Jefferson City, Missouri
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Capitolmo.jpg
Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the population is 39,636. It is the county seat of Cole County. Part of the city is located in Callaway County, Missouri.
In pre-Columbian times, this region was home of an ancient people known only as the Mound_Builders. By the time European settlers began arriving here, the Mound Builders had already vanished into history and the indigenous peoples were called the Osage Indians. (See Also: Osage_Nation)
Jefferson City was named after the third president of the United States of America, Thomas_Jefferson. When the Missouri Territory was organized in 1812, St._Louis was the seat of government. St. Charles served as the capital until Jefferson City was chosen as the new capital in 1821. In 1821 Jefferson City was known as Lohman?s Landing. It was little more than a trading post located in the wilderness about midway between St. Louis and Kansas City. In 1826 the Missouri legislature first met here. In 1839 the site was incorporated as a city.
Jefferson City is located in the Ozarks on the Missouri_River near the geographic center of the state, and is dominated by a beautiful domed Capitol, rising from a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. Lewis_and_Clark passed beneath that bluff on their historic expedition.
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Historical moments & overview
- See also: Jefferson_City,_Missouri#Notables
- See also: History_of_Missouri
- Jefferson City is home of the Jefferson City Jays and the Lincoln University_(Missouri) Blue Tigers.
- Jefferson City was occupied by Union troops during the Civil_war.
- It was part (http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/projects/l142/) of the Great_Flood_of_1993.
- The Capitol building houses the Missouri State Museum.
- The Capitol building is based on Italian-Renaissance design and made of Carthage marble. It was completed 1917.
- The statue on top of the Capitol building is Ceres, the Goddess of Grain.
- The Museum of Missouri Military History is located in Jefferson City.
- A submarine, the USS_Jefferson_City_(SSN-759), is named for the State Capital of Missouri.
- Jefferson City is a point along the Katy_Trail.
- Jefferson City has hosted a Jazzfest in September since 1994. (See also: Jazz)
Notables
- T.S._Eliot was born in Jefferson City.
- Robert_Heinlein was born in Jefferson City.
- Walt_Disney's boyhood home was in Jefferson City.
- Thomas_Hart_Benton_(painter) painted murals in the Capitol Building in Jefferson City. So did N._C._Wyeth.
- Winston_Churchill visited Jefferson City on March 05, 1946.
- Lorenzo Greene had a street named after him in Jefferson City.
- Jack_S._Kilby was born in Jefferson City.
- Cedric_the_Entertainer (Cedric Kyle) was born in Jefferson City.
- Lloyd L. Gaines attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
- John M. Dalton was a govenor of Missouri and lived in Jefferson City.
- James_T._Blair,_Jr. was the mayor of Jefferson City in 1947 and then later a govenor of Missouri.
- William_Rose_(screenwriter) was born in Jefferson City.
Geography
Jefferson City is located at 38°38'58" North, 92°12'52" West (38.572954, -92.189283)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.2 km² (28.3 mi²). 70.6 km² (27.2 mi²) of it is land and 2.6 km² (1.0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 3.61% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 39,636 people, 15,794 households, and 9,207 families residing in the city. The population density is 561.6/km² (1,454.4/mi²). There are 16,987 housing units at an average density of 240.7/km² (623.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 81.50% White, 14.70% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. 1.55% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 15,794 households out of which 27.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% are married couples living together, 10.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% are non-families. 36.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.90.
In the city the population is spread out with 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% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 105.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 106.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $39,628, and the median income for a family is $52,627. Males have a median income of $35,050 versus $25,521 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,268. 11.5% of the population and 7.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 17.1% of those under the age of 18 and 7.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Jefferson City News Tribune (Newspaper) (http://www.newstribune.com/)
- Jefferson City, MO (Official Webpage) (http://www.jeffcitymo.org/)
- History of the Missouri State Capitol Building (http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/history/capitol.asp)
- Jefferson City Convention and Visitor's Bureau (http://www.visitjeffersoncity.com/)
Map links