Springfield, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state
of Missouri
and the county seat
of Greene County
. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area
, population 436,712, includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene
, Polk
and Webster
. Springfield's nickname is the Queen City of the Ozarks and is known as the Birthplace of Route 66.
was included in the Louisiana Purchase
of 1803. Soon after, the Delaware Native Americans
received treaty land where Springfield’s Sequiota Park and the antique stores of its Galloway Village stand today. To the west, 500 Kickapoo Native Americans built wickiups on the prairie that still bears their name. Missouri became a state on August 10, 1821, and in 1833 the legislature designated most of the southern portion a single county. It was named for Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene
, largely through a campaign by Springfield's founder, John Polk Campbell, to honor a man he admired. A Tennessee
homesteader, Campbell announced his claim in 1829.
. One account holds that a James Wilson, who lived in the then-unnamed city, offered free whiskey to everyone who would vote for naming it after his home town of Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1883, the historian R. I. Holcombe wrote, to the contrary, "The town took its name from the circumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there was a field." He went on to note, "This version of the origin of the name is disputed by the editor of the Springfield Express, Mr. J. G. Newbill, who, in the issue of his paper, November 11, 1881, says: 'It has been stated that this city got its name from the fact of a spring and field being near by just west of town. But such is not a correct version. When the authorized persons met and adopted the title of the "Future Great" of the then Southwest, several of the earliest settlers had handed in their favorite names, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the winning name, "Springfield," in honor of his former home town, Springfield
, Robertson county, Tennessee.'"
Native Americans were forcibly removed by the U.S. government from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia to the “Indian Territory
.” Their route became known as the Trail of Tears
due to the thousands of Cherokee deaths on the journey and as a result of the relocation. The Trail of Tears passed through the Springfield area via what is known today as the Old Wire Road
. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail auto tour route is along Interstate 44 westward to U.S. 160 (West By-pass in Springfield) and westward along U.S. 60.
The Old Wire Road, then known as the Military Road, served until the mid-1840s as a connection between Springfield and the garrison at Fort Smith, Arkansas
. By 1858, the Butterfield Overland Stage began utilizing the road offering passage to California. Two years later, the region’s first telegraph
line was strung along the road, and it was dubbed the Telegraph or Wire Road. The road proved vital during the Civil War, and its most historic connection is to the Battle of Pea Ridge
in Arkansas. While portions of the road exist today, the most easily accessible is within Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.
The Missouri Pacific (then the Pacific Railroad) was the first railroad to cross the Mississippi River and thence into Springfield and other locations. Later on the St. Louis San Francisco Railroad (Frisco Railroad) established its headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. Commercial and industrial diversification came with the railroads and strengthened the City of Springfield and North Springfield
when the two towns merged 17 years later in 1887. Today visitors can enjoy the view from the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge
, peering below to the locomotive path which is still in use.
imminent and Missouri a border state, Springfield was divided in its sentiments. On August 10, 1861, army units clashed in the Battle of Wilson's Creek
, the site of the first major conflict west of the Mississippi River, involving about 5,400 Union troops and 12,000 Confederates. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon
was killed, the first Union general to die in combat, and the Confederates were victorious. Union troops fell back to Lebanon, then Rolla, and regrouped. When they returned to Springfield, the Confederates had withdrawn.
The First Battle of Springfield
, or Zagonyi's Charge, occurred on October 25, 1861. It was the only Union victory that year in southwestern Missouri. The fighting led to increased military activity in Missouri and set the stage for the Battle of Pea Ridge
in March 1862, which essentially cemented Union control of the state.
For the next year, possession of the city seesawed. Then on January 8, 1863, Confederate forces under Gen. John S. Marmaduke
advanced toward the town square and the Second Battle of Springfield
ensued. As evening approached, the Confederates withdrew. The next morning, Gen. Marmaduke sent a message to Union forces asking for proper burials for Confederate casualties. The city would stay under Union control until the end of the war.
Two years after the war ended, Springfield National Cemetery
was created. The dead of both the North and the South were interred there, though separated by a low stone wall (later removed). In 1960, the National Park Service
, recognizing the significance of the 1861 battle, designated Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
. The 1750 acres (7.1 km²) battlefield near Republic
remains greatly unchanged and stands as one of the most historically pristine battle sites in the country.
was the site of the Wild Bill Hickok–Davis Tutt shootout, a “quick draw” duel
between Wild Bill Hickok
and Davis Tutt
. Two small brass plaques inlaid into the pavement on Park Central Square mark the locations of both Hickok and Tutt during the famous shootout.
. In the immediate aftermath, two commemorative coins were reportedly issued. Evidence suggests that all three men were innocent, including testimony from Duncan's and Coker's employer. The lynching sparked a mass exodus of African-Americans from the area, who still remain a small minority
demographic in Springfield. A plaque on the southeast corner of the square serves as reminder.
John T. Woodruff of Springfield was elected as the first president of the U.S. Highway 66 Association
, organized in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1927. Its purpose was to get U.S. Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway. In 1938, Route 66 became the first completely paved United States Numbered Highways
in America — the “Mother Road” — stretching from the Great Lakes
to the Pacific Coast
.
A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, and traces of the Mother Road are still visible in downtown Springfield along Kearney Street, Glenstone Avenue, College and St. Louis streets and on Missouri 266 to Halltown. The red booths and gleaming chrome in mom-and-pop diners, the stone cottages of tourist courts and the many service stations along this route saw America fall in love with the automobile. Red's Giant Hamburg, said to be the birthplace of the drive-up order window, was located on the route.
Springfield is located at 37°11′42"N 93°17′10"W (37.195098, -93.286213), on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 73.8 mi2, of which, 73.2 mi2 of it is land and 0.6 mi2 of it (0.87%) is water.
The city of Springfield is mainly flat with rolling hills and cliffs surrounding the south, east, and north parts of the city. Springfield is located on the Springfield Plateau, which reaches from Northwest Arkansas to Central Missouri. The majority of the plateau is characterized by forest, pastures and shrub-scrub habitats. Many streams and tributaries such as the James River
, Galloway Creek and Jordan Creek flow within or near the city. Nearby lakes include Table Rock Lake
, Stockton Lake
, McDaniel Lake
, Fellows Lake
, and Pomme de Terre Lake
. Springfield is near the population center of the United States, about 80 miles (128.7 km) to the east.
Springfield is characterized by four distinct seasons. It experiences an average surface wind velocity comparable to Chicago
, Illinois according to information compiled at the National Climatic Data Center
at NOAA. It is placed within "Power Class 3" in the Wind Energy Resource Atlas published by a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy; having an average wind speed range of 6.4 to 7.0 miles per hour.
Springfield falls just short of clearly being in the humid subtropical region (Cfa) and is in the zone that transitions northward to a humid continental climate
(Dfa), as defined by the Köppen climate classification
system. As such, it experiences times of exceptional humidity; especially in late summer. The city averages 31.7 °F (-.2 °C) in January and 78.5 °F (25.8 °C) in July, and has an annual mean of 56.2 °F (13.4 °C). Temperatures of above 90 °F (32 °C) occur on an average 43 days per year, and occasionally reach 100 °F (38 °C), while 4 nights of below 0 °F (-18 °C) can be expected in winter. It has an average annual precipitation of 45 inches (1,143 mm), including an average 20 inches (51 cm) of snow.
According to a 2007 story in Forbes
magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the United States.
was 2,072.0 people per square mile (800.0/km2). There were 69,650 housing units at an average density of 952.1 per square mile (367.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.69% White, 3.27% African American, 0.75% Native American, 1.36% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races
, and 1.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.
There were 64,691 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples
living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,563, and the median income for a family was $38,114. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $20,980 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,711. About 9.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Springfield’s top 10 employers in 2008 were St. John’s Health System (7,717), CoxHealth
(6,834), Wal-Mart Stores (3,927), Springfield Public Schools (2,822),
Missouri State University (2,772), United States Government (2,540), Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine (2,525), State of Missouri (2,283), City of Springfield (1,842) and Citizens Memorial Healthcare (1,600). More than 18,000 people are employed in manufacturing. The city’s largest manufacturers in terms of employment include the Paul Mueller Company, Kraft Foods
, Hutchens Industries, SRC Holdings, Loren Cook Company, Positronic Industries, Regal-Beloit
, Carlisle Power Transmission, Solo Cup, Northrup Grumman Interconnect Technologies, Reckitt Benckiser and 3M
.
Total retail sales exceed $4.1 billion annually in Springfield and $5.8 billion in the Springfield MSA. Its largest shopping mall is Battlefield Mall
. According to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, an estimated three million overnight visitors and millions of day-tripper
s visit the city annually. The city has more than 60 lodging facilities and 6,000 hotel rooms. The Convention & Visitors Bureau spends more than $1 million annually marketing the city as a travel destination.
Bass Pro Shops
, John Q. Hammons
Hotels & Resorts, BKD, LLP
, Noble & Associates, Assemblies of God and O'Reilly Auto Parts
have their national headquarters in Springfield.
system. By charter, the city has eight council members, each elected for a four-year term on a non-partisan basis, and a mayor
elected for a two-year term. The mayor is Jim O'Neal (term expires 2011). The city manager, appointed by the council to be the city's chief executive and administrative officer, enforces the laws as required by the city charter. The presiding officer at council meetings is the mayor. Council meetings are held every other Monday night in City Council Chambers. City council elections are held the first Tuesday in April.
City Utilities of Springfield
(CU) is a city-owned utility serving southwest Missouri with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services. CU provides service to over 106,000 customers.
, Kickapoo High School
, Hillcrest High School
, Parkview High School
, and Glendale High School
. Private high schools include: Springfield Sudbury School, Summit Preparatory School, Greenwood Laboratory School
, New Covenant Academy, Springfield Lutheran School, Springfield Catholic High School
, Christian Schools of Springfield, and Grace Classical Academy
Springfield has several colleges and universities within the city. Founded in 1905 as the "Forth District Normal School" , Missouri State University
(MSU) is the state's second largest university with just over 20,000 students. For the seventh consecutive year, MSU has been selected for The Princeton Review’s 2010 list of “Best Colleges: Region by Region.” Drury University is a private university with nearly 5,000 students and consistently ranks in U.S. News and World Reports Top 10 Universities in the Midwest. Ozarks Technical Community College
is the second largest college in Springfield with approximately 12,000 students. MSU, Drury, and OTC are all located in and around downtown Springfield.
Other colleges in Springfield include Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
, Baptist Bible College
, Central Bible College
, Evangel University
(known until 2000 as Evangel College, or EC), Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, St. John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University
, Everest College
, Cox College (Nursing and Allied Health), Webster University
, and University of Phoenix
.
and the Branson
entertainment area are within 45 miles (72.4 km).
(NCAA Division I-Football Championship Series), Drury University
(NCAA Division II), and few minor professional teams (see below). Springfield is also home to a number of amateur sporting events. The PGA sponsored Price Cutter Charity Championship
is played at Hiland Springs Country Club on the southeast side of Springfield. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
is located near the city as well. JQH Arena, which opened in 2009, is home to the Missouri State University Bears and Lady Bears basketball teams, and O'Reilly Family Events Center, which opens fall 2010, will be the new home to the Drury University Panthers mens and women's basketball teams.
) are historic theaters that have been restored to their original state, including the Gillioz Theatre
and the Landers Theatre
.
In 2001, Phase I of Jordan Valley Park opened along with the Mediacom Ice Park. Phase II of Jordan Valley Park will be complete in late 2011 or early 2012. 2001 also saw the opening of The Creamery Arts Center, a city-owned building inside Jordan Valley Park. It is home to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Ballet, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and provides office and meeting space for other arts organizations which serve the community. The center has been recently renovated to include two art galleries with monthly exhibitions, an Arts Library, rehearsal studios, and classrooms offering art workshops and hands-on activities. The facilities also include a outdoor classroom.
A March 2009 New York Times article described the history and ascendancy of cashew chicken
in Springfield, where local variations of the popular Chinese dish are ubiquitous.
There are several arts events that occur annually including the Springfield Art Fest and the Missouri Literary Festival. Also the First Friday Art Walk occurs the first Friday of every month.
During the 1950s, Springfield ranked third in the U.S. for originating network television programs behind New York and Hollywood. Four nationally-broadcast television series originated from the city between 1955 and 1961: Ozark Jubilee
and its spin-off, Five Star Jubilee
; Talent Varieties
; and The Eddy Arnold Show
. All were carried live by ABC
except for Five Star Jubilee on NBC
; and were produced by Springfield's Crossroads TV Productions owned by Ralph D. Foster
. Many of the biggest names in country music
frequently visited or lived in Springfield at the time. City officials estimated the programs meant about 2,000 weekly visitors and "over $1,000,000 in fresh income."
Staged at the Jewell Theatre (demolished in 1961), Ozark Jubilee was the first national country music TV show to feature top stars and attract a significant viewership. Five Star Jubilee, produced from the Landers Theatre
, was the first network color television
series to originate outside of New York City or Hollywood. Ironically, Springfield's NBC affiliate, KYTV-TV (which helped produce the program), was not equipped to broadcast in color and aired the show in black-and-white
.
The Citadel Media, NBC Red Network
and Mutual
radio network
s also all carried country music shows nationally from Springfield during the decade, including KWTO’S Korn’s-A-Krackin’ (Mutual).
Medallion" and a certificate proclaiming the honoree a "hillbilly of the Ozarks." On June 7, 1953, U.S. President Harry Truman received the medallion after a breakfast speech at the Shrine Mosque for a reunion of the 35th Division. Other recipients included US Army generals Omar Bradley
and Matthew Ridgway
, US Rep. Dewey Short
, J. C. Penney, Johnny Olson
, Ralph Story
and disc jockey Nelson King.
and Tulsa, Oklahoma
. Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) carries traffic north towards Kansas City, Missouri
. U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 65, and U.S. Route 160 pass through the city. Formerly U.S. Route 66 and U.S. Route 166 passed through Springfield, and sections of historic US 66 can still be seen in the city. US 166's eastern terminus was once located in the northeast section of the city, and US 60 originally ended (westbound) in downtown Springfield. US 60 now goes through town on the James River Freeway
. Major streets include Glenstone Avenue, Sunshine Street (Missouri Route 413), National Avenue, Division Street, Campbell Avenue, Kansas Expressway, Battlefield Road, Republic Road, West Bypass, Chestnut Expressway and Kearney Street. Springfield is also the site of the first diverging diamond interchange
within the United States, located at the intersection of I-44
and MO-13 (Kansas Expressway) (at 37.2503°N 93.3107°W). Springfield has public transportation operated by City Utilities of Springfield
that serves most areas inside the city limits with its fleet of biodiesel
-fueled buses.
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) serves the city with direct flights to 12 cities with 33 daily flights. It is the principal air gateway to the Springfield region. The Downtown Airport
is also a public use airport located near downtown. In May 2009, the Springfield-Branson airport opened its new passenger terminal. Financing included $97 million in revenue bonds issued by the airport and $20 million of discretionary federal aviation funds, with no city taxes used. The new building includes 275000 square feet (25,548.3 m²), 10 gates (expandable to 60) and 1,826 parking spaces. Direct connections from Springfield are available to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa and Los Angeles. No international flights currently have regular service into Springfield-Branson, but it does serve international charters.
Passenger trains have not served Springfield since 1967, but more than 65 freight trains travel to, from, and through the city each day. Springfield was once home to the headquarters and main shops of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (Frisco)
. The Frisco was absorbed by the Burlington Northern (BN) in 1980, and in 1994 the BN merged with the Santa Fe, creating the current Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. BNSF has three switch yards (two small) in Springfield. Mainlines to and from Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis and Tulsa converge at the railroad's yard facility in the north part of the city. In October 2006, BNSF announced plans to upgrade its Tulsa and Memphis mainlines into Springfield to handle an additional four to six daily intermodal freight trains between the West Coast and the Southeast. The Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad
also operates several miles of (former Missouri Pacific) industrial trackage within the city.
. Two of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. (CoxHealth
and St. John’s Health System) are located in Springfield, and both are in the midst of expansion projects. The industry employs 30,000 people throughout the Springfield metro area. The United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, one of six federal institutions designed to handle the medical concerns of federal inmates, is located at the corner of W. Sunshine Street and Kansas Expressway.
ranked Springfield the 10th worst city in the nation in which to raise a family using information from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics, FBI, American Association of Museums, National Center for Health Statistics, and American Bar Association.
In 2007, The Milken Institute ranked Springfield as a "Best Performing City" for creating and sustaining jobs, and Expansion Management magazine listed Springfield among "Top 20 Mid-Sized Metros for Recruitment and Attraction." Also that year, the World Health Organization
designated Springfield as a "Safe Community"; and in 2008, Worldwide ERC
named Springfield among "The Best Cities for Relocating Families." According to the Springfield News-Leader, the city has been ranked the second-least diverse city in the United States.
. Additional newspapers include: the "Daily Events" (daily), "Community Free Press" (bi-weekly), and "Springfield Business Journal" (weekly).
Television stations received in Springfield include: KYTV (TV)
(NBC), KSPR
(ABC), KCZ-TV (CW), KOLR
(CBS), KOZK
(PBS), KRBK
(MyNetworkTV), KOZL (FOX), KWBM
(Daystar). The Springfield Designated Market Area, or DMA, is the 75th largest in the United States. The area comprises 31 counties in southwest Missouri and Arkansas. There are 423,010 television owning households.
The radio stations received in Springfield are:
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Greene County
Greene County, Missouri
Greene County is a county located in Southwest Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 275,174 making it the fourth most populated county in Missouri. Its county seat is Springfield...
. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area
Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area
The Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in southwestern Missouri, anchored by the city of Springfield - the state's third largest city. Other primary population centers in the metro area include Nixa, Ozark,...
, population 436,712, includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene
Greene County, Missouri
Greene County is a county located in Southwest Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 275,174 making it the fourth most populated county in Missouri. Its county seat is Springfield...
, Polk
Polk County, Missouri
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 31,137. Its county seat is Bolivar.Polk County is part of the Springfield, Missouri, Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
and Webster
Webster County, Missouri
Webster County is a county located in Southwest Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 31,045. The population in 2010 was 36,202. Its county seat is Marshfield. The county was organized in 1855 and named for U.S. Senator and U.S...
. Springfield's nickname is the Queen City of the Ozarks and is known as the Birthplace of Route 66.
History
The territory known as MissouriMissouri Territory
The Territory of Missouri was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from June 4, 1812 until August 10, 1821, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Missouri.-History:...
was included in the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
of 1803. Soon after, the Delaware Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
received treaty land where Springfield’s Sequiota Park and the antique stores of its Galloway Village stand today. To the west, 500 Kickapoo Native Americans built wickiups on the prairie that still bears their name. Missouri became a state on August 10, 1821, and in 1833 the legislature designated most of the southern portion a single county. It was named for Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
, largely through a campaign by Springfield's founder, John Polk Campbell, to honor a man he admired. A Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
homesteader, Campbell announced his claim in 1829.
Name
The origin of the name Springfield remains unclear; however, the most common view is that the city was named for Springfield, MassachusettsSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. One account holds that a James Wilson, who lived in the then-unnamed city, offered free whiskey to everyone who would vote for naming it after his home town of Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1883, the historian R. I. Holcombe wrote, to the contrary, "The town took its name from the circumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there was a field." He went on to note, "This version of the origin of the name is disputed by the editor of the Springfield Express, Mr. J. G. Newbill, who, in the issue of his paper, November 11, 1881, says: 'It has been stated that this city got its name from the fact of a spring and field being near by just west of town. But such is not a correct version. When the authorized persons met and adopted the title of the "Future Great" of the then Southwest, several of the earliest settlers had handed in their favorite names, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the winning name, "Springfield," in honor of his former home town, Springfield
Springfield, Tennessee
Springfield is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 14,329 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robertson County.-Geography:Springfield is located at ....
, Robertson county, Tennessee.'"
Incorporation
Springfield was incorporated in 1838. That same year, CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
Native Americans were forcibly removed by the U.S. government from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia to the “Indian Territory
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
.” Their route became known as the Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
The Trail of Tears is a name given to the forced relocation and movement of Native American nations from southeastern parts of the United States following the Indian Removal Act of 1830...
due to the thousands of Cherokee deaths on the journey and as a result of the relocation. The Trail of Tears passed through the Springfield area via what is known today as the Old Wire Road
Old Wire Road
The Old Wire Road is a historic road in Missouri and Arkansas. Several local roads are still called this. It followed an old Native American route, the Great Osage Trail across the Ozarks and became a road along a telegraph line from St. Louis, Missouri to Fort Smith, Arkansas. This route was...
. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail auto tour route is along Interstate 44 westward to U.S. 160 (West By-pass in Springfield) and westward along U.S. 60.
The Old Wire Road, then known as the Military Road, served until the mid-1840s as a connection between Springfield and the garrison at Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith National Historic Site
Fort Smith National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located primarily in Fort Smith, Arkansas along the Arkansas River, and also along the opposite bank of the river near Moffett, Oklahoma....
. By 1858, the Butterfield Overland Stage began utilizing the road offering passage to California. Two years later, the region’s first telegraph
Electrical telegraph
An electrical telegraph is a telegraph that uses electrical signals, usually conveyed via telecommunication lines or radio. The electromagnetic telegraph is a device for human-to-human transmission of coded text messages....
line was strung along the road, and it was dubbed the Telegraph or Wire Road. The road proved vital during the Civil War, and its most historic connection is to the Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield. In the battle, Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The outcome of the...
in Arkansas. While portions of the road exist today, the most easily accessible is within Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.
The Missouri Pacific (then the Pacific Railroad) was the first railroad to cross the Mississippi River and thence into Springfield and other locations. Later on the St. Louis San Francisco Railroad (Frisco Railroad) established its headquarters in Springfield, Missouri. Commercial and industrial diversification came with the railroads and strengthened the City of Springfield and North Springfield
North Springfield, Missouri
North Springfield, Missouri is a former city in Greene County. It was also known as 'North Town' or 'Moon City'. The city was incorporated in 1871, a year after the St. Louis – San Francisco Railway constructed their railroad through an area north of...
when the two towns merged 17 years later in 1887. Today visitors can enjoy the view from the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge
Jefferson Avenue Footbridge
The Jefferson Avenue Footbridge in Springfield, Missouri, built in 1902 it allows pedestrians to cross 13 sets of railroad tracks.As the footbridge approached its 100-year anniversary, it became apparent that a major rehabilitation was required to preserve the aging structure...
, peering below to the locomotive path which is still in use.
Civil War
With the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
imminent and Missouri a border state, Springfield was divided in its sentiments. On August 10, 1861, army units clashed in the Battle of Wilson's Creek
Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, between Union forces and the Missouri State Guard, early in the American Civil War. It was the first major battle of the war west of the Mississippi River and is sometimes...
, the site of the first major conflict west of the Mississippi River, involving about 5,400 Union troops and 12,000 Confederates. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War and is noted for his actions in the state of Missouri at the beginning of the conflict....
was killed, the first Union general to die in combat, and the Confederates were victorious. Union troops fell back to Lebanon, then Rolla, and regrouped. When they returned to Springfield, the Confederates had withdrawn.
The First Battle of Springfield
Battle of Springfield I
The First Battle of Springfield or Zagonyi's Charge was a battle of the American Civil War that occurred on October 25, 1861, in Greene County, Missouri. It was the only Union victory in southwestern Missouri in 1861.- Prelude :...
, or Zagonyi's Charge, occurred on October 25, 1861. It was the only Union victory that year in southwestern Missouri. The fighting led to increased military activity in Missouri and set the stage for the Battle of Pea Ridge
Battle of Pea Ridge
The Battle of Pea Ridge was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield. In the battle, Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn. The outcome of the...
in March 1862, which essentially cemented Union control of the state.
For the next year, possession of the city seesawed. Then on January 8, 1863, Confederate forces under Gen. John S. Marmaduke
John S. Marmaduke
John Sappington Marmaduke was a career military man and a West Point graduate. He is known for his service as a Confederate Major general during the American Civil War...
advanced toward the town square and the Second Battle of Springfield
Battle of Springfield II
The Second Battle of Springfield was a battle in the American Civil War fought January 8, 1863, in Springfield, Missouri. It is sometimes known as The Battle of Springfield...
ensued. As evening approached, the Confederates withdrew. The next morning, Gen. Marmaduke sent a message to Union forces asking for proper burials for Confederate casualties. The city would stay under Union control until the end of the war.
Two years after the war ended, Springfield National Cemetery
Springfield National Cemetery
Springfield National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Springfield, in Greene County, Missouri. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 14,685 interments.- History :...
was created. The dead of both the North and the South were interred there, though separated by a low stone wall (later removed). In 1960, the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
, recognizing the significance of the 1861 battle, designated Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield at 6424 West Farm Road 182 near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, it was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. The Confederate's failure to exploit their...
. The 1750 acres (7.1 km²) battlefield near Republic
Republic, Missouri
Republic is a city in Christian and Greene counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population is 14,751 according to the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
remains greatly unchanged and stands as one of the most historically pristine battle sites in the country.
Wild Bill Hickok shootout
On July 21, 1865, Springfield helped give birth to the Wild West era when the town squareTown square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
was the site of the Wild Bill Hickok–Davis Tutt shootout, a “quick draw” duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
between Wild Bill Hickok
Wild Bill Hickok
James Butler Hickok , better known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West. His skills as a gunfighter and scout, along with his reputation as a lawman, provided the basis for his fame, although some of his exploits are fictionalized.Hickok came to the West as a stagecoach...
and Davis Tutt
Davis Tutt
Davis Tutt was an Old West gambler and former soldier, best remembered as being killed during the Wild Bill Hickok-Davis Tutt shootout of 1865, which launched the previously unknown Wild Bill Hickok to fame as a gunfighter....
. Two small brass plaques inlaid into the pavement on Park Central Square mark the locations of both Hickok and Tutt during the famous shootout.
Lynching
On April 14, 1906, a mob broke into the town jail, then lynched two black men: Horace Duncan and Fred Coker, for allegedly sexually assaulting Mina Edwards, a white woman. Later they returned to the jail and lynched another black man, Will Allen, accused of murder. They were hanged and burned by a mob more than 2,000 strong in the town square. The men were hanged on the town square from the Gottfried Tower which held a replica of the Statue of LibertyStatue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886...
. In the immediate aftermath, two commemorative coins were reportedly issued. Evidence suggests that all three men were innocent, including testimony from Duncan's and Coker's employer. The lynching sparked a mass exodus of African-Americans from the area, who still remain a small minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
demographic in Springfield. A plaque on the southeast corner of the square serves as reminder.
Birthplace of Route 66
Recognized by convention as the birthplace of US Route 66, it was in Springfield on April 30, 1926 that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.John T. Woodruff of Springfield was elected as the first president of the U.S. Highway 66 Association
U.S. Highway 66 Association
The U.S. Highway 66 Association was organized in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1927. Its purpose was to get U.S. Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway....
, organized in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1927. Its purpose was to get U.S. Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway. In 1938, Route 66 became the first completely paved United States Numbered Highways
United States Numbered Highways
The system of United States Numbered Highways is an integrated system of roads and highways in the United States numbered within a nationwide grid...
in America — the “Mother Road” — stretching from the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
to the Pacific Coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
.
A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, and traces of the Mother Road are still visible in downtown Springfield along Kearney Street, Glenstone Avenue, College and St. Louis streets and on Missouri 266 to Halltown. The red booths and gleaming chrome in mom-and-pop diners, the stone cottages of tourist courts and the many service stations along this route saw America fall in love with the automobile. Red's Giant Hamburg, said to be the birthplace of the drive-up order window, was located on the route.
Geography
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 73.8 mi2, of which, 73.2 mi2 of it is land and 0.6 mi2 of it (0.87%) is water.
The city of Springfield is mainly flat with rolling hills and cliffs surrounding the south, east, and north parts of the city. Springfield is located on the Springfield Plateau, which reaches from Northwest Arkansas to Central Missouri. The majority of the plateau is characterized by forest, pastures and shrub-scrub habitats. Many streams and tributaries such as the James River
James River (Missouri)
The James River is a river in southern Missouri. Its source is near the town of Diggins in Webster County. It begins on a northwesterly course, then turns southwest near Northview and passes near Springfield...
, Galloway Creek and Jordan Creek flow within or near the city. Nearby lakes include Table Rock Lake
Table Rock Lake
Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in The Ozarks of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas. It is impounded by Table Rock Dam constructed in 1954-1958 on the White River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is one of the tourist draws for the nearby town of Branson,...
, Stockton Lake
Stockton Lake
Stockton Lake is located in southeastern Cedar County, northeastern Dade County, and southwestern Polk County, Missouri. The lake is 'V' shaped, and covers , with of shoreline....
, McDaniel Lake
McDaniel Lake
McDaniel Lake is a source of water for the city of Springfield, Missouri currently owned and operated by City Utilities of Springfield as their public water source...
, Fellows Lake
Fellows Lake
Fellows Lake is an source of water for the city of Springfield, Missouri. It is also developing into one of the states premier fishery of Muskellunge...
, and Pomme de Terre Lake
Pomme de Terre Lake
Pomme de Terre Lake is located in southwest Missouri at the confluence of Lindley Creek and the Pomme de Terre River . The lake is located in southern Hickory and northern Polk counties, about north of Springfield...
. Springfield is near the population center of the United States, about 80 miles (128.7 km) to the east.
Climate
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois according to information compiled at the National Climatic Data Center
National Climatic Data Center
The United States National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, North Carolina is the world's largest active archive of weather data. The center became established in late 1951, with the move into the new facility occurring in early 1952....
at NOAA. It is placed within "Power Class 3" in the Wind Energy Resource Atlas published by a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy; having an average wind speed range of 6.4 to 7.0 miles per hour.
Springfield falls just short of clearly being in the humid subtropical region (Cfa) and is in the zone that transitions northward to a humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Dfa), as defined by the Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
system. As such, it experiences times of exceptional humidity; especially in late summer. The city averages 31.7 °F (-.2 °C) in January and 78.5 °F (25.8 °C) in July, and has an annual mean of 56.2 °F (13.4 °C). Temperatures of above 90 °F (32 °C) occur on an average 43 days per year, and occasionally reach 100 °F (38 °C), while 4 nights of below 0 °F (-18 °C) can be expected in winter. It has an average annual precipitation of 45 inches (1,143 mm), including an average 20 inches (51 cm) of snow.
According to a 2007 story in Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the United States.
Demographics
According to the 2000 United States Census, 151,580 people, 64,691 households, and 35,709 families resided in the city. The population densityPopulation 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 2,072.0 people per square mile (800.0/km2). There were 69,650 housing units at an average density of 952.1 per square mile (367.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.69% White, 3.27% African American, 0.75% Native American, 1.36% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.
There were 64,691 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% 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, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 19.9% under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,563, and the median income for a family was $38,114. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $20,980 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,711. About 9.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Springfield’s economy is based on health care, manufacturing, retail, education and tourism. With a Gross Metropolitan Product of $13.66 billion in 2004, Springfield's economy makes up 6.7% of the Gross State Product of Missouri.Springfield’s top 10 employers in 2008 were St. John’s Health System (7,717), CoxHealth
CoxHealth
CoxHealth is a four-hospital, 770 bed health system headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. CoxHealth serves a 25 county region of southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas. CoxHealth is one of Springfield's largest employer, with more than 9,100 people employed throughout the system...
(6,834), Wal-Mart Stores (3,927), Springfield Public Schools (2,822),
Missouri State University (2,772), United States Government (2,540), Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine (2,525), State of Missouri (2,283), City of Springfield (1,842) and Citizens Memorial Healthcare (1,600). More than 18,000 people are employed in manufacturing. The city’s largest manufacturers in terms of employment include the Paul Mueller Company, Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
, Hutchens Industries, SRC Holdings, Loren Cook Company, Positronic Industries, Regal-Beloit
Regal-Beloit
Regal Beloit Corporation , headquartered in Beloit, Wisconsin, is one of the largest manufacturers of electric motors in the world...
, Carlisle Power Transmission, Solo Cup, Northrup Grumman Interconnect Technologies, Reckitt Benckiser and 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
.
Total retail sales exceed $4.1 billion annually in Springfield and $5.8 billion in the Springfield MSA. Its largest shopping mall is Battlefield Mall
Battlefield Mall
Battlefield Mall, located in Springfield, Missouri, is the largest shopping mall in the area.Overall, the mall comprises more than 150 tenants, including JCPenney, Macy's, Sears and two Dillard's locations as anchor stores. Major updates to the mall occurred in 2002.Currently, it is undergoing...
. According to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, an estimated three million overnight visitors and millions of day-tripper
Day-tripper
A day-tripper is a person who visits a tourist destination or visitor attraction from his/her home and returns home on the same day.- Definition :In other words, this excursion does not involve a night away from home such as experienced on a holiday...
s visit the city annually. The city has more than 60 lodging facilities and 6,000 hotel rooms. The Convention & Visitors Bureau spends more than $1 million annually marketing the city as a travel destination.
Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is a privately held retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor recreation merchandise. Bass Pro Shops is known for a large selection of hunting, fishing, and other outdoor gear.-History:The owner, John L...
, John Q. Hammons
John Q. Hammons
John Q. Hammons is an American businessman and one of the nation's premier developers of upscale luxury hotels and resorts. With over 50 years of experience in the hotel industry, John Q. Hammons has built and developed nearly two hundred hotels...
Hotels & Resorts, BKD, LLP
BKD, LLP
BKD, LLP, formerly Baird, Kurtz & Dobson, is an accounting and advisory firm in the United States, providing consulting, tax, assurance, and accounting outsourcing solutions to business, government entities, not-for-profit organizations, and individuals....
, Noble & Associates, Assemblies of God and O'Reilly Auto Parts
O'Reilly Auto Parts
O'Reilly Auto Parts , originally known as O'Reilly Automotive, Inc., is a publicly traded chain of auto parts stores that started with one store in Springfield, Missouri in 1957. It has since grown to include more than 3,469 stores in 38 states. The corporate headquarters of O'Reilly is located in...
have their national headquarters in Springfield.
Government
Springfield city government is based on the council-managerCouncil-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
system. By charter, the city has eight council members, each elected for a four-year term on a non-partisan basis, and a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
elected for a two-year term. The mayor is Jim O'Neal (term expires 2011). The city manager, appointed by the council to be the city's chief executive and administrative officer, enforces the laws as required by the city charter. The presiding officer at council meetings is the mayor. Council meetings are held every other Monday night in City Council Chambers. City council elections are held the first Tuesday in April.
City Utilities of Springfield
City Utilities of Springfield
City Utilities of Springfield is a community-owned utility serving southwest Missouri with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services...
(CU) is a city-owned utility serving southwest Missouri with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services. CU provides service to over 106,000 customers.
Education
The Springfield Public School District has about 24,000 students attending 50 schools. Public high school include: Central High SchoolCentral High School (Springfield, Missouri)
Central High School is a high school located in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The school was built in 1893 as senior high school. The first graduating class was one of 41 students in 1894. The school was renamed Central High School after the construction of Springfield's second oldest high...
, Kickapoo High School
Kickapoo High School (Springfield, Missouri)
Kickapoo High School is a high school in Springfield, Missouri. Kickapoo officially opened its doors in October 1971, the fifth of Springfield's five high schools...
, Hillcrest High School
Hillcrest High School (Springfield, Missouri)
Hillcrest High School is a high school located at 3319 N. Grant Avenue in Springfield, Missouri. Hillcrest High School is one of five public high schools in Springfield. It is located in the north part of Springfield. It was opened in 1958...
, Parkview High School
Parkview High School (Springfield, Missouri)
Parkview High School is a public high school located in Springfield, Missouri. Parkview was the second high school built in Springfield after Central High School. Parkview graduated its first class in 1957. The next year a new wing was constructed due to the large number students enrolling. In 1992...
, and Glendale High School
Glendale High School (Missouri)
Glendale High School is an American high school located at 2727 S. Ingram Mill Road in Springfield, Missouri. Glendale High School is one of five public high schools in Springfield, Missouri. It is located in the southeast area of Springfield, near U.S. Highway 65. In 2010, It had an enrollment...
. Private high schools include: Springfield Sudbury School, Summit Preparatory School, Greenwood Laboratory School
Greenwood Laboratory School
Greenwood Laboratory School is a comprehensive K-12 laboratory school affiliated with, and located on the campus of, Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. Greenwood is often mistakenly called a private school since it does have tuition...
, New Covenant Academy, Springfield Lutheran School, Springfield Catholic High School
Springfield Catholic High School (Missouri)
Springfield Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Springfield, Missouri, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau.-Background:...
, Christian Schools of Springfield, and Grace Classical Academy
Springfield has several colleges and universities within the city. Founded in 1905 as the "Forth District Normal School" , Missouri State University
Missouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
(MSU) is the state's second largest university with just over 20,000 students. For the seventh consecutive year, MSU has been selected for The Princeton Review’s 2010 list of “Best Colleges: Region by Region.” Drury University is a private university with nearly 5,000 students and consistently ranks in U.S. News and World Reports Top 10 Universities in the Midwest. Ozarks Technical Community College
Ozarks Technical Community College
Ozarks Technical Community College is a community college in Springfield, Missouri, established by Springfield and thirteen surrounding public school districts on April 3, 1990. Students can earn a one-year Certificate, two-year Associate of Applied Science degree , or an Associate of Arts degree...
is the second largest college in Springfield with approximately 12,000 students. MSU, Drury, and OTC are all located in and around downtown Springfield.
Other colleges in Springfield include Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
Assemblies of God Theological Seminary
The Assemblies of God Theological Seminary is a seminary located in Springfield, Missouri. As of Summer 2009, the seminary offers the Master of Divinity , Master of Arts in Counseling, Christian Ministries, Intercultural Ministries, and Theological Studies, the Doctor of Ministry , the Doctor...
, Baptist Bible College
Baptist Bible College
Baptist Bible College is the name of two schools in the United States:*Baptist Bible College & Seminary, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania*Baptist Bible College Baptist Bible College may also refer to:*Free Will Baptist Bible College, Nashville, Tennessee*Heartland Baptist Bible...
, Central Bible College
Central Bible College
Central Bible College is a private coed Bible college for the Assemblies of God. It was founded in 1922 with the main campus being located in Springfield, Missouri. The college has a Bible-centered curriculum designed to educate and train ministers, missionaries, and Christian workers...
, Evangel University
Evangel University
Evangel University is the national university of arts, sciences and professions in Springfield, Missouri. Evangel College was renamed Evangel University on June 8, 1998. The campus sits on that were originally part of . The first President of Evangel was Klaude Kendrick who served from 1955-1958....
(known until 2000 as Evangel College, or EC), Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, St. John's College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University
Southwest Baptist University
Southwest Baptist University is a private institute of higher education affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 2003 there were approximately 3,600 students attending at one of SBU's four Missouri, United States campuses in Bolivar,...
, Everest College
Everest College
Everest College is a system of for-profit colleges in the United States and the Canadian province of Ontario. The schools are owned and operated by Corinthian Colleges, Inc. which also owns Everest University, Everest Institute, Heald College, and WyoTech...
, Cox College (Nursing and Allied Health), Webster University
Webster University
Webster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
, and University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
.
Recreation
There are 92 parks including the Botanical Center at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, three golf courses, a zoo and other facilities owned or managed by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. Its programs, such as Hearts ‘n Parks, encourage people to enjoy a more active lifestyle. The department incorporates a network of linear parks and trails that run near and around geologically unique areas of the Ozarks, such as creek beds and springs. The facilities have been host to state, local and national tournaments in softball, soccer, hockey and tennis. Six recreational lakes are within 100 miles (160.9 km) of Springfield. Table Rock LakeTable Rock Lake
Table Rock Lake is an artificial lake or reservoir in The Ozarks of southwestern Missouri and northwestern Arkansas. It is impounded by Table Rock Dam constructed in 1954-1958 on the White River by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It is one of the tourist draws for the nearby town of Branson,...
and the Branson
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
entertainment area are within 45 miles (72.4 km).
Sports
Springfield plays host to college teams from Missouri State UniversityMissouri State University
Missouri State University is a public university located in Springfield, Missouri, United States and founded in 1905. It is the state's second largest university, with an official enrollment of 20,802 in fall 2011...
(NCAA Division I-Football Championship Series), Drury University
Drury University
Drury University is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Missouri.The university enrolls about 1,550 undergraduates, over 2,000 adult part-time undergraduates and around 400 graduate students in six master's programs...
(NCAA Division II), and few minor professional teams (see below). Springfield is also home to a number of amateur sporting events. The PGA sponsored Price Cutter Charity Championship
Price Cutter Charity Championship
The Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper is a regular golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It is played at the Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield, Missouri, USA...
is played at Hiland Springs Country Club on the southeast side of Springfield. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, Missouri, USA, showcases sports memorabilia of Missouri athletes and interactive displays.-Inductees:-External links:*...
is located near the city as well. JQH Arena, which opened in 2009, is home to the Missouri State University Bears and Lady Bears basketball teams, and O'Reilly Family Events Center, which opens fall 2010, will be the new home to the Drury University Panthers mens and women's basketball teams.
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Cardinals Springfield Cardinals The Springfield Cardinals are a minor league baseball team based in Springfield, Missouri. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals major-league club, and is owned by the Cardinals. The club plays at Hammons Field.The Springfield Cardinals... |
Texas League Texas League The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892... , Baseball |
Hammons Field Hammons Field Hammons Field is a minor league ballpark in downtown Springfield, Missouri, with a capacity of 7,986 plus approximately 2,500 general admission seating. The facility, funded entirely by local businessman, hotel mogul and benefactor John Q. Hammons, is the centerpiece of the midtown development... |
2005 | 0 |
| Springfield Lasers Springfield Lasers The Springfield Lasers are a World TeamTennis franchise. The franchise was purchased and donated to the city of Springfield, Missouri by the Cooper family in 1996. They play their home matches at Mediacom Stadium in the Cooper Tennis Complex.-History:... |
WTT World TeamTennis World TeamTennis is a coed professional tennis league played with a unique team format in the United States. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration . Coaches, before the match, decide the order in which the sets will be played... , team tennis |
Cooper Sports Complex | 1996 | 0 |
| Springfield Wolfpack Springfield Wolfpack The Springfield WolfPack are an indoor football team. The team plays in the APFL. In 2006, they were the champions of the MAIFL, a semi-pro indoor football league. In 2007, they finished in fourth place in the league.... |
APFL American Professional Football League The American Professional Football League is a Midwestern United States-based indoor football league founded in 2003. The league consists of professional and semi-professional teams, with a few core teams that play a full 10 game schedule and other teams that play partial schedules. At the end of... , Arena football |
Mediacom Ice Park Mediacom Ice Park Mediacom Ice Park is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The arena is owned and operated by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board and serves as a location for community recreation and the home for the Missouri State University Ice Bears ice hockey team, Springfield... |
2002 | 1 |
| Springfield Demize Springfield Demize Springfield Demize is an American soccer team based in Springfield, Missouri, United States. Founded in 2006, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at... |
PDL USL Premier Development League The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid... , Soccer |
Cooper Sports Complex | 2006 | 0 |
| Missouri Thrill Missouri Thrill The Springfield Thrill are a United Basketball League team which debuted on Saturday, March 28, 2009 with a pre-season win over the Texas Wranglers 112-104. They will play their home games in Springfield, Missouri.-External links:* * -Source:*... |
UBL United Basketball League The United Basketball League is a spring professional minor basketball league in the Southern United States. Originally founded by Mac Claire in 2006 as the Regional Basketball League, the UBL is scheduled to begin its inaugural season in the spring of 2008... , Basketball |
Glendale HS Gym Glendale High School (Missouri) Glendale High School is an American high school located at 2727 S. Ingram Mill Road in Springfield, Missouri. Glendale High School is one of five public high schools in Springfield, Missouri. It is located in the southeast area of Springfield, near U.S. Highway 65. In 2010, It had an enrollment... |
2006 | 0 |
Culture
Like many cities across the nation, Springfield has seen a resurgence in its downtown area. Many of the older buildings have been, and are continuing to be, renovated into mixed-use buildings such as lofts, office space, restaurants, bars, boutiques, and music venues. Located within the Downtown Springfield CID (Community Improvement DistrictBusiness improvement district
A business improvement district is a defined area within which businesses pay an additional tax or fee in order to fund improvements within the district's boundaries. Grant funds acquired by the city for special programs and/or incentives such as tax abatements can be made available to assist...
) are historic theaters that have been restored to their original state, including the Gillioz Theatre
Gillioz Theatre
The Gillioz Theatre was built by M. E. Gillioz of Monett, Missouri. Mr. Gillioz was in the business of building bridges, and the theater was built with steel and concrete. Wood was only used for handrails, doors, and doorframes. The original cost of the building was only $300,000. Renovation was...
and the Landers Theatre
Landers Theatre
The Landers Theatre in Springfield, Missouri, built in 1909, is the oldest and largest civic theater operation in Missouri. It has been in continuous use either as a legitimate theatre or a movie theater since it opened. In 1928, the theater became the 35th facility in the world to acquire sound film...
.
In 2001, Phase I of Jordan Valley Park opened along with the Mediacom Ice Park. Phase II of Jordan Valley Park will be complete in late 2011 or early 2012. 2001 also saw the opening of The Creamery Arts Center, a city-owned building inside Jordan Valley Park. It is home to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Ballet, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and provides office and meeting space for other arts organizations which serve the community. The center has been recently renovated to include two art galleries with monthly exhibitions, an Arts Library, rehearsal studios, and classrooms offering art workshops and hands-on activities. The facilities also include a outdoor classroom.
A March 2009 New York Times article described the history and ascendancy of cashew chicken
Cashew chicken
Cashew chicken is a simple Chinese-American dish that combines chicken , cashews, and a thick oyster sauce.-Springfield-style cashew chicken:...
in Springfield, where local variations of the popular Chinese dish are ubiquitous.
There are several arts events that occur annually including the Springfield Art Fest and the Missouri Literary Festival. Also the First Friday Art Walk occurs the first Friday of every month.
Country music
Ozark Jubilee
Ozark Jubilee is the first U.S. network television program to feature country music's top stars, and was the centerpiece of a strategy for Springfield, Missouri to challenge Nashville, Tennessee as America's country music capital...
and its spin-off, Five Star Jubilee
Five Star Jubilee
Five Star Jubilee was an American country music variety show carried by NBC-TV from March 17–September 22, 1961. The live program, a spin-off of ABC-TV's Jubilee USA, was the first network color television series to originate outside New York City or Hollywood.From March 17 to May 5, the...
; Talent Varieties
Talent Varieties
Talent Varieties is a country music talent show on American network television and radio in 1955 that featured performers hoping to achieve fame in the entertainment business....
; and The Eddy Arnold Show
The Eddy Arnold Show
The Eddy Arnold Show is the name of three similar American network television summer variety programs during the 1950s hosted by Eddy Arnold and featuring popular music stars of the day...
. All were carried live by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
except for Five Star Jubilee on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
; and were produced by Springfield's Crossroads TV Productions owned by Ralph D. Foster
Ralph D. Foster
Ralph David Foster , was an American broadcasting pioneer and philanthropist who created the framework for Springfield, Missouri to challenge Nashville, Tennessee as the nation's country music capital during the 1950s...
. Many of the biggest names in 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...
frequently visited or lived in Springfield at the time. City officials estimated the programs meant about 2,000 weekly visitors and "over $1,000,000 in fresh income."
Staged at the Jewell Theatre (demolished in 1961), Ozark Jubilee was the first national country music TV show to feature top stars and attract a significant viewership. Five Star Jubilee, produced from the Landers Theatre
Landers Theatre
The Landers Theatre in Springfield, Missouri, built in 1909, is the oldest and largest civic theater operation in Missouri. It has been in continuous use either as a legitimate theatre or a movie theater since it opened. In 1928, the theater became the 35th facility in the world to acquire sound film...
, was the first network color television
Color television
Color television is part of the history of television, the technology of television and practices associated with television's transmission of moving images in color video....
series to originate outside of New York City or Hollywood. Ironically, Springfield's NBC affiliate, KYTV-TV (which helped produce the program), was not equipped to broadcast in color and aired the show in black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
.
The Citadel Media, NBC Red Network
NBC Red Network
The NBC Red Network was one of the two original radio networks of the National Broadcasting Company. After NBC was required to divest itself of its Blue Network , the Red Network continued as the NBC Radio Network.It, along with the Blue Network, were the first two commercial radio networks in the...
and Mutual
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
s also all carried country music shows nationally from Springfield during the decade, including KWTO’S Korn’s-A-Krackin’ (Mutual).
The Ozark Hillbilly Medallion
The Springfield Chamber of Commerce once presented visiting dignitaries with an "Ozark HillbillyHillbilly
Hillbilly is a term referring to certain people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas of the United States, primarily Appalachia but also the Ozarks. Owing to its strongly stereotypical connotations, the term is frequently considered derogatory, and so is usually offensive to those Americans of...
Medallion" and a certificate proclaiming the honoree a "hillbilly of the Ozarks." On June 7, 1953, U.S. President Harry Truman received the medallion after a breakfast speech at the Shrine Mosque for a reunion of the 35th Division. Other recipients included US Army generals Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley was a senior U.S. Army field commander in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and a General of the Army in the United States Army...
and Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Bunker Ridgway was a United States Army General. He held several major commands and was most famous for resurrecting the United Nations war effort during the Korean War. Several historians have credited Ridgway for turning around the war in favor of the UN side...
, US Rep. Dewey Short
Dewey Jackson Short
Dewey Jackson Short was a Republican U.S. Representative from Missouri's 7th congressional district for 12 terms and a staunch opponent of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal.-Early life:...
, J. C. Penney, Johnny Olson
Johnny Olson
John Leonard "Johnny" Olson was an American radio personality and television announcer. His work spanned 32 game shows produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman from the late 1950s through the mid 1980s...
, Ralph Story
Ralph Story
Ralph Story, originally Ralph Bernard Snyder was an American television and radio personality. He was best remembered as the host of The $64,000 Challenge, a spin off of the game show The $64,000 Question, from 1956 until 1958.-Biography:Story was born Ralph Bernard Snyder in Kalamazoo, Michigan...
and disc jockey Nelson King.
Museums and other points of interest
- Air & Military Museum of the Ozarks
- Battle of Springfield Driving Tour
- American 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...
Library at Wilson's Creek National BattlefieldWilson's Creek National BattlefieldWilson's Creek National Battlefield at 6424 West Farm Road 182 near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, it was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. The Confederate's failure to exploit their... - Dickerson Park ZooDickerson Park ZooDickerson Park Zoo is a zoo in Springfield, Missouri, United States. It was established by the Springfield Park Board in 1922, and was initially developed with the help of WPA labor and funds in the 1930s....
- Dr. Michael J. Clarke History Museum of Ozarks Scouting
- Commercial Street Historic District
- Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center
- Founders Park
- Gray-Campbell Farmstead
- History Museum for Springfield-Greene County
- Missouri Institute of Natural Science - Riverbluff Cave
- Springfield Art Museum
- St. John's Episcopal ChurchSt. John's Episcopal Church (Springfield, Missouri)St. John's Episcopal Church, built in 1888, is an historic church located at 515 East Division Street in Springfield, Missouri. It is listed on the city of Springfield's register of historic sites.-History:...
- The Creamery Arts Center
- Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
- US Route 66 marker
- Wild Bill Hickok–Davis Tutt shootout site
- Wonders of Wildlife Museum & AquariumWonders of Wildlife Museum & AquariumThe American National Fish and Wildlife Museum, doing business as Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium, also known as Wonders of Wildlife Zooquarium or just Wonders of Wildlife in Springfield, Missouri, showcases more than 225 species of live animals, fresh and saltwater aquariums, interactive...
- Closed for construction
National Register of Historic Places
- Abou Ben Adhem Shrine MosqueAbou Ben Adhem Shrine MosqueThe Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque is a building of arabesque design located in downtown Springfield, Missouri, USA. It is owned by the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine , and is the site of the annual Shrine Circus...
- Christ Episcopal Church
- Gillioz TheatreGillioz TheatreThe Gillioz Theatre was built by M. E. Gillioz of Monett, Missouri. Mr. Gillioz was in the business of building bridges, and the theater was built with steel and concrete. Wood was only used for handrails, doors, and doorframes. The original cost of the building was only $300,000. Renovation was...
- Jefferson Avenue FootbridgeJefferson Avenue FootbridgeThe Jefferson Avenue Footbridge in Springfield, Missouri, built in 1902 it allows pedestrians to cross 13 sets of railroad tracks.As the footbridge approached its 100-year anniversary, it became apparent that a major rehabilitation was required to preserve the aging structure...
- Landers TheatreLanders TheatreThe Landers Theatre in Springfield, Missouri, built in 1909, is the oldest and largest civic theater operation in Missouri. It has been in continuous use either as a legitimate theatre or a movie theater since it opened. In 1928, the theater became the 35th facility in the world to acquire sound film...
- Park Central Square
- Springfield National CemeterySpringfield National CemeterySpringfield National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Springfield, in Greene County, Missouri. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 14,685 interments.- History :...
- Stone ChapelStone ChapelStone Chapel is the oldest stone structure in Springfield, Missouri. Built in 1880 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the chapel is on the southwest edge of the Drury University campus, at the corner of Central and Benton Avenue...
- Wilson's Creek National BattlefieldWilson's Creek National BattlefieldWilson's Creek National Battlefield at 6424 West Farm Road 182 near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, it was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. The Confederate's failure to exploit their...
- Walnut Street Historic DistrictWalnut Street Historic District (Springfield, Missouri)The Walnut Street Historic District in Springfield, Missouri contains more than 150 one and two story frame, brick, cast-stone, or stone dwellings in a thirteen block area. The district includes parts of East Walnut Street, East Elm Street and East McDaniel Street, Cordova Court, and South Hampton...
Transportation
Springfield is served by Interstate 44 which connects the city with St. Louis, MissouriSt. 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 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) carries traffic north towards Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas 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...
. U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 65, and U.S. Route 160 pass through the city. Formerly U.S. Route 66 and U.S. Route 166 passed through Springfield, and sections of historic US 66 can still be seen in the city. US 166's eastern terminus was once located in the northeast section of the city, and US 60 originally ended (westbound) in downtown Springfield. US 60 now goes through town on the James River Freeway
James River Freeway
James River Freeway is a fourteen mile -long freeway located largely on the south side of Springfield, Missouri. Its western terminus is at Interstate 44 north of Brookline and its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 65 in southeastern Springfield. It is named for the James River, which passes near...
. Major streets include Glenstone Avenue, Sunshine Street (Missouri Route 413), National Avenue, Division Street, Campbell Avenue, Kansas Expressway, Battlefield Road, Republic Road, West Bypass, Chestnut Expressway and Kearney Street. Springfield is also the site of the first diverging diamond interchange
Diverging diamond interchange
A diverging diamond interchange is a rare form of diamond interchange in which the two directions of traffic on the non-freeway road cross to the opposite side on both sides of the bridge at the freeway. It is unusual in that it requires traffic on the freeway overpass to briefly drive on the...
within the United States, located at the intersection of I-44
Interstate 44
Interstate 44 is a major highway in the central United States. Its western terminus is in Wichita Falls, Texas at a concurrency with US 277, US 281 and US 287; its eastern terminus is at the Illinois state line on the Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River in St...
and MO-13 (Kansas Expressway) (at 37.2503°N 93.3107°W). Springfield has public transportation operated by City Utilities of Springfield
City Utilities of Springfield
City Utilities of Springfield is a community-owned utility serving southwest Missouri with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services...
that serves most areas inside the city limits with its fleet of biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
-fueled buses.
Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) serves the city with direct flights to 12 cities with 33 daily flights. It is the principal air gateway to the Springfield region. The Downtown Airport
Downtown Airport (Missouri)
Downtown Airport is a privately-owned, public-use airport located in the city of Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, United States.- Facilities and aircraft :...
is also a public use airport located near downtown. In May 2009, the Springfield-Branson airport opened its new passenger terminal. Financing included $97 million in revenue bonds issued by the airport and $20 million of discretionary federal aviation funds, with no city taxes used. The new building includes 275000 square feet (25,548.3 m²), 10 gates (expandable to 60) and 1,826 parking spaces. Direct connections from Springfield are available to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa and Los Angeles. No international flights currently have regular service into Springfield-Branson, but it does serve international charters.
Passenger trains have not served Springfield since 1967, but more than 65 freight trains travel to, from, and through the city each day. Springfield was once home to the headquarters and main shops of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (Frisco)
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:...
. The Frisco was absorbed by the Burlington Northern (BN) in 1980, and in 1994 the BN merged with the Santa Fe, creating the current Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. BNSF has three switch yards (two small) in Springfield. Mainlines to and from Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis and Tulsa converge at the railroad's yard facility in the north part of the city. In October 2006, BNSF announced plans to upgrade its Tulsa and Memphis mainlines into Springfield to handle an additional four to six daily intermodal freight trains between the West Coast and the Southeast. The Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad
Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad
The Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad headquartered in Carthage, Missouri.MNA operates approximately of line in Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri. Its main line extends 384.1 miles from Kansas City, Missouri to Newport, Arkansas...
also operates several miles of (former Missouri Pacific) industrial trackage within the city.
Healthcare
Springfield is a regional medical center with six hospitals and more than 2,200 beds. The city's health care system offers every specialty listed by the American Medical AssociationAmerican Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
. Two of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. (CoxHealth
CoxHealth
CoxHealth is a four-hospital, 770 bed health system headquartered in Springfield, Missouri. CoxHealth serves a 25 county region of southwest Missouri and Northwest Arkansas. CoxHealth is one of Springfield's largest employer, with more than 9,100 people employed throughout the system...
and St. John’s Health System) are located in Springfield, and both are in the midst of expansion projects. The industry employs 30,000 people throughout the Springfield metro area. The United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, one of six federal institutions designed to handle the medical concerns of federal inmates, is located at the corner of W. Sunshine Street and Kansas Expressway.
Living conditions
In 2008, America's Promise Alliance ranked Springfield among its "100 Best Communities for Young People" for the third year in a row, and on June 11, 2009 Next Generation Consulting ranked Springfield 17th on its "Next Cities" list. In 2008 the magazine Best LifeBest Life
Best Life, published by Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States, was the first luxury service magazine for men, and the fastest-growing men's magazine in America, with a circulation of more than 500,000.-History:...
ranked Springfield the 10th worst city in the nation in which to raise a family using information from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics, FBI, American Association of Museums, National Center for Health Statistics, and American Bar Association.
In 2007, The Milken Institute ranked Springfield as a "Best Performing City" for creating and sustaining jobs, and Expansion Management magazine listed Springfield among "Top 20 Mid-Sized Metros for Recruitment and Attraction." Also that year, the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
designated Springfield as a "Safe Community"; and in 2008, Worldwide ERC
Worldwide ERC
Worldwide ERC is a relocation services industry trade group. Its membership of 12,000 relocation professionals--or global workforce mobility specialists--are concerned with current issues and management practices for the movement of employees within the United States and between all other...
named Springfield among "The Best Cities for Relocating Families." According to the Springfield News-Leader, the city has been ranked the second-least diverse city in the United States.
Media
The major daily city newspaper is the Springfield News-LeaderSpringfield News-Leader
The Springfield News-Leader is the predominant newspaper for the city of Springfield, Missouri and covers the Ozarks. The News-Leader has a morning circulation of 60,889 and a Sunday circulation of 88,970...
. Additional newspapers include: the "Daily Events" (daily), "Community Free Press" (bi-weekly), and "Springfield Business Journal" (weekly).
Television stations received in Springfield include: KYTV (TV)
KYTV (TV)
KYTV, virtual channel 3, is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Ozark Plateau area of Southwestern Missouri that is licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 from a transmitter in Fordland...
(NBC), KSPR
KSPR
KSPR, virtual channel 33, is the ABC-affiliated television station for the Ozark Plateau area of Southwestern Missouri that is licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 19 from a transmitter in Fordland...
(ABC), KCZ-TV (CW), KOLR
KOLR
KOLR is the CBS-affiliated television station for the Ozark Plateau area of Southwestern Missouri that is licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 10 from a transmitter on Switchgrass Road north of Fordland...
(CBS), KOZK
KOZK
KOZK is the PBS member station in Springfield, Missouri. Owned by Missouri State University, it broadcasts on digital channel 21. It operates a full-time satellite, KOZJ, digital channel 26 in Joplin...
(PBS), KRBK
KRBK
KRBK, channel 49, is a primary Fox/secondary MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station licensed to Osage Beach, Missouri and serving the city of Springfield and Southwest Missouri. The station's owner is Koplar Communications, founding owner of KPLR-TV in St...
(MyNetworkTV), KOZL (FOX), KWBM
KWBM
KWBM is an affiliate of the Daystar Television Network in Springfield, Missouri. Its main transmitter, on channel 31, is licensed in Harrison, Arkansas and located northeast of Branson, Missouri...
(Daystar). The Springfield Designated Market Area, or DMA, is the 75th largest in the United States. The area comprises 31 counties in southwest Missouri and Arkansas. There are 423,010 television owning households.
The radio stations received in Springfield are:
|
KTTS-FM KTTS-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, the station serves the Springfield area . The station places a strong emphasis on news programming and maintains the largest radio news operation in the state outside of St... KTXR KTXR is a radio station broadcasting a Soft Adult Contemporary/Adult Standards format, licensed to Springfield, Missouri, USA. The station is owned by Stereo Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Meyer Communications.... KWFC KWFC is a radio station broadcasting a Southern Gospel format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, USA, the station serves the Springfield MO area. The station is currently owned by Baptist Bible College, Inc., and broadcasts from Fordland.... KWND KWND is a radio station broadcasting in Springfield, Missouri, USA, with a contemporary Christian music format. KWND is owned/operated by the not-for-profit Radio Training Network, which also operates stations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.-Translators:KWND... KWTO KWTO refers to two radio stations in Springfield, Missouri, USA. On AM, KWTO can be found at 560 kHz, where it airs a news-talk format. On FM, KWTO operates at 98.7 MHz and carries a sports talk format.... KXUS KXUS is a radio station broadcasting a Classic rock format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, USA, it serves the Springfield area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses.... KWTO KWTO refers to two radio stations in Springfield, Missouri, USA. On AM, KWTO can be found at 560 kHz, where it airs a news-talk format. On FM, KWTO operates at 98.7 MHz and carries a sports talk format.... KBNN KBNN is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Lebanon, Missouri, USA, it serves the Springfield MO area. The station is currently owned by Waynesville/Lebanon License Co.... |
KSWM KSWM is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Aurora, Missouri, USA, it serves the Springfield MO area. The station is currently owned by Falcon Broadcasting.... KBFL (AM) KBFL are a pair of radio stations broadcasting the Jones Radio Networks adult standards format. The AM station is licensed to Springfield, Missouri, and the FM station is licensed to Buffalo, Missouri. The stations are currently owned by Meyer-Baldridge, Inc. .... KSGF (AM) KSGF is a radio station licensed to serve Springfield, Missouri, USA. The station, which launched in 1926 as KGBX, is owned by the Journal Broadcast Corporation. The station also simulcast on 104.1 FM, which is licensed to Ash Grove, Missouri, USA.... KADI (AM) KADI is a Conservative Talk radio station in Springfield, MO. The station is part of the Vision Communications, Inc. group, along with KADI-FM, Sign Pro, and Equally Yoked Christian Singles. Vision Communications is owned by RC Amer.-Programming:... KGMY KGMY is a radio station broadcasting an all sports format. Licensed to Springfield, Missouri, USA, it serves the Springfield market. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses.-External links:... KMRF KMRF is a radio station broadcasting a religious radio format. Licensed to Marshfield, Missouri, USA, it serves the Springfield MO area. The station is currently owned by New Life Evangelistic Center.... KLFJ KLFJ is a radio station targeting the multitude of tourists traveling along Missouri highways to the entertainment town of Branson, MO. The station cycles through numerous advertisements for Branson shows and other attractions in the area... KLTI (AM) KLTI is a radio station licensed to serve Macon, Missouri, USA. The station is owned by Best Broadcast Group and the broadcast license is held by Chirillo Electronics.KLTI broadcasts a classic country music format.... |
See also
External links
- Official site of the City of Springfield, Missouri
- Official site of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Official site of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
- Historic maps of Springfield 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...