Plattsburg, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Plattsburg, Missouri
|
|
|---|---|
Clinton County Courthouse
|
|
Location of Plattsburg, Missouri
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| County | Clinton |
| Founded | 1833 (as Concord, MO) 1835 (as Plattsburg, MO) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.63 sq mi (9.39 km2) |
| • Land | 3.60 sq mi (9.33 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 929 ft (283 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 2,222 |
| • Density | 617.05/sq mi (238.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
64477
|
| Area code(s) | 816 |
| FIPS code | 29-58250 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396228 |
| Website | [1] |
Plattsburg is a city in Missouri, USA. It's the main town, or county seat, of Clinton County. Plattsburg is located in the western part of Missouri. It's also part of the larger Kansas City metropolitan area. The city grew up along the Little Platte River. In 2020, about 2,222 people lived here.
Contents
History of Plattsburg
The area around Plattsburg has been home to people for thousands of years. Long ago, indigenous peoples like the Ioway, Meskwaki, and Sac tribes lived here. They later gave up their land to the United States. This land then became part of northwest Missouri.
Early Names of the Settlement
When European-American settlers first arrived, they called their new home Concord. You can still find this name today in a lake and housing area in the city. Later, the city was renamed Springfield. But there was already a Springfield, Missouri in the state. So, the settlers chose a new name: Plattsburg.
How Plattsburg Got Its Name
The name "Plattsburg" comes from Plattsburgh, New York. Both Plattsburg, Missouri, and Clinton County are named after George Clinton. He was an important person in early American history. George Clinton was one of the Founding Fathers. He was also the first governor of New York and a vice president of the United States.
Settlers and Early Economy
Many early settlers in Plattsburg came from the southern United States. They brought their culture and enslaved people with them. For a short time in the 1830s, Plattsburg had a special government office. This office helped new settlers claim land in northern Missouri. This land had recently become open after the Platte Purchase in 1836. Plattsburg was one of the farthest western settlements at that time.
The area became known for growing hemp and tobacco. These crops needed a lot of work, often done by enslaved African Americans. As the county seat, Plattsburg was a busy center for trade and politics. It had many shops and different types of businesses. At one point, Plattsburg was even called "the Beef Capital of the World." This was because Kansas City was a major center for processing and exporting beef.
Plattsburg During the Civil War
By 1860, Clinton County had about 7,848 people. About 1,144 of them were enslaved African Americans. This was about 17% of the total population. During the American Civil War, two small battles happened near Plattsburg. Both Confederate and Federal soldiers occupied the town. In 1863, a group of William Quantrill's fighters captured some Federal troops. This happened at the county courthouse in Plattsburg.
Geography of Plattsburg
Plattsburg covers a total area of about 3.63 square miles (9.39 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 3.60 square miles (9.33 square kilometers), is land. A small part, about 0.03 square miles (0.07 square kilometers), is water.
Waterways surround Plattsburg. The Horse Fork stream flows east of the town. It then joins the Little Platte River, which runs southwest below the town.
Population Information
Plattsburg has seen its population change over the years. Here's how the population has grown and changed:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 692 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,667 | 140.9% | |
| 1880 | 1,344 | −19.4% | |
| 1890 | 1,634 | 21.6% | |
| 1900 | 1,878 | 14.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,650 | −12.1% | |
| 1920 | 1,719 | 4.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,672 | −2.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,915 | 14.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,655 | −13.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,663 | 0.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,832 | 10.2% | |
| 1980 | 2,095 | 14.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,248 | 7.3% | |
| 2000 | 2,354 | 4.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,319 | −1.5% | |
| 2020 | 2,222 | −4.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2010, there were 2,319 people living in Plattsburg. These people lived in 936 households. About 26.8% of households had children under 18. The average household size was 2.42 people. The average family size was 3.02 people.
The population was spread out by age. About 26% of the people were under 20 years old. About 18.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in the city was 43 years. The population was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.
Notable People from Plattsburg
Many interesting people have connections to Plattsburg:
- David Rice Atchison was a US Senator from Missouri. He lived and was buried in Plattsburg.
- Ulysses Hollimon was a baseball player in the Negro American League. He lived in Plattsburg for a long time.
- Bela M. Hughes was a pioneer who served as a federal officer in Plattsburg.
- James C. Marshall was a United States Army officer. He helped supervise the Manhattan Project, which was a very important science project. He was born in Plattsburg.
- O. O. McIntyre was a famous newspaper writer in the early 1900s. He was also born in Plattsburg.
See also
In Spanish: Plattsburg (Misuri) para niños
