Platte County, Missouri

Platte County, Missouri
Location in the state of Missouri
Missouri's location in the U.S.
Founded	December 31, 1838
Named for	The Platte River, or the Platte Purchase
Seat	Platte City
Largest city	Kansas City
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	427.22 sq mi (1,106 km²) 420.33 sq mi (1,089 km²) 6.89 sq mi (18 km²), 1.61%
PopulationEst.  - (2007)  - Density	84,881 198.8/sq mi (76.7/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.co.platte.mo.us

Platte 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 89,322. Its county seat is Platte City. The county was organized December 31, 1838 from the Platte Purchase^{[citation needed]}, named for the Platte River. (Platte is derived from the French word for a low, shallow, or intermittent stream.)

Platte County is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and contains some of the city's western suburbs. Kansas City International Airport is located in the county, approximately one mile west of Interstate 29 between mile markers 12 and 15. The land for the airport was originally in an unincorporated portion of Platte County before being annexed by Platte City, and eventually, Kansas City.

Geography

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the county has a total area of 427.22 square miles (1,106.5 km²), of which 420.33 square miles (1,088.6 km²) (or 98.39%) is land and 6.89 square miles (17.8 km²) (or 1.61%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Buchanan County (north)
• Clinton County (northeast)
• Clay County (east)
• Wyandotte County, Kansas (south)
• Leavenworth County, Kansas (southwest)
• Atchison County, Kansas (northwest)

Major highways

• Interstate 29
• Interstate 435
• Interstate 635
• U.S. Route 71
• Route 9
• Route 45
• Route 92
• Route 152
• Route 273
• Route 371

Platte County Courthouse in Platte City was built after the original courthouse was burned with the rest of Platte City during the American Civil War. Blanche Barrow was held at the adjoining jail following a Bonnie & Clyde shootout just south of Platte City.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	8,913		—
1850	16,845		89.0%
1860	18,350		8.9%
1870	17,352		−5.4%
1880	17,366		0.1%
1890	16,278		−6.3%
1900	16,193		−0.5%
1910	14,429		−10.9%
1920	13,996		−3.0%
1930	13,819		−1.3%
1940	13,862		0.3%
1950	14,973		8.0%
1960	23,350		55.9%
1970	32,081		37.4%
1980	46,341		44.4%
1990	57,867		24.9%
2000	73,781		27.5%
2010	89,322		21.1%

As of the census of 2000, there were 73,781 people, 29,278 households, and 20,231 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile (68/km²). There were 30,902 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile (28/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.45% White, 3.49% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.48% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 1.05% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. Approximately 3.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.4% were of German, 12.5% Irish, 12.2% American and 11.4% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 29,278 households out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.80% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $55,849, and the median income for a family was $65,236. Males had a median income of $44,310 versus $31,005 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,356. About 3.30% of families and 4.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.70% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Camden Point Dearborn East Leavenworth Edgerton Farley

Ferrelview Houston Lake Iatan Kansas City (part; the rest of Kansas City lies in Cass, Clay and Jackson counties) Lake Waukomis

Northmoor Parkville Platte City Platte Woods Ridgely

Riverside Tracy Waldron Weatherby Lake Weston

Education

Public Schools

• North Platte County R-I School District – Dearborn
  • North Platte County Elementary School (PK-03)
  • North Platte County Intermediate School (04-06)
  • North Platte County Junior High School (07-08)
  • North Platte County High School (09-12)
• Park Hill School District – Kansas City
  • Park Hill Day School (K-12) – (Special Education)
  • Alfred L. Renner Elementary School (K-05)
  • Thomas B. Chinn Elementary School (K-05)
  • English Landing Elementary School (K-05)
  • Graden Elementary School (K-05)
  • Hawthorn Elementary School (K-05)
  • Line Creek Elementary School (K-05)
  • Park Hill Early Childhood Education Center (PK)
  • Prairie Point Elementary School (K-05)
  • Southeast Elementary School (K-05)
  • Tiffany Ridge Elementary School (K-05)
  • Union Chapel Elementary School (K-05)
  • Congress Middle School (07-08)
  • Lakeview Middle School (07-08)
  • Plaza Middle School (06)
  • Park Hill High School (09-12)
  • Park Hill South High School (09-12) – Riverside
• Platte County R-III School District – Platte City
  • Donald D. Siegrist Elementary School (PK-03)
  • Pathfinder Elementary School (PK-02)
  • Rising Star Elementary School (K)
  • Barry Elementary School (03-08)
  • Paxton Elementary School (04-05)
  • Platte City Middle School (06-08)
  • Platte County High School (09-12)
• West Platte County R-II School District – Weston
  • Central Elementary School (PK-06)
  • West Platte County High School (07-12)

Private Schools

• Clay-Platte Children’s House Montessori School – Kansas City (PK-08) – Nonsectarian
• Martin Luther Academy – Kansas City (K-08) – Lutheran
• Northland Christian Education System – Kansas City (PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian
• St. Therese School – Kansas City (K-09) – Roman Catholic
• Prairie View KinderCare – Kansas City (NS/PK) – Nonsectarian
• Christ Lutheran Pre-Kindergarten School – Platte Woods (NS/PK) – Lutheran

Politics

Local

The Republican Party predominantly controls politics at the local level in Platte County. Republicans hold all but three of the elected positions in the county.

Platte County, Missouri
Elected countywide officials
Assessor	David Christian			Republican
Circuit Clerk	Sandra L. Dowd			Democratic
County Clerk	Joan Harms			Republican
Collector	Donna C. Nash			Republican
Commissioner (Presiding)	Jason Brown			Republican
Commissioner (District 1)	Kathy Dusenbery			Republican
Commissioner (District 2)	Jim Plunkett			Republican
Prosecuting Attorney	Eric Zahnd			Republican
Public Administrator	Terry L. Edwards			Democratic
Recorder	Gloria Boyer			Republican
Sheriff	Richard L. Anderson			Republican
Surveyor	Charlie Kutz			Republican
Treasurer	Bonnie Brown			Democratic

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2008	42.51% 19,417	55.23% 25,228	2.26% 1,032
2004	48.31% 20,137	50.31% 20,970	1.32% 577
2000	50.23% 16,971	47.69% 16,115	2.08% 703
1996	36.40% 10,581	61.37% 17,840	2.23% 647

Platte County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are held by Republicans.

• District 29 – Galen Wayne Higdon, Jr. (R-St. Joseph). Consists of the community of Weston.

Missouri House of Representatives - District 29 – Platte County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Galen Wayne Higdon, Jr.	710	54.32
	Democratic	Bill Caldwell	597	45.68

• District 30 – Nick Marshall (R-Parkville). Consists of the communities of Camden Point, Dearborn, Edgerton, Farley, Ferrelview, Platte City, Ridgely, Tracy, Weatherby Lake, and a small portion of the city of Kansas City.

Missouri House of Representatives - District 30 – Platte County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Nick Marshall	8,888	59.52
	Democratic	Lexi Norris	6,044	40.48

• District 32 – Ron Schieber (R-Kansas City). Consists of the communities of Houston Lake, Lake Waukomis, Northmoor, Parkville, Platte Woods, Riverside, and less than a tenth of the city of Kansas City.

Missouri House of Representatives - District 32 – Platte County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Ron Schieber	7,441	50.59
	Democratic	Jason Grill	7,267	49.41

All of Platte County is a part of Missouri’s 34th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Rob Schaaf (R-St. Joseph).

Missouri Senate - District 34 – Platte County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rob Schaaf	18,885	61.53
	Democratic	Martin T. Rucker	11,805	38.47

Federal

All of Platte 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 – Platte County (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Sam Graves	21,087	68.16
	Democratic	Clint Hylton	9,843	31.82

Past Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2008	52.44% 24,460	46.01% 21,459	1.55% 721
2004	55.52% 23,302	43.87% 18,412	0.61% 256
2000	52.23% 17,785	45.00% 15,325	2.77% 944
1996	45.37% 13,332	43.23% 12,705	11.40% 3,351

Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)

• Former U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) received more votes, a total of 5,434, than any candidate from either party in Platte County during the 2008 presidential primary.

Platte County, Missouri
2008 Republican primary in Missouri
John McCain	2,793 (33.49%)
Mike Huckabee	1,825 (21.88%)
Mitt Romney	3,109 (37.27%)
Ron Paul	472 (5.66%)

Platte County, Missouri
2008 Democratic primary in Missouri
Hillary Rodham Clinton	5,434 (50.07%)
Barack Obama	5,158 (47.53%)
John Edwards (withdrawn)	192 (1.77%)

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Platte County, Missouri

External links

• Platte County Government's Website
• Platte County Sheriff's Office Website
• Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Platte County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books