Sugar Creek, Missouri

Sugar Creek, Missouri
—  City  —
Location of Sugar Creek, Missouri
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Missouri
Counties Jackson, Clay
Area
 • Total 8.9 sq mi (23.2 km2)
 • Land 8.3 sq mi (21.4 km2)
 • Water 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km2)
Elevation 820 ft (250 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 3,839
 • Density 465.0/sq mi (179.6/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 64054
Area code(s) Area code 816
FIPS code 29-71368[1]
GNIS feature ID 0727219[2]

Sugar Creek is a city in Clay and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 3,839 at the 2000 census.

Contents

Geography

Sugar Creek is located at (39.118014, -94.435630).[3]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23.2 km2), of which, 8.3 square miles (21.4 km2) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) of it (7.61%) is water.

History

Like many cities along the Missouri River, Sugar Creek shows evidence of having once been the home of the American Indian. History attributes the name "Sugar Creek" to Indian folklore and a creek lined with sugar maples that ran through the city.

From the town's home page: In the early 1800s, the area that is now Sugar Creek served as an important link in America's westward expansion. Known at the time as Wayne City Landing, the territory along the Missouri River served as a port to receive supplies for early pioneers.

On June 25, 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on an island[4] in the Missouri River opposite what is modern day Sugar Creek.

Wayne City, which is now on the national historic register, also received travelers who were headed west along the Oregon, California and Santa Fe trails. In 1850, the first railroad west of the Mississippi River was constructed to join Wayne City and nearby Independence.

From the early 1890s to the 1930s, the Sugar Creek area was home to a first-class pleasure resort, Fairmount Park. Among the park's attractions were a hotel, theater, lake, and carnival rides, including a roller coaster that at one time was the world's largest. A streetcar line brought visitors to the park from nearby Kansas City.

In 1903, Standard Oil of Indiana purchased land at the northern edge of the city. A new oil refinery was opened a year later and quickly spurred growth in the townsite of Sugar Creek. A number of immigrants from Eastern Europe came to work in the plant, and by 1918, the town had grown to more than 800 residents.

Shortly after World War I, businessmen and residents founded the Sugar Creek Improvement Association. The Association installed streetlights, set city limits and petitioned for incorporation as a city. On November 15, 1920, the City of Sugar Creek was officially born. The new town consisted of 564 acres (2.28 km2) and had a population of around 1,800 residents.

The city continued to grow and prosper in its early years. In 1958, an additional 294 acres (1.19 km2) were annexed on the eastern side of the city, bringing new opportunities for development.

The Liberty Bend Bridge, in northeastern Sugar Creek, carries Route 291 across the Missouri River. The northbound bridge was built in 1949 when a new channel for the river was completed, and replaced the 1927 Liberty Bend Bridge which was about two miles to the north and crossed over the former river channel. Construction began in 1996 on the southbound bridge, which opened in 2001, and the northbound bridge was completely rehabilitated. It was part of an upgrade that changed Route 291 into a four-lane divided highway.

In 2009, BP Oil N America, settled a multi-million dollar lawsuit for extreme polluting and causing unusual cancers in many people.[5]

In 2009, a large portion of the population was harassed by prank callers. This harassment was covered by Fox News, titled "Nightmare on Burton Street."

Demographics

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,839 people, 1,633 households, and 1,048 families residing in the city. The population density was 465.0 people per square mile (179.4/km2). There were 1,753 housing units at an average density of 212.4 per square mile (81.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.83% White, 0.81% African American, 0.78% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.44% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.

There were 1,633 households out of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,967, and the median income for a family was $46,208. Males had a median income of $35,341 versus $23,686 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,784. About 10.3% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.2% of those under age 18.

Education

The majority of the city is within the Independence Public School District. The far eastern portions of Sugar Creek are in the Fort Osage School District. Schools serving Sugar Creek residents include: Elm Grove, Sugar Creek and Mill Creek Elementary Schools; Bingham Middle School, Nowlin Middle School and Osage Trail Middle School; and Fort Osage High School, Van Horn High School and William Chrisman High School. Prior to Fall 2008, some of Sugar Creek and its schools were within the Kansas City, Missouri School District.[6]

Kansas City Public Library operates the Sugar Creek Library.

References

External links