Jefferson City, Missouri

Jefferson City, Missouri
State capital
City of Jefferson

Flag
Seal
Nickname(s): Jeff[1]
Motto: Jefferson City

U.S. Census Map
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri

Location in Missouri, United States & North America

Coordinates: 38°34′36″N 92°10′25″W / 38.57667°N 92.17361°W / 38.57667; -92.17361Coordinates: 38°34′36″N 92°10′25″W / 38.57667°N 92.17361°W / 38.57667; -92.17361
Country United States
State Missouri
Counties Callaway, Cole
Founded 1821
Incorporated 1825
Named for Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States
Government[2][3]
 • Type Mayor-council
 • Mayor Carrie Tergin
 • Administrator Steve Crowell
 • City Clerk Phyllis Powell
Area[4]
 • State capital 37.58 sq mi (97.33 km2)
 • Land 35.95 sq mi (93.11 km2)
 • Water 1.63 sq mi (4.22 km2)
Elevation 630 ft (192 m)
Population (2010)[5]
 • State capital 43,079
 • Estimate (2016)[6] 43,013
 • Density 1,100/sq mi (440/km2)
 • Metro 149,807
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes 65101-65111
Area code(s) 573
FIPS code 29-37000[7]
GNIS feature ID 0758233[8]
Website http://www.jeffersoncitymo.gov/

Jefferson City is the capital of the State of Missouri and the 15th largest city in the state.[9] It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principal city of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area. Jefferson City is named for Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. Jefferson City currently holds, per Rand McNally, the title of America's "Most Beautiful Small Town."[10]

Jefferson City is on the northern edge of the Ozark Plateau on the southern side of the Missouri River in a region known as Mid-Missouri. It is also at the western edge of one of the major wine-producing regions of the Midwest, the Missouri Rhineland. The city is dominated by the domed Capitol, which rises from a bluff overlooking the Missouri River to the north; Lewis and Clark passed the bluff on their historic expedition upriver before Europeans established any settlement there.

Often referred to as "Jeff",[1] many of Jefferson City's primary employers fall within the service and manufacturing industries, similar to other Midwestern capital cities. Jefferson City is also home to Lincoln University, a public historically black land-grant university founded in 1866 by the 62nd Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops with additional support from the 65th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops.

History

Sketch of Jefferson City from the 1860s
Missouri State Penitentiary
Parade on "New Capitol Day", October 6, 1924, to celebrate the dedication of the newly constructed Missouri State Capitol.[11]

In pre-columbian times, this region was home of an ancient people known only as the "Mound Builders". They were no longer present by the time of the first white settlers, having been replaced by Osage Indians. When the Missouri Territory was organized in 1812, St. Louis was Missouri's seat of government, and St. Charles would serve as the next capital.

In the middle of the state, Jefferson City was chosen as the new capital in 1821 when Thomas Jefferson was still living. The village first was called "Lohman's Landing", and when the legislature decided to relocate there, they proposed the name "Missouriopolis" before settling on "Jefferson City".[12] For years, this village was little more than a trading post located in the wilderness about midway between St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1825, the settlement was incorporated as a city and a year later, the Missouri legislature first met in Jefferson City.

Jefferson City was chosen as the site of a state prison. This prison, named the Missouri State Penitentiary, opened in 1836. This prison was home to multiple infamous Americans, including former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, assassin James Earl Ray, and bank robber Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd. During the Civil War, Jefferson City was occupied by Union troops and the elected state legislature was driven from Jefferson City by Union General Nathaniel Lyon. Some of the legislators later reconvened in Neosho, Missouri and passed an ordinance of secession. Missouri was claimed by both the Confederacy and the Union, just like the neighboring state Kentucky. Missourians were strongly divided and many people in the state—especially in St. Louis—supported the Union, while other areas (such as Missouri's Little Dixie) were strongly pro-Confederate along the Missouri River between Jefferson City and Kansas City.

German immigrants created vineyards in small towns on either side of the Missouri River, especially on the north from the city east to Marthasville, located outside of St. Louis. Known as the "Missouri Rhineland" for its vineyards and first established by German immigrants in the mid-1800s, this region has become part of the agricultural and tourist economy.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.58 square miles (97.33 km2), of which, 35.95 square miles (93.11 km2) is land and 1.63 square miles (4.22 km2) is water.[4]

Climate

Jefferson City has a transitional climate between a humid subtropical and humid continental climate with hot, rainy summers and cold winters. Thunderstorms are common in both the spring and summer. Light snow is common during the winter, although about half of wintertime precipitation falls as rain.[13]

Climate data for Jefferson City, Missouri, 1981–2010 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 79
(26)		 89
(32)		 97
(36)		 96
(36)		 102
(39)		 105
(41)		 112
(44)		 111
(44)		 107
(42)		 96
(36)		 87
(31)		 79
(26)		 112
(44)
Average high °F (°C) 39.9
(4.4)		 45.4
(7.4)		 55.5
(13.1)		 66.7
(19.3)		 75.1
(23.9)		 83.5
(28.6)		 88.3
(31.3)		 87.8
(31)		 79.8
(26.6)		 68.5
(20.3)		 55.8
(13.2)		 42.5
(5.8)		 65.7
(18.7)
Average low °F (°C) 19.9
(−6.7)		 23.6
(−4.7)		 32.2
(0.1)		 43.1
(6.2)		 53.1
(11.7)		 62.8
(17.1)		 67.2
(19.6)		 65.4
(18.6)		 56.0
(13.3)		 44.0
(6.7)		 33.9
(1.1)		 23.0
(−5)		 43.7
(6.5)
Record low °F (°C) −20
(−29)		 −13
(−25)		 −16
(−27)		 13
(−11)		 24
(−4)		 38
(3)		 42
(6)		 41
(5)		 29
(−2)		 14
(−10)		 1
(−17)		 −21
(−29)		 −21
(−29)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.93
(49)		 2.29
(58.2)		 3.00
(76.2)		 4.16
(105.7)		 5.18
(131.6)		 4.39
(111.5)		 4.31
(109.5)		 3.99
(101.3)		 4.15
(105.4)		 3.35
(85.1)		 3.61
(91.7)		 2.67
(67.8)		 43.03
(1,093)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.8
(12.2)		 3.4
(8.6)		 1.4
(3.6)		 .1
(0.3)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 .3
(0.8)		 3.8
(9.7)		 13.8
(35.2)
Source: NOAA

[14][15]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18603,082—
18704,42043.4%
18805,27119.3%
18906,74227.9%
19009,66443.3%
191011,85022.6%
192014,49022.3%
193021,59649.0%
194024,26812.4%
195025,0993.4%
196028,22812.5%
197032,40714.8%
198033,6193.7%
199035,4815.5%
200039,63611.7%
201043,0798.7%
Est. 201643,013[6]−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 43,079 people, 17,278 households, and 9,969 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,198.3 inhabitants per square mile (462.7/km2). There were 18,852 housing units at an average density of 524.4 per square mile (202.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.0% White, 16.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.

There were 17,278 households of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out with 20.9% of residents under the age of 18, 10.3% between the ages of 18 and 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age in the city was 37.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 39,636 people, 15,794 households, and 9,207 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,454.4 people per square mile (561.6/km²). There were 16,987 housing units at an average density of 623.3 per square mile (240.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.50% White, 14.70% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 15,794 households of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out with 20.9% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,628, and the median income for a family was $52,627. Males had a median income of $35,050 versus $25,521 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,268. About 7.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The John G. Christy Municipal Building houses the city hall.

City government

The city uses a mayor-council system. The mayor is elected in a citywide vote. The city council has 10 members. Two are elected from each of the city's five wards.

State government

The Harry S Truman office building houses government workers for various state departments and agencies

The State Capitol is located in Jefferson City. In addition, state agencies are headquartered in Jefferson City. The Missouri State Archives is located in Jefferson City.

The Missouri Department of Corrections (MDOC) operates the Jefferson City Correctional Center and the Algoa Correctional Center in Jefferson City.[16][17] The JCCC replaced the Missouri State Penitentiary, which until its closure was the oldest operating penal facility west of the Mississippi River. It served as the State of Missouri's primary maximum security institution,[18] and it housed male death row prisoners until April 1989, when they were moved to the Potosi Correctional Center.[19] The current JCCC was opened on September 15, 2004, replacing the Missouri State Penitentiary.[16]

Federal government

The United States Postal Service operates several postal facilities, including the Jefferson City Main Post Office.[20]

The U.S. District Court was located in the same building as the U.S. Post Office, which was dedicated in November 1934. The Post Office continues to occupy the building, but the court moved to the Christopher S. Bond U.S. Court House after its dedication on September 27, 2011. The 118,000-square-foot facility overlooking the Missouri River is named for the former U.S. Senator from Missouri and houses the Central Division of the U.S. District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Western District of Missouri. The building was designed to achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold rating. Sustainable design features include reducing water use by 44 percent, using 13 percent recycled content, diverting 80 percent of construction waste materials from landfills, and it is 36 percent more efficient than current energy standards.[21]

Economy

In 2017, Jefferson City was ranked the fifth Best Small City to Start a Business (out of the 1,261 cities examined nationally).[22] The rankings were based on fifteen factors, including: average growth in number of small businesses, prevalence of investors, office-space affordability, and corporate taxes.

In 2016, Jefferson City was ranked thirteenth nationally (and second in the state, next to Columbia) among the Best Cities for Career Opportunities.[23] SmartAsset examined 355 metro areas and based the rankings on metrics such as the unemployment rate, median income, median annual housing costs and the rate of employment growth.

The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City
Photograph of Jefferson City from the International Space Station

Top employers

According to the City's 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report,[24] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 State of Missouri 14,223
2 Capital Region Medical Center 1,573
3 Scholastic 1,500
4 Jefferson City Public Schools 1,489
5 SSM Health-St. Mary's Hospital 1,154
6 Central Bancompany 967
7 ABB Power T&D Company 775
8 Jefferson City Medical Group 633
9 Wal-Mart Supercenter 622
10 Unilever 510
Total 23,446

Media

Print

The major daily English-language newspaper in the area is the Jefferson City News Tribune. Several monthly magazines cover Jefferson City and/or the surrounding areas: Jefferson City Magazine, Her Magazine, Capital Lifestyles, and Professional Day.

Television

Jefferson City, along with Columbia, is part of the Mid Missouri television market. KRCG, the region's CBS affiliate, and KNLJ, a station owned by the Christian Television Network (CTN), are both licensed to the city.

Education

Jefferson City is served by the Jefferson City Public School District, which operates Jefferson City High School, Simonsen 9th Grade Center, Lewis and Clark and Thomas Jefferson Middle Schools, and 11 elementary schools. The district is currently considering to build a second public high school. Jefferson City is also served by the Blair Oaks R-II School District, which operates Blair Oaks High School, Blair Oaks Middle School, and Blair Oaks Elementary School.

There are five private elementary schools — St. Joseph's, St. Peter's, Immaculate Conception, Trinity Lutheran, and River Oak Christian Academy. Calvary Lutheran, Helias High School, and Lighthouse Preparatory Academy are the city's private high schools.

Lincoln University is a public historically black university with open enrollment and certificate, associate, bachelor, and graduate programs. Columbia College, William Woods University, Metro Business College, and Merrell University also have campuses in the city with varying degree levels and options.

Transportation

JeffTran, the city operated public transit system, provides year-round bus service during traditional weekday business hours.[25]

The Jefferson City Amtrak station, located in the former Union Hotel at Jefferson Landing State Historic Site, is one of many stops provided by Amtrak, the sole intercity passenger railroad service in the United States. This station usually, but not always, doubles as a smoking stop[26] for passengers traveling either direction on the Missouri River Runner route.

A Greyhound bus stop near the Eastland Drive Convenient Food Mart[27] also provides intercity transit. Jefferson City Memorial Airport, which is located in the Jefferson City limits of Callaway County, Missouri, serves general aviation but has no scheduled commercial airline service.

Although Jefferson City is one of the four state capitals that is not served by an Interstate highway,[28] Interstate 70 passes by the city 30 miles (48 km) to the north in Columbia. U.S. highways in the city include U.S. Routes 50, 54, and 63. Missouri Routes 179 and 94 also run through the city, giving it four highways that intersect with I-70.

Notable people

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Capital of Missouri – Jefferson City ***". www.spangledwithstars.com. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  2. ↑ ""Contact the Mayor."". Archived from the original on May 7, 2006. Retrieved 2010-09-19. City of Jefferson. Retrieved on May 21, 2010.
  3. ↑ "Jefferson City — Departments". Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  4. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  5. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  6. 1 2 "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  8. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  9. ↑ "Table 10. Rank by 2010 Population and Housing Units: 2000 and 2010" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  10. ↑ "Best of the Road by Rand McNally". Best of the Road by Rand McNally. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  11. ↑ Moorman, Amy (2014). "Picture This" (PDF). The Missouri State Archives...Where History Begins. Missouri State Archives.
  12. ↑ McMillen, Margot Ford & Murphy, Dennis. A to Z: The Dictionary of Missouri Place Names. Columbia, MO. Pebble Publishing, 1996. ISBN 0-9646625-4-X.
  13. ↑ "Average Weather in Jefferson City, Missouri, United States, Year Round – Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  14. ↑ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  15. ↑ "Kansas City Daily Climate Records/Normals". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 8, 2013.
  16. 1 2 ""Jefferson City Correctional Center."". Archived from the original on May 7, 2006. Retrieved 2010-09-19. Missouri Department of Corrections. May 7, 2006. Retrieved on September 18, 2010.
  17. ↑ "MidMoGIS Mapping Website Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine.." City of Jefferson. Retrieved on September 18, 2010.
  18. ↑ Lombardi, George, Richard D. Sluder, and Donald Wallace. "The Management of Death-Sentenced Inmates: Issues, Realities, and Innovative Strategies Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine.." Missouri Department of Corrections. 8. Retrieved on September 18, 2010.
  19. ↑ Lombardi, George, Richard D. Sluder, and Donald Wallace. "The Management of Death-Sentenced Inmates: Issues, Realities, and Innovative Strategies Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine.." Missouri Department of Corrections. 9. Retrieved on September 18, 2010.
  20. ↑ "Post Office Location – JEFFERSON CITY." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on September 18, 2010.
  21. ↑ "Christopher S. Bond U.S. Courthouse". www.gsa.gov. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  22. ↑ Bernardo, Richie. "2017’s Best & Worst Small Cities to Start a Business". Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  23. ↑ "The Top 10 Cities for Career Opportunities in 2016 - SmartAsset.com". SmartAsset. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  24. ↑ "2016 PAFR – Laserfiche WebLink". documents.jeffcitymo.org. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  25. ↑ "Schedules". Jeffersoncitymo.gov. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  26. ↑ "Amtrak – Policies – Smoking Policy". www.amtrak.com. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  27. ↑ "Jefferson City Missouri Bus Station – Greyhound". locations.greyhound.com. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  28. ↑ Staff. "Interstate Highway Fact Sheet" (PDF). American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 10, 2008. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  29. ↑ "James T. Blair, Jr.". Notable Names Data Base. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  30. ↑ "Lorenzo Greene". The University of Houston,. Retrieved 8 October 2013.

Further reading

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