Jefferson City, Missouri


Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the 16th most populous city in the state, but the 9th least populous U.S. state capital. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principal city of the Jefferson City Metropolitan Statistical Area, the second-most-populous metropolitan area in Mid-Missouri and the fifth-most populous in the state. It forms part of the nine-county Columbia–Jefferson City–Moberly combined statistical area, which has 415,747 residents. Most of the city is located within Cole County, with a small northern section extending into adjacent Callaway County.
Jefferson City is named for Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, 1801–1809, and earlier major author of the Declaration of Independence of the United States on July 4, 1776. He also served several diplomatic posts overseas in Europe and was the first U.S. Secretary of State in the first President's Cabinet of George Washington, and subsequently the second Vice President under second chief executive John Adams.
Jefferson City is located on the northern edge of the Ozark Plateau on the southern side of the Missouri River in a region known as Mid-Missouri, that is roughly mid-way between the state's two large urban areas of Kansas City to the west and St. Louis in the east. It is south of Columbia, Missouri, and sits at the western edge of the Missouri Rhineland, one of the major wine-producing regions of the Midwest. The city is dominated by the monumental domed Missouri State Capitol, which rises from a bluff overlooking the nearby Missouri River to the north. Lewis and Clark with their Corps of Discovery passed the bluff here on their historic expedition upriver in 1804, eventually journeying westward to the Pacific Northwest region and the Pacific Ocean, before Europeans or Americans established any settlement there.
Many of Jefferson City's primary employers are in service and manufacturing industries like Hitachi. Jefferson City is also home to Lincoln University, a public historically black and federal land-grant university founded the year after the American Civil War in 1866, by the Union Army black veterans of the First Missouri Regiment of Colored Infantry & 62nd Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops with support from the Second Missouri Regiment of Colored Infantry / 65th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops.

History

In pre-Columbian times, this region was home of an ancient people known today as the Mound Builders, likely related to the Mississippian societies. They were subsequently replaced by Osage Native Americans. In the late 17th century, frontiersmen began to inhabit the area, including Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, Louis Jolliet, Jacques Marquette, Robert de LaSalle, and Daniel Boone, with the latter having the greatest influence on the region. Famed Western explorer and settler Daniel Boone's son, Daniel Morgan Boone, would later lay out and plat Jefferson City in the early 19th century.
When the Missouri Territory was organized in 1812, St. Louis was Missouri's seat of government for the territorial governor and territorial legislature. Later St. Charles would serve as the next capital town of the old Territory. Jefferson City was chosen as the new state capital in 1821, after Missouri was admitted to the Union as the 24th State. The village on the southern banks of the Missouri River was first called "Lohman's Landing", and when the new state legislature decided to relocate there, they proposed the name "Missouriopolis" before settling on "Jefferson" to honor former President Thomas Jefferson, who would still live at his Virginia home estate of Monticello for the next five years.
Over the years, the city was most often referred to as "Jefferson City"; the common name eventually stuck. For years, this village was little more than a trading post located in the wilderness about midway between St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1825, the settlement was formally incorporated, and a year later, the state legislature of the General Assembly of Missouri moved to Jefferson City, where they would continue to meet.
Jefferson City was also chosen by the lawmakers as the site of a state prison. This prison, named the Missouri State Penitentiary, opened in 1836. This prison was the unfortunate home to multiple infamous Americans, including former heavyweight boxing champion Sonny Liston, Martin Luther King Jr. assassin James Earl Ray, and infamous 1930s bank robber Pretty Boy Floyd.
During the American Civil War, Jefferson City was occupied by Union / Federal troops. The elected state legislature of the General Assembly were driven from Jefferson City by Union Army General Nathaniel Lyon. Some of the rebelling legislators later reconvened in nearby Neosho and passed an ordinance of secession from the Federal Union.
Missouri was claimed by both the southern Confederacy and the Federal Union of the remaining United States, as was neighboring border state of Kentucky to the east, also split by the impending conflict of civil war. Missourians were strongly divided and many people in the state—especially in St. Louis—supported the Union, while other areas of the state, such as Missouri's Little Dixie were strongly pro-Confederate, further west along the Missouri River between Jefferson City and Kansas City.
German immigrants created vineyards in small towns on either side of the Missouri River, especially on the north from the city east to Marthasville, located outside of St. Louis. Known as the "Missouri Rhineland" for its vineyards and first established by German immigrants in the mid-1800s, this region has become part of Missouri's agricultural and tourist economy.

2019 tornado

Approximately 15 minutes before midnight on May 22, 2019, a tornado emergency was issued for the Jefferson City area. Minutes later, a destructive EF-3 tornado caused extensive damage on the southwest side of the city. At least 20 people were injured, but none were killed due to this tornado. The tornado originally touched down west of Eldon before heading its way to Jefferson City.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Climate

Jefferson City has a humid continental climate with hot, rainy summers and cold winters. The city borders on having a humid subtropical climate but falls just short due to January having a mean temperature of which is below the isotherm. Thunderstorms are common in both the spring and summer. Light snow is common during the winter, although about half of wintertime precipitation falls as rain.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 43,228 people, 16,882 households, and 9,327 families in Jefferson City. The population density was. There were 18,942 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 74.33% white, 15.83% black or African-American, 0.3% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.31% from other races, and 6.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 3.6% of the population.
Of the 16,882 households, 25.7% had children under the age of 18; 40.2% were married couples living together; 34.4% had a female householder with no husband present. Of all households, 39.6% consisted of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 3.0.
20.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 106.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 110.9 males.
The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $54,003 and the median family income was $75,490. Males had a median income of $35,561 versus $31,226 for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,642. Approximately, 8.8% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.9% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 43,079 people in 17,278 households, including 9,969 families, in the city. The population density was. There were 18,852 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 78.0% White, 16.9% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.6%.
Of the 17,278 households 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 36.2% of households were one person and 11.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution was 20.9% of residents under the age of 18, 10.3% between the ages of 18 and 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% 65 or older. The median age was 37.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 51.2% male and 48.8% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census, there were 39,636 people in 15,794 households, including 9,207 families, in the city. The population density was. There were 16,987 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 81.5% White, 14.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. 1.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the 15,794 households 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 36.1% of households were one person and 11.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age distribution was 20.9% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.6 males.
The median household income was $39,628 and the median family income was $52,627. Males had a median income of $35,050 versus $25,521 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,268. About 7.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.