Sikeston, Missouri
Sikeston ( /ˈsaɪkstən/) is a city located both in southern Scott County and northern New Madrid County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is geographically situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way of Interstate 55, Interstate 57, and U.S. Route 60. Sikeston is close to the halfway point between St. Louis, Missouri and Memphis, Tennessee and 3 hours away from Nashville, Tennessee. The city is named after John Sikes, who founded it in 1860. It is the principal city of the Sikeston Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of all of Scott County, and has a total population of 41,143.
As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,318, making it the fourth-most populous city in Missouri's 8th Congressional district (map) behind Cape Girardeau, Rolla, and Poplar Bluff and just ahead of Farmington. Before the 2010 census, it had been the second-most populous city in the district.
Geography
Sikeston is located at (36.879570, -89.585172).[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²), of which 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.4 km²) (0.94%) is water. The city is situated upon the Sikeston Ridge which runs north and south from 10 miles (16 km) north of Sikeston through New Madrid. Prior to 1927, the New Madrid-Sikeston Ridge Levee was constructed to protect the area from flooding from the Mississippi River. In the 1920s, the Little River Drainage District was formed to drain the low land area west of the Sikeston Ridge. By 1931, the levee construction had created the New Madrid floodway.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 16,992 people, 6,779 households, and 4,602 families residing in the city. The population density was 947.4 people per square mile (365.9/km²). There were 7,428 housing units at an average density of 414.2 per square mile (160.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.52% White, 22.36% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.49% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
The major reported ancestries in Sikeston are 17.1% American, 11.8% German, 11.5% Irish, 6.8% English, 2.9% French, and 1.5% Scotch-Irish.
There were 6,779 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,872, and the median income for a family was $36,420. Males had a median income of $31,846 versus $19,623 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,509. About 16.2% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1900 |
1,077 |
|
—
|
| 1910 |
3,327 |
|
208.9% |
| 1920 |
3,613 |
|
8.6% |
| 1930 |
5,676 |
|
57.1% |
| 1940 |
7,944 |
|
40.0% |
| 1950 |
11,640 |
|
46.5% |
| 1960 |
13,765 |
|
18.3% |
| 1970 |
14,699 |
|
6.8% |
| 1980 |
17,431 |
|
18.6% |
| 1990 |
17,641 |
|
1.2% |
| 2000 |
16,992 |
|
−3.7% |
| 2010 |
16,318 |
|
−4.0% |
| source:[4] |
History
When the first explorers and settlers came to this region, they discovered a wild landscape of cypress swamps and forested prairies. Later at the beginning of the 20th Century, the Little River Drainage District was formed to reclaim this land. This engineering feat became the largest drainage district in the country and made the area of the nation’s most diverse agricultural regions.
In 1541, the famous Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto may have stood upon the Sikeston Ridge, although some historical references dispute this, believing that he traveled further south than Sikeston. In 1789, by order of the King of Spain, an overland route was laid out to connect the cities of St. Louis and New Orleans. This frontier road was known as the El Camino Real or King's Highway. From December 16, 1811 to February 4, 1812, the area was struck by a series of more than 2,000 earthquakes, known as the New Madrid Earthquake, a series of shock waves believed by some to have been the greatest in North American history.
The land for the city of Sikeston was first owned by a Frenchman named Francis Paquette. In 1829, the city site was acquired by the Stallcup family. In 1859, city founder John Sikes who had married into the Stallcup family gained control of the land. In April 1860, the city was platted in anticipation of the completion of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad which would intersect with the Spanish King's Highway. In the city of New Madrid, the street was known as Big Prairie Road and as Sikeston Road after the city of Sikeston was established.[5] Today Kingshighway, also known as Business U.S. Highway 61 serves Sikeston as a primary north-south street and is lined with businesses and older historic homes. Sikeston’s downtown area includes Malone Park, the city’s oldest park, and the historic First Methodist Church columns, six majestic pillars that remain as a reminder of the 1879 church which was destroyed by fire in 1968.
Although Sikeston was only a small village during the Civil War, its position at the railroad and highway intersection gave it some importance. At one point, Confederate General Jeff Thompson robbed a bank in nearby Charleston to pay men and buy arms and supplies. Legend has it that he hid part of his money under one of the oak trees at the corner of New Madrid Street and Kingshighway.
By 1900, Sikeston had a population of 1,100, and two drainage ditches had been completed. By this time, the city had two banks, two newspapers, and three hotels. One of the hotels built between 1895 and 1898 was a three-story brick hotel that was later known as the Mashall-Dunn Hotel which was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Prominent individuals who stayed at this hotel included Harry S. Truman, Alben W. Barkley, Tom Pendergast.[6]
Following World War II, the now adjacent city of Miner was founded. The city was originally known as Minner in honor of one of the original residing landowners. However, the name was altered when the railroad inadvertently left off an “n” off the switching station, renaming it Miner Switch. In 1951, this city became incorporated due to modern day pioneer William Howard McGill.
Military History
- During the Civil War, Sikeston's location held some importance due to its railroad and road location. In the fall of 1861, Confederate Brigadier General Gideon Pillow pushed a column of troops from New Madrid towards Sikeston and Cape Girardeau. On October 4, 1861, Confederate Brigadier General M. Jeff Thompson reached Sikeston, planning to strike Cape Girardeau; however, his manpower was limited, and he decided to retreat into the swamps off to the west. On November 3, 1861, from Cairo, Illinois, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant wrote a letter to Colonel Richard J. Oglesby, commander of the Union Headquarters District Southeast Missouri at Bird’s Point, ordering his troops to "strike for Sikeston" from the Mississippi River town of Commerce. Brigadier General Benjamin Prentiss and Colonel W. H. L. Wallace were also converged in the Sikeston area in preparation of Grant's attack at the Battle of Belmont. In 1862, Sikeston was used as a transportation connection as Union Brigadier General Pope sent his artillery across the river to Commerce to be sent by rail to Sikeston for cart transportation to New Madrid in preparation for the Battle of Island Number Ten. On February 28, 1862, Pope left Commerce with his army of 12,000, arriving in Sikeston on March 2, 1862. Colonel William Pitt Kellogg, future governor of Louisiana, commanding the 7th Illinois cavalry, was the first to encounter the rebel sabotage of recently burned bridges and other obstructions. The federals were attacked just south of Sikeston by a small group of rebels led by Confederate General M. Jeff Thompson called the Swamp Fox, a nickname previously belonging to Revolutionary War Brigadier General Francis Marion. Thompson commanded a detachment of 85 horsemen and four to six experimental cannons that had been manufactured in Memphis. Colonel James Morgan Illinois's troops were reinforced by Brigadier General Schuyler Hamilton's 2nd Division, hence Thompson quickly fled. Entering the area from Bird's Point, Brigadier General Eleazor Arthur Paine, commander of the 4th Division of Army of the Mississippi, repaired the railroad and telegraph lines and used troops from Illinois to form a garrison for Sikeston, Bertrand, and Charleston. War records indicate that on March 31, 1862, there were six Union officers and 143 Union soldiers present in Sikeston. On September 22, 1864, during Price's Raid, a Confederate force of 1,500 men near Sikeston under the command of Colonel William Lafayette Jeffers attacked Captain Lewis Sells' company of Union soldiers who were moving from Cape Girardeau to reinforce two companies of soldiers in Bloomfield.[7]
- During World War I, an infantry company was organized in Sikeston on August 25, 1917 until the spring of 1919. Company K became part of the 140th Infantry, 70th Brigade, U.S. 35th Infantry Division and fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and served as part of the occupation force of Europe. Between the two world wars, Company K was reorganized. It helped secure rail centers during the railroad workers' strike of 1922, helped out with the aftermath of the Poplar Bluff tornado of 1927, and worked on the Mississippi River levees during the floods of 1927 and 1937. In 1941, Company K was sent to Camp James T. Robinson, near Little Rock, where they drilled for eight months.
- In 1920, American Legion Post 114 was chartered for the community of Sikeston and named after Henry Meldrun, a Sikeston native who was killed in Europe during World War I.[8]
- During World War II until 1944, the Sikeston Memorial Municipal Airport which was previously dedicated on July 3–4, 1934, was known as Harvey Parks Airport and included long, barrack-style buildings as a site of the Missouri Institute of Aeronautics, which was established after General Hap Arnold asked flight training operations to triple their enrollments. World War II flying ace Robert S. Johnson trained at this location. The original gated entrance to Harvey Parks Airport now serves as the entrance to the city's Veterans Park.
- Also during World War II, the local National Guard unit Company K was assigned to the Western Defense Command in California, the local school students helped raise money to have a B-25 bomber named the Spirit of Sikeston, and the local International Shoe factory started work on an army shoe order.
- Sikeston is also home to the Missouri National Guard unit Company C 1140th Engineer Battalion which took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 2004 until February 2005. Company C has been restructured from an engineering unit to a detachment of the 1221st Transportation Company, headquartered in Dexter, Missouri.
- Located near the airport, Veterans' Park includes a display of a M60 battle tank, an F-4 Phantom II jet fighter, and a 105 mm Howitzer cannon.
- In 2000, the remains of Mason Yarbrough, a Sikeston native and World War II marine, were found on Makin Island and returned for a military funeral.
- The recently-built George E. Day Parkway is named for Colonel George E. "Bud" Day, a F-100 Super Sabre pilot who is the only known American POW to escape into South Vietnam, although he was later recaptured and sent to the Hanoi Hilton. Earlier in 1955, while serving in England, Colonel Day was noted for surviving the first "no chute" bailout from a burning jet fighter. On March 6, 1976, President Gerald Ford presented him and James Stockdale with the Medal of Honor.
- On April 26, 2006, the national commander of the American Legion Thomas L. Bock visited Sikeston to speak to American Legion Post 114.
Historical Trivia
- The Hunter Memorial Cemetery, located on the grounds of the local Presbyterian Church, was established around 1812 after the New Madrid earthquake by Joseph Hunter II who served under George Rogers Clark during the Revolutionary War and on the Territorial Council for President Madison. In 1814, the village of Winchester was laid out about one-half a mile south of the future site of Sikeston and even became the seat of justice for New Madrid County, but the village essentially disappeared after 1822 when the county seat was moved to New Madrid.
- The first house in Sikeston is believed to have been located at 318 Baker Lane. The "Baker House" was probably built in 1855, about five years before the town was founded. One of the early inhabitants of this house was Lee Hunter for whom one of the elementary schools is named. In fact, the house once had a large barn that was located where Lee Hunter school is now situated. The Baker family moved into the house in 1888 and purchased it from the Hunter family in the early 1950s.
- One of the first rail lines west of the Mississippi River ran to Sikeston, and it was the terminus of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad until 1872.
- From the early 1900s until at least around 1950, the city had more millionaires per capita than any other U.S. city of a similar population and the largest milling company in the Midwest, selling products to 23 states and seven foreign countries.
- In 1916, landowner Leonard McMullin built a home of Colonial Revival architecture at 214 North Scott Street. Billed as the "Flying Farmer," he was the first commercial pilot in the state of Missouri, flying numerous exhibitions at state fairs.
- In 1931, J. Otto Hahs (1891–1969) invented and patented the coin-operated horse in Sikeston.[9]
- In January 1937, a devastating flood and flu outbreak occurred in Sikeston.[10]
- In 1942, the last lynching in Missouri took place in Sikeston. Information of this event is contained within the book The Lynching of Cleo Wright by Dominic J. Capeci, Jr. The book tells the story of a "mob" taking justice into its own hands in 1942. It marked the first time the federal government had gotten involved in a civil rights case and how in the end a grand jury in the town allowed "mob justice" to rule. [1]
- On May 17, 1946, William Jefferson Blythe, Jr., father of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, died outside Sikeston on U.S. Route 60 after being thrown from his car and drowning in a drainage ditch. This occurred three months before Bill Clinton's birth.
- In the 1950s, the "Gay 90's Village Museum," a music machines, owned by Paul Eakins was established. The museum was closed in the mid 1970s, when Eakins sold the bulk of his collection to Walt Disney World.[11]
- On January 21, 1955, a mostly unknown 20-year-old Elvis Presley performed at the Sikeston Armory.[12]
- The 1962 film The Intruder, starring William Shatner and directed by Roger Corman, features scenes shot on location in downtown Sikeston and at the old courthouse in Charleston.[13]
- Around 1965, Sikeston was the location where Dr. Dewey Urban performed the first successful tooth transplant between two unrelated persons.[14]
- On April 1, 1965, Ronald Reagan was the guest speaker for the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet and was presented an “Honorary Cotton Picker of Southeast Missouri” plaque, perhaps as part of an April Fools' Day joke.[15]
- In 1968, Sikeston became the location for the first or second Wal-Mart store built outside of Arkansas. Sam Walton was known for visiting the Sikeston store several times a month by flying his airplane into the Sikeston Municipal Airport.[16]
- In 1973, the first Drury Inn was built in Sikeston.[17]
- Former Senator Lloyd Bentsen visited the rodeo grounds in attempt to gain support for a 1976 presidential run.
- On May 15, 1986, a tornado hit the city of Sikeston and destroyed about 100 homes, prompting former Governor John Ashcroft to visit and call on the National Guard for assistance. On the same day, the nearby community of Vanduser was also hit by a tornado while storms precipitated flooding to the north in Cape Girardeau. [2]
- A horse named Sikeston, owned by Luciano Gaucci, won the Gran Criterium in 1988, the Premio Parioli in 1989, the Premio Ribot in 1990, the Queen Anne Stakes and Premio Roma in 1991, and the Premio Presidente della Repubblica in 1991 and 1992.
- On May 27, 2004, Naomi Betts, a criminal who robbed a bank in Indianapolis, was arrested in Sikeston, following an airing of an episode of America's Most Wanted.
- On January 26–27, 2009, the city of Sikeston and the surrounding area were hit with a devastating ice storm, the January 2009 Central Plains and Midwest ice storm. This storm knocked out electrical service to large parts of the city for several days and damaged a large percentage of the trees, making this event the worst natural disaster to hit the city since at least the 1986 tornado. Restoration of city electrical power was delayed as a circuit breaker at the Coleman Substation had exploded on January 21 just before the ice storm hit. Governor Jay Nixon surveyed the fog-covered damage by helicopter and visited the Sikeston Field House which was being used as a shelter.
Attractions
- Lambert's Cafe - One of Southeast Missouri's most popular stops, Lambert's Cafe is the only home of the famous throwed rolls. It offers a comfortable, entertaining atmosphere with generous portions of down-home entrees and "pass-arounds" of fried potatoes, okra, macaroni and tomatoes, and black-eyed peas just to name a few, not to mention the hot, wonderfully tasty rolls flying through the air. The restaurant was named the number one place to "pig out" by the Travel Channel.
- The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo - Held around the first of August for over 50 years, the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo provides top qualify family entertainment at an affordable price. In the past 50 years, entertainment such as Matt Dillon, Festus, Dennis Weaver and Miss Kitty from the popular Western series on television in the 1950s and 1960s have appeared at the rodeo as have some of today's top country music stars including Alabama, Lonestar, Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Doug Stone, Lorrie Morgan, Tanya Tucker, Pam Tillis, and many more.
- Sikeston Bulls - A minor league baseball team and part of the collegiate wood bat KIT League, which consists of teams from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois. Although inactive in 2008, the team returned to Sikeston in 2009. The Bulls play their home games in the VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston.
- The Sikeston Factory Outlet Mall is a 22-store outlet shopping center and is the only outlet center between St. Louis and Memphis that serves the five-state region. Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores is located at Exit 67 off I-55, only one mile north of the I-55 / I-57 interchange.
- The Sikeston Depot, a train depot built in 1916 and on the National Register of Historical Places, is now used as a cultural center and museum. The Sikeston Depot was constructed by St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway and now home to art and history exhibits. The Depot's Art Gallery features ever-changing displays by different artists and a variety of mediums. The Depot Museum exhibits the intriguing history of Sikeston and Southeast Missouri through permanent and rotating displays.
- Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum - The state's largest collection of antique farm machinery is just a short drive from Miner. At the Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum, there are more than 6,000 pieces of machinery all capable of performing their original tasks. Many items date back to the 1800s and include tractors, combines, wagons, etc.
- Granny's Antiques - Located next to the Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum just outside of Miner as are two authentic log cabins, a reconstructed service station, post office, 191-room schoolhouse, old country church, newspaper office, bank and the railroad station.
- Begg's Pumpkin Patch - A working family farm located just six miles (10 km) north of Sikeston-Miner, visitors can travel through a real corn maze, pick a pumpkin, feed the goats, see more farm animals, climb the giant tire maze, enjoy a snack or homemade fudge, find their way through the giant MaizeQuest, and the Saturday night flashlight night.
- Veterans' Park - A 4.8-acre (19,000 m2) park dedicated to the hundreds of men and women from Sikeston and other communities in Southeast Missouri who have valiantly served their country in times of war, the park features a large, lighted granite monument and American flag display. The park was constructed and is maintained by volunteers without city funding. Names of Sikeston area veterans are inscribed in the brick walk leading from the parking lot to the memorial. Park visitors enjoy the static displays which currently feature an M-60 battle tank, 105mm Howitzer cannon and an F4 Phantom jet.
- The Bootheel Golf Club and Sikeston Country Club & Golf Course.
- SEMO Raceway and Sikeston Race Park.
- The remodeled YMCA building was originally built in 1925. It was previously used as a gymnasium for the middle school and as a gymnasium for the high school before that. Sikeston's YMCA has recently broken ground on an $8 million renovation campaign, which includes an indoor pool.
- Malco Trio Cinema, the city's only movie theater.
Entertainment & Recreation
Sikeston's Park system includes 14 parks, perfect for large family gatherings or quiet picnics. The largest park, the Sikeston Recreation Complex, features a fishing lake, picnic shelters and playground equipment. With tennis courts and several soccer fields, baseball diamonds and a little league football field, the Recreation Complex is home to a number of sporting events, including state and regional tournaments.
Some of Sikeston's parks include Armory Park, Central Park, Clayton Park, Dudley Park, American Legion Park, Malone Park, Mary Lou Montgomery Park, R.S. Matthews Park, Roberta Rowe West End Park, Rotary Park, Sikeston Recreation Complex, and Veterans Park.
- VFW Stadium—largest local baseball field
- The Sikeston Depot—city museum
- Blodgett’s Paintball Planet—a recreational area located north of Sikeston
- Sikeston's American Legion-sponsored Cotton Carnival and Parade began in 1944 as a homecoming to some World War II veterans. The parade, one of the largest in Missouri, featured floats, area marching bands, and state and national politicians. [3]
In addition, the Sikeston Missouri Arts Council and the Sikeston Art League offer a number of community concerts, cultural performances and art shows throughout the year. The Sikeston Little Theater is the oldest performing arts group between St. Louis and Memphis. Their performances are not to be missed, nor are the annual performances of the Arts Council's Missoula Children's Theater. The new Albritton Mayer Center for the arts provides a home for a host of multimedia cultural presentations.
Sikeston has long been associated with country music. Some previous performers at the local Jaycee rodeo have included Kenny Rogers in 1977 and Loretta Lynn in 1983 with Charlie Daniels and Lee Greenwood performing multiple times. Upon his visit, Kenny Rogers donated an Arabian stallion to be auctioned off to bring money to the local cerebral palsy center which in appreciation changed its name to the Kenny Rogers Children’s Center.
Religion
Sikeston is home to several houses of worship [4]. Some of the early Sikeston churches and those with their founding dates include the following:[18]
Health care
Missouri Delta Medical Center was founded in Sikeston in 1948. The hospital typically employs over 600 healthcare providers and has close to 200 beds.
Education
Public schools
Of all residents in Sikeston who are 25 years of age and older, 73.3% hold a high school diploma or higher as their highest educational attainment; 14.2% possess a bachelor's degree or higher; 5.0% hold a graduate or professional degree; and 26.7% have less than a high school diploma.
Area high schools
- Sikeston Senior High School. Sikeston High School's mascot is the Bulldog and the school colors are red and black. The Bulldogs of Sikeston were the first high school football team in Missouri to record 400 all-time victories. In 2011, the football team became one of five teams in Missouri to record its 600th victory. Sikeston also has a rich tradition in other sports. In baseball and boys basketball, the Bulldogs rank among the state's leaders in all-time playoff appearances. In boys track and field, they captured the 2009 Class 3 state championship and consistently place among the top 10 teams at the track and field state championships. In the Fall of 2009, the Sikeston Bulldog football team shattered records during a 13-1 season. Points scored, offensive yardage, and wins in a season were among the records broken. Sikeston ended its season, losing in the state semifinals to Jefferson City Helias, one step short of the Class 4 State Championship game. In the 2010 football season, Sikeston put together its second straight undefeated regular season and reached the Class 4 semifinals before losing to Warrenton. The team finished 13-1 for the second straight year, shattering even more state records in the process. The 2010-2011 boys basketball team finished their season as the Class 4 State Champions with a perfect 30-0 record, defeating the St. Francis Borgia Knights in the final game of the season. It was the first state title for Sikeston in boys basketball, as well as the first undefeated season in school history. The team finished ranked in the top 30 in the nation by some publications after the record breaking season.
Private schools
Sikeston is also home to three private schools that serve both the educational and religious needs of students and their families.
- St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
- Solid Rock Christian Academy
- Southeast Missouri Christian Academy
In 1892, a local high school known as the "Methodist College" was established by the Sikeston Methodist Episcopal Church. The school was disbanded after the public high school was established.
Higher Education & Technical Schools
Media
- The Sikeston Standard Democrat is Sikeston's daily newspaper that derives its name from two of the city's previous newspapers—The Democrat Advertiser and The Daily Standard which was founded in 1911 and became a daily newspaper in 1950. In 1939, The Daily Standard editor Charles "Pole Cat" Blanton was featured in Time Magazine; he had purchased the newspaper in 1913, publishing the first issue on March 1, 1913.
- Previous Sikeston newspapers have included The Sikeston Star which was founded in 1884; The Sikeston Herald, a left-leaning Republican newspaper founded in 1903 or perhaps 1900; The Scott County Democrat and The Enterprise which was founded in 1883 and eventually became known as The Dexter Statesman; and Delta Metro, a weekly news magazine, which was published from 1975 until 1977.
- The Sikeston High School newspaper is known as The Bulldog Barker while the high school yearbook is known as The Growler.
Transportation
- In 1789, El Camino Real, also known as "The King's Highway," was marked out by orders from the King of Spain. In 1915, the Missouri Daughters of the American Revolution erected a monument near Woodlawn Street in Sikeston to mark this event.[25] In 1929, the Sikeston portion of the street was paved. Today this road is known as U.S. Route 61.
- Sikeston is located at the intersection of I-55 and I-57, making it the only city in Missouri other than Kansas City and St. Louis to be located on at least two interstate highways. Other Sikeston highways include U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 61, U.S. Route 62, and Missouri Route 114. Sikeston's location at the intersection of U.S. Highways 60, 61, and 62 makes the city one of the few towns located at the intersection of three consecutively numbered highways.
- The city is served by the Union Pacific Railroad and the BNSF Railway.
- The city has a few cobble-stoned streets in its older commercial downtown area.
Economy
As measured in 2008, the cost of living index in Sikeston is low (80.4) compared to the U.S. average of 100. The unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in Sikeston.
- The major city employers include Unilever, Missouri Delta Medical Center, the Sikeston Public Schools system, and Wal-Mart.
- In 1904, the Little River Drainage District was formed, establishing Sikeston as one of the richest farm areas in the entire state. Agriculture products of the area include cotton, soybeans, corn, rice, watermelons, wheat, milo, potatoes, and poultry with native trees that include oak and cypress. Historically, the city was previously known for its two large flour mills.
- Sikeston is the headquarters for Montgomery Bank which is the largest privately owned, family operated bank in Missouri.
- In 1931, the Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities was established to provide electrical service to the city. The current Sikeston Power Plant is a 235 megawatt coal-fired steam generating facility with excess capacity sold to other communities. This power plant began serving the city in 1981 after seven years of initial planning. The city's first coal-fired electric plant, the 6-megawatt E.P. Coleman plant, was built in 1958. The Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities also operates the city's water and sewer services and a 33-mile (53 km) fiber optic communications network.
- Besides Lambert's Cafe, other Sikeston restaurants include Arby's, Applebee's, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Domino's Pizza, Hardee's, Jay's Chicken, Kirby's Sandwich Shop, KFC, Long John Silver's/A&W, Mexican Villa (open since 1977), McDonald's, Papa Murphy's, Pizza Inn, Pizza Hut, Sonic Drive-In, Subway, Ruby Tuesday in Miner, Taco John's, Taco Bell, and Wendy's. Sikeston is also home to the first Grecian Steakhouse, a local area chain, and has numerous Mexican and Chinese restaurants.[26]
- Other Sikeston businesses include AgMart Sales, Clayton Fabrication and Metal Works, Collins Music, Construction Trailer Specialists, Days Inn, DeWitt Company, Duckett Truck Center, Ferguson Medical Group, First Midwest Bank, Focus Bank, Garage Door Company of Sikeston, J. C. Penney, J-J-N Enterprises, Lowe's, Meyers Supply Company, Slusher Farm and Home Center,Mitchell Insurance, NewWave Communications, Pyramid Roofing Company, Retco Trailer Manufacturing, Steward Steel, The UPS Store, and Walgreens with multiple locations for Dollar General, Raymond James Financial, State Farm Insurance, and U.S. Bancorp.
- In July 2008, it was announced that Memphis-based company Orgill Inc., the world's largest independent distributor of home improvement products, would build a 795,000-square-foot (73,900 m2) facility in Sikeston estimated to employ between 150 to 350 employees. The company plans to open the facility in August 2009. [5]
Sister cities
Sikeston's sister cities are Yeosu, South Korea and Buffalo, New York.
Notable People from Sikeston
Politicians & Attorneys
- Kenny Hulshof, former Republican 2008 Missouri gubernatorial candidate and congressman who represented the Missouri's 9th Congressional District was born in Sikeston in 1958. Hulshof did carry Scott County in the governor's election by over 7 percentage points.
- Maida Coleman, a Democrat from St. Louis and assistant minority leader in the Missouri Senate, was born in Sikeston in 1954.
- Charles Augustus Crow, a former Republican one-term congressman from Caruthersville, was born on a farm near Sikeston in 1873.
- Ralph Emerson Bailey, a former Republican one-term congressman, lived in Sikeston and is buried in the city cemetery in Sikeston.
- Alfred C. Sikes, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.
- Peter C. Myers, former Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and state representative.
- Lloyd Smith, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party.
- Matthew S. Murray, who was appointed Director of Public Works for Kansas City at the request of Tom Pendergast in 1926, lived in Sikeston from 1908 until 1922.
- David Blanton, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.
- Harry Cullen Blanton, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Military & Business Leaders
Sports Figures
- James Wilder, a former NFL player who was an All-Pro running back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he set numerous team records.([10]) He previously played for the Sikeston High School football team, leading the Bulldogs to an undefeated season in 1976.
- Brandon Barnes, a former Washington Redskins NFL player, former all-conference linebacker at the University of Missouri, and former all-state defensive back for the Sikeston High School football team. Barnes currently serves as the wide receivers coach for the University of Missouri football team.
- George Woods, a former resident who still holds the Sikeston High School record in the shot put, won Olympic silver medals in the shot put in 1968 and 1972.
- Charlie Babb, a safety for the Miami Dolphins who was a member of the NFL's only perfect season, was born in Sikeston.
- Kenneth Dement, a football player and attorney who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998, previously played for the Sikeston High School football team.
- Blake DeWitt, a former Sikeston High School baseball player who was drafted in the first round of the 28th overall pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, was born in Sikeston. He plays second base for the Chicago Cubs and was a starter for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2008 playoffs as a rookie.
- Eric Hurley, a pitcher for the Texas Rangers, was born in Sikeston. He was also selected in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft only two picks after Sikeston's Blake DeWitt.
- Josef Spudich, a former professional football player who taught and coached in Sikeston.
Television and Movie Personalities and Entertainers
- Jacqueline Scott, an actress who made multiple appearances on such television shows as Gunsmoke, The Outer Limits, Bonanza, The Fugitive, Ironside, Planet of the Apes, and Barnaby Jones, was also born in Sikeston.([11])
- Marjorie Montgomery, a child actress, dancer, and fashion designer.
- Mike Shain, local television news anchor who worked at KFVS-TV for over 35 years.
- Miss Missouri Teen USA winners from 1991 Audra Sherman and 1998 Brittany McDonald. Sherman finished as the second runner-up in the Miss Teen USA Pageant.
- Miss Missouri USA winner from 1957 Judith Ann Murback.
- Cody Alcorn, a graduate of Sikeston Public Schools, is an Emmy award winning news anchor for WHNS Fox Carolina in Greenville, SC.([12])
- Carol Carter, former editor Atlanta Business Chronicle and former reporter for WXIA-TV in Atlanta.
- Brad Fennel, professional Reba McEntire Impersonator, from Paducah Kentucky, now resides in Sikeston.
- Morgan Strebler famous Merlin award winning Mentalist/Illusionist
Musicians
- Neal E. Boyd, born in Sikeston, Missouri, is a Pop-opera singer and 2008 winner of America's Got Talent. He is known throughout the world as "The Voice of Missouri."
- Mimi Allen Smitten (1925–2005), a professional harpist who performed for the president, gave concerts in Europe, and recorded children's music, was a native of Sikeston. [13]
- Karen Wheeler, Rockabilly singer and the daughter of musician Onie Wheeler, was born in Sikeston. [14]
- Jerry Laseter, Country musician, producer, and songwriter. He is the former fiance of Tanya Tucker and father of her daughter Layla. [15]
Authors
- Robert Vaughan ([16]), author of over 200 books has lived in Sikeston
- Terry Teachout ([17]), biographer, critic, and blogger
- Rex Miller, former detective novelist and disc jockey
- Jean Marie Stine, a writer and publisher who was once editor of Galaxy Science Fiction magazine
- Robert Boswell, writer and novelist
- Barbara Watkins, writer
- Edward C. Matthews, III, writer
- Max Heeb, writer and physician
Artists
- Michael Parkes, a fantasy artist and former resident of Canalou who was born in Sikeston.
- Scott Crockett was born in Sikeston. He is an animator who has worked on cartoons, like Kappa Mikey, which appears on Nickelodeon. He has also worked on Ellen's Acres and Furby Island.[27]
- Catherine Camden, a local artist who paints portraits from life as well photographs. She has had paintings displayed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.[28]
Notable figures gallery
In fiction
Adjacent areas
|
Advance, Bell City, Vanduser |
Benton, Cape Girardeau |
Diehlstadt, Blodgett |
|
| Dexter, Morehouse |
|
Bertrand, Charleston |
| Sikeston |
|
| Malden, Parma, Canalou |
Matthews, New Madrid |
East Prairie, Hickman, KY |
References
External links
