Harrison County, Missouri

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Harrison County, Missouri
Map of Missouri highlighting Harrison County
Location in the state of Missouri
Map of the U.S. highlighting Missouri
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded February 14, 1845
Seat Bethany
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water
726.45 sq mi (1,881 km²)
725.13 sq mi (1,878 km²)
1.32 sq mi (3 km²), 0.18%
Population
 - (2010)
 - Density
8,957
13/sq mi (5/km²)
Harrison County Courthouse in Downtown Bethany

Harrison County is a county located in Northwest Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 8,957. Its county seat is Bethany[1]. The county was organized February 14, 1845 and named for U.S. Representative Albert G. Harrison of Missouri.

Contents

Geography [edit]

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the county has a total area of 726.45 square miles (1,881.5 km2), of which 725.13 square miles (1,878.1 km2) (or 99.82%) is land and 1.32 square miles (3.4 km2) (or 0.18%) is water.[2]

Adjacent counties [edit]

Major highways [edit]

Demographics [edit]

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1850 2,447
—
1860 10,601 333.2%
1870 14,635 38.1%
1880 20,304 38.7%
1890 21,033 3.6%
1900 24,398 16.0%
1910 20,466 −16.1%
1920 19,719 −3.6%
1930 17,233 −12.6%
1940 16,525 −4.1%
1950 14,107 −14.6%
1960 11,603 −17.8%
1970 10,257 −11.6%
1980 9,890 −3.6%
1990 8,469 −14.4%
2000 8,850 4.5%
2010 8,957 1.2%

As of the 2010 U.S. Census, there were 8,957 people, 3,669 households, and 2,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 4,407 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.55% White, 0.36% Native American, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.20% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Approximately 1.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,669 households out of which 29.79% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.51% were married couples living together, 8.29% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.92% were non-families. 28.26% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.31% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 7.18% from 18 to 24, 20.88% from 25 to 44, 26.44% from 45 to 64, and 20.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females there were 98.47 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.79 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $47,788. Males had a median income of $33,105 versus $25,388 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,967. About 10.3% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education [edit]

Public Schools [edit]

  • Ridgeway R-V School District - Ridgeway
    • Ridgeway Elementary School (PK-06)
    • Ridgeway High School (07-12)

Private Schools [edit]

Religion [edit]

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2010), evangelical Protestantism is the most common religion among adherents in Harrison County, although 37.69% of the population does not claim any religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in Harrison County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (44.11%), United Methodists (10.77%), and Disciples of Christ (10.76%).

Politics [edit]

Local [edit]

The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Harrison County. Republicans hold all of the elected positions in the county.

Harrison County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor Lila Mae Craig Republican
Circuit Clerk C. Sherece Eivins Republican
County Clerk Jackie Deskins Republican
Collector Cheryl Coleman Republican
Commissioner
(Presiding)		 Jack W. Hodge Republican
Commissioner
(District 1)		 Roger D. Gibson Republican
Commissioner
(District 2)		 George Bowles Republican
Coroner Jeremy Eivins Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Johnathan L. Meyer Republican
Public Administrator Kimberly King Republican
Recorder C. Sherece Eivins Republican
Sheriff Josh Eckerson Republican
Treasurer Cheryl Coleman Republican

State [edit]

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 54.06 % 2,090 43.87% 1,696 2.07% 80
2004 63.53% 2,556 35.22% 1,417 1.25% 50
2000 60.16% 2,307 37.29% 1,430 2.55% 98
1996 39.36% 1,472 58.82% 2,200 1.82% 68

All of Harrison County is a part of Missouri's 3rd District in the Missouri House of Representatives and is represented by Casey Guernsey (R-Bethany).

Missouri House of Representatives – District 3 – Harrison County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Casey Guernsey 2,542 100.00

All of Harrison County is a part of Missouri’s 12th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Brad Lager (R-Savannah).

Missouri Senate - District 12 – Harrison County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Brad Lager 2,486 100.00

Federal [edit]

All of Harrison County is included in Missouri’s 6th Congressional District and is currently represented by Sam Graves (R-Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

U.S. House of Representatives – Missouri’s 6th Congressional District – Harrison County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Sam Graves 2,263 79.24
Democratic Clint Hylton 592 20.73

All of Harrison County, along with the rest of the entire state of Missouri, is represented in the U.S. Senate by Claire McCaskill (D-Kirkwood) and Roy Blunt (R-Strafford). McCaskill was elected in 2006 by a narrow margin statewide, but Harrison County supported her opponent, incumbent Jim Talent.

U.S. Senate - Class I - Harrison County (2006)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Talent 1,769 54.90 -1.71
Democratic Claire McCaskill 1,250 38.80 -2.07
Libertarian Frank Gilmour 158 4.90 +1.95
Progressive Lydia Lewis 45 1.40 +1.40

Blunt was elected in 2010 over Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.

U.S. Senate - Class III - Harrison County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Roy Blunt 1,966 68.69 -3.53
Democratic Robin Carnahan 678 23.69 -3.30
Libertarian Jonathan Dine 113 3.95 +3.49
Constitution Jerry Beck 105 3.67 +3.34

Political culture [edit]

Past Presidential Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 64.16% 2,512 32.87% 1,287 2.97% 116
2004 67.42% 2,729 31.60% 1,279 0.99% 40
2000 63.94% 2,552 33.27% 1,328 2.78% 111
1996 44.77% 1,737 41.96% 1,628 13.27% 515

At the presidential level, Harrison County is reliably Republican. George W. Bush carried the county easily in 2000 and 2004. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Harrison County in 1992, and like many of the rural counties throughout Missouri, Harrison County strongly favored John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008.

Like most rural areas throughout northwest Missouri, voters in Harrison County generally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles which tend to influence their Republican leanings. In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman—it overwhelmingly won in Harrison County with 81% of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71% support from voters. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in Harrison County with 56% voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51% of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite Harrison County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes like increasing the minimum wage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed Harrison County with 61% of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 79% voting in favor. (During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.)

Missouri Presidential Preference Primaries [edit]

2012 [edit]

In the 2012 Missouri Republican Presidential Primary, voters in Harrison County supported former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pennsylvania), who finished first in the state at large, but ultimately lost the nomination to former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts). Delegates were chosen at a county caucus that ultimately selected an uncommitted delegation.

2008 [edit]

Harrison County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain 288 (32.65%)
Mike Huckabee 277 (31.41%)
Mitt Romney 207 (23.47%)
Ron Paul 93 (10.54%)
Harrison County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Rodham Clinton 436 (60.81%)
Barack Obama 249 (34.73%)
John Edwards (withdrawn) 24 (3.35%)

Cities and towns [edit]

Notable natives and residents [edit]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07. 
  2. ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13. 

External links [edit]

 Worth County Ringgold County, Iowa Decatur County, Iowa
Mercer County
  Harrison County, Missouri  
Gentry County Daviess County Grundy County
Municipalities and communities of Harrison County, Missouri, United States
Cities
Villages
Unincorporated
communities
Footnotes

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Jefferson City (capital)
Topics
Society
Regions
Metro areas
Largest cities
Counties and
independent cities

Coordinates: 40°21′N 93°59′W / 40.35°N 93.98°W / 40.35; -93.98

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