Sikeston, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Sikeston is a city located both in southern Scott County
and northern New Madrid County
, in the U.S. state of Missouri
. It is geographically situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel
", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way of Interstate 55
, Sikeston is close to the halfway point between St. Louis, Missouri
and Memphis, Tennessee
. The city is named after John Sikes, who founded it in 1860. It is the principal city of the Sikeston Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of all of Scott County, and has a total population of 41,143.
As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,318, making it the fourth-most populous city in Missouri's 8th Congressional district (map) behind Cape Girardeau
, Rolla
, and Poplar Bluff
and just ahead of Farmington
. Before the 2010 census, it had been the second-most populous city in the district.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²), of which 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.4 km²) (0.94%) is water. The city is situated upon the Sikeston Ridge
which runs north and south from 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Sikeston through New Madrid
. Prior to 1927, the New Madrid-Sikeston Ridge Levee was constructed to protect the area from flooding from the Mississippi River
. In the 1920s, the Little River Drainage District was formed to drain the low land area west of the Sikeston Ridge. By 1931, the levee construction had created the New Madrid floodway.
of 2000, there were 16,992 people, 6,779 households, and 4,602 families residing in the city. The population density
was 947.4 people per square mile (365.9/km²). There were 7,428 housing units at an average density of 414.2 per square mile (160.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.52% White, 22.36% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.49% from other races
, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
The major reported ancestries in Sikeston are 17.1% American, 11.8% German, 11.5% Irish, 6.8% English, 2.9% French, and 1.5% Scotch-Irish.
There were 6,779 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples
living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,872, and the median income for a family was $36,420. Males had a median income of $31,846 versus $19,623 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,509. About 16.2% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
In 1541, the famous Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto may have stood upon the Sikeston Ridge
, although some historical references dispute this, believing that he traveled further south than Sikeston. In 1789, by order of the King of Spain, an overland route was laid out to connect the cities of St. Louis
and New Orleans
. This frontier road was known as the El Camino Real or King's Highway. From December 16, 1811 to February 4, 1812, the area was struck by a series of more than 2,000 earthquakes, known as the New Madrid Earthquake, a series of shock waves believed by some to have been the greatest in North American history.
The land for the city of Sikeston was first owned by a Frenchman named Francis Paquette. In 1829, the city site was acquired by the Stallcup family. In 1859, city founder John Sikes who had married into the Stallcup family gained control of the land. In April 1860, the city was platted in anticipation of the completion of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad which would intersect with the Spanish King's Highway. In the city of New Madrid
, the street was known as Big Prairie Road and as Sikeston Road after the city of Sikeston was established. Today Kingshighway, also known as Business U.S. Highway 61
serves Sikeston as a primary north-south street and is lined with businesses and older historic homes. Sikeston’s downtown area includes Malone Park, the city’s oldest park, and the historic First Methodist Church columns, six majestic pillars that remain as a reminder of the 1879 church which was destroyed by fire in 1968.
Although Sikeston was only a small village during the Civil War, its position at the railroad and highway intersection gave it some importance. At one point, Confederate General Jeff Thompson robbed a bank in nearby Charleston
to pay men and buy arms and supplies. Legend has it that he hid part of his money under one of the oak trees at the corner of New Madrid Street and Kingshighway.
By 1900, Sikeston had a population of 1,100, and two drainage ditches had been completed. By this time, the city had two banks, two newspapers, and three hotels. One of the hotels built between 1895 and 1898 was a three-story brick hotel that was later known as the Mashall-Dunn Hotel which was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Prominent individuals who stayed at this hotel included Harry S. Truman
, Alben W. Barkley
, Tom Pendergast
.
Following World War II, the now adjacent city of Miner
was founded. The city was originally known as Minner in honor of one of the original residing landowners. However, the name was altered when the railroad inadvertently left off an “n” off the switching station, renaming it Miner Switch. In 1951, this city became incorporated due to modern day pioneer William Howard McGill.
Some of Sikeston's parks include Armory Park, Central Park, Clayton Park, Dudley Park, American Legion Park, Malone Park, Mary Lou Montgomery Park, R.S. Matthews Park, Roberta Rowe West End Park, Rotary Park, Sikeston Recreation Complex, and Veterans Park.
In addition, the Sikeston Missouri Arts Council and the Sikeston Art League offer a number of community concerts, cultural performances and art shows throughout the year. The Sikeston Little Theater is the oldest performing arts group between St. Louis and Memphis. Their performances are not to be missed, nor are the annual performances of the Arts Council's Missoula Children's Theater. The new Albritton Mayer Center for the arts provides a home for a host of multimedia cultural presentations.
Sikeston has long been associated with country music
. Some previous performers at the local
Jaycee
rodeo
have included Kenny Rogers
in 1977 and Loretta Lynn
in 1983 with Charlie Daniels
and Lee Greenwood
performing multiple times. Upon his visit, Kenny Rogers
donated an Arabian stallion
to be auctioned off to bring money to the local cerebral palsy
center which in appreciation changed its name to the Kenny Rogers
Children’s Center.
Area high schools
In 1892, a local high school known as the "Methodist College" was established by the Sikeston Methodist Episcopal Church
. The school was disbanded after the public high school was established.
, South Korea
and Buffalo, New York
.
Scott County, Missouri
Scott County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 40,422; a 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 40,673. Its county seat is Benton...
and northern New Madrid County
New Madrid County, Missouri
New Madrid County is a county located in the Bootheel of southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 Census, the county's population was 19,760. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 17,589. The largest city and county seat is New Madrid...
, in the U.S. state 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...
. It is geographically situated just north of the "Missouri Bootheel
Bootheel
The Missouri Bootheel is the southeasternmost part of the state of Missouri, extending south of 36°30’ north latitude, so called because its shape in relation to the rest of the state resembles the heel of a boot. Strictly speaking, it is composed of the counties of Dunklin, New Madrid, and Pemiscot...
", although many locals consider Sikeston a part of it. By way of Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
, Sikeston is close to the halfway point between St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. The city is named after John Sikes, who founded it in 1860. It is the principal city of the Sikeston Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of all of Scott County, and has a total population of 41,143.
As of the 2010 census, the city population was 16,318, making it the fourth-most populous city in Missouri's 8th Congressional district (map) behind Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
, Rolla
Rolla, Missouri
Rolla is a city in Phelps County, Missouri, United States, midway between the larger cities of St. Louis and Springfield along I-44. The population in the 2010 United States Census was 19,559.It is the county seat of Phelps County...
, and Poplar Bluff
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
and just ahead of Farmington
Farmington, Missouri
Farmington is a city in St. Francois County located south of St. Louis in the Lead Belt region in Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 16,240. It is the county seat of St. Francois County. The Farmington Micropolitan Statistical Area embraces St...
. Before the 2010 census, it had been the second-most populous city in the district.
Geography
Sikeston is located at 36°52′46"N 89°35′7"W (36.879570, -89.585172).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 18.1 square miles (46.9 km²), of which 17.9 square miles (46.4 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.4 km²) (0.94%) is water. The city is situated upon the Sikeston Ridge
Sikeston Ridge
Sikeston Ridge is a two mile wide topographic terrace with an average height of deposited by the Ohio River. It was formed many years ago when the Mississippi River flowed west of Sikeston. This Southeast Missouri ridge runs from area of Haywood City south through Sikeston towards the historic...
which runs north and south from 10 miles (16.1 km) north of Sikeston through New Madrid
New Madrid, Missouri
New Madrid is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, 42 miles south by west of Cairo, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. New Madrid was founded in 1788 by American frontiersmen. In 1900, 1,489 people lived in New Madrid, Missouri; in 1910, the population was 1,882. The population was 3,334 at...
. Prior to 1927, the New Madrid-Sikeston Ridge Levee was constructed to protect the area from flooding from the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. In the 1920s, the Little River Drainage District was formed to drain the low land area west of the Sikeston Ridge. By 1931, the levee construction had created the New Madrid floodway.
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 16,992 people, 6,779 households, and 4,602 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 947.4 people per square mile (365.9/km²). There were 7,428 housing units at an average density of 414.2 per square mile (160.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.52% White, 22.36% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.49% 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 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
The major reported ancestries in Sikeston are 17.1% American, 11.8% German, 11.5% Irish, 6.8% English, 2.9% French, and 1.5% Scotch-Irish.
There were 6,779 households out of which 33.5% 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, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,872, and the median income for a family was $36,420. Males had a median income of $31,846 versus $19,623 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 $15,509. About 16.2% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.
History
When the first explorers and settlers came to this region, they discovered a wild landscape of cypress swamps and forested prairies. Later at the beginning of the 20th Century, the Little River Drainage District was formed to reclaim this land. This engineering feat became the largest drainage district in the country and made the area of the nation’s most diverse agricultural regions.In 1541, the famous Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto may have stood upon the Sikeston Ridge
Sikeston Ridge
Sikeston Ridge is a two mile wide topographic terrace with an average height of deposited by the Ohio River. It was formed many years ago when the Mississippi River flowed west of Sikeston. This Southeast Missouri ridge runs from area of Haywood City south through Sikeston towards the historic...
, although some historical references dispute this, believing that he traveled further south than Sikeston. In 1789, by order of the King of Spain, an overland route was laid out to connect the cities of St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. This frontier road was known as the El Camino Real or King's Highway. From December 16, 1811 to February 4, 1812, the area was struck by a series of more than 2,000 earthquakes, known as the New Madrid Earthquake, a series of shock waves believed by some to have been the greatest in North American history.
The land for the city of Sikeston was first owned by a Frenchman named Francis Paquette. In 1829, the city site was acquired by the Stallcup family. In 1859, city founder John Sikes who had married into the Stallcup family gained control of the land. In April 1860, the city was platted in anticipation of the completion of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad which would intersect with the Spanish King's Highway. In the city of New Madrid
New Madrid, Missouri
New Madrid is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, 42 miles south by west of Cairo, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. New Madrid was founded in 1788 by American frontiersmen. In 1900, 1,489 people lived in New Madrid, Missouri; in 1910, the population was 1,882. The population was 3,334 at...
, the street was known as Big Prairie Road and as Sikeston Road after the city of Sikeston was established. Today Kingshighway, also known as Business U.S. Highway 61
U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
serves Sikeston as a primary north-south street and is lined with businesses and older historic homes. Sikeston’s downtown area includes Malone Park, the city’s oldest park, and the historic First Methodist Church columns, six majestic pillars that remain as a reminder of the 1879 church which was destroyed by fire in 1968.
Although Sikeston was only a small village during the Civil War, its position at the railroad and highway intersection gave it some importance. At one point, Confederate General Jeff Thompson robbed a bank in nearby Charleston
Charleston, Missouri
Charleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mississippi County and it is a home to a local correctional facility.-History:...
to pay men and buy arms and supplies. Legend has it that he hid part of his money under one of the oak trees at the corner of New Madrid Street and Kingshighway.
By 1900, Sikeston had a population of 1,100, and two drainage ditches had been completed. By this time, the city had two banks, two newspapers, and three hotels. One of the hotels built between 1895 and 1898 was a three-story brick hotel that was later known as the Mashall-Dunn Hotel which was later listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Prominent individuals who stayed at this hotel included Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, Alben W. Barkley
Alben W. Barkley
Alben William Barkley was an American politician in the Democratic Party who served as the 35th Vice President of the United States , under President Harry S. Truman....
, Tom Pendergast
Tom Pendergast
Thomas Joseph Pendergast controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri as a political boss. "Boss Tom" Pendergast gave workers jobs and helped elect politicians during the Great Depression, becoming wealthy in the process.-Early years:Thomas Joseph Pendergast, also known to close friends as...
.
Following World War II, the now adjacent city of Miner
Miner, Missouri
Miner is a city in Mississippi and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. It borders the city of Sikeston to the east. The population was 1,056 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Miner is located at ....
was founded. The city was originally known as Minner in honor of one of the original residing landowners. However, the name was altered when the railroad inadvertently left off an “n” off the switching station, renaming it Miner Switch. In 1951, this city became incorporated due to modern day pioneer William Howard McGill.
Military History
- During the Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe 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...
, Sikeston's location held some importance due to its railroad and road location. In the fall of 1861, Confederate Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Gideon PillowGideon Johnson PillowGideon Johnson Pillow was an American lawyer, politician, and Confederate general in the American Civil War. He is best remembered for his poor performance at the Battle of Fort Donelson.-Early life:...
pushed a column of troops from New MadridNew Madrid, MissouriNew Madrid is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, 42 miles south by west of Cairo, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. New Madrid was founded in 1788 by American frontiersmen. In 1900, 1,489 people lived in New Madrid, Missouri; in 1910, the population was 1,882. The population was 3,334 at...
towards Sikeston and Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MissouriCape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
. On October 4, 1861, Confederate Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
M. Jeff ThompsonM. Jeff ThompsonMeriwether Jeff Thompson was a brigadier general in the Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War. He served the Confederate Army as a cavalry commander, and had the unusual distinction of having a ship in the Confederate Navy named for him.-Early life:*Father: Meriwether Thompson b....
reached Sikeston, planning to strike Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MissouriCape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
; however, his manpower was limited, and he decided to retreat into the swamps off to the west. On November 3, 1861, from Cairo, IllinoisCairo, IllinoisCairo is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The rivers converge at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant...
, Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
wrote a letter to Colonel Richard J. Oglesby, commander of the Union Headquarters District Southeast Missouri at Bird’s PointBird's Point, MissouriBird's Point is an unincorporated community in Mississippi County, Missouri. It lies on an island or former island in the Mississippi River, near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and is situated directly across from Cairo, Illinois. This is the point where the U.S...
, ordering his troops to "strike for Sikeston" from the Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
town of CommerceCommerce, MissouriCommerce is a Mississippi River city in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The population was 110 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1788, the present site of Commerce was first occupied by French settlers, making Commerce apparently the third-oldest present site settlement in Missouri after St...
. Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Benjamin PrentissBenjamin PrentissBenjamin Mayberry Prentiss was an American soldier and politician. He fought in the Mexican-American War and on the Union side of the American Civil War, rising to the rank of major general....
and ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
W. H. L. Wallace were also converged in the Sikeston area in preparation of Grant's attack at the Battle of BelmontBattle of BelmontThe Battle of Belmont was fought on November 7, 1861, in Mississippi County, Missouri. It was the first combat test in the American Civil War for Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, the future Union Army general in chief and eventual U.S...
. In 1862, Sikeston was used as a transportation connection as Union Brigadier General PopeJohn Pope (military officer)John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
sent his artillery across the river to CommerceCommerce, MissouriCommerce is a Mississippi River city in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The population was 110 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1788, the present site of Commerce was first occupied by French settlers, making Commerce apparently the third-oldest present site settlement in Missouri after St...
to be sent by rail to Sikeston for cart transportation to New MadridNew Madrid, MissouriNew Madrid is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, 42 miles south by west of Cairo, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. New Madrid was founded in 1788 by American frontiersmen. In 1900, 1,489 people lived in New Madrid, Missouri; in 1910, the population was 1,882. The population was 3,334 at...
in preparation for the Battle of Island Number TenBattle of Island Number TenThe Battle of Island Number Ten was an engagement at the New Madrid or Kentucky Bend on the Mississippi River during the American Civil War, lasting from February 28 to April 8, 1862. The position, an island at the base of a tight double turn in the course of the river, was held by the Confederates...
. On February 28, 1862, PopeJohn Pope (military officer)John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...
left CommerceCommerce, MissouriCommerce is a Mississippi River city in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The population was 110 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1788, the present site of Commerce was first occupied by French settlers, making Commerce apparently the third-oldest present site settlement in Missouri after St...
with his army of 12,000, arriving in Sikeston on March 2, 1862. Colonel William Pitt Kellogg, future governor of Louisiana, commanding the 7th Illinois cavalry, was the first to encounter the rebel sabotage of recently burned bridges and other obstructions. The federals were attacked just south of Sikeston by a small group of rebels led by Confederate General M. Jeff ThompsonM. Jeff ThompsonMeriwether Jeff Thompson was a brigadier general in the Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War. He served the Confederate Army as a cavalry commander, and had the unusual distinction of having a ship in the Confederate Navy named for him.-Early life:*Father: Meriwether Thompson b....
called the Swamp Fox, a nickname previously belonging to Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
Brigadier General Francis MarionFrancis MarionFrancis Marion was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. Acting with Continental Army and South Carolina militia commissions, he was a persistent adversary of the British in their occupation of South Carolina in 1780 and 1781, even after the Continental Army was driven...
. Thompson commanded a detachment of 85 horsemen and four to six experimental cannons that had been manufactured in MemphisMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. Colonel James Morgan Illinois's troops were reinforced by Brigadier General Schuyler Hamilton's 2nd Division, hence ThompsonM. Jeff ThompsonMeriwether Jeff Thompson was a brigadier general in the Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War. He served the Confederate Army as a cavalry commander, and had the unusual distinction of having a ship in the Confederate Navy named for him.-Early life:*Father: Meriwether Thompson b....
quickly fled. Entering the area from Bird's PointBird's Point, MissouriBird's Point is an unincorporated community in Mississippi County, Missouri. It lies on an island or former island in the Mississippi River, near the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and is situated directly across from Cairo, Illinois. This is the point where the U.S...
, Brigadier General Eleazor Arthur Paine, commander of the 4th Division of Army of the MississippiArmy of the MississippiArmy of the Mississippi was the name given to two Union armies that operated around the Mississippi River, both with short existences, during the American Civil War.-1862:...
, repaired the railroad and telegraphTelegraphyTelegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
lines and used troops from IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to form a garrison for Sikeston, BertrandBertrand, MissouriBertrand is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 740 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bertrand is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
, and CharlestonCharleston, MissouriCharleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mississippi County and it is a home to a local correctional facility.-History:...
. War records indicate that on March 31, 1862, there were six Union officers and 143 Union soldiers present in Sikeston. On September 22, 1864, during Price's RaidPrice's RaidPrice's Missouri Expedition, also known as Price's Raid, was an 1864 Confederate cavalry raid through the states of Missouri and Kansas during the American Civil War. While Confederate Major General Sterling Price enjoyed some successes during this campaign, he was decisively beaten at the Battle...
, a Confederate force of 1,500 men near Sikeston under the command of Colonel William Lafayette Jeffers attacked Captain Lewis Sells' company of Union soldiers who were moving from Cape Girardeau to reinforce two companies of soldiers in BloomfieldBloomfield, MissouriBloomfield is a city in Stoddard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Stoddard County.-Geography:Bloomfield is located at...
. - During World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, an infantry company was organized in Sikeston on August 25, 1917 until the spring of 1919. Company K became part of the 140th Infantry, 70th Brigade, U.S. 35th Infantry Division and fought in the Meuse-Argonne OffensiveMeuse-Argonne OffensiveThe Meuse-Argonne Offensive, or Maas-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of the Argonne Forest, was a part of the final Allied offensive of World War I that stretched along the entire western front.-Overview:...
and served as part of the occupation force of Europe. Between the two world wars, Company K was reorganized. It helped secure rail centers during the railroad workers' strike of 1922, helped out with the aftermath of the Poplar BluffPoplar Bluff, MissouriPoplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
tornado of 1927, and worked on the Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
levees during the floods of 1927 and 1937. In 1941, Company K was sent to Camp James T. Robinson, near Little Rock, where they drilled for eight months. - In 1920, American Legion Post 114 was chartered for the community of Sikeston and named after Henry Meldrun, a Sikeston native who was killed in Europe during World War I.
- During World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
until 1944, the Sikeston Memorial Municipal AirportSikeston Memorial Municipal AirportSikeston Memorial Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The airport is two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of the city of Sikeston....
which was previously dedicated on July 3–4, 1934, was known as Harvey Parks Airport and included long, barrack-style buildings as a site of the Missouri Institute of Aeronautics, which was established after General Hap ArnoldHenry H. ArnoldHenry Harley "Hap" Arnold was an American general officer holding the grades of General of the Army and later General of the Air Force. Arnold was an aviation pioneer, Chief of the Air Corps , Commanding General of the U.S...
asked flight training operations to triple their enrollments. World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
flying aceFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
Robert S. JohnsonRobert S. JohnsonLieutenant Colonel Robert Samuel Johnson was a USAAF fighter pilot during World War II. He is credited with scoring 27 victories during the conflict flying a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt....
trained at this location. The original gated entrance to Harvey Parks Airport now serves as the entrance to the city's Veterans Park. - Also during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the local National Guard unit Company K was assigned to the Western Defense Command in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the local school students helped raise money to have a B-25 bomber named the Spirit of Sikeston, and the local International Shoe factory started work on an army shoe order. - Sikeston is also home to the Missouri National Guard unit Company C 1140th Engineer BattalionBattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
which took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom2003 invasion of IraqThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
from February 2004 until February 2005. Company C has been restructured from an engineering unit to a detachment of the 1221st Transportation Company, headquartered in Dexter, MissouriDexter, Missouri-Government:* Mayor: Joe Weber* City Administrator: Mark Stidham* Aldermen:* Ward 1: Jerry Corder, Terry Battles* Ward 2: Kent Essner, Rick Hux* Ward 3: Ray Pixley, John "Kirby" Taylor-Notable residents:* George K. Sisler, Medal of Honor recipient...
. - Located near the airport, Veterans' Park includes a display of a M60M60 PattonThe 105 mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank, M60, also known unofficially as the M60 Patton, is a first-generation main battle tank introduced in December 1960. It was widely used by the U.S. and its Cold War allies, especially those in NATO, and remains in service throughout the world today...
battle tank, an F-4 Phantom II jet fighter, and a 105 mm HowitzerHowitzerA howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
cannon. - In 2000, the remains of Mason Yarbrough, a Sikeston native and World War II marine, were found on Makin IslandMakin IslandMakin Island may refer to:* Butaritari, an atoll in Kiribati* Makin * USS Makin Island...
and returned for a military funeral. - The recently-built George E. DayBud DayGeorge Everette "Bud" Day is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and Command Pilot who served during the Vietnam War, to include five years and seven months as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. He is often cited as being the most decorated U.S. service member since General Douglas MacArthur, having...
Parkway is named for Colonel George E. "Bud" Day, a F-100 Super Sabre pilot who is the only known American POWPrisoner of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
to escape into South VietnamSouth VietnamSouth Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, although he was later recaptured and sent to the Hanoi HiltonHanoi HiltonHỏa Lò Prison, later sarcastically known to American prisoners of war as the "Hanoi Hilton", was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War....
. Earlier in 1955, while serving in England, Colonel Day was noted for surviving the first "no chute" bailout from a burning jet fighter. On March 6, 1976, President Gerald FordGerald FordGerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
presented him and James StockdaleJames StockdaleVice Admiral James Bond Stockdale was one of the most highly decorated officers in the history of the United States Navy.Stockdale led aerial attacks from the carrier during the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident...
with the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
. - On April 26, 2006, the national commander of the American Legion Thomas L. Bock visited Sikeston to speak to American Legion Post 114.
Historical Trivia
- The Hunter Memorial Cemetery, located on the grounds of the local Presbyterian Church, was established around 1812 after the New Madrid earthquakeNew Madrid earthquakeThe 1811-1812 New Madrid earthquakes were an intense intraplate earthquake series beginning with an initial pair of very large earthquakes on December 16, 1811. These earthquakes remain the most powerful earthquakes ever to hit the eastern United States in recorded history...
by Joseph Hunter II who served under George Rogers ClarkGeorge Rogers ClarkGeorge Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
during the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and on the Territorial Council for President MadisonJames MadisonJames Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
. In 1814, the village of Winchester was laid out about one-half a mile south of the future site of Sikeston and even became the seat of justice for New Madrid CountyNew Madrid County, MissouriNew Madrid County is a county located in the Bootheel of southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 Census, the county's population was 19,760. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 17,589. The largest city and county seat is New Madrid...
, but the village essentially disappeared after 1822 when the county seat was moved to New MadridNew Madrid, MissouriNew Madrid is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, 42 miles south by west of Cairo, Illinois, on the Mississippi River. New Madrid was founded in 1788 by American frontiersmen. In 1900, 1,489 people lived in New Madrid, Missouri; in 1910, the population was 1,882. The population was 3,334 at...
. - The first house in Sikeston is believed to have been located at 318 Baker Lane. The "Baker House" was probably built in 1855, about five years before the town was founded. One of the early inhabitants of this house was Lee Hunter for whom one of the elementary schools is named. In fact, the house once had a large barn that was located where Lee Hunter school is now situated. The Baker family moved into the house in 1888 and purchased it from the Hunter family in the early 1950s.
- One of the first rail lines west of the Mississippi RiverMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
ran to Sikeston, and it was the terminus of the Cairo and Fulton Railroad until 1872. - From the early 1900s until at least around 1950, the city had more millionaires per capita than any other U.S. city of a similar population and the largest milling company in the Midwest, selling products to 23 states and seven foreign countries.
- In 1916, landowner Leonard McMullin built a home of Colonial Revival architecture at 214 North Scott Street. Billed as the "Flying Farmer," he was the first commercial pilot in the state of Missouri, flying numerous exhibitions at state fairs.
- In 1931, J. Otto Hahs (1891–1969) invented and patented the coin-operated horse in Sikeston.
- In January 1937, a devastating flood and flu outbreak occurred in Sikeston.
- In 1942, the last lynching in Missouri took place in Sikeston. Information of this event is contained within the book The Lynching of Cleo Wright by Dominic J. Capeci, Jr. The book tells the story of a "mob" taking justice into its own hands in 1942. It marked the first time the federal government had gotten involved in a civil rights case and how in the end a grand jury in the town allowed "mob justice" to rule. http://www.amazon.com/dp/0813120489
- On May 17, 1946, William Jefferson Blythe, Jr.William Jefferson Blythe, Jr.William Jefferson "Bill" Blythe, Jr. was an Arkansas salesman of heavy equipment and the biological father of former U.S. President Bill Clinton.-Personal life:...
, father of former U.S.United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, died outside Sikeston on U.S. Route 60U.S. Route 60U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
after being thrown from his car and drowning in a drainage ditch. This occurred three months before Bill Clinton's birth. - In the 1950s, the "Gay 90's Village Museum," a music machines, owned by Paul Eakins was established. The museum was closed in the mid 1970s, when Eakins sold the bulk of his collection to Walt Disney World.
- On January 21, 1955, a mostly unknown 20-year-old Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
performed at the Sikeston Armory. - The 1962 film The IntruderThe Intruder (1962 film)The Intruder is a 1962 American film directed by Roger Corman, after a novel by Charles Beaumont, starring William Shatner. Also called Shame in US release, and The Stranger in the UK release...
, starring William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
and directed by Roger CormanRoger CormanRoger William Corman is an American film producer, director and actor. He has mostly worked on low-budget B movies. Some of Corman's work has an established critical reputation, such as his cycle of films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and in 2009 he won an Honorary Academy Award for...
, features scenes shot on location in downtown Sikeston and at the old courthouse in CharlestonCharleston, MissouriCharleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mississippi County and it is a home to a local correctional facility.-History:...
. - Around 1965, Sikeston was the location where Dr. Dewey Urban performed the first successful tooth transplant between two unrelated persons.
- On April 1, 1965, Ronald ReaganRonald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
was the guest speaker for the Sikeston Chamber of Commerce’s annual banquet and was presented an “Honorary Cotton Picker of Southeast Missouri” plaque, perhaps as part of an April Fools' DayApril Fools' DayApril Fools' Day is celebrated in different countries around the world on April 1 every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is not a national holiday, but is widely recognized and celebrated as a day when many people play all kinds of jokes and foolishness...
joke. - In 1968, Sikeston became the location for the first or second Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
store built outside of ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Sam WaltonSam WaltonSamuel Moore "Sam" Wallballs was a businessman, entrepreneur, and Eagle Scout born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.-Early life:...
was known for visiting the Sikeston store several times a month by flying his airplane into the Sikeston Municipal AirportSikeston Memorial Municipal AirportSikeston Memorial Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The airport is two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of the city of Sikeston....
. - In 1973, the first Drury InnDrury HotelsDrury Hotels, LLC, or Drury Hotels is a St. Louis, Missouri based corporation that operates over 130 hotels in a 20 state area.The company employs approximately 4,000 people....
was built in Sikeston. - Former Senator Lloyd BentsenLloyd BentsenLloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. was a four-term United States senator from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ticket. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1955. In his later political life, he was Chairman of the Senate...
visited the rodeo grounds in attempt to gain support for a 1976 presidential run. - On May 15, 1986, a tornadoTornadoA tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
hit the city of Sikeston and destroyed about 100 homes, prompting former Governor John AshcroftJohn AshcroftJohn David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
to visit and call on the National GuardUnited States National GuardThe National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
for assistance. On the same day, the nearby community of VanduserVanduser, MissouriVanduser is a village in Scott County, Missouri, United States. The population was 217 at the 2000 census. The zip code is 63784.On May 15, 1986, a tornado hit Vanduser, killing a man when it destroyed his mobile home. Almost every building in the town of 350 people was damaged. "The whole town...
was also hit by a tornado while storms precipitated flooding to the north in Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MissouriCape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
. http://shadyacres.mydoghouse.com/history.htm - A horse named Sikeston, owned by Luciano GaucciLuciano GaucciLuciano Gaucci is an Italian entrepreneur and sportsman. He was the owner of various clubs:* Perugia Calcio, a football club based in Perugia, Umbria.* Viterbese Calcio, a football club based in Viterbo, Lazio.* S.S...
, won the Gran CriteriumGran CriteriumThe Gran Criterium is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy which is open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at San Siro, Milan, over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in October....
in 1988, the Premio ParioliPremio ParioliThe Premio Parioli, sometimes referred to as the Italian 2,000 Guineas, is a Group 3 flat horse race in Italy which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts. It is run at Capannelle, Rome, over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.The event was...
in 1989, the Premio RibotPremio RibotThe Premio Ribot is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Capannelle over a distance 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in November....
in 1990, the Queen Anne StakesQueen Anne StakesThe Queen Anne Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and Premio RomaPremio RomaThe Premio Roma is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Capannelle, Rome, over a distance 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in November....
in 1991, and the Premio Presidente della RepubblicaPremio Presidente della RepubblicaThe Premio Presidente della Repubblica is a Group 1 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Capannelle over a distance 2,000 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May.-History:...
in 1991 and 1992. - On May 27, 2004, Naomi BettsNaomi BettsNaomi Betts is an American criminal who robbed the Fifth Third Bank in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. on October 9, 2003. She was arrested on May 27, 2004, after a May 22, 2004 airing of America's Most Wanted. During the robbery, she did not even attempt to conceal her face...
, a criminal who robbed a bank in IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, was arrested in Sikeston, following an airing of an episode of America's Most WantedAmerica's Most WantedAmerica's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
. - On January 26–27, 2009, the city of Sikeston and the surrounding area were hit with a devastating ice stormIce stormAn ice storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain, also known as a glaze event or in some parts of the United States as a silver thaw. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on exposed surfaces...
, the January 2009 Central Plains and Midwest ice stormJanuary 2009 Central Plains and Midwest ice stormThe January 2009 ice storm was a major ice storm that occurred over parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The storm produced widespread power outages for over 2 million people due to heavy ice accumulation...
. This storm knocked out electrical service to large parts of the city for several days and damaged a large percentage of the trees, making this event the worst natural disaster to hit the city since at least the 1986 tornado. Restoration of city electrical power was delayed as a circuit breaker at the Coleman Substation had exploded on January 21 just before the ice storm hit. Governor Jay NixonJay NixonJeremiah Wilson "Jay" Nixon, Sr. is the 55th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Missouri. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Missouri's Attorney General before his election in 2008.-Political career:...
surveyed the fog-covered damage by helicopter and visited the Sikeston Field House which was being used as a shelter.
Attractions
- Lambert's CafeLambert's CafeLambert's Cafe, also known as Home of the Throwed Rolls is a restaurant known for its homestyle cooking, "pass arounds", and its "throwed" [sic] dinner rolls. It is distinguished from other restaurants by its policy of providing large 32 oz...
- One of Southeast Missouri's most popular stops, Lambert's Cafe is the only home of the famous throwed rolls. It offers a comfortable, entertaining atmosphere with generous portions of down-home entrees and "pass-arounds" of fried potatoes, okra, macaroni and tomatoes, and black-eyed peas just to name a few, not to mention the hot, wonderfully tasty rolls flying through the air. The restaurant was named the number one place to "pig out" by the Travel Channel. - The Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo - Held around the first of August for over 50 years, the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo provides top qualify family entertainment at an affordable price. In the past 50 years, entertainment such as Matt DillonMatt DillonMatthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon is an American actor and film director. He began acting in the late 1970s, gaining fame as a teenage idol during the 1980s.- Early life :...
, Festus, Dennis WeaverDennis WeaverWilliam Dennis Weaver was an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, and the 1971 TV movie Duel....
and from the popular Western series on television in the 1950s and 1960s have appeared at the rodeo as have some of today's top country music stars including Alabama, Lonestar, Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Tracy Lawrence, Sammy Kershaw, Doug Stone, Lorrie Morgan, Tanya Tucker, Pam Tillis, and many more. - Sikeston BullsSikeston BullsThe Sikeston Bulls are a summer collegiate baseball team based in Sikeston, Missouri. The team, which plays in the KIT League plays its home games in VFW Memorial Stadium, located in Sikeston, Missouri...
- A minor league baseball team and part of the collegiate wood bat KIT LeagueKIT LeagueThe Kentucky-Illinois-Tennessee League is a summer collegiate wooden bat league. The league's name is formed from the initials of the states that originally hosted the first iteration of the KIT League...
, which consists of teams from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois. Although inactive in 2008, the team returned to Sikeston in 2009. The Bulls play their home games in the VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston. - The Sikeston Factory Outlet Mall is a 22-store outlet shopping center and is the only outlet center between St. Louis and Memphis that serves the five-state region. Sikeston Factory Outlet Stores is located at Exit 67 off I-55, only one mile north of the I-55 / I-57 interchange.
- The Sikeston Depot, a train depotTrain stationA train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
built in 1916 and on the National Register of Historical Places, is now used as a cultural center and museum. The Sikeston Depot is home to one of Southeast Missouri's finest art and history exhibits. The Depot's Art Gallery features ever-changing displays by different artists and a variety of mediums. The Depot Museum exhibits the intriguing history of Sikeston and Southeast Missouri through permanent and rotating displays. - Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum - The state's largest collection of antique farm machinery is just a short drive from Miner. At the Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum, there are more than 6,000 pieces of machinery all capable of performing their original tasks. Many items date back to the 1800s and include tractors, combines, wagons, etc.
- Granny's Antiques - Located next to the Southeast Missouri Agricultural Museum just outside of Miner as are two authentic log cabins, a reconstructed service station, post office, 191-room schoolhouse, old country church, newspaper office, bank and the railroad station.
- Begg's Pumpkin Patch - A working family farm located just six miles (10 km) north of Sikeston-Miner, visitors can travel through a real corn maze, pick a pumpkin, feed the goats, see more farm animals, climb the giant tire maze, enjoy a snack or homemade fudge, find their way through the giant MaizeQuest, and the Saturday night flashlight night.
- Veterans' Park - A 4.8 acres (19,424.9 m²) park dedicated to the hundreds of men and women from Sikeston and other communities in Southeast Missouri who have valiantly served their country in times of war, the park features a large, lighted granite monument and American flag display. The park was constructed and is maintained by volunteers without city funding. Names of Sikeston area veterans are inscribed in the brick walk leading from the parking lot to the memorial. Park visitors enjoy the static displays which currently feature an M-60 battle tank, 105mm Howitzer cannon and an F4 Phantom jet.
- The Bootheel Golf Club and Sikeston Country Club & Golf Course.
- SEMO Raceway and Sikeston Race Park.
- The remodeled YMCAYMCAThe Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
building was originally built in 1925. It was previously used as a gymnasium for the middle school and as a gymnasium for the high school before that. Sikeston's YMCA has recently broken ground on an $8 million renovation campaign, which includes an indoor pool. - Malco Trio CinemaMalco TheatresMalco Theatres, Inc. is a fourth generation movie theatre chain that has remained family owned and operated for over nine decades. The company has 33 locations with 326 screens in five states . Malco also operates four bowling lanes in southern Louisiana under the Malco Theatres Bowling name...
, the city's only movie theater.
Entertainment & Recreation
Sikeston's Park system includes 14 parks, perfect for large family gatherings or quiet picnics. The largest park, the Sikeston Recreation Complex, features a fishing lake, picnic shelters and playground equipment. With tennis courts and several soccer fields, baseball diamonds and a little league football field, the Recreation Complex is home to a number of sporting events, including state and regional tournaments.Some of Sikeston's parks include Armory Park, Central Park, Clayton Park, Dudley Park, American Legion Park, Malone Park, Mary Lou Montgomery Park, R.S. Matthews Park, Roberta Rowe West End Park, Rotary Park, Sikeston Recreation Complex, and Veterans Park.
- VFW Stadium—largest local baseball field
- The Sikeston Depot—city museum
- Blodgett’s Paintball Planet—a recreational area located north of Sikeston
- Sikeston's American Legion-sponsored Cotton Carnival and Parade began in 1944 as a homecoming to some World War II veterans. The parade, one of the largest in Missouri, featured floats, area marching bands, and state and national politicians. http://www.legion.org/dispatch/4123/part-culture
In addition, the Sikeston Missouri Arts Council and the Sikeston Art League offer a number of community concerts, cultural performances and art shows throughout the year. The Sikeston Little Theater is the oldest performing arts group between St. Louis and Memphis. Their performances are not to be missed, nor are the annual performances of the Arts Council's Missoula Children's Theater. The new Albritton Mayer Center for the arts provides a home for a host of multimedia cultural presentations.
Sikeston has long been associated with country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
. Some previous performers at the local
Jaycee
United States Junior Chamber
The United States Junior Chamber is a leadership training and civic organization for people between the ages of 18 and 41. Areas of emphasis are business development, management skills, individual training, community service, and international connections. The U.S...
rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
have included Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
in 1977 and Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter, author and philanthropist. Born in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky to a coal miner father, Lynn married at 13 years old, was a mother soon after, and moved to Washington with her husband, Oliver Lynn. Their marriage was sometimes tumultuous; he...
in 1983 with Charlie Daniels
Charlie Daniels
Charles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
and Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood
Melvin Lee Greenwood is an American country music artist. Active since the early 1980s, he has released more than twenty major-label albums and has charted more than 35 singles on the Billboard country music charts....
performing multiple times. Upon his visit, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
donated an Arabian stallion
Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse is a breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is one of the most easily recognizable horse breeds in the world. It is also one of the oldest breeds, with archaeological evidence of horses...
to be auctioned off to bring money to the local cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
center which in appreciation changed its name to the Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
Children’s Center.
Religion
Sikeston is home to several houses of worship http://www.visitsikeston-miner.com/churches.html. Some of the early Sikeston churches and those with their founding dates include the following:- First United Methodist Church (1867); the "Dome Church" was erected at New Madrid and Harris Streets in 1912.
- First BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church (1868); erected at South Kingshighway in 1915. - Sikeston First United Pentecostal Church
- Hunter Memorial First Presbyterian Church (1870; 1894 re-established)
- St. Francis XavierFrancis XavierFrancis Xavier, born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta was a pioneering Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. He was a student of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first seven Jesuits, dedicated at Montmartre in 1534...
CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Church (1885 first mass; 1905 parish established); the present church was erected in 1938 - Wesley United Methodist Church (1905)
- First ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Church (organized 1906) - Concordia Lutheran Church (1919)
- West End Missionary Baptist Church (1922)
- Smith Chapel United Methodist Church (1923; 1938 Sikeston location)
- First Church of the NazareneChurch of the NazareneThe Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
(1924) - Seventh-day Adventist ChurchSeventh-day Adventist ChurchThe Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
(1937) - Tanner Street Church of God (1938)
- First Assembly of God (1939 or 1940)
- Fellowship Baptist Church (1949)
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church (1952)
- Murray Lane Baptist Church (1960)
- Trinity Baptist Church (1966; organized in 1965)
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Health care
Missouri Delta Medical Center was founded in Sikeston in 1948. The hospital typically employs over 600 healthcare providers and has close to 200 beds.Public schools
Of all residents in Sikeston who are 25 years of age and older, 73.3% hold a high school diploma or higher as their highest educational attainment; 14.2% possess a bachelor's degree or higher; 5.0% hold a graduate or professional degree; and 26.7% have less than a high school diploma.Area high schools
- Sikeston Senior High School. Sikeston High SchoolSikeston High SchoolSikeston High School, also known as SHS, is a public secondary school in Sikeston, Missouri.-History:The Sikeston Public Schools system held its first four-year high school graduation commencement in 1904. In 1924, Sikeston built a segregated school to be used only by African American students...
's mascot is the BulldogBulldogBulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
and the school colors are red and black. The Bulldogs of Sikeston were the first high school football team in MissouriMissouriMissouri 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...
to record 400 all-time victories. In 2011, the football team became one of five teams in Missouri to record its 600th victory. Sikeston also has a rich tradition in other sports. In baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and boys basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, the Bulldogs rank among the state's leaders in all-time playoff appearances. In boys track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, they captured the 2009 Class 3 state championship and consistently place among the top 10 teams at the track and field state championships. In the Fall of 2009, the Sikeston Bulldog football team shattered records during a 13-1 season. Points scored, offensive yardage, and wins in a season were among the records broken. Sikeston ended its season, losing in the state semifinals to Jefferson City Helias, one step short of the Class 4 State Championship game. In the 2010 football season, Sikeston put together its second straight undefeated regular season and reached the Class 4 semifinals before losing to WarrentonWarrenton, MissouriWarrenton is a city in Warren County, Missouri, United States. The population was estimated at 7,398 in 2008. It is the county seat of Warren County. Warrenton is located in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. Warrenton's slogan is "A City for All Seasons."-Geography:Warrenton is located...
. The team finished 13-1 for the second straight year, shattering even more state records in the process. The 2010-2011 boys basketball team finished their season as the Class 4 State Champions with a perfect 30-0 record, defeating the St. Francis Borgia Knights in the final game of the season. It was the first state title for Sikeston in boys basketball, as well as the first undefeated season in school history. The team finished ranked in the top 30 in the nation by some publications after the record breaking season.
- Scott County Central Junior-Senior High SchoolScott County Central High SchoolScott County Central High School is high school at 20794 US Highway 61 Sikeston, Missouri, Scott County, Missouri that has won 15 Missouri state boys basketball championships -- the most of any high school in the state....
. The Scott County Central School District is also located five miles (8 km) north of Sikeston on U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
. According to the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, there is one elementary school and one consolidated junior-senior high school in the district. During the 2008–2009 school year, there was a total of 348 students and 49 certified staff members enrolled in the Scott County Central School District. The school colors are orange and black and its mascot is the Braves. The high school won 15 boys state basketball championships between 1976 and 2011—the most such championships of any school in the state.
Private schools
Sikeston is also home to three private schools that serve both the educational and religious needs of students and their families.- St. Francis Xavier Catholic School
- Solid Rock Christian Academy
- Southeast Missouri Christian Academy
In 1892, a local high school known as the "Methodist College" was established by the Sikeston Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
. The school was disbanded after the public high school was established.
Higher Education & Technical Schools
- Southeast Missouri State University-Sikeston, a satellite campus of Southeast Missouri State University located in Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau, MissouriCape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
. - The Sikeston Career & Technology Center
- Three Rivers Community CollegeThree Rivers Community College (Missouri)Three Rivers Community College is a community college in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, USA.Three Rivers was founded in 1967 when voters in the counties of Butler, Carter, Ripley and Wayne approved the taxing district of Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne counties....
Center located at 103 Kathleen Street, Sikeston.
Media
- The Sikeston Standard Democrat is Sikeston's daily newspaper that derives its name from two of the city's previous newspapers—The Democrat Advertiser and The Daily Standard which was founded in 1911 and became a daily newspaper in 1950. In 1939, The Daily Standard editor Charles "Pole Cat" Blanton was featured in Time MagazineTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
; he had purchased the newspaper in 1913, publishing the first issue on March 1, 1913. - Previous Sikeston newspapers have included The Sikeston Star which was founded in 1884; The Sikeston Herald, a left-leaning Republican newspaper founded in 1903 or perhaps 1900; The Scott County Democrat and The Enterprise which was founded in 1883 and eventually became known as The Dexter Statesman; and Delta Metro, a weekly news magazine, which was published from 1975 until 1977.
- The Sikeston High School newspaper is known as The Bulldog Barker while the high school yearbook is known as The Growler.
Transportation
- In 1789, El Camino RealU.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
, also known as "The King's Highway," was marked out by orders from the King of Spain. In 1915, the Missouri Daughters of the American RevolutionDaughters of the American RevolutionThe Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
erected a monument near Woodlawn Street in Sikeston to mark this event. In 1929, the Sikeston portion of the street was paved. Today this road is known as U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
. - Sikeston is located at the intersection of I-55Interstate 55 in MissouriIn the U.S. state of Missouri, Interstate 55 runs from the Arkansas state line to the Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River in St. Louis.-Route description:...
and I-57, making it the only city in Missouri other than Kansas City and St. Louis to be located on at least two interstate highways. Other Sikeston highways include U.S. Route 60U.S. Route 60U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
, U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
, U.S. Route 62U.S. Route 62U.S. Route 62 runs from the US-Mexico border at El Paso, Texas to Niagara Falls, New York, near the United States-Canada border. It is the only east-west US Route that connects Mexico and Canada.Parts of U.S...
, and Missouri Route 114. Sikeston's location at the intersection of U.S. Highways 60, 61, and 62 makes the city one of the few towns located at the intersection of three consecutively numbered highways. - The city is served by the Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific RailroadThe Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
and the BNSF RailwayBNSF RailwayThe BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. - The city has a few cobble-stoned streets in its older commercial downtown area.
Economy
As measured in 2008, the cost of living index in Sikeston is low (80.4) compared to the U.S. average of 100. The unemployment rate was 7.6 percent in Sikeston.- The major city employers include UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
, Missouri Delta Medical Center, the Sikeston Public Schools system, and Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
. - In 1904, the Little River Drainage District was formed, establishing Sikeston as one of the richest farm areas in the entire state. Agriculture products of the area include cottonCottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
, soybeanSoybeanThe soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
s, cornMaizeMaize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, riceRiceRice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, watermelonWatermelonWatermelon is a vine-like flowering plant originally from southern Africa. Its fruit, which is also called watermelon, is a special kind referred to by botanists as a pepo, a berry which has a thick rind and fleshy center...
s, wheatWheatWheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, milo, potatoPotatoThe potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es, and poultryPoultryPoultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
with native trees that include oakOakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and cypressCupressaceaeThe Cupressaceae or cypress family is a conifer family with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27 to 30 genera , which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130-140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdioecious or dioecious trees and shrubs from 1-116 m tall...
. Historically, the city was previously known for its two large flour mills. - Sikeston is the headquarters for Montgomery Bank which is the largest privately owned, family operated bank in Missouri.
- In 1931, the Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities was established to provide electrical service to the city. The current Sikeston Power Plant is a 235 megawatt coalCoalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
-fired steam generating facility with excess capacity sold to other communities. This power plant began serving the city in 1981 after seven years of initial planning. The city's first coal-fired electric plant, the 6-megawatt E.P. Coleman plant, was built in 1958. The Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities also operates the city's water and sewer services and a 33 miles (53.1 km) fiber optic communications network. - Besides Lambert's CafeLambert's CafeLambert's Cafe, also known as Home of the Throwed Rolls is a restaurant known for its homestyle cooking, "pass arounds", and its "throwed" [sic] dinner rolls. It is distinguished from other restaurants by its policy of providing large 32 oz...
, other Sikeston restaurants include Arby'sArby'sArby's is a fast food restaurant chain in the United States and Canada. Roark Capital Group owns 81.5% of the company, with Wendy's Company owning the other 18.5%. It is primarily known for selling roast beef sandwiches and curly fries. The Arby's menu also includes chicken sandwiches, appetizers,...
, Applebee'sApplebee'sApplebee’s International, Inc., is an American company which develops, franchises, and operates the Applebee's Neighborhood Grill and Bar restaurant chain. As of September 2011, there were 2,010 restaurants operating system-wide in the United States, one U.S. territory and 14 other countries...
, Buffalo Wild WingsBuffalo Wild WingsBuffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar is a casual dining restaurant and sports bar franchise in the United States that is known for its Buffalo wings.-History:...
, Burger KingBurger KingBurger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Dairy QueenDairy QueenDairy Queen, often abbreviated DQ, is a chain of soft serve and fast food restaurants owned by International Dairy Queen, Inc, who also owns Orange Julius and Karmelkorn. The name "Dairy Queen" is taken from the name of their soft serve product, which the company refers to as "Dairy Queen" or...
, Domino's PizzaDomino's PizzaDomino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
, Hardee'sHardee'sHardee's is a restaurant chain, located mostly in the Southeast and Midwestern regions of the United States. It has evolved through several corporate ownerships since its establishment in 1960. It is currently owned and operated by CKE Restaurants. Along with its sibling restaurant chain, Carl's...
, Jay's Chicken, Kirby's Sandwich Shop, KFCKFCKFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Long John Silver'sLong John Silver'sLong John Silver's, Inc. is a United States-based fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's book Treasure Island. Formerly a division of Yum! Brands, Inc., the company was divested to a group of franchisees in 2011.-History:The...
/A&WA&W RestaurantsA&W Restaurants, Inc., is a chain of fast-food restaurants, distinguished by its draft root beer and root beer floats. A&W was arguably the first successful food franchise company, starting franchises in 1921 in California. Today it has franchise locations throughout the world, serving a typical...
, Mexican Villa (open since 1977), McDonald'sMcDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Papa Murphy'sPapa Murphy'sPapa Murphy's, a business based in Vancouver, Washington, United States, is a take-and-bake pizza company.-History:The chain of take and bake pizzerias traces its history back to 1981, when the Papa Aldo's Pizza chain was begun in Hillsboro, Oregon. Three years later Murphy's Pizza chain began in...
, Pizza InnPizza InnPizza Inn is a restaurant chain and international food franchise, specializing in American-style pizza. The company is based in the Dallas suburb of The Colony, Texas....
, Pizza HutPizza HutPizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....
, Sonic Drive-InSonic Drive-InSonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
, SubwaySubway (restaurant)Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
, Ruby Tuesday in MinerMiner, MissouriMiner is a city in Mississippi and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. It borders the city of Sikeston to the east. The population was 1,056 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Miner is located at ....
, Taco John'sTaco John'sTaco John's is a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based fast-food restaurant featuring Mexican-inspired fast-food . The chain was founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and currently has more than 400 Taco John’s restaurants in 24 states....
, Taco BellTaco BellTaco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
, and Wendy'sWendy'sWendy's is an international fast food chain restaurant founded by Dave Thomas on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The company decided to move its headquarters to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. It has been owned by Triarc since 2008...
. Sikeston is also home to the first Grecian Steakhouse, a local area chain, and has numerous Mexican and Chinese restaurants. - Other Sikeston businesses include AgMart Sales, Clayton Fabrication and Metal Works, Collins Music, Construction Trailer Specialists, Days InnDays InnDays Inn is a motel chain headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1970, it is now a part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, which was formerly a part of Cendant...
, DeWitt Company, Duckett Truck Center, Ferguson Medical Group, First Midwest Bank, Focus Bank, Garage Door Company of Sikeston, J. C. PenneyJ. C. Penney-External links:*...
, J-J-N Enterprises, Lowe'sLowe'sLowe's Companies, Inc. is a U.S.-based chain of retail home improvement and appliance stores. Founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the chain now serves more than 14 million customers a week in its 1,710 stores in the United States and 20 in Canada. Expansion into Canada began in...
, Meyers Supply Company, Slusher Farm and Home Center,Mitchell Insurance, NewWave Communications, Pyramid Roofing Company, Retco Trailer Manufacturing, Steward Steel, The UPSUnited Parcel ServiceUnited Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
Store, and WalgreensWalgreensWalgreen Co. , doing business as Walgreens , is the largest drugstore chain in the United States of America. As of August 31st, the company operates 8,210 locations across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1901, and has since expanded...
with multiple locations for Dollar GeneralDollar GeneralDollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
, Raymond James Financial, State Farm InsuranceState Farm InsuranceState Farm Insurance is a group of insurance and financial services companies in the United States. The company also has operations in Canada....
, and U.S. BancorpU.S. BancorpU.S. Bancorp is a diversified financial services holding company, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the fifth largest commercial bank in the United States based on $330 billion in assets. U.S. Bank ranks as the sixth largest bank in the U.S. based on...
.
- In July 2008, it was announced that MemphisMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
-based company Orgill Inc., the world's largest independent distributor of home improvement products, would build a 795000 square feet (73,857.9 m²) facility in Sikeston estimated to employ between 150 to 350 employees. The company plans to open the facility in August 2009. http://www.standard-democrat.com/story/1445466.html
Sister cities
Sikeston's sister cities are YeosuYeosu
Yeosu is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Old Yeosu City, which was founded in 1949, Yeocheon City, founded in 1986, and Yeocheon County were merged into a new city in 1998....
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
and Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
Politicians & Attorneys
- Kenny HulshofKenny HulshofKenneth C. "Kenny" Hulshof is a politician from the U.S. state of Missouri, and represented in the United States House of Representatives. He was the unsuccessful nominee of the Republican Party for Governor of Missouri in the 2008 election.- Biography :...
, former Republican 2008 Missouri gubernatorial candidateMissouri gubernatorial election, 2008-Polling:-Results:-See also:* U.S. gubernatorial elections, 2008* Missouri gubernatorial election, 2004* Missouri Lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2008-External links:* from the Missouri Secretary of State* at Project Vote Smart...
and congressman who represented the Missouri's 9th Congressional District was born in Sikeston in 1958. Hulshof did carry Scott County in the governor's election by over 7 percentage points. - Maida ColemanMaida ColemanMaida Coleman was a Democratic member of the Missouri Senate, representing the 5th District when she won a special election in February 2002. She is currently the minority floor leader...
, a Democrat from St. Louis and assistant minority leader in the Missouri Senate, was born in Sikeston in 1954. - Charles Augustus CrowCharles A. CrowCharles Augustus Crow was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born on a farm near Sikeston, Missouri, Crow attended the common schools....
, a former Republican one-term congressman from Caruthersville, was born on a farm near Sikeston in 1873. - Ralph Emerson BaileyRalph Emerson BaileyRalph Emerson Bailey was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Cainsville, Missouri, Bailey moved to Illinois with his parents, who settled in Benton, Franklin County, in 1880....
, a former Republican one-term congressman, lived in Sikeston and is buried in the city cemetery in Sikeston. - Alfred C. SikesAlfred C. SikesAlfred C. "Al" Sikes is a Republican former U.S. administrator who served as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from August 8, 1989 to January 19, 1993. He received a B.A. degree for political science from Westminster College in 1961 and an L.L.B. degree from the University of...
, former chairman of the Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
. - Peter C. MyersPeter C. MyersPeter C. Myers, Sr. is a Missouri politician who has been a former Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and a former Republican state representative who represented parts of the counties Scott, Cape Girardeau, and New Madrid...
, former Deputy Secretary of AgricultureUnited States Deputy Secretary of AgricultureThe United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture is the second-highest ranking official in the United States Department of Agriculture, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Deputy Secretary becomes Acting Secretary of Agriculture in the event of the Secretary's...
and state representativeMissouri House of RepresentativesThe Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 members, representing districts with an average size of 31,000 residents. House members are elected for two-year terms during general elections held in even-numbered years.In 1992 Missouri...
. - Lloyd Smith, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party.
- Matthew S. Murray, who was appointed Director of Public Works for Kansas CityKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
at the request of Tom PendergastTom PendergastThomas Joseph Pendergast controlled Kansas City and Jackson County, Missouri as a political boss. "Boss Tom" Pendergast gave workers jobs and helped elect politicians during the Great Depression, becoming wealthy in the process.-Early years:Thomas Joseph Pendergast, also known to close friends as...
in 1926, lived in Sikeston from 1908 until 1922. - David Blanton, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.
- Harry Cullen Blanton, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Military & Business Leaders
- King Sidwell, the 2005-2009 Adjutant General of the Missouri National GuardUnited States National GuardThe National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
, is an attorney from Sikeston. - Thornton WilsonThornton WilsonThornton "T" Arnold Wilson was the Chairman of the Board and chief executive officer of Boeing corporation....
, former Chairman of the BoardChair (official)The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
and Chief executive officerChief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Boeing was born on a farm near Sikeston.http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/wilson.html - Edgar Desmond Lee, co-founder of Lee-Rowan Company, was born in Sikeston. http://www.ja.org/nested/stlouis/Lee.pdf
- Robert S. JohnsonRobert S. JohnsonLieutenant Colonel Robert Samuel Johnson was a USAAF fighter pilot during World War II. He is credited with scoring 27 victories during the conflict flying a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt....
, a United States Army Air ForceUnited States Army Air ForcesThe United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
flying aceFlying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
did flight training in Sikeston for two months between December 1941 and February 1942. - Troy D. Ivie, senior enlisted leader for United States Special Operations CommandUnited States Special Operations CommandThe United States Special Operations Command is the Unified Combatant Command charged with overseeing the various Special Operations Commands of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps of the United States Armed Forces. The command is part of the Department of Defense...
Europe. http://www.eucom.mil/english/FullStory.asp?art=1357 http://www.soceur.eucom.mil/enlisted.asp - Colonel Wendul Glenn Hagler, II is the Missouri National GuardMissouri Army National GuardThe Missouri Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
joint chief of staff and is the commanding officer of the Missouri National Guard's 70th Troop Command, the largest brigade within the Missouri National Guard.
Sports Figures
- James WilderJames WilderJames Curtis Wilder is a former professional American football running back in the National Football League for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, and the Detroit Lions.-High school career:...
, a former NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player who was an All-ProAll-ProAll-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
running back with the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
where he set numerous team records.(http://thejollyroger.com/comment/hof/wilder.htm) He previously played for the Sikeston High School football team, leading the Bulldogs to an undefeated season in 1976. - Brandon Barnes, a former Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player, former all-conference linebacker 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...
, and former all-state defensive back for the Sikeston High School football team. Barnes currently serves as the wide receivers coach for 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...
football team. - George WoodsGeorge Woods (athlete)George Woods was an Olympic track and field athlete.As a senior at Sikeston High School, Woods became the first Missouri high school athlete to top 60 ft in the shot put event, setting a Sikeston school record that still stands to this day...
, a former resident who still holds the Sikeston High School record in the shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
, won OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
silver medalSilver medalA silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
s in the shot putShot putThe shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
in 1968 and 1972. - Charlie BabbCharlie BabbFor the baseball player, see Charlie Babb Charles David Babb was a safety for the Miami Dolphins . He is a graduate of Charleston High School in Charleston, Missouri. Both of Charlie's parents are deaf, making for an interesting home life for Charlie as a child....
, a safety for the Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
who was a member of the NFL's only perfect season, was born in Sikeston. - Kenneth DementKenneth DementKenneth "Redneck" Dement is a former American football offensive tackle/defensive tackle. He played college football for Southeast Missouri State University. He was a 25th round selection selection by the New York Giants in the 1955 NFL Draft]]...
, a football player and attorney who was inducted into the College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in 1998, previously played for the Sikeston High School football team. - Blake DeWittBlake DeWittBlake Robert DeWitt is an American professional baseball utility player with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
, a former Sikeston High School baseball player who was drafted in the first round of the 28th overall pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft2004 Major League Baseball DraftThe 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
by the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, was born in Sikeston. He plays second base for the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and was a starter for the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
during the 2008 playoffs as a rookie. - Eric HurleyEric HurleyEric William Hurley is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Career:Hurley attended Samuel W...
, a pitcher for the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, was born in Sikeston. He was also selected in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft2004 Major League Baseball DraftThe 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
only two picks after Sikeston's Blake DeWittBlake DeWittBlake Robert DeWitt is an American professional baseball utility player with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
. - Josef SpudichJosef SpudichJosef Spudich was a United States professional American football player and teacher.He was born November 9, 1908, one of nine children of parents who came to the United States in 1903 from Croatia....
, a former professional football player who taught and coached in Sikeston.
Television and Movie Personalities and Entertainers
- Jacqueline ScottJacqueline ScottJacqueline Scott is an American actress who has appeared in several films and television programs as well as guest starring in over one hundred television shows...
, an actress who made multiple appearances on such television shows as GunsmokeGunsmokeGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West....
, The Outer LimitsThe Outer Limits (1963 TV series)The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
, BonanzaBonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
, The FugitiveThe Fugitive (TV series)The Fugitive is an American drama series produced by QM Productions and United Artists Television that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1967. David Janssen stars as Richard Kimble, a doctor from the fictional town of Stafford, Indiana, who is falsely convicted of his wife's murder and given the death...
, IronsideIronside (TV series)Ironside is a Universal television series which ran on NBC from September 14, 1967 to January 16, 1975. The show starred Raymond Burr as the wheelchair-using Chief of Detectives, Robert T. Ironside. The character's debut was in a TV-movie on March 28, 1967. The original title of the show in the...
, Planet of the ApesPlanet of the Apes (TV series)Planet of the Apes was a short-lived American science fiction television series that aired on Friday evenings at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central on CBS in 1974. The series starred Roddy McDowall, Ron Harper, and James Naughton, Mark Lenard and Booth Colman...
, and Barnaby JonesBarnaby JonesBarnaby Jones is a television detective series starring Buddy Ebsen and Lee Meriwether as father- and daughter-in-law who run a private detective firm in Los Angeles. A spin-off from Cannon, the show ran on CBS from January 28, 1973 to April 3, 1980, beginning as a midseason replacement...
, was also born in Sikeston.(http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0779261/) - Marjorie MontgomeryMarjorie MontgomeryMarjorie Montgomery was a child dancer and actress. She appeared in vaudeville and later in a motion picture. Montgomery is from Sikeston, Missouri. As an adult she became a noted designer of women's clothes.-Actress:...
, a child actress, dancer, and fashion designer. - Mike Shain, local television news anchor who worked at KFVS-TVKFVS-TVKFVS-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Southeastern Missouri, the Purchase area of Western Kentucky, and Southern Illinois that is licensed to Cape Girardeau, Missouri. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter north of the city in rural Cape...
for over 35 years. - Miss Missouri Teen USAMiss Missouri Teen USAThe Miss Missouri Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Missouri in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant has been directed by Vanbros since 1993....
winners from 1991 Audra Sherman and 1998 Brittany McDonald. Sherman finished as the second runner-up in the Miss Teen USA Pageant. - Miss Missouri USAMiss Missouri USAThe Miss Missouri USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Missouri in the Miss USA pageant. In 1993, Missouri joined the Vanbros group of state pageants for the Miss USA and Teen USA system....
winner from 1957 Judith Ann Murback. - Cody Alcorn, a graduate of Sikeston Public Schools, is an Emmy award winning news anchor for WHNS Fox Carolina in Greenville, SC.(http://www.foxcarolina.com/station/13538039/detail.html)
- Carol Carter, former editor Atlanta Business Chronicle and former reporter for WXIA-TVWXIA-TVWXIA-TV, virtual channel 11.1 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Atlanta, Georgia. Popularly known by its 11 Alive moniker, WXIA is owned by the Gannett Company in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WATL...
in Atlanta. - Brad Fennel, professional Reba McEntire Impersonator, from Paducah Kentucky, now resides in Sikeston.
- Morgan Strebler famous Merlin award winning Mentalist/Illusionist
Musicians
- Neal E. BoydNeal E. BoydNeal E. Boyd is an American pop opera singer. He is best known as the 2008 winner of America's Got Talent.-Early life:Neal E. Boyd, known worldwide as "The Voice of Missouri," grew up in Sikeston, Missouri...
, born in Sikeston, Missouri, is a Pop-opera singer and 2008 winner of America's Got TalentAmerica's Got TalentAmerica's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
. He is known throughout the world as "The Voice of Missouri." - Mimi Allen Smitten (1925–2005), a professional harpist who performed for the president, gave concerts in Europe, and recorded children's music, was a native of Sikeston. http://www.semissourian.com/story/157710.html
- Karen Wheeler, RockabillyRockabillyRockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
singer and the daughter of musician Onie WheelerOnie WheelerOnie Wheeler was an American country and bluegrass musician.Wheeler was born in Senath, Missouri, and learned to play guitar and harmonica as a child. After serving in World War II, he started working in radio, appearing on stations in Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, and Kentucky. In 1950, he formed...
, was born in Sikeston. http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/w/whee3600.htm - Jerry Laseter, Country musician, producer, and songwriter. He is the former fiance of Tanya TuckerTanya TuckerTanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
and father of her daughter Layla. http://www.mombu.com/music/western/t-tanya-is-in-a-really-nasty-custody-fight-finger-4777718.html
Authors
- Robert VaughanRobert Vaughan (author)Robert Vaughan is an American writer. He has authored over 200 books. He won the 1977 Porgie Award for The Power and the Pride. He has also written a series of contemporary and historical romance novels under several pseudonyms including "Paula Moore" and "Paula Fairman"...
(http://www.christianbookpreviews.com/christian-book-author.php?isbn=0785263152), author of over 200 books has lived in Sikeston - Terry TeachoutTerry TeachoutTerry Teachout is a critic, biographer and blogger. He is the drama critic of The Wall Street Journal, the chief culture critic of Commentary, and the author of "Sightings," a column about the arts in America that appears biweekly in the Friday Wall Street Journal...
(http://www.artsjournal.com/aboutlastnight/), biographer, critic, and blogger - Rex MillerRex MillerRex Miller, born Rex Miller Spangberg, wrote novels detailing the investigations of Jack Eichord, a fictional homicide detective who specialized in tracking down serial killers. Slob, the first novel of the series, introduced Daniel Bunkowski, a half-ton killing-machine serial murderer...
, former detective novelist and disc jockey - Jean Marie StineJean Marie StineJean Marie Stine, born in 1945, in Sikeston, Missouri) is an American editor, writer, anthologist, and publisher. Stine was born Henry Eugene Stine, becoming Jean Marie as the result of a sex change...
, a writer and publisher who was once editor of Galaxy Science FictionGalaxy Science FictionGalaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L...
magazine - Robert Boswell, writer and novelist
- Barbara Watkins, writer
- Edward C. Matthews, III, writer
- Max Heeb, writer and physician
Artists
- Michael ParkesMichael ParkesMichael Parkes is an American-born artist living in Spain who is best known for work in the areas of fantasy art and magic realism. He specializes in painting, stone lithography and sculpture...
, a fantasy artFantasy artFantasy art is a genre of art that depicts magical or other supernatural themes, ideas, creatures or settings. While there is some overlap with science fiction, horror and other speculative fiction art, there are unique elements not generally found in other forms of speculative fiction art...
ist and former resident of CanalouCanalou, MissouriCanalou is a city in New Madrid County, Missouri, United States. The population was 348 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 63828.Except for Main, First, and MacArthur, the rest of the streets are named after U.S...
who was born in Sikeston. - Scott Crockett was born in Sikeston. He is an animator who has worked on cartoons, like Kappa MikeyKappa MikeyKappa Mikey is an American animated sitcom created by Larry Schwarz, who chose 4Kids Entertainment as the worldwide licensing, marketing and official promotional agent of the series...
, which appears on Nickelodeon. He has also worked on Ellen's Acres and Furby Island. - Catherine Camden, a local artist who paints portraits from life as well photographs. She has had paintings displayed at the Kennedy CenterJohn F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsThe John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In fiction
- Sikeston is the setting for the films Love Takes WingLove Takes WingLove Takes Wing is a Christian drama and the seventh TV movie based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It aired on Hallmark Channel on April 4, 2009...
and Love Finds a HomeLove Finds a HomeLove Finds a Home is a Christian drama film, the eighth and final installment based on a series of books by Janette Oke. It aired on Hallmark Channel on September 5, 2009. The film is based on the book Love Finds a Home by Janette Oke...
Adjacent areas
External links
- Historic maps of Sikeston 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...