| Piedmont, Missouri | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Streetside in Piedmont | |
| Location of Piedmont, Missouri | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Wayne |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | William H. "Bill" Kirkpatrick |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2) |
| • Land | 2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 495 ft (151 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 1,913 |
| • Density | 955.5/sq mi (368.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 63957 |
| Area code(s) | 573 |
| FIPS code | 29-57422[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0751576[2] |
| Website | City of Piedmont's Website |
Piedmont is a fourth-class city located in northwestern Wayne County in Southeast Missouri in the United States. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the city's population was 1,992; a 2007 estimate, however, showed the population to be 1,913. A part of the Ozarks Foothills Region, Piedmont is located on the convergence of State Highways 34 and 49. Piedmont, transliterated as "foot of the mountain," is named for its geographic placement at the foot of Clark's Mountain, a 1424-foot summit approximately two miles north of the town.
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The history of what would become known as Piedmont dates back to the mid-1850s. Most of the early settlers in the area were farmers and merchants. Piedmont actually began as a homestead where James and William Daniel, two brothers born and raised as farmers who fought in the War with Mexico, purchased property along McKenzie Creek with the intention of raising crops. William's land was not suitable for farming, so he instead decided to open a general store. The store attracted many customers which in turn, along with the inexpensive land in the area, prompted many other businesses to come to the village known as Danielsville, named after the two brothers who made it possible. Later, a school called the Blue Moon School was established and also held the first church services in the area. A post office was established in 1855 along with a stage coach service running from Ironton to Doniphan. The village grew and prospered steadily over the next four years as the population reached near 300.
The arrival of the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad in 1871 played a major role in the development of Piedmont, bringing many supplies and workers and creating a demand for local timber.
Another major event in the history of Piedmont was the official opening of the Clearwater Lake Dam on Memorial Day, May 30, 1948. Construction of the project started in May 1940 and was completed by March 1942. However, World War II intervened and work stopped on the project, which was not fully completed until September 1958. Fed by the Black River, Clearwater Lake is a man-made lake located within six miles of the Piedmont city limits that controls flood waters in the winter and provides a major tourist attraction in the summer.
Piedmont is also known for its two nearby drive-in theaters, the Pine Hill Drive-In and the 21 Drive-In near Van Buren. These two drive-ins are among the 14 left in the state.[3]
Piedmont is located at [4].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2), all of it land.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,992 people, 869 households, and 528 families residing in the city. The population density was 955.5 people per square mile (369.8/km²). There were 959 housing units at an average density of 460.0 per square mile (178.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.09% White, 0.16% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.20% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population. Among the major first ancestries reported in Piedmont were 21.4% American, 11.6% German, 11.3% Irish, 8.6% English, 3.7% Dutch, and 2.5% French.
There were 869 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $24,678, and the median income for a family was $23,500. Males had a median income of $27,120 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,976. About 24.3% of families and 26.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.7% of those under age 18 and 16.6% of those age 65 or over.
Among residents 25 years of age and older in Piedmont, 53.4% possess a high school diploma or higher, 7.9% have a bachelor's degree, and 2.6% hold a post-graduate/professional degree as their highest educational attainment.
The Clearwater R-I School District serves the educational needs of most of the city's residents and nearby throughout most of western Wayne County. According to the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, there is one elementary school, one middle school and one senior high school in the district. During the 2008-2009 school year, there was a total of 1,110 students and 111 certified staff members enrolled in the Clearwater R-I School District. The school colors are orange and black and its mascot is the tiger.
The City of Piedmont is governed by Mayor William H. "Bill" Kirkpatrick and a four-member city council. Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST) at Piedmont City Hall, 115 W. Green Street.
Piedmont Elected City Officials
Piedmont Appointed City Officials
Piedmont is a part of Missouri's 156th Legislative District and is currently represented by Shelley (White) Keeney (R-Marble Hill). In the Missouri Senate, State Senator Rob Mayer (R-Dexter) represents Piedmont as part of Missouri's 25th Senatorial District.
Piedmont is included in Missouri's 8th congressional district and is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau).
Piedmont has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).
| Climate data for Piedmont | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 42 (6) |
50 (10) |
59 (15) |
71 (22) |
79 (26) |
87 (31) |
92 (33) |
90 (32) |
81 (27) |
70 (21) |
57 (14) |
46 (8) |
69 (21) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 20 (−7) |
24 (−4) |
33 (1) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
61 (16) |
66 (19) |
63 (17) |
56 (13) |
43 (6) |
34 (1) |
24 (−4) |
43 (6) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 3.11 (79) |
3.07 (78) |
4.50 (114.3) |
4.50 (114.3) |
4.48 (113.8) |
3.72 (94.5) |
3.87 (98.3) |
3.55 (90.2) |
3.36 (85.3) |
3.14 (79.8) |
4.82 (122.4) |
3.99 (101.3) |
46.11 (1,171.2) |
| Source: [5] | |||||||||||||
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