Auxvasse, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Auxvasse is a city in Callaway County
, Missouri
, United States
. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 983 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 901 people, 381 households, and 240 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,356.6 people per square mile (527.1/km²). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 602.3 per square mile (234.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.01% White, 3.22% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.11% from other races
, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.
There were 381 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,875, and the median income for a family was $42,700. Males had a median income of $28,214 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,785. About 6.7% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.
, to Cedar City
. He named the town Clinton City. The official plat was filed in the Callaway County Recorder's office on October 23, 1873. Mr. Harris's town was bustling with nearly 100 people by that time.
Carpenter S.B. Meyers built the first Auxvasse homes in 1872. He also built a carpenter shop that was later converted into a blacksmith
shop.
The first post office was established in about 1874. That brought to light the existence of another Missouri town named Clinton in Henry County. It was clear the name of the town had to be changed to avoid confusion. In fact, the U.S. Post Office insisted. A town meeting was called to allow citizens to suggest a new name. No one could agree on any certain name until the supervisor in charge of construction of the new Auxvasse Creek railroad bridge stepped forward. He suggested the town be named Auxvasse, after the creek. Everyone quickly agreed and the name was changed to Auxvasse.
The name Auxvasse was given to the creek by early French explorers who had trouble crossing the stream in the area east of the present town of Mokane
. Lillbourn W. Boggs, who later became governor of Missouri, was traveling with the Frenchmen at the time. Some of the wagons became mired and were pulled free only after long hard labor by the entire company. Thereafter, the French called the stream "Riviere Aux Vases" or river with miry places.
The first Board of Trustees of Auxvasse was appointed by the County Court in 1885. Members of that first board were J.A. Harrison, Edwin Swon, E.M. Dudley, Joseph F. Rohn, and W.D. Frisbie. All of these men were prominent in the early development of Auxvasse.
John A. Harrison, who came from Mexico, Missouri, to Auxvasse, appears many times in the early records. He was the first postmaster
. He served from 1874 until 1883. He was also appointed another term as postmaster in the early 1890s. The post office was housed in the town's first mercantile building, erected by Mr. Harrison in 1872. He was also in a lumber business and a brick making business. In 1878, J.A. and his brother, James N. Harrison, began burning lime, putting up the first draw kiln
of important size in the county. The kiln was located south of Auxvasse.
J.A. Harrison also built the first brick building in town in 1876. The first story was used as a general store and the second for the Odd Fellows Lodge room. The building was enlarged in 1884 and has been used for many purposes over the years.
Lloyd King started the Auxvasse Review, a weekly newspaper, in 1888. Until 1923 it was located on the second floor of the J.A. Harrison building mentioned above. Another J.A. Harrison building, the Auxvasse Bank building, was erected in 1886. The bank remained open until July 5, 1924.
The Auxvasse Flour Mill and Saw Mill was established in 1881 by Charles Martin. It was located on the west side of town on Harrison Street. It was destroyed by fire. Another flour mill was built on the southwest corner of Walnut and Mill Streets. It was also destroyed by fire.
Following the disastrous drought
of 1901, there was a strong demand for a better water supply than the cisterns then in use. The service of a "water witch" and his peach tree branch was enlisted. He located a vein of water in the center of Main Street. A well was drilled at that point and water was found in abundance. A wooden water tower and tank were erected and a pump operated by a gasoline engine was installed. A few stores then had water piped into them. Several outdoor hydrants were placed in the business section of town. A watering trough for horses was located on the east side of Main Street a short distance south of the Walnut Street intersection. This waterworks served the town until 1914.
Callaway County, Missouri
Callaway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 44,332. Its county seat is Fulton. The county was organized in 1820. It was named for Capt. James Callaway, a grandson of...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Area
The Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties – Cole, Callaway, Moniteau, and Osage – in central Missouri anchored by the city of Jefferson City...
. The population was 983 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Auxvasse is located at 39°0′59"N 91°53′48"W (39.016478, -91.896780).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 901 people, 381 households, and 240 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,356.6 people per square mile (527.1/km²). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 602.3 per square mile (234.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.01% White, 3.22% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.11% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.
There were 381 households out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,875, and the median income for a family was $42,700. Males had a median income of $28,214 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,785. About 6.7% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.
Early history
Auxvasse was laid out in the fall of 1871. Mr. Thomas B. Harris, who owned the land, founded the town when the Louisiana and Missouri River Railroad announced plans to build a rail line from Mexico, MissouriMexico, Missouri
Mexico is a city in Audrain County, Missouri, United States. The population was 11,543 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Audrain County. The Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Audrain County...
, to Cedar City
Cedar City, Missouri
Cedar City is an unincorporated community in southern Callaway County, Missouri, USA. It is located at 38.600774, -91.926727 , opposite the Missouri River from the main part of Jefferson City and is near the interchange of U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 63. Jefferson City has annexed the interchange...
. He named the town Clinton City. The official plat was filed in the Callaway County Recorder's office on October 23, 1873. Mr. Harris's town was bustling with nearly 100 people by that time.
Carpenter S.B. Meyers built the first Auxvasse homes in 1872. He also built a carpenter shop that was later converted into a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop.
The first post office was established in about 1874. That brought to light the existence of another Missouri town named Clinton in Henry County. It was clear the name of the town had to be changed to avoid confusion. In fact, the U.S. Post Office insisted. A town meeting was called to allow citizens to suggest a new name. No one could agree on any certain name until the supervisor in charge of construction of the new Auxvasse Creek railroad bridge stepped forward. He suggested the town be named Auxvasse, after the creek. Everyone quickly agreed and the name was changed to Auxvasse.
The name Auxvasse was given to the creek by early French explorers who had trouble crossing the stream in the area east of the present town of Mokane
Mokane, Missouri
Mokane is a small city in Callaway County, Missouri, United States. The population was 185 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. Lillbourn W. Boggs, who later became governor of Missouri, was traveling with the Frenchmen at the time. Some of the wagons became mired and were pulled free only after long hard labor by the entire company. Thereafter, the French called the stream "Riviere Aux Vases" or river with miry places.
The first Board of Trustees of Auxvasse was appointed by the County Court in 1885. Members of that first board were J.A. Harrison, Edwin Swon, E.M. Dudley, Joseph F. Rohn, and W.D. Frisbie. All of these men were prominent in the early development of Auxvasse.
John A. Harrison, who came from Mexico, Missouri, to Auxvasse, appears many times in the early records. He was the first postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. He served from 1874 until 1883. He was also appointed another term as postmaster in the early 1890s. The post office was housed in the town's first mercantile building, erected by Mr. Harrison in 1872. He was also in a lumber business and a brick making business. In 1878, J.A. and his brother, James N. Harrison, began burning lime, putting up the first draw kiln
Kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, or oven, in which a controlled temperature regime is produced. Uses include the hardening, burning or drying of materials...
of important size in the county. The kiln was located south of Auxvasse.
J.A. Harrison also built the first brick building in town in 1876. The first story was used as a general store and the second for the Odd Fellows Lodge room. The building was enlarged in 1884 and has been used for many purposes over the years.
Lloyd King started the Auxvasse Review, a weekly newspaper, in 1888. Until 1923 it was located on the second floor of the J.A. Harrison building mentioned above. Another J.A. Harrison building, the Auxvasse Bank building, was erected in 1886. The bank remained open until July 5, 1924.
The Auxvasse Flour Mill and Saw Mill was established in 1881 by Charles Martin. It was located on the west side of town on Harrison Street. It was destroyed by fire. Another flour mill was built on the southwest corner of Walnut and Mill Streets. It was also destroyed by fire.
Following the disastrous drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
of 1901, there was a strong demand for a better water supply than the cisterns then in use. The service of a "water witch" and his peach tree branch was enlisted. He located a vein of water in the center of Main Street. A well was drilled at that point and water was found in abundance. A wooden water tower and tank were erected and a pump operated by a gasoline engine was installed. A few stores then had water piped into them. Several outdoor hydrants were placed in the business section of town. A watering trough for horses was located on the east side of Main Street a short distance south of the Walnut Street intersection. This waterworks served the town until 1914.
External links
- Historic maps of Auxvasse in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...