Boonville, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Boonville, Missouri
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| City of Boonville | |
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Clockwise, from top: Downtown Boonville, Kemper Military School, Missouri River from a hilltop, Cobblestone Street, Cooper County, Missouri courthouse, mural of an American Civil War battle
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 Boonville, Missouri
Location in Missouri
Boonville, Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Cooper |
| Founded | 1817 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.06 sq mi (20.88 km2) |
| • Land | 7.72 sq mi (19.98 km2) |
| • Water | 0.34 sq mi (0.89 km2) |
| Elevation | 679 ft (207 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,964 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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7,894 |
| • Density | 1,032.14/sq mi (398.51/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
65233
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| Area code | 660 |
| FIPS code | 29-07318 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394222 |
| Website | http://boonvillemo.org/ |
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Boonville is a city in Missouri, United States. It's the main town, or county seat, of Cooper County. In 2020, about 7,964 people lived there. Boonville is famous for being the site of an early battle during the American Civil War in 1861. In this battle, called the Battle of Boonville, Union forces won against the Missouri State Guard. The city is part of the Columbia metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Boonville
Boonville gets its name from Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone. They were the sons of the famous explorer Daniel Boone. In the early 1800s, they started a salt business nearby. They got salt from natural salt licks and delivered it to St. Louis. The area was known as "Boone's Lick." The path from the salt lick to St. Louis was called the Boone's Lick Trail. The town of Franklin, Missouri near Boonville was the starting point of the famous Santa Fe Trail.
The first settlers were Hannah and Stephen Cole in 1810. During fights with Native Americans in the War of 1812, they moved to a fort. This fort was on the north side of the Missouri River. It later became the first county seat of Howard County, Missouri.
After the war, the town was officially planned out in 1817. This was done by Asa Morgan and Charles Lucas. Boonville became the county seat in 1818.
Because Boonville was on the Santa Fe Trail and the Missouri River, many important people lived there. These included politicians and artists during the time of westward expansion. One famous person was George Graham Vest, known for his "man’s best friend" speech. Another was George Caleb Bingham, a self-taught artist.
In 1855, a building called Thespian Hall opened. Today, it is said to be the oldest theater west of the Allegheny Mountains that has been running continuously. Many buildings in Boonville are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.
Boonville and the Civil War
During the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate armies fought for control of Boonville. The first Battle of Boonville happened on June 17, 1861. This battle gave the Union control of the Missouri River. A second battle took place on September 13, 1861. Later, in 1864, Confederate General Sterling Price captured the city during his raid.
Boonville was an important target because of its location on the Missouri Pacific Railroad. This railroad track was later used by the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad. In the 1980s, the section of track through Boonville became part of Katy Trail State Park. Today, the "Katy Trail" is the longest "rails to trails" system in the United States. This means old railroad tracks were turned into paths for walking and biking.
In 2008, Anheuser-Busch InBev opened Warm Springs Ranch near Boonville. This ranch is the main breeding farm for the famous Budweiser Clydesdales horses.
Geography
Boonville covers a total area of about 7.21 square miles (18.67 km2). Most of this area, about 6.89 square miles (17.85 km2), is land. The rest, about 0.32 square miles (0.83 km2), is water.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 2,326 | — | |
| 1860 | 2,596 | 11.6% | |
| 1870 | 3,506 | 35.1% | |
| 1880 | 3,854 | 9.9% | |
| 1890 | 4,141 | 7.4% | |
| 1900 | 4,377 | 5.7% | |
| 1910 | 4,252 | −2.9% | |
| 1920 | 4,665 | 9.7% | |
| 1930 | 6,435 | 37.9% | |
| 1940 | 6,089 | −5.4% | |
| 1950 | 6,686 | 9.8% | |
| 1960 | 7,090 | 6.0% | |
| 1970 | 7,514 | 6.0% | |
| 1980 | 6,959 | −7.4% | |
| 1990 | 7,095 | 2.0% | |
| 2000 | 8,202 | 15.6% | |
| 2010 | 8,319 | 1.4% | |
| 2020 | 7,964 | −4.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The 2020 United States census counted 7,964 people living in Boonville. Most residents, about 79.75%, were white. About 10.59% were Black or African American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 2.9% of the population.
Fun Things to Do
Boonville is located near the middle of the Katy Trail. This is a very long state park, about 225 miles (362 km) long. It's a great place for biking and hiking. The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Bridge in Boonville crosses the Missouri River. This bridge is now part of the Katy Trail.
Every summer, Boonville celebrates Boonville Heritage Days. This weekend event focuses on the town's history. It includes a parade, craft booths, a carnival, and fireworks.
Other yearly events include the Festival of the Leaves in September. There's also the Festival of The Lights, held on Thursday nights in September. During this festival, shops stay open late. There are also booths with food, free items, and games. The historic Thespian Hall downtown hosts concerts, art shows, and plays.
The annual Halloween parade is also a popular event. It features the award-winning Boonville Silver Pirate Band. They dress up in fun pirate costumes.
Twillman Field in Harley Park is a source of local pride. It hosts many baseball tournaments each year. These include state and regional championships for players aged 13 to 18.
Correctional Facility
The Boonville Correctional Center is located in the city. It is a minimum-security prison for men. It used to be a juvenile correctional facility called the Missouri Training School for Boys. It opened in 1889 and closed in 1983.
Education
The Boonville R-1 School District has four schools. These are Hannah Cole Elementary, David Barton Elementary, Laura Speed Elliott (LSE) Middle School, and Boonville High School. All these schools are in Boonville. The school mascot is the Pirates.
There is also a private school called Sts. Peter and Paul. It teaches students from Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade. This school was started in the 1850s, and its mascot is the Warriors.
Boonville has a public library. It is a part of the Boonslick Regional Library system.
Media
Boonville has its own newspaper, the Boonville Daily News. It also has a radio station, KWRT. You can listen to it at 1370 kHz A.M. and 98.7 kHz F.M.
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Boonville:
- Cathy Barton is a folk music singer and musician.
- Sara Evans is a country music singer and songwriter.
- Colonel Arthur M. Hitch and Colonel Thomas A. Johnston were important leaders of Kemper Military School.
- Frederick T. Kemper founded the school that later became Kemper Military School.
- Julia Lee was a famous blues singer and pianist.
- Henry L. Myers was a U.S. Senator from Montana.
- Joseph Franklin Rutherford was a founder of Jehovah's Witnesses.
- Lon Vest Stephens was a Governor of Missouri.
- C. T. Vivian was an American writer and civil rights activist.
- Walter Williams founded the Missouri School of Journalism. He was also a president of the University of Missouri.
See also
In Spanish: Boonville (Misuri) para niños
