City of Kirksville, Missouri | |
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— City — | |
Location in the state of Missouri | |
Coordinates: | |
Country | United States |
State | Missouri |
County | Adair |
Township | Benton |
Government | |
• Mayor | Richard L. Detweiler |
Area | |
• Total | 10.5 sq mi (27.2 km2) |
• Land | 10.5 sq mi (27.1 km2) |
• Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.1 km2) |
Elevation | 981 ft (299 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 17,505 (city proper) |
• Density | 1,624/sq mi (629/km2) |
29014 (micropolitan area) | |
Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
• Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
ZIP code | 63501 |
Area code(s) | 660 |
FIPS code | 29-39026[1] |
GNIS feature ID | 0735678[2] |
Website | www.kirksvillecity.com |
Kirksville is the county seat[3] of Adair County, Missouri, United States. It is located in Benton Township. The population was 17,505 at the 2010 census.[4] Kirksville also anchors a micropolitan area that comprises Adair and Schuyler counties. The city is perhaps best known as the location of Truman State University and A. T. Still University.
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Kirksville is located at (40.19368958, -92.58285181)[5]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.5 square miles (27 km2), of which 10.5 square miles (27 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.38%) is water.
Kirksville historical populations |
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1860 | 658 |
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|
1870 | 1,471 | 123.6% | |
1880 | 2,314 | 57.3% | |
1890 | 3,510 | 51.7% | |
1900 | 5,966 | 70.0% | |
1910 | 6,347 | 6.4% | |
1920 | 7,213 | 13.6% | |
1930 | 8,293 | 15.0% | |
1940 | 10,080 | 21.5% | |
1950 | 11,110 | 10.2% | |
1960 | 13,123 | 18.1% | |
1970 | 15,569 | 18.6% | |
1980 | 17,167 | 10.3% | |
1990 | 17,152 | −0.1% | |
2000 | 16,988 | −1.0% | |
2010 | 17,505 | 3.0% |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 16,988 people, 6,583 households, and 2,975 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,624.0 people per square mile (627.1/km²). There were 7,303 housing units at an average density of 698.2 per square mile (269.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.38% White, 1.73% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.93% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 6,583 households out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.1% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.8% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.6% under the age of 18, 37.6% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 14.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females there were 82.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,836, and the median income for a family was $36,772. Males had a median income of $26,776 versus $22,309 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,388. About 14.4% of families and 30.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.7% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.
The Village (now City) of Kirksville was established on December 1, 1848. This was based upon claim made by Jonathan Floyd, Trustee Adair County Commissioners, on December 25, 1846 and recorded at the Land Office in Boonville Missouri for the establishment of the County Seat. Though selected in 1841 for the site of the Seat of Justice for Adair County, the Village of Kirksville dates from an Act, approved January 30, 1857 incorporating the Town. In 1841 the site was selected by Jefferson Collins, L. B. Mitchell, and Thomas Ferrell and a plat was established in 1842. In Violette’s History of Adair County the town has been identified with "Long Point" and "Hopkinsville." However, a small block-house is distinctly cited as being built in 1832,[6] confirmed by the plat and land entries which show no settlements on the actual site until after its selection as the county seat "on the ridge at Long Point, just outside the city limits of Kirksville."
According to tradition, Jesse Kirk, Kirksvilles first postmaster, shared a dinner of turkey and whiskey with surveyors working in the area on the condition that they would name the town after him. Not only the first postmaster, Kirk was also the first to own a hotel and a tavern in Kirksville (contrary to popular belief, the name of the city has no connection to John Kirk, onetime president of Truman State University). However, the grandson of Jesse Kirk reported that the town was named for Kirk’s son John, a figure of local legend credited with killing two deer with a single bullet. "Hopkinsville" was explained as a joking reference to the peculiar gait of John Kirk’s lame father-in-law, David Sloan; the jocular name was discarded when the village was selected for the seat of justice in Adair County.[7]
The Battle of Kirksville was fought August 6–9, 1862 during the American Civil War. Union troops led by John McNeil forced Confederate volunteers under Joseph Porter to vacate the city. Casualty estimates (almost entirely Confederate) range from 150-200 dead and up to 400 wounded. According to the August 12, 1862, Quincy Herald there were 8 Federal dead and 25 wounded. The victorious Union commander, Colonel McNeil, gained brief national attention for his post-battle execution of a small number of Confederate prisoners. These prisoners had been previously captured in battle and then paroled with the understanding they would no longer take up arms against the Union, upon penalty of death if recaptured. Nonetheless, Confederate government officials were outraged, and it is said that Confederate president Jefferson Davis even called for the execution of Colonel (later Brigadier General) McNeil if he were to be captured.
On the evening of April 27, 1899, a cyclone passing through Adair County cut a path of destruction three blocks wide, killed 32 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings. The popular song "Just as the Storm Passed O'er" was based on the event, and the Kimball Piano Company exploited the incident for its advertising, when one of their instruments was carried a long distance by the tornado but still found in working condition.[8]
On May 13, 2009 Kirksville was again the victim of a large tornado. A tornado estimated as an EF2 on the Fujita scale struck the northern edge of Kirksville destroying or severely damaging many homes, several businesses, a car dealership, and at least one factory. Two residents living just outside the city limits were killed by the tornado, and as many as a dozen other area residents were injured.[9] The story of the 2009 twister was featured in season 3 of "Storm Chasers" on the Discovery Channel.[10]
Climate data for Kirksville, MO | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 70 (21) |
78 (26) |
85 (29) |
93 (34) |
101 (38) |
106 (41) |
113 (45) |
111 (44) |
103 (39) |
95 (35) |
82 (28) |
70 (21) |
113 (45) |
Average high °F (°C) | 32 (0) |
38 (3) |
50 (10) |
62 (17) |
72 (22) |
81 (27) |
86 (30) |
85 (29) |
77 (25) |
65 (18) |
49 (9) |
36 (2) |
61.1 (16.2) |
Average low °F (°C) | 13 (−11) |
19 (−7) |
29 (−2) |
39 (4) |
51 (11) |
60 (16) |
65 (18) |
63 (17) |
54 (12) |
43 (6) |
30 (−1) |
19 (−7) |
40.4 (4.7) |
Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) |
−20 (−29) |
−13 (−25) |
8 (−13) |
29 (−2) |
40 (4) |
46 (8) |
40 (4) |
25 (−4) |
1 (−17) |
−10 (−23) |
−23 (−31) |
−23 (−31) |
Precipitation inches (mm) | 1.00 (25.4) |
1.13 (28.7) |
2.46 (62.5) |
3.35 (85.1) |
4.96 (126) |
4.40 (111.8) |
4.67 (118.6) |
3.63 (92.2) |
3.99 (101.3) |
3.18 (80.8) |
2.71 (68.8) |
1.65 (41.9) |
37.13 (943.1) |
Source: [11] |
Kirksville is home to three institutions of higher learning:
Kirksville is served by two watersheds. Hazel Creek Lake (530 acres), formed in 1982, was first used as a water source the next year. The larger water source, Forrest Lake (640 acres), was formed by the city in the 1950s when a dam was constructed across Big Creek. Forrest Lake anchors the Thousand Hills State Park, located just west of the city and is named in honor of former Missouri Governor Forrest Smith.[12][13]
Kirksville trash pick-up is currently conducted through the Veolia Environmental Services of Macon, MO. The company also picks up recycling and yard waste for the city. Most residents receive electrical service from AmerenUE, although a portion of the city receives it from Tri-County Electric, an R.E.C. co-op. Atmos Energy is the natural gas supplier for the Kirksville area.
The City of Kirksville operated the Kirksville Regional Airport (formerly Clarence Cannon Airport), four miles (6 km) south of the city, by the village of Millard. Kirksville, by way of La Plata, is serviced by Amtrak's Southwest Chief which runs along the BNSF Railway.
Kirksville once had two operational railroads that ran through town. The east-west rail line was originally incorporated as the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad, which was renamed several times during financial restructuring and changing hands numerous times, until in 1897 it became the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad. Financial problems continued, and it was operated by the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad after 1903 and later absorbed by that company, which in turn became Burlington Northern in 1970. The portion of the line that ran west of Kirksville towards Green City was abandoned and eventually torn down in the early 1950s. The portion of the line that ran east of town towards Edina, Labelle, and West Quincy was scrapped in 1982 - 1983, after the Staggers Rail Act deregulated the rail industry. The depot which serviced along the Burlington Northern in Kirksville still stands along Elson Street just north of Cottonwood Street and plans are that it will be renovated.
Kirksville’s other railroad, the Wabash Railroad, which became the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1960 and later became the Norfolk Southern Railway in 1982 after N&W merged with Southern Railway, ran north and south. In April 1992, the last official NS train ran the line between Albia, IA and Moberly, MO as the railroad announced it would abandon the line due to a loss in profit. During the summer of 1993, the railroad reopened to train traffic as the floods of the midwest affected lines around the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Trains continued to run the line until 1995. After failed attempts from buyers wanting to purchase the line and turn it into a shortline railroad, work began on tearing down the railroad from Moberly, MO northward toward La Plata, MO where it has a connection with the BNSF Railway and from Moulton, IA southward toward La Plata, MO. The portion of the line from Moulton, IA northward towards Albia was purchased by the Appanoose County Community Railroad. In late September 1997, the tracks through Kirksville were finally torn down leaving the city without a rail line. The project to tear down the abandoned line was completed by the end of 1997.
In 1952, the United States Air Force opened a radar base that was home to the 790th Radar Squadron, an Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron, in Sublette, Missouri|Sublette, about 10 mi (16 km) north of Kirksville. The Air Force deactivated the 790th Radar Squadron in 1968. The Federal Aviation Administration took over running the radar and most of the surrounding 78.51 acres (317,700 m2) were given to Northeast Missouri State University.[14] The current radar, an Air Route Surveillance Radar - Model 3, is a long-range radar that feeds data to air traffic control centers that control aircraft flying over the region.
Three fatal airplane accidents have occurred near Kirksville:
Kirksville is a Missouri Third-Class city, operating as a Council-Manager government. A paid city manager and staff handle the day-to-day operations and report to the city council. Candidates for Kirksville city council are not required to have any party affiliation (i.e. Republican or Democrat) in order to run for office. The only requirements are to be at least 21 years of age, a United States citizen, to have lived in the city for at least one year prior to election, and to not have any outstanding/overdue city or county taxes. All members are elected in an "at large" representation basis versus any particular section or ward. Following each election, the councilmembers vote among themselves to choose a member to serve a one-year term as mayor. Council meetings are held the first and third Monday of each month. The current Kirksville City Council Members are[15]:
Mayor Richard L. Detweiler: Detweiler graduated from Kirksville Senior High School in 1972, and in 1982 he graduated from Truman State University (formerly Northeast Missouri State University) with a B.S. in Business Administration. First elected in April 2008, he was reelected in April 2010. His current term expires in 2013.
Mayor Pro Tem Tony Fajkus: Tony earned a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Texas Lutheran University. He & his family have been Kirksville residents since 1979 when he was hired by Hollister, Incorporated as a quality engineer. He is currently the quality management representative for all products at the Kirksville plant.[16] First elected in April 2010, his term expires in April 2013.
Council Member Carolyn Chrisman: Ms. Chrisman is a teacher at Kirksville Middle School.[17] First elected in April 2009, her term expires in April 2012.
Council Member Roger Edge: Mr. Edge is a graduate of American University in Washington D.C., a U.S. Army veteran, and retired manager for Burlington Northern Railroad. He is a native of Havelock, North Carolina.[18]
Council Member Jerry Mills: A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, Mr. Mills is a Kirksville businessman, the owner/manager of Northeast Missouri Properties.[19]
The city of Kirksville provides residents with full-time fire and police departments, along with water, sewer, and street maintenance service. Citywide trash removal is contracted by the city with a private contractor, currently Veolia Environmental Service, and is mandatory for all residents or property owners. Recycling is optional. The city of Kirksville partners with other agencies to operate Kirk-Tran, an area bus service, and a county-wide E-911 Center.
Paired with Ottumwa, Iowa, Kirksville is a media market region, ranked 199 by Nielsen, and home to an ABC affiliate, KTVO-TV 3. Kirksville is home to seven main radio stations.
Frequency | Call sign | Nickname | Format | Owner | Web site |
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1450 AM | KIRX | News, Talk and Good Time Oldies | Oldies Simulcast | KIRX Group | [3] |
88.7 FM | KTRM | The Edge | College Radio | Truman State University | [4] |
89.7 FM | KKTR | . | National Public Radio Simulcast of KBIA Columbia |
Truman State University | [5] |
90.7 FM | KGHN | Christian Radio | Religious | C.A.R.E. Broadcasting | [6] |
93.7 FM | KTUF | Today’s Best Country, K-TUF | Country Simulcast | KIRX Group | [7] |
94.5 FM | KRXL | The Classic Rock Station, 94.5 The X | Classic Rock | KIRX Group | [8] |
107.9 FM | KLTE | . | Religious | Bott Radio Network | [9] |
The Kirksville-Ottumwa DMA includes a FOX affiliate, KYOU-TV 15, and is covered by NBC and CBS from Hannibal-Quincy and, in some areas, Kansas City. Radios in Kirksville can also pick up stations from Brookfield, Macon, Moberly, Hannibal-Quincy, and Keokuk, Iowa. Among low-powered translators and micro-broadcasters is 107.5 FM, operated by students from Truman’s campus.
In print, Kirksville is served by the Daily Express six days a week and on Thursdays by the Index, a weekly newspaper produced by students at Truman State University. The students of Truman State University also publish an alternative newspaper, The Monitor.
Truman students produce a weekly news broadcast, News 36, played on CableOne channel 3 and on their on-campus station, TruTV, on Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30pm, 9:00pm, 10:00pm, and 2:00am.
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