Saint Joseph, Missouri

Saint Joseph is the county seat and largest city in Buchanan County and the seventh largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 73,990. The St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Buchanan, Andrew, and DeKalb counties in Missouri and Doniphan County, Kansas, has an estimated population of 122,934 in the year 2003. Saint Joseph is also home to Missouri Western State University.

History

Saint Joseph was founded by Joseph Robidoux, a local fur trader, and officially incorporated in 1843. In its early days, it was a bustling outpost and rough frontier town, serving as a last supply point and jumping off point over the Missouri River toward the "Wild West", this due largely to the fact that it was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the American Civil War.

Several events of particular historical note occurred in Saint Joseph. Between April 3, 1860, and late October 1861, Saint Joseph was one of the two endpoints of the Pony Express. In 1882, also on April 3, the notorious Jesse James was assassinated. Jesse was living under the alias of Mr. Howard. A excerpt from a popular poem of the time is: "...that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave." The Heaton-Bowman-Smith Funeral Home maintains a small museum about Jesse James. Their predecessors conducted the funeral. The museum is open to the public. His home, which has been relocated at least three times, is now maintained as a tourist attraction that featuring the bullet hole from that fateful shot. These two events lend Saint Joseph the slogan, "Where the Pony Express started and Jesse James ended."

Saint Joseph peaked as an expansionist city in 1900, with a census population of 102,979.

In 1997, Saint Joseph was named an "All-America City" by the National Civic League. ^*

Geography

Saint Joseph is located at (39.757944, -94.836541), on the Missouri/Kansas border in northwestern Missouri.

The nearest major metropolitan area to Saint Joseph is the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, which begins approximately 30 miles to the south. The nearest major airport is Kansas City International Airport, which is approximately 35 miles to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 115.3 km² (44.5 mi²). 113.5 km² (43.8 mi²) of it is land and 1.7 km² (0.7 mi²) of it (1.48%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 73,990 people, 29,026 households, and 18,460 families residing in the city. The population density was 651.6/km² (1,687.7/mi²). There were 31,752 housing units at an average density of 279.6/km² (724.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.88% White, 5.03% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.61% of the population.

There were 29,026 households out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,663, and the median income for a family was $40,995. Males had a median income of $31,300 versus $21,592 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,445. About 9.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Places of interest

Born in St. Joseph

Media outlets

Television stations

KQTV, Channel 2, KQ2 (ABC)
KTAJ, Channel 16, TV16 (TBN)

Radio stations

KFEQ, 680 AM (News/talk radio)
KGNM, 1270 AM (Christian radio)
KKJO, 105.5 FM, K-Jo (Hot AC)
KSFT, 1550 AM (Oldies)
KSJQ, 92.7 FM, Q Country (Country)
KSRD, 91.9 FM (Chrisitan Radio)

External links

St. Joseph Convention & Visitors Bureau
StJoMo! St. Joseph History
Pony Express National Museum
Jesse James Home Museum & Patee House Museum (Formerly World's Hotel)
JoeTownRock.com
Radio & Television stations from St. Joseph's Chamber of Commerce

All-America City | Buchanan County, Missouri | Cities in Missouri | St. Joseph, Missouri

St. Joseph (Missouri) | Saint Joseph, Missouri | Saint Joseph

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