Howell County, Missouri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Howell County, Missouri | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Missouri |
|
 Missouri's location in the U.S. |
|
| Statistics | |
| Founded | March 2, 1857 [1] |
|---|---|
| Seat | West Plains |
| Largest city | West Plains |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
928 sq mi (2,404 km²) 928 sq mi (2,403 km²) 1 sq mi (2 km²), 0.06 |
| PopulationEst. - (2008) - Density |
39,236 40/sq mi (16/km²) |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website: http://www.howellcounty.net/ | |
| Named for: Josiah Howell, pioneer settler | |
Howell County is a county located in South Central Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county's population was 37,238. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 39,236. The largest city and county seat is West Plains[2]. The county was officially organized on March 2, 1851, and is named after Josiah Howell, a pioneer settler in the Howell Valley.
Contents |
[edit] History
Howell County was organized on March 2, 1857, from Oregon County, and named for Josiah Howell, who made the first settlement in Howell Valley.
The first Circuit Court met in a log cabin one mile east of West Plains, according to an 1876 account. A small, wooden courthouse was built on the square in West Plains in 1859. It was damaged during the Civil War in 1862. The county was reorganized three years later, but all of the county records were destroyed in an 1866 fire. A second courthouse was built in West Plains in 1869. It was a small, three-room, frame building, about 24 by 30 feet.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 928 square miles (2,404 km²), of which, 928 square miles (2,403 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2 km²) of it (0.06%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Texas County (north)
- Shannon County (northeast)
- Oregon County (east)
- Fulton County, Arkansas (south)
- Ozark County (southwest)
- Douglas County (northwest)
[edit] Major highways
[edit] National protected area
- Mark Twain National Forest (part)
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 37,238 people, 14,762 households, and 10,613 families residing in the county. The population density was 40 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 16,340 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.41% White, 0.31% Black or African American, 0.97% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Approximately 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among the major first ancestries reported in Howell County were 28.3% American, 16.4% German, 12.2% Irish, and 12.1% English, according to Census 2000.
There were 14,762 households out of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,761, and the median income for a family was $38,047. Males had a median income of $22,960 versus $16,968 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,184. About 14.00% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Education
Of adults 25 years of age and older in Howell County, 73.4% possesses a high school diploma or higher while 10.9% holds a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.
[edit] Public Schools
- Mountain View-Birch Tree R-III School District - Mountain View
- Birch Tree Elementary School - Birch Tree - (PK-06) - Located in Shannon County
- Mountain View Elementary School - (PK-06)
- Liberty Middle School - (07-08)
- Liberty High School - (09-12)
- West Plains R-VII School District - West Plains
- South Fork Elementary School (K-06)
- West Plains Elementary School (K-04)
- West Plains Middle School (05-08)
- West Plains High School (09-12)
- Willow Springs R-IV School District - Willow Springs
- Willow Springs Elementary School (PK-04)
- Willow Springs Middle School (05-08)
- Willow Springs High School (09-12)
- Fairview R-XI School District - West Plains
- Fairview Elementary School (K-08)
- Glenwood R-VIII School District - West Plains
- Glenwood Elementary School - (PK-08)
- Howell Valley R-I School District - West Plains
- Howell Valley Elementary School (K-08)
- Junction Hill C-12 School District - West Plains
- Junction Hill Elementary School - (K-08)
- Richards R-V School District - West Plains
- Richards Elementary School - (K-08)
[edit] Private Schools
[edit] Alternative & Vocational Schools
- Ozark Horizon State School - West Plains - (K-12) - A school for handicapped students and those with other special needs.
- South Central Career Center - West Plains - (09-12) - Vocational/technical
[edit] Cities and towns
[edit] Politics
[edit] Local
Politics at the local level in Howell County is completely controlled by the Republican Party. All of Howell County's elected officeholders are Republicans.
| Office | Incumbent | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Assessor | Daniel Franks | Republican |
| Circuit Clerk & Ex Officio Recorder | Cindy Weeks | Republican |
| Clerk | Dennis K. Von Allmen | Republican |
| Collector | Wayne Scharnhorst | Republican |
| Commissioner – Northern District | Bill Lovelace | Republican |
| Commissioner – Southern District | Mark B. Collins | Republican |
| Coroner | James T. "Tim" Cherry | Republican |
| Presiding Commissioner | Larry Spence | Republican |
| Prosecuting Attorney | Michael P. Hutchings | Republican |
| Public Administrator | Charm L. Eagleman | Republican |
| Sheriff | Mike Shannon | Republican |
| Surveyor | Ralph Riggs | Republican |
| Treasurer | Ernestine F. Doss | Republican |
[edit] State
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 45.33% 7,659 | 52.11% 8,804 | 2.56% 432 |
| 2004 | 64.89% 10,595 | 33.48% 5,466 | 1.63% 267 |
| 2000 | 53.51% 7,537 | 44.77% 6,306 | 1.72% 242 |
| 1996 | 51.71% 7,030 | 44.78% 6,087 | 3.51% 477 |
Howell County is divided into two legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives.
- District 143 - Rep. Maynard Wallace (R-Thornfield). Consists of some of the northern portions of the county. In 2008, Maynard defeated Cathy Hilliard (D) 67.66-32.34 percent; Howell County backed Maynard with 63.70 percent of the vote while Hilliard received 36.60 percent.
- District 151 – Rep. Ward Franz (R-West Plains). Consists of most of the entire rest of the county. In 2008, Frank defeated Kathy Hensley (I) 69.39-25.53 percent while Robert Lee Mills (C) received 5.07 percent in Howell County.
Howell County is also a part of Missouri's 33rd Senatorial District and is currently represented by State Senator Chuck Purgason (R-Caulfield). In 2008, Purgason defeated Eric Reeve (D) 67.31-32.69 percent. Howell County backed Purgason with 74.13 percent while Reeve received 25.87 percent. The 33rd Senatorial District consists of Camden, Howell, Laclede, Oregon, Shannon, Texas, and Wright counties.
In Missouri's gubernatorial election of 2008, Governor of Missouri Jay Nixon (D) defeated former U.S. Representative Kenny Hulshof (R) with 58.40 percent of the total statewide vote. Nixon performed extremely well and won many of the rural counties in the state, including Howell County. The former attorney general Nixon carried Howell County with 52.11 percent of the vote to Hulshof's 45.33 percent.
[edit] Federal
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Howell County is represented by Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau) who represents all of Southeast Missouri as part of Missouri's 8th Congressional District.
[edit] Political Culture
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 64.49% 10,982 | 33.68% 5,736 | 1.83% 311 |
| 2004 | 67.75% 11,097 | 31.25% 5,118 | 1.00% 164 |
| 2000 | 64.07% 9,018 | 32.97% 4,641 | 2.96% 416 |
| 1996 | 44.30% 5,991 | 38.90% 5,261 | 16.80% 2,272 |
At the presidential level, Howell County is Republican-leaning. George W. Bush carried the county by margins of more than two to one in 2000 and 2004. Bill Clinton was the last Democratic presidential nominee to carry Howell County in 1992, and like many of the rural counties throughout Missouri, Howell County strongly favored John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008.
Like most rural areas throughout Southeast Missouri, voters in Howell 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 Howell County with 83.36 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban same-sex marriage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in Howell County with 57.97 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite Howell 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 Howell County with 67.79 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99 percent voting in favor. (During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.)
[edit] 2008 Missouri Presidential Primary
In the 2008 Missouri Presidential Primary, voters in Howell County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally.
Democratic
Former U.S. Senator and now Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) won Howell County by a two-to-one margin over now President Barack Obama (D-Illinois). Clinton carried Howell County with 64.07 percent of the vote while Obama received 32.44 percent of the vote. Although he withdrew from the race, former U.S. Senator John Edwards (D-North Carolina) still received 2.75 percent of the vote in Howell County while 1.06 percent voted uncommitted.
Clinton had a large initial lead in Missouri at the beginning of the evening as the rural precincts began to report, leading several news organizations to call the state for her; however, Obama rallied from behind as the heavily African American precincts from St. Louis began to report and eventually put him over the top. In the end, Obama received 49.32 percent of the vote to Clinton's 47.90 percent—a 1.42 percent difference. Both candidates split Missouri's 72 delegates as the Democratic Party utilizes proportional representation.
Republican
Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) won Howell County with 52.97 percent of the vote. U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) finished in second place in Howell County with 24.76 percent. Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts) came in third place, receiving 14.57 percent of the vote while libertarian-leaning U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) finished fourth with 6.54 percent in Howell County.
Huckabee slightly led Missouri throughout much of the evening until the precincts began reporting from St. Louis where McCain won and put him over the top of Huckabee. In the end, McCain received 32.95 percent of the vote to Huckabee's 31.53 percent—a 1.42 percent difference. McCain received all of Missouri's 58 delegates as the Republican Party utilizes the winner-take-all system.
- Mike Huckabee received more votes, a total of 2,882, than any candidate from either party in Howell County during the 2008 Missouri Presidential Primaries.
[edit] References
- ^ Untitled Document
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
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