Mendon, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mendon, Missouri
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Location of Mendon, Missouri
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Chariton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2) |
| • Land | 0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 705 ft (215 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 163 |
| • Density | 910.61/sq mi (350.68/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
64660
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| Area code(s) | 660 |
| FIPS code | 29-47288 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395094 |
Mendon is a small city in western Chariton County, Missouri, in the United States. In 2020, 163 people lived there. It is located about 21 miles northwest of Keytesville, the county seat. Mendon is also 13 miles north of Brunswick, Missouri, right on Missouri Route 11.
Contents
History of Mendon
Mendon was first planned in 1871 by Christopher Shupe. He named it after his old home, Mendon, Illinois. Before this, the area was known as Salt Creek. Businesses were already open there years before the town was officially created. One of the first was a general store, built around 1865. A Methodist Church was built in 1866. There was also a sawmill five miles east of the town.
The Felt Family and New Mendon
In 1867, Jeremiah Andrews Felt sent his twin sons, William and Winslow, and their younger brother George to Mendon. They were from Quincy. The brothers started farms on 80 acres northwest of where Old Mendon would be laid out. The Felt twins later bought 320 more acres from the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad. They were known as "farmers and stock-raisers" and were among the first settlers.
Winslow Leach Felt, his wife, and son sadly passed away. Then, Charles Davis Felt, the youngest Felt brother, arrived around 1880. He came to take over the family farm.
A big change happened for Mendon in the late 1880s. The Chicago, Santa Fe and California Railroad was building new tracks. But the tracks were planned to be over a mile away from the original town. The people of Mendon had to choose: stay put or move closer to the railroad.
On January 13, 1888, a group called the Mendon Land & Trust bought land from the Felt brothers. A new Mendon was then created at the current location. The old town was mostly left behind. The Felt family even gave land for the new high school.
The new town was planned with 20 square blocks. It was built next to the railroad tracks. Businesses from Old Mendon started moving to the new site, and the town began to grow. In 1890, Mendon officially became a city. The Mendon Cemetery, established in 1860, is still at the site of Old Mendon. The post office has been open since 1872.
One of the first people to buy land in the new town was Sebastian Joseph. He bought a lot with a special rule: no alcohol could ever be sold there. If the rule was broken, the land would go back to the Land Company. Frank Newcomer and Mr. Holworthy built the first buildings. Newcomer opened a lumber yard and hardware store. Soon, other businesses moved from Old Mendon to the new town.
In 1889, Emil Loew, a harness maker from Switzerland, and his wife Mary moved to Mendon. They opened a shop and made their home there. Their daughter Bernah later married Chester Arthur Felt in 1909. Both lived in Mendon until they passed away.
By 1899, Mendon had grown quite a bit. It had a church, a public school, a bank, two hotels, and a newspaper called The Citizen. There were also about 20 other businesses. The town's population was around 350 people. By 1910, it had grown to 408 residents.
Mendon Today
On June 27, 2022, an Amtrak train called the Southwest Chief had an accident near Mendon. It hit a dump truck and went off the tracks. The people of Mendon and the nearby community were praised for helping those who were hurt. Farmers, off-duty nurses, truck drivers, and other local residents quickly offered food, first aid, water, and phone chargers to help the injured passengers.
A year before the accident, a Mendon resident had warned county engineers about a dangerous steep hill leading to the train crossing. As of June 2023, this crossing remains closed.
Today, freight trains still use the Santa Fe railroad tracks through Mendon. However, most of Mendon's old businesses are no longer there.
Students in Mendon and the surrounding area attend Northwestern High School. The school's sports and academic teams compete in Missouri Class 1, which is the smallest group for schools in the state.
Mendon is close to the Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge brings visitors, especially waterfowl hunters, which helps local businesses.
Geography and Location
Mendon is located in western Chariton County, along Missouri Route 11. Yellow Creek flows past the northwest side of the town. The Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge is just two miles to the west.
The old Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad line also runs along the northwest side of Mendon. This line is now owned by the BNSF Railway. The Amtrak Southwest Chief train still passes through Mendon, but it does not stop there.
The United States Census Bureau says that Mendon covers a total area of about 0.18 square miles (0.46 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 137 | — | |
| 1900 | 252 | 83.9% | |
| 1910 | 408 | 61.9% | |
| 1920 | 387 | −5.1% | |
| 1930 | 376 | −2.8% | |
| 1940 | 350 | −6.9% | |
| 1950 | 349 | −0.3% | |
| 1960 | 287 | −17.8% | |
| 1970 | 289 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 252 | −12.8% | |
| 1990 | 207 | −17.9% | |
| 2000 | 208 | 0.5% | |
| 2010 | 171 | −17.8% | |
| 2020 | 163 | −4.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Details
In 2010, there were 171 people living in Mendon. These people lived in 81 households, and 48 of these were families. The city had about 950 people per square mile. There were 104 housing units, with about 578 housing units per square mile. Most of the people living in Mendon (98.8%) were White. About 1.2% were African American.
Of the 81 households, 23.5% had children under 18 living with them. More than half (53.1%) were married couples living together. About 35.8% of all households were single individuals. Nearly 20% of households had someone aged 65 or older living alone. The average household had 2.11 people, and the average family had 2.73 people.
The average age in Mendon was 40.5 years. About 21.1% of residents were under 18. About 25.7% were 65 years old or older. The city's population was 46.2% male and 53.8% female.
Famous People from Mendon
- Mendon is the hometown of Vern Kennedy. He was a pitcher in MLB. He is buried in the Old Mendon Cemetery.
See also
In Spanish: Mendon (Misuri) para niños
