Charleston, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charleston, Missouri
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Main Street
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| Nickname(s):
"Flower of the Bootheel"
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Location in Mississippi County and the state of Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Mississippi |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.85 sq mi (12.56 km2) |
| • Land | 4.80 sq mi (12.42 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2) |
| Elevation | 322 ft (98 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,056 |
| • Density | 1,054.21/sq mi (407.07/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
63834
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| Area code(s) | 573 |
| FIPS code | 29-13366 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2393804 |
Charleston is a city in Mississippi County, Missouri, United States. In 2020, about 5,056 people lived there. This was a bit less than the 5,947 people who lived there in 2010. Charleston is the main city of Mississippi County. It is also home to the Southeast Correctional Center.
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History of Charleston
Charleston is the biggest town on the Missouri side near where the Mississippi River and Ohio River meet. Its history is closely linked to boats and trade on these rivers.
The area was first settled on the north side. In 1805, this place was called "Matthews Prairie."
Joseph Moore bought about 22.5 acres of land. He then planned out the city of Charleston in 1837. Some people think the city got its name from a nearby area called Charles Prairie. Others believe it was named after Charleston, South Carolina. In 1845, Charleston became the county seat. A post office has been open in Charleston since 1847.
During the American Civil War, a battle called the Battle of Charleston happened on August 19, 1861. One Union soldier and thirteen Missouri State Guard soldiers died in this battle.
On September 1, 1861, a Confederate General named M. Jeff Thompson took money from the Union Bank of Charleston. He left a receipt for $57,000, but later found out there was only $56,000 in the bags.
The city was at the center of a 5.9 magnitude earthquake on October 31, 1895. This earthquake happened in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Almost every building in Charleston was damaged. The quake also caused sand volcanoes and cracked a bridge pier. Chimneys fell down in cities far away, like St. Louis, Missouri and Memphis, Tennessee. This was the biggest earthquake since the 1812 New Madrid earthquake. That quake was even bigger, measuring 8.3 magnitude. One clear sign of the 1895 quake is Henson Lake, south of Charleston. The lake became much larger because of the earthquake.
In 1901, the county courthouse was built. It was designed by J.B. Legg. He designed many buildings in Missouri. On February 10, 1997, the courthouse was damaged by fire and later taken down.
The Southeast Correctional Center is a prison for men. It is located at the very south edge of the city.
Just south of Charleston, you can see Missouri's largest American Flag mural. Artist Ray Harvey finished it in 2024. The mural is on the Delta Growers Association property. You can easily see it from Route 105.
Several historic places in Charleston are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Hearnes Site, Missouri Pacific Depot, Moore House, McCutchen Theatre, and Jacob Swank House.
Geography of Charleston
Charleston is in the northern part of Mississippi County. It is about 12 miles west-southwest of where the Mississippi River and Ohio River meet. Interstate 57 goes through Charleston. This highway connects it to southern Illinois and to Interstate 55 near Sikeston, Missouri. U.S. Route 62 and Missouri Route 105 also meet near downtown Charleston.
The city of Charleston covers about 4.85 square miles. Most of this area, about 4.80 square miles, is land. A small part, about 0.06 square miles, is water.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 273 | — | |
| 1870 | 635 | 132.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,028 | 61.9% | |
| 1890 | 1,381 | 34.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,893 | 37.1% | |
| 1910 | 3,144 | 66.1% | |
| 1920 | 3,410 | 8.5% | |
| 1930 | 3,357 | −1.6% | |
| 1940 | 5,182 | 54.4% | |
| 1950 | 5,501 | 6.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,911 | 7.5% | |
| 1970 | 5,131 | −13.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,230 | 1.9% | |
| 1990 | 5,085 | −2.8% | |
| 2000 | 4,732 | −6.9% | |
| 2010 | 5,947 | 25.7% | |
| 2020 | 5,056 | −15.0% | |
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In 2010, there were 5,947 people living in Charleston. About 35.4% of homes had children under 18. The average age in the city was 37.1 years old.
Education in Charleston
The Charleston R-I School District runs the schools in the city. There is one elementary school, one middle school, and Charleston High School. Charleston High School is famous for its boys' basketball team. They have won 12 state championships! Their most recent win was in 2022.
Charleston also has a public library. It is part of the Mississippi County Library District.
Notable People from Charleston
Many interesting people have come from Charleston, Missouri. Here are a few:
- Charlie Babb – a former player for the NFL team, the Miami Dolphins.
- Lanie Black – a Missouri state legislator.
- William H. Danforth – a well-known businessman.
- Ricky Frazier – a former basketball player.
- Betty Cooper Hearnes – a Missouri politician.
- Warren E. Hearnes – a former governor of Missouri.
- James Boon Lankershim – a landowner and real estate developer in Los Angeles.
- James Naile – a baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Ernie Nevel – a baseball player.
- Kenny Rollins – a basketball player.
- Joseph J. Russell – a former member of the State House of Representatives.
- John E. Scott – a former state senate president.
- Samuel "Bay" Taylor – a Negro league baseball player.
- Matt Whiteside – a baseball player.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
