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Blue Springs, Missouri
City
Motto(s): 
City of Cooperation
Location of Blue Springs, Missouri
Location of Blue Springs, Missouri
Country United States
State Missouri
County Jackson
Incorporated 1880
Founded 1845
Area
 • Total 22.54 sq mi (58.37 km2)
 • Land 22.46 sq mi (58.17 km2)
 • Water 0.08 sq mi (0.20 km2)
Elevation
974 ft (297 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 58,603
 • Density 2,609.33/sq mi (1,007.45/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
64013-64015, 64029, 64064
Area code(s) 816
FIPS code 29-06652
GNIS feature ID 0714434
Interstates I-70 (MO).svg
Website www.bluespringsgov.com

Blue Springs is a city in Jackson County, Missouri. It is located about 19 miles (31 km) east of Kansas City. Blue Springs is a large city in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It is also one of the biggest cities in the state of Missouri. In 2020, about 58,604 people lived there.

History of Blue Springs

The story of Blue Springs began with pioneers. These early settlers were traveling west to find new opportunities. They found the area around Blue Springs to be a perfect place to stop. This was because of the many clean water springs.

The fresh water and the need for supplies led to a permanent settlement. A grist mill was built, which is a place to grind grain. Today, this historic spot is called Burrus Old Mill Park.

In 1838, an important settler named Franklin Smith arrived. He helped the community grow. In 1845, he opened the first post office. He named it after the famous local springs.

The town continued to grow near the springs. But in 1878, the Chicago and Alton Railroad decided to build a train station. This station was about a mile east of the original settlement. To benefit from the new railroad, the town moved its center. It became a busy trading hub for the countryside. The Chicago & Alton Hotel, built in 1878, is the oldest business in the city.

Blue Springs officially became a city on September 7, 1880. It was the fourth city in Jackson County to be incorporated.

Geography of Blue Springs

Blue Springs is located at 39°1′4″N 94°16′28″W. The city covers a total area of about 22.35 square miles (57.89 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 22.27 square miles (57.68 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.08 square miles (0.21 square kilometers), is water.

Population and People

Blue Springs has grown a lot over the years. Here's how its population has changed:

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 129 —
1890 506 292.2%
1900 468 −7.5%
1910 561 19.9%
1920 551 −1.8%
1930 706 28.1%
1940 788 11.6%
1950 1,068 35.5%
1960 2,555 139.2%
1970 6,779 165.3%
1980 25,936 282.6%
1990 40,153 54.8%
2000 48,080 19.7%
2010 52,575 9.3%
2020 58,603 11.5%
2021 (est.) 59,430 13.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Information

In 2020, the city had 58,603 people living there. There were over 20,300 households. Most people in Blue Springs are white. There are also many African American, Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander residents. About 6.5% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.

Many households, about 35.7%, have children under 18. The average household has about 2.7 people. The average age of people in Blue Springs is about 35.8 years old.

Economy and Jobs

Blue Springs has many different businesses that provide jobs. Here are some of the top employers in the city:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Blue Springs School District 2147
2 Hy-Vee 592
3 St. Mary's Hospital of Blue Springs 532
4 Faurecia Interiors Systems Inc 500
5 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 426
6 Fike Corporation 414
7 City of Blue Springs 312
8 Price Chopper 311
9 Target 300
10 St. Mary's Villages 206

Getting Around Blue Springs

Blue Springs has several ways to get around.

  • The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) offers public bus services.
  • I-70.svg Interstate 70 is a major highway. It connects Blue Springs to bigger cities like Kansas City and St. Louis.
  • US 40.svg US 40 also connects to Kansas City. It goes through Independence before reaching Blue Springs.
  • MO-7.svg Route 7 is an important north-south highway. It links Blue Springs to other towns like Lake Lotawana.
  • Adams Dairy Parkway is a key road that runs from north to south through the city.

Parks and Fun Activities

Blue Springs has many places for outdoor fun.

  • Fleming Park is a large park managed by Jackson County.
  • It includes two big lakes: Blue Springs Lake and Lake Jacomo.
  • Fleming Park offers many activities like boating, fishing, and hiking.
  • The park covers about 7,809 acres (31.6 square kilometers) of land. About 1,690 acres (6.8 square kilometers) is water.

Other fun places include:

  • Vesper Hall
  • Blue Springs Field House: This is a modern sports facility. It won an award in 2016 for being one of the best in the nation.

Places to Visit

  • Chicago & Alton Hotel Museum
  • Chicago & Alton Depot Museum
  • Missouri Town 1855: A historic village that shows what life was like in 1855.
  • Fort Osage National Historic Landmark: An old fort with a lot of history.
  • Dillingham-Lewis House Museum
  • Lone Jack Civil War Museum

News and Media

You can read about Blue Springs in these newspapers and magazines:

  • The Examiner, also known as the Blue Springs Examiner.
  • The Kansas City Star
  • The Blue Springs Magazine

Schools and Education

Blue Springs has several schools for students of all ages.

  • Blue Springs R-IV School District
  • Lee's Summit R-VII School District
  • Grain Valley R-V School District
  • Timothy Lutheran Schools, K-8, North Campus
  • St. John Lalande Catholic School, K-8
  • Plaza Heights Christian Academy, PreK-12

Weather in Blue Springs

Blue Springs has four distinct seasons. Winters are mild with cold nights. Summers are hot and humid.

Climate data for Blue Springs, MO
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 73
(23)		 80
(27)		 87
(31)		 91
(33)		 91
(33)		 103
(39)		 108
(42)		 107
(42)		 105
(41)		 95
(35)		 82
(28)		 73
(23)		 108
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 41
(5)		 46
(8)		 53
(12)		 63
(17)		 74
(23)		 82
(28)		 87
(31)		 86
(30)		 78
(26)		 68
(20)		 51
(11)		 44
(7)		 64
(18)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 23
(−5)		 26
(−3)		 37
(3)		 45
(7)		 53
(12)		 61
(16)		 66
(19)		 64
(18)		 55
(13)		 44
(7)		 35
(2)		 26
(−3)		 45
(7)
Record low °F (°C) −19
(−28)		 −15
(−26)		 −5
(−21)		 11
(−12)		 28
(−2)		 35
(2)		 48
(9)		 43
(6)		 29
(−2)		 7
(−14)		 −3
(−19)		 −25
(−32)		 −25
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.30
(33)		 1.51
(38)		 2.81
(71)		 3.78
(96)		 5.06
(129)		 5.47
(139)		 4.19
(106)		 3.82
(97)		 4.89
(124)		 3.54
(90)		 2.95
(75)		 1.86
(47)		 41.18
(1,046)

Famous People From Blue Springs

Many talented people have come from Blue Springs, including athletes and entertainers.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Blue Springs (Misuri) para niños

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