Sarcoxie, Missouri

Sarcoxie, Missouri
—  City  —
Location of Sarcoxie, Missouri
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Missouri
County Jasper
Area
 • Total 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2)
 • Land 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 1,089 ft (332 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 1,330
 • Density 1,254.6/sq mi (484.4/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 64862
Area code(s) 417
FIPS code 29-65990[1]
GNIS feature ID 0729960[2]

Sarcoxie is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,330 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Contents

History

The earliest named occupant was Chief Sarcoxie. His name has been said to mean "As Tall As He Is"--a reference to his position and perhaps also his height. It is said he settled by a spring at the base of a steep hill near what is now the town square, selecting the spot because it was never struck by tornadoes. A cavern at that spot in the limestone bluff is called "Chief Sarcoxie's Cave", and was large enough for boys to crawl into as recently as 1910; however, as limestone was quarried from the bluff, the roof of the cave gradually subsided and the entrance closed. European-American settlement began in the 1830s with the town being platted in 1840. It is the only town in the US with the name Sarcoxie— though there is a township in Jefferson County, Kansas with the same name. Sarcoxie is also the oldest town in the county.

It was once the strawberry capital of the world and still is the peony capital of the world, and home to Gilbert H. Wild, one of America's largest growers of daylilies, iris, and peonies. Sarcoxie once had its own currency that had a picture of a strawberry on one side. The town's weekly newspaper, the Sarcoxie Record, was one of the better newspapers in the state in the 1930s. Barney Finn, the editor, also served as Sarcoxie mayor for two terms.

The town was a minor flash point in the American Civil War with the largest Confederate flag flying in town for a time.

In 1887, it became perhaps the first town in southwest Missouri to have electric lighting.

Geography

Sarcoxie is located at (37.068490, -94.122450)[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1880 341
1890 1,172 243.7%
1900 1,126 −3.9%
1910 1,311 16.4%
1920 1,023 −22.0%
1930 1,017 −0.6%
1940 1,057 3.9%
1950 1,042 −1.4%
1960 1,056 1.3%
1970 1,175 11.3%
1980 1,381 17.5%
1990 1,330 −3.7%
2000 1,354 1.8%
2010 1,330 −1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,354 people, 559 households, and 359 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,254.6 people per square mile (484.1/km²). There were 635 housing units at an average density of 588.4 per square mile (227.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.94% White, 0.07% African American, 0.96% Native American, 0.07% from other races, and 2.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.81% of the population.

There were 559 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 80.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,000, and the median income for a family was $34,519. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $20,547 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,531. About 10.7% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 18.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable natives

References

  1. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 

External links