Houston, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Houston, Missouri
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Texas County Administrative Center
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Location of Houston, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Texas |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.65 sq mi (9.44 km2) |
| • Land | 3.64 sq mi (9.43 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,201 ft (366 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,079 |
| • Density | 570.68/sq mi (220.36/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
65483
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| Area code(s) | 417 |
| FIPS code | 29-33238 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394426 |
Houston is a city located in Texas County, Missouri, in the United States. It's a small city with a population of 2,079 people, according to the 2020 census. Houston is also the county seat of Texas County, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located.
Contents
History of Houston, Missouri
Houston was founded in 1857. It was named after Sam Houston, a famous American soldier and politician.
During the Civil War, Houston was sometimes protected by soldiers from the 5th Missouri State Militia.
Several important places in Houston are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Arthur W. and Chloe B. Cole House, Houston High School, and the Houston Ranger Station Historic District. These places are recognized for their historical importance.
Emmett Kelly: Houston's Famous Clown
Houston's most famous resident was Emmett Kelly. He became a world-famous clown. Kelly was born on December 9, 1898. When he was a young child, his family moved to a farm in Houston from his birthplace in Sedan, Kansas.
Kelly saw his first circus shows in the summer of 1909. Two circuses, the Mighty Haag and M.L. Clark and Son's, visited the area.
In 1917, Kelly moved to Kansas City. He wanted to become a newspaper cartoonist. There, he created a cartoon character of a tramp. This character later became known as "Weary Willie" around the world. While in Kansas City, Kelly started working for carnivals and circuses. He also trained to be a trapeze artist.
In August 1920, Kelly came back to Houston, Missouri. He performed as a "cartoonist and comedy specialist" at the town's yearly "Old Settlers Reunion."
After a successful time as a trapeze artist with the John Robinson Circus, Kelly was hired by the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus in 1932. This is where he first performed as "Weary Willie." This sad-faced character became known worldwide. After performing with the Cole Bros. Circus and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Kelly took his character to Hollywood. He appeared in many films, TV shows, and advertisements.
Honoring Emmett Kelly
On August 9, 1956, the Kelly family visited Houston. The town renamed the open area where the "Old Settlers Reunion" happened "Emmett Kelly Park." This was done to honor him.
Nineteen years later, Kelly returned to Houston one last time. Governor Kit Bond honored Houston's former resident. He declared October 9, 1975, "Emmett Kelly Day" in Missouri.
Since then, the yearly "Emmett Kelly Clown Festival" has brought clowns from all over the region. Kelly's grandson, Joey Kelly, even performed as a special guest in 2007. The festival ended its first 21-year run in May 2008. However, it returned in April 2022. Kelly's daughter, Stasia, was given a key to the city at this event.
Kelly was honored in other ways too. He was inducted into the Circus Ring of Fame in Sarasota, Florida in 1988. He also joined the International Circus Hall of Fame in Peru, Indiana in 1994. On May 1, 1996, a statue of Kelly was placed in the "Hall of Famous Missourians." This hall is at the state capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Geography and Climate of Houston
Houston is located in the Missouri Ozarks. This is a highland region in central Texas County. The city is at the meeting point of U.S. Route 63 and Missouri Route 17.
Cabool is about 15 miles southwest of Houston. Licking is about 12 miles northeast on Route 63.
The United States Census Bureau states that Houston covers about 3.64 square miles (9.43 square kilometers) of land. Houston is the second-largest city in Texas County, after Cabool. It is located south of Rolla.
Houston's Weather Patterns
| Climate data for Houston, Missouri (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
85 (29) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
97 (36) |
105 (41) |
111 (44) |
107 (42) |
106 (41) |
95 (35) |
90 (32) |
77 (25) |
111 (44) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 42.5 (5.8) |
47.5 (8.6) |
56.8 (13.8) |
67.5 (19.7) |
75.3 (24.1) |
82.6 (28.1) |
87.1 (30.6) |
86.2 (30.1) |
79.1 (26.2) |
68.5 (20.3) |
56.1 (13.4) |
45.7 (7.6) |
66.2 (19.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.4 (0.8) |
37.6 (3.1) |
46.1 (7.8) |
56.4 (13.6) |
64.8 (18.2) |
72.9 (22.7) |
76.9 (24.9) |
75.6 (24.2) |
68.0 (20.0) |
56.8 (13.8) |
46.0 (7.8) |
36.7 (2.6) |
55.9 (13.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 24.3 (−4.3) |
27.8 (−2.3) |
35.5 (1.9) |
45.3 (7.4) |
54.2 (12.3) |
63.2 (17.3) |
66.7 (19.3) |
65.0 (18.3) |
56.8 (13.8) |
45.1 (7.3) |
35.9 (2.2) |
27.6 (−2.4) |
45.6 (7.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −34 (−37) |
−31 (−35) |
−9 (−23) |
15 (−9) |
26 (−3) |
35 (2) |
42 (6) |
38 (3) |
23 (−5) |
11 (−12) |
0 (−18) |
−15 (−26) |
−34 (−37) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.74 (70) |
2.51 (64) |
3.79 (96) |
5.03 (128) |
5.43 (138) |
4.22 (107) |
3.76 (96) |
4.27 (108) |
4.17 (106) |
3.53 (90) |
4.39 (112) |
2.95 (75) |
46.79 (1,188) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.6 (4.1) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.7 (1.8) |
3.7 (9.4) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.9 | 9.6 | 11.4 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 7.0 | 97.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 3.8 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population and People of Houston
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 191 | — | |
| 1890 | 355 | 85.9% | |
| 1900 | 514 | 44.8% | |
| 1910 | 644 | 25.3% | |
| 1920 | 772 | 19.9% | |
| 1930 | 690 | −10.6% | |
| 1940 | 820 | 18.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,277 | 55.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,660 | 30.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,178 | 31.2% | |
| 1980 | 2,157 | −1.0% | |
| 1990 | 2,118 | −1.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,992 | −5.9% | |
| 2010 | 2,081 | 4.5% | |
| 2020 | 2,079 | −0.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 2,081 people living in Houston. These people made up 935 households. About 28% of households had children under 18 living with them. Many households (41%) were made up of single individuals. About 21% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone.
The average age of people in Houston was about 41.9 years old. About 21.7% of residents were under 18. About 24.7% were 65 years or older. There were more females (56%) than males (44%) in the city.
Education in Houston
The Houston R-I School District manages the local schools. It includes one elementary school, one middle school, and Houston High School.
Houston also has a public library. It is a part of the Texas County Library system.
See also
In Spanish: Houston (Misuri) para niños
