Blackwater, Missouri Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Blackwater, Missouri
City
Blackwater City Hall
Location of Blackwater, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
County	Cooper
Area
• Total	0.33 sq mi (0.85 km²)
• Land	0.33 sq mi (0.85 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	620 ft (190 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	170
• Density	518.29/sq mi (200.38/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	65322
Area code(s)	660
FIPS code	29-06148
GNIS feature ID	2394182

Blackwater railroad station

Blackwater is a small city in Cooper County, Missouri, United States. It is located along the Blackwater River, which is how it got its name. In 2020, about 170 people lived there.

This city was started by the Missouri Pacific Railroad. For many years, its economy depended on moving goods by train. When the railroad became less important, Blackwater's time as a busy, growing town ended. Its population became much smaller.

Today, Blackwater has kept many old buildings connected to the railroad. Some of these have been turned into museums, places to stay, or shops selling old items. Many parts of Blackwater's business and home areas are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.

Discovering Blackwater's Past
Facts About Blackwater
- Where is Blackwater Located?
- How Many People Live Here?
  - Population in 2010
Images for kids
See also

Discovering Blackwater's Past

Blackwater was officially mapped out in 1887. However, it had been a place where people traded goods for a long time before that. A post office, where people could send and receive mail, opened in Blackwater in 1873.

How the Railroad Shaped the Town

In the late 1800s, the Missouri Pacific Railroad wanted to build a "River Route." This route would connect important cities like Kansas City, Boonville, and Jefferson City. Many small towns, including Blackwater, grew up along this new train route. The railroad brought important economic chances to areas that were otherwise cut off.

Blackwater stayed a small but steady town because of the railroad. At first, many railroad workers lived there. Then, a rock quarry was found a few miles outside of town. This brought new jobs and miners to the area. Over the years, Blackwater grew to have many businesses. These included drugstores, banks, hardware stores, cafes, a hotel, and even places for horses.

Challenges and Changes Over Time

By the time World War II started, Blackwater had about 650 people. But after the war, things began to change. The Missouri Pacific Railroad was not offering as many jobs as before. Like many small towns, Blackwater started to lose its young people. They moved to bigger cities to find work, and the town's population slowly got smaller.

In 1950, the Blackwater Stone Company, which was the town's biggest employer, had a big problem. While blasting rocks in the quarry, they accidentally hit water. The quarry flooded and had to close forever. This was another big setback for the town.

Bringing Blackwater Back to Life

By the 2000s, Blackwater's population and economy were much smaller than they used to be. To help the town, some residents started the Blackwater Preservation Society. This group began to apply for money to fix up and reuse the town's old buildings.

These efforts have brought some visitors to the area. People who love trains or local history often come to explore. This has helped support a few local businesses.

Did you know? The video games Red Dead Redemption (2010) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) include a fictional version of a city called Blackwater.

Several historic places in Blackwater are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Blackwater Commercial Historic District, the Blackwater Residential Historic District, and the Imhoff Archeological Site.

Facts About Blackwater

Where is Blackwater Located?

Blackwater is found along Missouri Route K. It is two miles north of I-70, a major highway. The city sits on the south bank of the Blackwater River. The community of Nelson is two miles to the west-northwest. Lamine is six miles to the southeast.

The city covers a total area of about 0.33 square miles (0.85 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

How Many People Live Here?

The population of Blackwater has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people have lived in Blackwater during different census counts:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	285	—
1910	371	30.2%
1920	478	28.8%
1930	506	5.9%
1940	389	−23.1%
1950	313	−19.5%
1960	284	−9.3%
1970	249	−12.3%
1980	290	16.5%
1990	221	−23.8%
2000	199	−10.0%
2010	162	−18.6%
2020	170	4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 162 people living in Blackwater. These people lived in 64 households, and 45 of those were families. Most of the people living in Blackwater were White (95.1%). A small number were African American (1.9%), Native American (0.6%), or from two or more races (2.5%). About 1.9% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 36% of households had children under 18 living with them. More than half (53%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.5 people. The average family had about 3 people.

The average age of people in Blackwater in 2010 was 38.3 years old. About 25% of residents were under 18. About 15% were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (48.1%) and females (51.9%).