Springfield, Missouri

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Springfield, Missouri
City
Nickname: 
The Queen City of the Ozarks
Location in the state of Missouri
Location in the state of Missouri
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
CountiesGreene, Christian
Founded1838
Government
 • MayorRobert Stephens (L)
Area
[1]
 • City82.31 sq mi (213.18 km2)
 • Land81.72 sq mi (211.65 km2)
 • Water0.59 sq mi (1.53 km2)
 • Metro
3,021 sq mi (7,824 km2)
Elevation
1,299 ft (396 m)
Population
 (2010)[2]
 • City159,498
 • Estimate 
(2012[3])
162,191
 • Density1,951.8/sq mi (753.6/km2)
 • Urban
215,004
 • Metro
436,712
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
65800-65899
Area code417
FIPS code29-70000
GNIS feature ID0735864Template:GR
Websitewww.springfieldmo.gov

Springfield is the third largest city in the state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County.Template:GR According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census.[4] The Springfield Metropolitan Area has a population of 436,712 and includes the counties of Christian, Dallas, Greene, Polk and Webster. Springfield's nickname is the Queen City of the Ozarks and is known as the Birthplace of Route 66 as well as the home of several universities including Missouri State University.

History

The territory known as Missouri was included in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Soon after, the Delaware Native Americans received treaty land where Springfield’s Sequiota Park and the antique stores of its Galloway Village stand today. To the west, 500 Kickapoo Native Americans built wickiups on the prairie that still bears their name. Missouri became a state on August 10, 1821, and in 1833 the legislature designated most of the southern portion a single county. It was named for American Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene, largely through a campaign by Springfield's founder, John Polk Campbell, to honor a man he admired. A Tennessee homesteader, Campbell announced his claim in 1829. Springfield was officially founded in 1830 and later incorporated in 1838.[5] The town is located on top of the Springfield Plateau in the Ozark Mountains. The community and surrounding areas of the Ozarks portray a dominantly conservative southern lifestyle that culturally seems to have more in common with Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, and Tennessee than the rest of its own state, which portrays a much more Midwestern feel. This is largely a result from the majority of Ozark ancestors originally settling in from the coastal Southeast and Deep South regions of the country (much different from Northern Missouri). This gives the city and region its unique foothold in the extremely diverse "Show-Me-State"

Name

The origin of the name Springfield remains unclear; however, the most common view is that the city was named for Springfield, Massachusetts. One account holds that a James Wilson, who lived in the then-unnamed city, offered free whiskey to everyone who would vote for naming it after his home town of Springfield, Massachusetts.[6] In 1883, the historian R. I. Holcombe wrote, to the contrary, "The town took its name from the circumstance of there being a spring under the hill, on the creek, while on top of the hill, where the principal portion of the town lay, there was a field." He went on to note, "This version of the origin of the name is disputed by the editor of the Springfield Express, Mr. J. G. Newbill, who, in the issue of his paper, November 11, 1881, says: 'It has been stated that this city got its name from the fact of a spring and field being near by just west of town. But such is not a correct version. When the authorized persons met and adopted the title of the "Future Great" of the then Southwest, several of the earliest settlers had handed in their favorite names, among whom was Kindred Rose, who presented the winning name, "Springfield," in honor of his former home town, Springfield, Robertson County, Tennessee.'"[7]

Incorporation

Springfield was incorporated in 1838. That same year, Cherokee Native Americans were forcibly removed by the U.S. government from their homelands in Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Georgia to the “Indian Territory.” Their route became known as the Trail of Tears due to the thousands of Cherokee deaths on the journey and as a result of the relocation. The Trail of Tears passed through the Springfield area via what is known today as the Old Wire Road. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail auto tour route is along Interstate 44 westward to U.S. 160 (West By-pass in Springfield) and westward along U.S. 60.

The Old Wire Road, then known as the Military Road, served until the mid-1840s as a connection between Springfield and the garrison at Fort Smith, Arkansas. By 1858, the Butterfield Overland Stage began utilizing the road offering passage to California. Two years later, the region’s first telegraph line was strung along the road, and it was dubbed the Telegraph or Wire Road. The road proved vital during the Civil War, and its most historic connection is to the Battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas. While portions of the road exist today, the most easily accessible is within Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.

The 1849 charter of the Pacific Railroad, established to construct a line from St. Louis westward across central Missouri, was expanded in 1852 to include a Southwest Branch. However, after defaulting on its obligations, the state seized this branch and sold it, thus creating a new company, the Southwest Pacific Railroad. (The initial line through central Missouri eventually was renamed the Missouri Pacific Railroad). Subsequent defaults led to the line toward Springfield being known as the South Pacific Railroad and the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, before finally operating under the name St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, more commonly known as the Frisco. Commercial and industrial diversification came with the railroads, and strengthened the City of Springfield and North Springfield when the two towns merged 17 years later in 1887. As railroad construction progressed, Springfield became the crossroads of the Frisco's St. Louis to Tulsa line and the Kansas City to Memphis line, and eventually the Frisco Railroad established its headquarters in Springfield. Today visitors can enjoy the view from the Jefferson Avenue Footbridge, peering below to the locomotive path which is still in use.

Civil War

With the American Civil War imminent and Missouri a border state, Springfield was divided in its sentiments. On August 10, 1861, opposing forces clashed a few miles southwest of Springfield in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, the site of the first major conflict west of the Mississippi River, involving about 5,400 Union troops and 12,000 Confederates. Gen. Nathaniel Lyon was killed, the first Union general to die in combat, and the Confederates were victorious. Union troops fell back to Lebanon, then Rolla, and regrouped. When they returned to Springfield, the Confederates had withdrawn.

The First Battle of Springfield, or Zagonyi's Charge, occurred on October 25, 1861. It was the only Union victory that year in southwestern Missouri. The fighting led to increased military activity in Missouri and set the stage for the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862, which essentially cemented Union control of the state.

For the next year, possession of the city seesawed. Then on January 8, 1863, Confederate forces under Gen. John S. Marmaduke advanced toward the town square and the Second Battle of Springfield ensued. As evening approached, the Confederates withdrew. The next morning, Gen. Marmaduke sent a message to Union forces asking for proper burials for Confederate casualties. The city would stay under Union control until the end of the war.

Two years after the war ended, Springfield National Cemetery was created. The dead of both the North and the South were interred there, though separated by a low stone wall (later removed). In 1960, the National Park Service, recognizing the significance of the 1861 battle, designated Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. The 1,750-acre (7.1 km2) battlefield near Republic remains greatly unchanged and stands as one of the most historically pristine battle sites in the country.

Wild Bill Hickok shootout

Main article: Wild Bill Hickok – Davis Tutt shootout

On July 21, 1865, Springfield helped give birth to the Wild West era when the town square was the site of the Wild Bill Hickok–Davis Tutt shootout, a “quick draw” duel between Wild Bill Hickok and Davis Tutt. Two small brass plaques inlaid into the pavement on Park Central Square mark the locations of both Hickok and Tutt during the famous shootout.

Lynching

On April 14, 1906, a mob broke into the town jail, then lynched two black men: Horace Duncan and Fred Coker, for allegedly sexually assaulting Mina Edwards, a white woman. Later they returned to the jail and lynched another black man, Will Allen, accused of murder. The victims were hanged and burned by a mob more than 2,000 strong in the town square. The men were hanged on the town square from the Gottfried Tower which held a replica of the Statue of Liberty. Judge Azariah W. Lincoln called for a grand jury. The proceedings were covered in both the New York and Los Angeles Times. In the immediate aftermath, two commemorative coins were reportedly issued. Evidence suggests that all three men were innocent, including testimony from Duncan's and Coker's employer. The lynching sparked a mass exodus of African-Americans from the area, who still remain a small minority demographic in Springfield. A plaque on the southeast corner of the square serves as reminder.

Birthplace of Route 66

Recognized by convention as the birthplace of US Route 66, it was in Springfield on April 30, 1926 that officials first proposed the name of the new Chicago-to-Los Angeles highway.[8]

John T. Woodruff of Springfield was elected as the first president of the U.S. Highway 66 Association, organized in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1927. Its purpose was to get U.S. Highway 66 paved from end to end and to promote tourism on the highway. In 1938, Route 66 became the first completely paved United States Numbered Highways in America — the “Mother Road” — stretching from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Coast.

A placard in Park Central Square was dedicated to the city by the Route 66 Association of Missouri, and traces of the Mother Road are still visible in downtown Springfield along Kearney Street, Glenstone Avenue, College and St. Louis streets and on Missouri 266 to Halltown. The red booths and gleaming chrome in mom-and-pop diners, the stone cottages of tourist courts and the many service stations along this route saw America fall in love with the automobile. Red's Giant Hamburg, said to be the birthplace of the drive-up order window, was located on the route.

Geography

Satellite view of Springfield

Springfield is located at 37°11′42″N 93°17′10″W / 37.19500°N 93.28611°W / 37.19500; -93.28611 (37.195098, −93.286213),Template:GR on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.8 square miles (191 square kilometres), of which 73.2 square miles (190 square kilometres) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 square kilometres) (0.87%) is water. The city of Springfield is mainly flat with rolling hills and cliffs surrounding the south, east, and north sections of the city. Springfield is located on the Springfield Plateau, which reaches from Northwest Arkansas to Central Missouri. The majority of the plateau is characterized by forest, pastures and shrub-scrub habitats.[9] Many streams and tributaries such as the James River, Galloway Creek and Jordan Creek flow within or near the city. Nearby lakes include Table Rock Lake, Stockton Lake, McDaniel Lake, Fellows Lake, and Pomme de Terre Lake. Springfield is near the population center of the United States, about 80 miles (130 km) to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 82.31 square miles (213.18 km2), of which 81.72 square miles (211.65 km2) is land and 0.59 square miles (1.53 km2) is water.[1]

Climate

Lightning over downtown Springfield

Springfield is characterized by four distinct seasons. It experiences an average surface wind velocity comparable to Chicago, Illinois according to information compiled at the National Climatic Data Center at NOAA.[10] It is placed within "Power Class 3" in the Wind Energy Resource Atlas published by a branch of the U.S. Department of Energy; having an average wind speed range of 6.4 to 7.0 miles per hour.[11]

Springfield lies in the northern limits of a humid subtropical climate (Cfa), as defined by the Köppen climate classification system. As such, it experiences times of exceptional humidity; especially in late summer.[12] The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 32.6 °F (0.3 °C) in January to 78.2 °F (25.7 °C) in July. On average, there are 39 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs, 2 days of 100 °F (38 °C)+ highs, 16 days where the high fails to rise above freezing, and 2.5 nights of sub-0 °F (−18 °C) per year.[13] It has an average annual precipitation of 45.5 inches (1,160 mm), including an average 16.7 inches (42 cm) of snow. Extremes in temperature range from −29 °F (−34 °C) on February 12, 1899 up to 113 °F (45 °C) on July 14, 1954.

According to a 2007 story in Forbes magazine's list of "America's Wildest Weather Cities" and the Weather Variety Index, Springfield is the city with the most varied weather in the United States.[14][15]

Climate data for Springfield, Missouri (Springfield-Branson National Airport), 1981−2010 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 76
(24) 		84
(29) 		92
(33) 		93
(34) 		95
(35) 		101
(38) 		113
(45) 		108
(42) 		104
(40) 		93
(34) 		83
(28) 		77
(25) 		113
(45)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 42.9
(6.1) 		48.2
(9.0) 		57.5
(14.2) 		67.2
(19.6) 		75.3
(24.1) 		83.8
(28.8) 		88.8
(31.6) 		89.0
(31.7) 		80.3
(26.8) 		69.0
(20.6) 		56.7
(13.7) 		44.9
(7.2) 		67.0
(19.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 22.4
(−5.3) 		26.1
(−3.3) 		35.2
(1.8) 		44.3
(6.8) 		54.4
(12.4) 		63.1
(17.3) 		67.6
(19.8) 		66.6
(19.2) 		57.7
(14.3) 		46.5
(8.1) 		35.4
(1.9) 		25.0
(−3.9) 		45.4
(7.4)
Record low °F (°C) −19
(−28) 		−29
(−34) 		−8
(−22) 		16
(−9) 		29
(−2) 		42
(6) 		44
(7) 		44
(7) 		30
(−1) 		18
(−8) 		4
(−16) 		−16
(−27) 		−29
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 2.45
(62) 		2.49
(63) 		3.61
(92) 		4.32
(110) 		5.09
(129) 		4.85
(123) 		3.68
(93) 		3.55
(90) 		4.61
(117) 		3.58
(91) 		4.21
(107) 		3.03
(77) 		45.47
(1,155)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 5.5
(14) 		3.9
(9.9) 		2.3
(5.8) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		0
(0) 		.6
(1.5) 		4.4
(11) 		16.7
(42)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 8.0 7.7 10.5 10.5 12.0 10.6 8.4 7.9 7.6 9.3 9.1 8.4 110.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.6 3.0 1.5 .1 0 0 0 0 0 .1 .6 2.7 11.6
Mean monthly sunshine hours 167.4 158.2 207.7 237.0 266.6 282.0 322.4 291.4 237.0 217.0 156.0 145.7 2,688.4
Source: NOAA (extremes 1888−present),[13] HKO (sun, 1961−1990) [16]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850415—
18601,235197.6%
18705,555349.8%
18806,52217.4%
189021,850235.0%
190023,2676.5%
191035,20151.3%
192039,63112.6%
193057,52745.2%
194061,2386.5%
195066,7319.0%
196095,86543.7%
1970120,09625.3%
1980133,11610.8%
1990140,4945.5%
2000151,5807.9%
2010159,4985.2%
2012 (est.)162,1911.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[17]
2012 Estimate[18]

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 159,498 people, 69,754 households, and 35,453 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,951.8 inhabitants per square mile (753.6/km2). There were 77,620 housing units at an average density of 949.8 per square mile (366.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.7% White, 4.1% African American, 0.8% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.7% of the population.

There were 69,754 households of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.81.

The median age in the city was 33.2 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 18.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 22.7% were from 45 to 64; and 14.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

2000 census

According to the 2000 United States Census,Template:GR 151,580 people, 64,691 households, and 35,709 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,072.0 people per square mile (800.0/km2). There were 69,650 housing units at an average density of 952.1/mi2 (367.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.69% White, 3.27% African American, 0.75% Native American, 1.36% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.

There were 64,691 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.8% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.82. In the city 19.9% were under the age of 18, 17.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,563, and the median income for a family was $38,114. Males had a median income of $27,778 versus $20,980 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,711. About 9.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Neighborhoods

Registered Neighborhoods include

  • Bissett
  • Bradford Park
  • Brentwood
  • Brentwood South
  • Commercial Street Historic District
  • Doling
  • Fassnight
  • Galloway Village
  • Grant Beach
  • Heart Of The Westside
  • Midtown
  • Northwest Springfield
  • Oak Grove
  • Phelps
  • Robberson
  • Rountree
  • Seminole/Holland
  • Southeast Springfield
  • Southern Hills
  • Tom Watkins
  • University Heights
  • Weller
  • West Central
  • Westside Community Betterment
  • Woodland Heights

Affiliated Neighborhood Groups unregistered With the city include

  • Cinnamon On The Hill
  • Cinnamon Square
  • Cooper Estates
  • Fox Grape
  • Kay Pointe
  • Kingsbury Forest
  • Lakewood Village
  • Mission Hills
  • National Place
  • Parkwest Village
  • Parkwood Survival
  • Quail Creek
  • Ravenwood South
  • Sherman Ave Project Area
  • Spring Creek

[19]

Economy

Springfield’s economy is based on health care, manufacturing, retail, education and tourism.[20] With a Gross Metropolitan Product of $13.66 billion in 2004, Springfield's economy makes up 6.7% of the Gross State Product of Missouri.[21]

Total retail sales exceed $4.1 billion annually in Springfield and $5.8 billion in the Springfield MSA. Its largest shopping mall is Battlefield Mall. According to the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau, an estimated three million overnight visitors and millions of day-trippers visit the city annually. The city has more than 60 lodging facilities and 6,000 hotel rooms. The Convention & Visitors Bureau spends more than $1 million annually marketing the city as a travel destination.

Positronic, Bass Pro Shops, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, BKD, Noble & Associates, Prime, Inc., and O'Reilly Auto Parts have their national headquarters in Springfield.[22] In addition, two major American Christian denominations are headquartered in Springfield: General Council of the Assemblies of God in the United States of America (one of the largest of the Pentecostal denominations) and Baptist Bible Fellowship International (a fundamentalist Baptist denomination with roots to J. Frank Norris).

Top employers

According to Springfield's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[23] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Mercy Health System 9,036
2 CoxHealth 6,267
3 Wal-Mart 4,000
4 Springfield Public Schools 2,911
5 United States Government 2,500
6 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine 2,363
7 State of Missouri 2,306
8 Missouri State University 2,149
9 O'Reilly Auto Parts 1,673
10 Citizens Memorial Healthcare 1,600
11 City of Springfield 1,526
12 Chase Card Services 1,250

Government

Jordan Valley Park
File:Bass Pro Shops entrance.JPG
Main entrance to the Bass Pro Shop

Springfield city government is based on the council-manager system. By charter, the city has eight council members, each elected for a four-year term on a non-partisan basis, and a mayor elected for a two-year term. The mayor is Robert Stephens, who was sworn in after the resignation of Mayor Jim O'Neal (term expires 2013). Council members include Jeff Seiferd (Zone 1), Cindy Rushefsky (Zone 2), Jerry Compton (Zone 3), Craig Fishel (Zone 4), Jan Fisk (General A), Craig Hosmer (General B), Doug Burlison (General C) and Mike Carrol (General D). Greg Burris, the city manager, appointed by the council to be the city's chief executive and administrative officer, enforces the laws as required by the city charter. The presiding officer at council meetings is the mayor. Council meetings are held every other Monday night in City Council Chambers. City council elections are held the first Tuesday in April.

City Utilities of Springfield (CU) is a city-owned utility serving the Springfield area with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services. CU provides service to over 106,000 customers.

Education

The Springfield Public School District is the largest district in the state of Missouri with an official fall 2011 enrollment of 24,366 students attending 50 schools.[24] Public high schools include: Central High School, Kickapoo High School, Hillcrest High School, Parkview High School, and Glendale High School. Private high schools include: Springfield Sudbury School, Summit Preparatory School, Greenwood Laboratory School, New Covenant Academy, Springfield Lutheran School, Springfield Catholic High School, Christian Schools of Springfield, and Grace Classical Academy

View toward Missouri State University's Historic Quadrangle

Springfield has several colleges and universities within the city. Founded in 1905 as the "Fourth District Normal School", Missouri State University (MSU) is the state's second largest university with just over 20,000 students.[25] For the seventh consecutive year, MSU has been selected for The Princeton Review’s 2010 list of “Best Colleges: Region by Region.” Drury University is a private university with nearly 5,000 students[26] and consistently ranks in U.S. News & World Report's Top 10 Universities in the Midwest.[27] Ozarks Technical Community College is the second largest college in Springfield with more than 15,000 students.[28] MSU, Drury, and OTC are all located in and around downtown Springfield.

Other colleges in Springfield include Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Baptist Bible College, Central Bible College, Evangel University (known until 2000 as Evangel College, or EC), Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, Mercy College of Nursing and Health Sciences of Southwest Baptist University,[29] Everest College, Cox College (Nursing and Allied Health), Columbia College, Webster University, and University of Phoenix.

Recreation

There are 92 parks including the Botanical Center at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park, three golf courses, a zoo and other facilities owned or managed by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board. Its programs, such as Hearts ‘n Parks, encourage people to enjoy a more active lifestyle. The department incorporates a network of parks and trails that run near and around geologically unique areas of the Ozarks, such as creek beds and springs. A 35-mile crushed gravel trail, the Friso Highline Trail, connects Springfield to the town of Bolivar and is particularly popular with mountain bikers. Local recreational facilities have been host to state, local and national tournaments in softball, soccer, hockey and tennis. Located on the outskirts of town, the Missouri Department of Conservation's Springfield Nature Center as well as Wilson's Creek National Battlefield are good places to take a short hike and enjoy nature. Six recreational lakes are within 100 miles (160 km) of Springfield. The nearby James and Finley rivers provide opportunity for fishing and canoeing, and for those who enjoy hiking, horseback riding, or wilderness camping, the 2,500-acre Busiek National Forest lies just 20 miles to the south. Finally, Table Rock Lake and the Branson entertainment area are within 45 miles (72 km).

Sports

Springfield plays host to college teams from Missouri State University (NCAA Division I-Football Championship Series), Drury University (NCAA Division II), and few minor professional teams (see below). Springfield is also home to a number of amateur sporting events. The PGA sponsored Price Cutter Charity Championship is played at Highland Springs Country Club on the southeast side of Springfield. The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is located near the city as well. JQH Arena, which opened in 2009, is home to the Missouri State University Bears and Lady Bears basketball teams, and O'Reilly Family Events Center, which opened fall 2010, is now the new home to the Drury University Panthers men's and women's basketball teams.

Club League Venue Established Championships
Springfield Cardinals Texas League, Baseball Hammons Field 2005 1
Springfield Lasers WTT, team tennis Cooper Sports Complex 1996 0
Springfield Wolfpack APFL, Arena football Mediacom Ice Park 2002 1
Springfield Demize PDL, Soccer Cooper Sports Complex 2006 0
Missouri Thrill UBL, Basketball Glendale HS Gym 2006 0

Culture

Like many cities across the south, Springfield has seen a resurgence in its downtown area. Many of the older buildings have been, and are continuing to be, renovated into mixed-use buildings such as lofts, office space, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, boutiques, and music venues. Located within the Downtown Springfield CID (Community Improvement District) are historic theaters that have been restored to their original state, including the Gillioz Theatre and the Landers Theatre.

In 2001, Phase I of Jordan Valley Park opened along with the Mediacom Ice Park. Phase II of Jordan Valley Park will be complete in late 2011 or early 2012. 2001 also saw the opening of The Creamery Arts Center, a city-owned building inside Jordan Valley Park. It is home to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Ballet, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and provides office and meeting space for other arts organizations which serve the community. The center has been recently renovated to include two art galleries with monthly exhibitions, an Arts Library, rehearsal studios, and classrooms offering art workshops and hands-on activities. The facilities also include an outdoor classroom.

A March 2009 New York Times article[30] described the history and ascendancy of cashew chicken in Springfield, where local variations of the popular Chinese dish are ubiquitous. There are several arts events that occur annually including the Walnut Street Arts Fest and the Missouri Literary Festival.[31][32] Also the First Friday Art Walk occurs the first Friday of every month.

Formerly, Springfield hosted a fan convention around February every year, known as Visioncon. Since 2013, however, the convention has been held in Branson.

Springfield has also seen increased interest in the local and organic food movement and is home to five farmer's markets, a community garden, several natural food stores, a fair trade chocolate factory, a winery, and three craft breweries.

Country music

File:Ozark Jubilee Logo.jpg
Ozark Jubilee logo

During the 1950s, Springfield ranked third in the U.S. for originating network television programs behind New York and Hollywood. Four nationally-broadcast television series originated from the city between 1955 and 1961: Ozark Jubilee and its spin-off, Five Star Jubilee; Talent Varieties; and The Eddy Arnold Show. All were carried live by ABC except for Five Star Jubilee on NBC; and were produced by Springfield's Crossroads TV Productions owned by Ralph D. Foster. Many of the biggest names in country music frequently visited or lived in Springfield at the time. City officials estimated the programs meant about 2,000 weekly visitors and "over $1,000,000 in fresh income."[33]

Staged at the Jewell Theatre (demolished in 1961), Ozark Jubilee was the first national country music TV show to feature top stars and attract a significant viewership. Five Star Jubilee, produced from the Landers Theatre, was the first network color television series to originate outside of New York City or Hollywood.[34] Ironically, Springfield's NBC affiliate, KYTV-TV (which helped produce the program), was not equipped to broadcast in color and aired the show in black-and-white.

The ABC, NBC and Mutual radio networks also all carried country music shows nationally from Springfield during the decade, including KWTO’S Korn’s-A-Krackin’ (Mutual).

The Ozark Hillbilly Medallion

The Springfield Chamber of Commerce once presented visiting dignitaries with an "Ozark Hillbilly Medallion" and a certificate proclaiming the honoree a "hillbilly of the Ozarks." On June 7, 1953, U.S. President Harry Truman received the medallion after a breakfast speech at the Shrine Mosque for a reunion of the 35th Division. Other recipients included US Army generals Omar Bradley and Matthew Ridgway, US Rep. Dewey Short, J. C. Penney, Johnny Olson, Ralph Story and disc jockey Nelson King.[35][36]

Museums and other points of interest

National Register of Historic Places

For a complete list, see National Register of Historic Places in Springfield, Missouri.
Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Mosque

Transportation

Springfield is served by Interstate 44 which connects the city with St. Louis, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Route 13 (Kansas Expressway) carries traffic north towards Kansas City, Missouri. U.S. Route 60, U.S. Route 65, and U.S. Route 160 pass through the city. Formerly U.S. Route 66 and U.S. Route 166 passed through Springfield, and sections of historic US 66 can still be seen in the city. US 166's eastern terminus was once located in the northeast section of the city, and US 60 originally ended (westbound) in downtown Springfield. US 60 now goes through town on the James River Freeway. Major streets include Glenstone Avenue, Sunshine Street (Missouri Route 413), National Avenue, Division Street, Campbell Avenue, Kansas Expressway, Battlefield Road, Republic Road, West Bypass, Chestnut Expressway and Kearney Street. Springfield is also the site of the first diverging diamond interchange within the United States, located at the intersection of I-44 and MO-13 (Kansas Expressway) (at 37°15′01″N 93°18′39″W / 37.2503°N 93.3107°W / 37.2503; -93.3107 (Springfield, Missouri diverging diamond interchange)). Springfield has public transportation operated by City Utilities of Springfield that serves most areas inside the city limits with its fleet of biodiesel-fueled buses. In mid-November 2013, the city began discussing plans to upgrade sections of Highway 65 and Highway 60 through the city to Interstate 244. These plans are currently being discussed and the main reason is to minimize confusion should there be an incident on I-44 as a detour route. An example of this confusion: Should there be an accident at the area of I-44 and Glenstone Avenue, the current detour around the incident would be: use SB 65 to WB 60 to Republic Road then continue back to Interstate 44 on the northwest side of the city. But if the plan of I-244 is implemented, it may read as: use I-244 to I-44 on the northwest side of the city.

Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) serves the city with direct flights to 12 cities with 33 daily flights. It is the principal air gateway to the Springfield region. The Downtown Airport is also a public use airport located near downtown. In May 2009, the Springfield-Branson airport opened its new passenger terminal. Financing included $97 million in revenue bonds issued by the airport and $20 million of discretionary federal aviation funds, with no city taxes used. The new building includes 275,000 square feet (25,500 m2), 10 gates (expandable to 60) and 1,826 parking spaces. Direct connections from Springfield are available to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Memphis, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa and Los Angeles. No international flights currently have regular service into Springfield-Branson, but it does serve international charters.

Passenger trains have not served Springfield since 1967, but more than 65 freight trains travel to, from, and through the city each day. Springfield was once home to the headquarters and main shops of the St. Louis-San Francisco Railroad (Frisco). The Frisco was absorbed by the Burlington Northern (BN) in 1980, and in 1994 the BN merged with the Santa Fe, creating the current Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway. BNSF has three switch yards (two small) in Springfield. Mainlines to and from Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis and Tulsa converge at the railroad's yard facility in the north part of the city. In October 2006, BNSF announced plans to upgrade its Tulsa and Memphis mainlines into Springfield to handle an additional four to six daily intermodal freight trains between the West Coast and the Southeast. The Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad also operates several miles of (former Missouri Pacific) industrial trackage within the city.

Healthcare

The entrance to the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners

Springfield is a regional medical center with six hospitals and more than 2,200 beds. The city's health care system offers every specialty listed by the American Medical Association. Two of the top 100 hospitals in the U.S. (CoxHealth and Mercy Health System) are located in Springfield, and both are in the midst of expansion projects. The industry employs 30,000 people throughout the Springfield metro area. The United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, one of six federal institutions designed to handle the medical concerns of federal inmates, is located at the corner of W. Sunshine Street and Kansas Expressway.[37]

Living conditions

In 2008, America's Promise Alliance ranked Springfield among its "100 Best Communities for Young People" for the third year in a row,[38] and on June 11, 2009 Next Generation Consulting ranked Springfield 17th on its "Next Cities" list.[39] In 2008 Best Life ranked Springfield the 10th worst city in the nation in which to raise a family using information from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Center for Education Statistics, FBI, American Alliance of Museums, National Center for Health Statistics, and American Bar Association.[40]

In 2007, The Milken Institute ranked Springfield as a "Best Performing City" for creating and sustaining jobs,[41] and Expansion Management magazine listed Springfield among "Top 20 Mid-Sized Metros for Recruitment and Attraction."[42] Also that year, the World Health Organization designated Springfield as a "Safe Community";[43] and in 2008, Worldwide ERC named Springfield among "The Best Cities for Relocating Families."[44] According to the Springfield News-Leader, the city has been ranked the second-least diverse city in the United States.[45]

Media

The major daily newspaper is the Springfield News-Leader. Additional newspapers include Daily Events (daily), Community Free Press (bi-weekly), Springfield Business Journal (weekly), The Standard (weekly) and TAG Magazine - tagsgf.com (monthly).

Television stations broadcast in Springfield include KYTV (TV) (NBC/Weather), KSPR (ABC), KCZ-TV (CW), KOLR (CBS), KOZK (PBS/Create/OPT), KRBK (FOX/MeTv), KOZL (independent), KWBM (Daystar), KRFT (Mundo/TNN/MyFamilyTv) . The Springfield Designated Market Area, or DMA, is the 75th largest in the United States. The area is composed of 31 counties in southwest Missouri and Arkansas. There are 423,010 television-owning households.[46]

The radio stations received in Springfield are:

Sister cities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  2. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-08.
  3. ^ "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
  4. ^ United States Census Results 2010
  5. ^ Springfield History
  6. ^ Dark, Phyllis & Harris. Springfield of the Ozarks: An Illustrated History. Windsor Publications, 1981. ISBN 0-89781-028-7.
  7. ^ R. I. Holcombe, History of Greene County, Missouri 1883, Chapter 29, History of the City of Springfield
  8. ^ "preservation issues: Route 66 Celebrates 66th!" (PDF). dnr.mo.gov. 1992-05-06. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
  9. ^ "Missouri Breeding Bird Atlas 1986 - 1992: The Natural Divisions of Missouri". Mdc.mo.gov. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  10. ^ "Wind - Average Wind Speed - (MPH)". NCDC - NOAA. 2002. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  11. ^ "Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the United States". RREDC - NREL. 1986. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  12. ^ "Average Relative Humidity(%)". NCDC - NOAA. 2001. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  13. ^ a b "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  14. ^ Van Riper, Tom (2007-07-20). "In Pictures: America's Wildest Weather Cities: No. 9: Most Variety (biggest variations in temperature, precipitation, wind), Springfield, Mo". Forbes. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23.
  15. ^ Haugland, Matt (1998). "Cities with most weather variety". Weather Pages. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  16. ^ "Climatological Information for Springfield, Missouri, United States". Hong Kong Observatory. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
  17. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  18. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  19. ^ http://www.springfieldmo.gov/nco/pdfs/svcareas/nsa09.pdf
  20. ^ "Our Community". Coxhealth.com. 2006-09-30. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  21. ^ "The Role of Metro Areas in the U.S. Economy" (PDF). U.S. Conference of Mayors. March 2006. p. 119. Retrieved 2009-12-26.
  22. ^ "Springfield Business Development Corporation". Business4springfield.com. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  23. ^ City of SpringfieldCAFR
  24. ^ New-Leader Staff (2011-12-14). "Springfield now largest Missouri school district". Springfield News-Leader.
  25. ^ "History of the University". 6 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
  26. ^ Miller, Mark (2010-09-28). "Drury University's fall 2010 census reveals record enrollment". Drury.edu.
  27. ^ "Drury University: Quick Stats". Drury.edu. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  28. ^ "New students, new spaces at OTC this fall". Otc.edu. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  29. ^ http://www.sbuniv.edu/collegeofnursing/
  30. ^ Edge, John T., Missouri Chinese: Two Cultures Claim This Chicken, March 10, 2009, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/dining/11cashew.html
  31. ^ http://www.ffaw.org
  32. ^ http://www.missouriliteraryfestival.org
  33. ^ Dessauer, Phil "Springfield, Mo.-Radio City of Country Music" (April, 1957), Coronet, p. 152
  34. ^ "'Jubilee' Turning to Color TV" (April 30, 1961), Springfield Leader-Press
  35. ^ Dessauer, Phil "Springfield, Mo.-Radio City of Country Music" (April, 1957), Coronet, p. 151
  36. ^ "First C&W Deejay Conclave" (June 23, 1956), The Billboard, p. 40
  37. ^ "MCPF Springfield." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on May 20, 2010.
  38. ^ "Americas Promise Alliance - 100 Best Communities Past Winners". Americaspromise.org. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  39. ^ "Ranks Hotspots for Young Professionals to Live and Work in the U.S." Next Generation Consulting. 2009-06-11. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  40. ^ http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/family-parenting/article.aspx?cp-documentid=8415899
  41. ^ Milken Institute 2007 Best Performing Cities
  42. ^ "IndustryWeek - Leadership In Manufacturing" (PDF). Expansion Management. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  43. ^ "WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion". Phs.ki.se. 2008-06-13. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  44. ^ "Best Cities for Relocating Families" (PDF). Worldwide Employee Relocation Council. 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-21.
  45. ^ http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110115/NEWS01/101150367/Civility-stressed-for-march-on-Martin-Luther-King-Jr-Day
  46. ^ http://www.sportstvjobs.com/resources/local-tv-market-sizes-dma.html
  47. ^ a b "Interactive City Directory". Sister Cities International. Retrieved 11 March 2014.

External links

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