Saint Joseph, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Saint Joseph is the second largest city in northwest Missouri
, only second to Kansas City in size, serving as the county seat
for Buchanan County
. As of the 2010 census, Saint Joseph had a total population of 76,780, making it the eighth largest city in the state. The St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Buchanan, Andrew
, and DeKalb
counties in Missouri and Doniphan County
, Kansas
, had an estimated population of 126,359 in 2008. The city is perhaps best known as the starting point of the Pony Express
. Saint Joseph is also home to Missouri Western State University
.
Saint Joseph was founded on the Missouri River
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 on the Missouri River
toward the "Wild West"
. It was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the American Civil War
.
The main east-west downtown streets were named for Robidoux's eight children: Faraon, Jules, Francis, Felix, Edmond, Charles, Sylvanie, and Messanie. The street between Sylvanie and Messanie was named for his second wife, Angelique.
Between April 3, 1860, and late October 1861, Saint Joseph was one of the two endpoints of the Pony Express
, which operated for a short period over the land then inaccessible by rail, to provide fast mail service. Today the Pony Express Museum
host visitors in the old stables.
In 1882, on April 3, the outlaw Jesse James was killed at his home, originally located at 1318 Lafayette, now sited next to The Patee House
. In the post-Civil War years, when the economy was down, the hotel had served for a time as the home of the Patee Female College, followed by the St. Joseph Female College
up to 1880. James was living under the alias of Mr. Howard. An 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, is now known as Jesse James Home Museum
. It has been relocated at least three times, and features the bullet hole from that fateful shot. Saint Joseph is identified by the slogan, "Where the Pony Express started and Jesse James ended."
Among properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places
are the Patee House
, a former hotel is now maintained as a museum of transportation and the Missouri Theatre
, an ornate movie palace.
Saint Joseph's population peaked in 1900, with a census population of 102,979. (This population figure is questionable, as civic leaders tried to inflate the numbers for that census.) At the time, it was the home to one of the largest wholesale companies in the Midwest, the Nave & McCord Mercantile Company
, as well as the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and the C.D. Smith & Company, which would become C.D. Smith Healthcare.
" by the National Civic League
. Saint Joseph was voted the top true western town of 2007 by the True West Magazine
, in the January/February 2008 issue.
Saint Joseph is located at 39°45′29"N 94°50′12"W (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 (48.3 km) to the south. The nearest major airport is Kansas City International Airport
, which is approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) to the south. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 44.5 square miles (115.3 km²), of which, 43.8 square miles (113.5 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (1.48%) is water.
of 2000, there were 73,990 people, 29,026 households, and 18,460 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,687.7 people per square mile (651.6/km²). There were 31,752 housing units at an average density of 724.2 per square mile (279.6/km²). 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 single-family households. 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.
, Saint Joseph is the home of a regional public university
as well as a public university outreach center, a public technical school
and a private technical school.
is publicly owned and provides bus service. Rosecrans Memorial Airport
is a joint municipal/military owned airport for general aviation. It is the home of the 139th Airlift wing of the Missouri National Guard
. It does not have commercial service.
.
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...
, only second to Kansas City in size, serving as the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
for Buchanan County
Buchanan County, Missouri
Buchanan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 89,201. Its county seat is Saint Joseph. When originally formed in 1838, the county was named Roberts County, after settler Hiram Roberts; it was renamed in 1839 for James Buchanan, then a U.S....
. As of the 2010 census, Saint Joseph had a total population of 76,780, making it the eighth largest city in the state. The St. Joseph Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Buchanan, Andrew
Andrew County, Missouri
-External links:* from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books...
, and DeKalb
DeKalb County, Missouri
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population is 12,892. The county was organized in 1845 and is named after the American Revolutionary War general Johann de Kalb. The county along with Buchanan and Andrew counties in Missouri and Doniphan County,...
counties in Missouri and Doniphan County
Doniphan County, Kansas
Doniphan County is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 7,945. Its county seat is Troy and its most populous city is Wathena. The county along with Buchanan, Andrew, and DeKalb counties in Missouri is included in...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, had an estimated population of 126,359 in 2008. The city is perhaps best known as the starting point of the Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
. Saint Joseph is also home to Missouri Western State University
Missouri Western State University
Missouri Western State University is a public, co-educational university located in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The school enrolls 6,010 undergraduate students and 124 graduate students.-History:...
.
History
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
by Joseph Robidoux
Joseph Robidoux
Joseph Robidoux III established the Blacksnake Hills Trading Post that eventually became St. Joseph, Missouri.-Biography:...
, 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 on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
toward the "Wild West"
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
. It was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The main east-west downtown streets were named for Robidoux's eight children: Faraon, Jules, Francis, Felix, Edmond, Charles, Sylvanie, and Messanie. The street between Sylvanie and Messanie was named for his second wife, Angelique.
Between April 3, 1860, and late October 1861, Saint Joseph was one of the two endpoints of the Pony Express
Pony Express
The Pony Express was a fast mail service crossing the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the High Sierra from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, from April 3, 1860 to October 1861...
, which operated for a short period over the land then inaccessible by rail, to provide fast mail service. Today the Pony Express Museum
Pony Express Museum
The Pony Express Museum is a transport museum in Saint Joseph, Missouri, documenting the history of the Pony Express, the first fast mail line across the North American continent from the Missouri River to the Pacific coast...
host visitors in the old stables.
In 1882, on April 3, the outlaw Jesse James was killed at his home, originally located at 1318 Lafayette, now sited next to The Patee House
Patee House
The Patee House, also known as Patee House Museum, was completed in 1858 as a 140-room luxury hotel at 12th Street and Penn in St. Joseph, Missouri. It was one of the best-known hotels west of the Mississippi River....
. In the post-Civil War years, when the economy was down, the hotel had served for a time as the home of the Patee Female College, followed by the St. Joseph Female College
St. Joseph Female College
St. Joseph Female College was a private women's college located in St. Joseph, Missouri, United States.Affiliated with the Baptist Church, St. Joseph Female College was opened in 1875 by the English-born Rev. Elijah S. Dulin. The college was located for most of its operating years in the Patee...
up to 1880. James was living under the alias of Mr. Howard. An excerpt from a popular poem of the time is: "...that dirty little coward that shot Mr. Howard has laid poor Jesse in his grave."
Jesse James Home Museum
The Jesse James Home Museum is the house in St. Joseph, Missouri where outlaw Jesse James was living and was gunned down on April 3, 1882, by Robert Ford....
. It has been relocated at least three times, and features the bullet hole from that fateful shot. Saint Joseph is identified by the slogan, "Where the Pony Express started and Jesse James ended."
Among properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
are the Patee House
Patee House
The Patee House, also known as Patee House Museum, was completed in 1858 as a 140-room luxury hotel at 12th Street and Penn in St. Joseph, Missouri. It was one of the best-known hotels west of the Mississippi River....
, a former hotel is now maintained as a museum of transportation and the Missouri Theatre
Missouri Theater and Missouri Theater Building
The Missouri Theater and the Missouri Theater Building adjoin each other in St. Joseph, Missouri. The Missouri Theater was built as a cinema in the atmospheric style, using a combination of Art Deco and Moorish detailing...
, an ornate movie palace.
Saint Joseph's population peaked in 1900, with a census population of 102,979. (This population figure is questionable, as civic leaders tried to inflate the numbers for that census.) At the time, it was the home to one of the largest wholesale companies in the Midwest, the Nave & McCord Mercantile Company
Nave & McCord Mercantile Company
The Nave & McCord Mercantile Company was a major pioneer mercantile chain of stores in the Midwest from the mid-19th century through the early 1930s. The company’s primary founders were brothers-in-law Abram Nave and James McCord.- Early history:...
, as well as the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and the C.D. Smith & Company, which would become C.D. Smith Healthcare.
Honors
In 1997, Saint Joseph was named an "All-America CityAll-America City Award
The All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
" by the National Civic League
National Civic League
The National Civic League is an American non-profit organization that advocates for transparency, effectiveness, and openness in local government...
. Saint Joseph was voted the top true western town of 2007 by the True West Magazine
True West Magazine
True West Magazine is an American magazine that contains glossy articles and covers; reporting about events that happened in the "Old West" era.-History:True West began publication in 1953...
, in the January/February 2008 issue.
Geography
Kansas City Metropolitan Area
The Kansas City Metropolitan Area is a fifteen-county metropolitan area that is anchored by Kansas City, Missouri and is bisected by the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. As of the 2010 Census, the metropolitan area has a population of 2,035,334. The metropolitan area is the...
, which begins approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) to the south. The nearest major airport is Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport , originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles northwest of the central business district of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, United States. In 2008, 10,469,892 passengers used the airport...
, which is approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) to the south. 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 44.5 square miles (115.3 km²), of which, 43.8 square miles (113.5 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.7 km²) of it (1.48%) is water.
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 73,990 people, 29,026 households, and 18,460 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 1,687.7 people per square mile (651.6/km²). There were 31,752 housing units at an average density of 724.2 per square mile (279.6/km²). 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
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 1.44% 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
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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were single-family households. 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
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 $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.
Business
TransitAmerica Services, which provides conductors for various train systems nationwide, is based in the city.Retail
Saint Joseph is home to several retail areas, many of which are grouped along Belt Highway on the city's east side. East Hills Mall is located at North Belt Highway and Frederick Boulevard. The mall opened in 1965, was expanded in 1989, and was renovated in 2001 with a far more extensive renovation in 2008 and 2009. Developed in 2005, the Shoppes at North Village is concentrated along North Belt Highway between approximately Cook and County Line roads. This serves as a regional shopping destination. Other shopping districts include Belt Center, Hy-Vee Shopping Center, Hillcrest Plaza, East Ridge Village, North Village Shopping Center, and Woodlawn Shopping Center.Education
The St. Joseph School District operates 3 public high schools, 4 public middle schools and 16 public elementary schools in St. Joseph. There are three private grade schools, a private high school and a private K-12 Christian school. In addition, there is an active home education community that serves the city and surrounding areas. In higher educationHigher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
, Saint Joseph is the home of a regional public university
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
as well as a public university outreach center, a public technical school
Technical school
Technical school is a general term used for two-year college which provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, culinary arts and office management.-Associations supporting technical schools:...
and a private technical school.
Public elementary schools
- Coleman Elementary School
- Edison Elementary School
- Ellison Elementary School
- Eugene Field Elementary School
- Hall Elementary School
- Humboldt Elementary School
- Hosea Elementary School
- Hyde Elementary School
- Lake Contrary Elementary School
- Lindbergh Elementary School
- Mark Twain Elementary School
- Noyes Elementary School
- Parkway Elementary School
- Pershing Elementary School
- Pickett Elementary School
- Skaith Elementary School
Public middle schools
- Bode Middle School
- Robidoux Middle School
- Spring Garden Middle School
- Truman Middle School
Public high schools
- Benton High SchoolBenton High School (Missouri)Benton High School is a Class 4 public high school located in St. Joseph, Missouri.-History:In 1905, the St. Joseph, Missouri Board of Education charged J. A. Bell with establishing a high school in South St. Joseph...
- Central High SchoolCentral High School (Saint Joseph, Missouri)Central High School is a public secondary school in St. Joseph, Missouri. The school is a part of the St. Joseph School District. Central High School, one of the oldest high schools west of the Mississippi River, was established on May 8, 1895, when St. Joseph High School was built at 13th & Olive...
- Lafayette High SchoolLafayette High School (St. Joseph)Lafayette High School is a high school in St. Joseph, Missouri. It was established in 1917 , and at the time was the third high school in the city. As of 2006 it has an enrollment of some 855.-Notable people:...
Private schools
- Bishop LeBlond High SchoolBishop LeBlond High SchoolBishop LeBlond High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in St. Joseph, Missouri. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph.-Background:...
- Cathedral Grade School
- St. Francis Xavier Grade School
- St. James Grade School
- Saint Joseph Christian SchoolSaint Joseph Christian SchoolSaint Joseph Christian School is a private Christian school at 5401 Gene Field Road in Saint Joseph, Missouri. Local businessman Joe Gregory founded the school in 1988 after he said he received a vision in a Texas hotel to build a Christian school in St. Joseph. He made a successful $30,000...
- St. Paul Lutheran School
- Prescott Seventh-Day Adventist School
Special focus institutions
- Vatterott CollegeVatterott CollegeVatterott College provides career training in the fields of Business, Technical, Medical, Trades, Court Reporting, and Culinary. The school currently offers programs at 24 campuses across the Midwest and through its online division.-History:...
- American College of Technology
Transportation
The St. Joseph TransitSt. Joseph Transit
St. Joseph Transit provides local public transportation, as a division of the Public Works and Transportation Department of the City of St. Joseph in Buchanan County, Missouri. Eight routes, operating under the brand "The Ride", provide regular Monday through Saturday service...
is publicly owned and provides bus service. Rosecrans Memorial Airport
Rosecrans Memorial Airport
Rosecrans Memorial Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles northwest of the city of St. Joseph in Buchanan County, Missouri, USA....
is a joint municipal/military owned airport for general aviation. It is the home of the 139th Airlift wing of the Missouri National Guard
Missouri National Guard
The Missouri National Guard consists of the:*Missouri Army National Guard*Missouri Air National Guard-External links:* compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History...
. It does not have commercial service.
Cityscape
Two of the city's largest parks are Krug Park and the Parkway Saint Joseph, MissouriParkway Saint Joseph, Missouri
Saint Joseph, Missouri's Parkway ribbons through the city for 26 miles. Developed in 1918 by internationally known landscape architect George Burnap, Saint Joseph was one of the first cities in the United States to develop an imaginative and comprehensive parkway plan...
.
Television stations
- KQTVKQTVKQTV, digital channel 7 , is the ABC-affiliated television station in St. Joseph, Missouri. Owned by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group, it is the only local commercial broadcast television station serving the St. Joseph area; though TBN affiliate KTAJ , which primarily serves the northern portion of...
, Channel 2, KQ2 (ABC) - KTAJKTAJ-TVKTAJ-TV is a Christian television station in St. Joseph, Missouri. It is an owned-and-operated station of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The station multi-casts five TBN Network including:The Church Channel, JCTV, Enlace and Smile of a Child, 24 hours a day via satellite. Local Programs taped...
, Channel 16, TV16 (TBN) - News-Press 3 NOW, Cable Channel 3, NP3N (Local)
Radio stations
- KFEQKFEQKFEQ 680 AM is a Saint Joseph, Missouri area talk radio station that airs local and national programs.Local programming includes news, sports, and agricultural information.Bob Orf is program director for KFEQ. Orf began his career at KFEQ St. Joseph in 1975...
, 680 AM (news/talk) - KGNMKGNMKGNM is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format. Licensed to St. Joseph, Missouri, USA. The station is currently owned by Orama, Inc.....
, 1270 AM (Christian) - KKJOKKJOKKJO-FM is a radio station in St. Joseph, Missouri, broadcasting at 105.5 on the FM dial. The station airs a hot adult contemporary format with the brand name K-Jo 105.5.-History:...
, 105.5 FM (hot AC) - KESJ, 1550 AM (sports talk)
- KSJQ, 92.7 FM (country)
- KSRD, 91.9 FM (Christian)
- KAIR 1470 AM (Catholic)
- KEXS-FMKEXS-FMKEXS-FM is a radio station licensed to Ravenwood, Missouri, USA broadcasting a religious format. The station is currently owned by Catholic Radio Network....
, 106.1 FM (Catholic)
Newspapers
External links
- City of St. Joseph
- Historic maps of St. Joseph 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...