Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri from 1881 to 1928. He was known as the "Builder of Kemper"....
, Builder of Kemper Military SchoolKemper Military SchoolKemper Military School & College was a private military school located in Boonville, Missouri. Kemper filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2002. The school's motto was "Nunquam Non Paratus" .-Early years under Frederick T. Kemper:...
, Superintendent and President from 1881 to 1928. - Colonel Arthur M. HitchArthur M. HitchArthur M. Hitch , was the Superintendent of Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri from 1928 to 1948....
, Superintendent of Kemper Military SchoolKemper Military SchoolKemper Military School & College was a private military school located in Boonville, Missouri. Kemper filed for bankruptcy and closed in 2002. The school's motto was "Nunquam Non Paratus" .-Early years under Frederick T. Kemper:...
, 1928-1948. - Walter WilliamsWalter Williams (journalist)Walter Williams was the founder of the Missouri School of Journalism and a former president of the University of Missouri. An internationalist, he promoted the value of journalism globally.-Biography:...
, founder of the Missouri School of JournalismMissouri School of JournalismThe Missouri School of Journalism at University of Missouri in Columbia, claims to be the oldest formal journalism school in the world. Founded in 1908, only the Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme de Paris established in 1899 may be older...
and former president of the University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. - George Graham VestGeorge Graham VestGeorge Graham Vest was a U.S. politician. Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, he was known for his skills in oration and debate. Vest, a lawyer as well as a politician, served as a Missouri Congressman, a Confederate Congressman during the Civil War, and finally a US Senator...
, U.S. Senator from Missouri - Henry L. MyersHenry L. MyersHenry Lee Myers was a United States Senator from Montana. Born near Boonville, Missouri, he attended private schools, Cooper Institute, and Boonville Academy. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1884, commencing practice in Boonville...
, U.S. Senator from Montana - Henry S. BenedictHenry S. BenedictHenry Stanley Benedict was a U.S. Representative from California.-Biography:Born in Boonville, Missouri, Benedict moved with his parents to Los Angeles, California, in 1888.He attended the grammar schools and high school....
, U.S. Congressman from CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. - Nathaniel AlbertsonNathaniel AlbertsonNathaniel Albertson was a U.S. Representative from Indiana.Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Albertson moved to Salem, Washington County, Indiana, and engaged in agricultural pursuits....
, U.S. Congressman from IndianaIndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. - John CosgroveJohn CosgroveJohn Cosgrove was a Democratic Representative representing Missouri's 6th congressional district from March 4, 1883 - March 3, 1885.Cosgrove was born near Alexandria Bay, New York in Jefferson County, New York...
, U.S. Congressman from Missouri. - John Gaines MillerJohn Gaines MillerJohn Gaines Miller was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Danville, Kentucky, Miller attended the common schools and was graduated from Centre College in Danville.He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1834....
, U.S. Congressman from Missouri. - Robert Patterson Clark WilsonRobert Patterson Clark WilsonRobert Patterson Clark Wilson was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Boonville, Missouri, Wilson moved with his parents to Platte County....
, U.S. Congressman from MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. - Theron Moses RiceTheron Moses RiceTheron Moses Rice was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Mecca, Ohio, Rice attended the academy in Chester, Ohio.He taught in the district school during the winter months.He studied law....
, U.S. Congressman from MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. - George AinslieGeorge Ainslie (delegate)George Ainslie was a Congressional delegate from Idaho Territory.-Biography:...
, Congressional delegate from Idaho TerritoryIdaho TerritoryThe Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
. - Lon Vest StephensLon Vest StephensLawrence "Lon" Vest Stephens was a U.S. politician from Missouri. He served as State Treasurer of Missouri from 1890 to 1897, and as the 29th Governor of Missouri from 1897 to 1901.-Early life and education:...
, Governor of Missouri and State Treasurer
External links
- Official Boonville site
- Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce
- Boonville Historical Society
- Mo-River Community Information Portal
- Historic maps of Boonville in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...