Boone County is a county located in Central Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 162,642, the eighth most populous in the state. Its county seat is Columbia, the fifth largest city in Missouri and the anchor city of the Columbia Metropolitan Area. The county was organized November 16, 1820 and named for Daniel Boone.
History[edit]
Boone County was organized November 16, 1820, from a portion of the territorial Howard County. The area was then known as Boone's Lick Country, because of a salt lick which Daniel Boone's sons used their stock.
Though now considered Midwestern, Boone County was settled primarily from the Upper South states of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia. The settlers brought slaves and slaveholding with them, and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in Middle Tennessee and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. Boone was one of several counties settled by Southerners to the north and south of the Missouri River. Because of its culture and traditions, the area became known as Little Dixie, and Boone County was at its heart.[3] In 1860 slaves made up 25 percent or more of the county's population, and Little Dixie was strongly pro-Confederate during the American Civil War.[4]
Demographics[edit]
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1830 |
8,859 |
|
—
|
| 1840 |
13,561 |
|
53.1% |
| 1850 |
14,979 |
|
10.5% |
| 1860 |
19,486 |
|
30.1% |
| 1870 |
20,765 |
|
6.6% |
| 1880 |
25,422 |
|
22.4% |
| 1890 |
26,043 |
|
2.4% |
| 1900 |
28,642 |
|
10.0% |
| 1910 |
30,533 |
|
6.6% |
| 1920 |
29,672 |
|
−2.8% |
| 1930 |
30,995 |
|
4.5% |
| 1940 |
34,991 |
|
12.9% |
| 1950 |
48,432 |
|
38.4% |
| 1960 |
55,202 |
|
14.0% |
| 1970 |
80,911 |
|
46.6% |
| 1980 |
100,376 |
|
24.1% |
| 1990 |
112,379 |
|
12.0% |
| 2000 |
135,454 |
|
20.5% |
| 2010 |
162,642 |
|
20.1% |
| Est. 2012 |
168,535 |
|
3.6% |
U.S. Decennial Census
2012 Estimate
|
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 135,454 people, 53,094 households, and 31,378 families residing in the county. The population density was 198 people per square mile (76/km²). There were 56,678 housing units at an average density of 83 per square mile (32/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 85.43% White, 8.54% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 2.96% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Approximately 1.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.6% claimed German, 12.3% American, 11.2% English and 9.8% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 53,094 households out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.50% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.90% were non-families. 28.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.80% under the age of 18, 19.90% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 18.80% from 45 to 64, and 8.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,485, and the median income for a family was $51,210. Males had a median income of $33,304 versus $25,990 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,844. About 7.60% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.
There are 121,319 registered voters.[6]
Geography[edit]
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 691.31 square miles (1,790.5 km2), of which 685.43 square miles (1,775.3 km2) (or 99.15%) is land and 5.88 square miles (15.2 km2) (or 0.85%) is water.[7] The Missouri River makes up the southern border of the county.
National protected area[edit]
Location[edit]
Transportation[edit]
Major highways[edit]
Cities and towns[edit]
Education[edit]
Public Schools[edit]
- Centralia R-VI School District – Centralia
- Chance Elementary School (PK-02)
- Centralia Intermediate School (03-05)
- Chester Boren Middle School (06-08)
- Centralia High School (09-12)
- Columbia School District No. 93 – Columbia
- Center for Gifted Education (01-05)
- Frederick Douglass High School (PK-12) – Alternative School
- Cedar Ridge Elementary School (PK-05)
- Thomas Benton Elementary School (PK-05)
- John Ridgeway Elementary School (K-05)
- Eugene Field/Hart Lewis Elementary School (PK-05)
- Midway Heights Elementary School (PK-05)
- Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School (PK-05)
- Two Mile Prairie Elementary School (PK-05)
- New Haven Elementary School (PK-05)
- West Boulevard Elementary School (PK-05)
- Robert E. Lee Elementary School (PK-05)
- Parkade Elementary School (PK-05)
- Blue Ridge Elementary School (PK-05)
- Fairview Elementary School (PK-05)
- Russell Boulevard Elementary School (PK-05)
- Shepard Boulevard Elementary School (PK-05)
- Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School (PK-05)
- Derby Ridge Elementary School (PK-05)
- Mill Creek Elementary School (PK-05)
- John B. Lange Middle School (06-07)
- Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle School (06-07)
- Smithton Middle School (06-07)
- Oakland Junior High School (08-09)
- Jefferson Junior High School (08-09)
- West Junior High School (08-09)
- Rock Bridge High School (PK-12)
- David H. Hickman High School (10-12)
Private School[edit]
- Morningside Community School – Columbia (05-07) – Nonsectarian
Post Secondary[edit]
Politics[edit]
The Democratic Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Boone County. Democrats hold all but one of the elected positions in the county.
Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
| Year |
Republican |
Democratic |
Third Parties |
| 2008 |
42.71% 35,785 |
55.28% 46,315 |
2.01% 1,688 |
| 2004 |
47.33% 35,666 |
51.08% 38,489 |
1.59% 1,201 |
| 2000 |
43.13% 25,609 |
52.22% 31,007 |
4.65% 2,767 |
| 1996 |
30.51% 15,929 |
65.62% 34,266 |
3.87% 2,021 |
Boone County is divided into five legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, four of which are held by Democrats and one Republican.
- District 9 – Paul Quinn (D-Monroe City). Consists of the communities of Centralia, Harrisburg, and Sturgeon.
| Missouri House of Representatives – District 9 – Boone County (2010) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Democratic |
Paul Quinn |
3,586 |
100.00 |
|
- District 21 – John W. Cauthorn (R-Mexico). Consists of the community of Hallsville and a small part of the city of Columbia.
| Missouri House of Representatives – District 21 – Boone County (2010) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Republican |
John W. Cauthorn |
3,163 |
54.53 |
|
|
Democratic |
Kelly Schultz |
2,637 |
45.47 |
|
| Missouri House of Representatives – District 23 – Boone County (2010) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Democratic |
Stephen Weber |
9,373 |
67.98 |
|
|
Republican |
Paul S. Szopa |
4,415 |
32.02 |
|
- District 24 – Chris Kelly (D-Columbia). Consists of one-fourth of the city of Columbia and all of the communities of Ashland, Hartsburg, McBaine, and Rocheport.
| Missouri House of Representatives – District 24 – Boone County (2010) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Democratic |
Chris Kelly |
9,412 |
55.90 |
|
|
Republican |
Laura E. Nelson |
7,426 |
44.10 |
|
| Missouri House of Representatives – District 25 – Boone County (2010) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Democratic |
Mary Wynne Still |
5,975 |
100.00 |
|
All of Boone County is a part of Missouri’s 19th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia).
| Missouri Senate - District 19 – Boone County (2008) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Republican |
Kurt Schaefer |
38,659 |
47.81 |
|
|
Democratic |
Chuck Graham |
38,290 |
47.35 |
|
|
Libertarian |
Christopher W. Dwyer |
3,911 |
4.84 |
|
Federal[edit]
All of Boone County is included in Missouri’s 9th Congressional District and is currently represented by Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-St. Elizabeth) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
| U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 9th Congressional District – Boone County (2010) |
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
|
Republican |
Blaine Luetkemeyer |
30,616 |
60.27 |
|
|
Libertarian |
Christopher W. Dwyer |
14,863 |
29.26 |
|
Political Culture[edit]
Past Presidential Elections Results
| Year |
Republican |
Democratic |
Third Parties |
| 2008 |
43.22% 36,849 |
55.20% 47,062 |
1.58% 1,340 |
| 2004 |
49.71% 37,801 |
49.50% 37,643 |
0.79% 604 |
| 2000 |
47.69% 28,426 |
48.33% 28,811 |
3.98% 2,372 |
| 1996 |
42.46% 22,047 |
48.12% 24,984 |
9.42% 4,889 |
Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "2010 Census Data". U.S Census Bureau. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
- ^ "Population Estimates for Missouri Counties 2008" (XLS). U.S. Census Bureau.
- ^ The Story of Little Dixie, Missouri, Missouri Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans, accessed 3 June 2008
- ^ T. J. Stiles, Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War, New York: Vintage Books, 2003, pp.10-11
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Registered Voters in Missouri 2008
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
External links[edit]
