Rock Port, Missouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rock Port, Missouri
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Main Street between Clay and Cass streets
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Location of Rock Port, Missouri
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Missouri |
| County | Atchison |
| Township | Clay |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.77 sq mi (7.18 km2) |
| • Land | 2.77 sq mi (7.18 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,116 ft (340 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,278 |
| • Density | 461.21/sq mi (178.08/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
64482
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| Area code(s) | 660 |
| FIPS code | 29-62696 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396401 |
| Website | rpmo.com |
Rock Port is a city located in Atchison County, in the state of Missouri, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the local government offices are. In 2020, about 1,278 people lived there.
Contents
The Story of Rock Port
Rock Port was first planned out in 1851. The city is about eight miles east of the Missouri River. It sits among the Loess Hills, which are bluffs (steep hills) above the river. The city got its name from Rock Creek, a stream that flows through the area.
After a border argument with Iowa, called the Honey War, Missouri's northern border moved a bit south. Because of this, the county seat was moved from Linden to Rock Port.
The original part of Rock Port is just east of I-29. However, there's also a busy area closer to the interstate. This area has truck stops, motels, fast food restaurants, and even fireworks stands. Many visitors stop here during the day, even though Rock Port is a small city.
Rock Port's Wind Power
Rock Port has become very good at producing its own energy. In April 2008, the city announced something amazing. It claimed to be the first community in the United States to get all its electricity from wind power.
Rock Port uses about 13 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. This power comes from the Loess Hills Wind Farm. This farm has four large wind turbines, each producing 1.25 megawatts of power. If the city produces more electricity than it needs, the extra power is sold to the Missouri Public Utility Alliance.
The idea for these wind turbines came from Eric Chamberlain, who used to work at the town's mortuary. The wind farm was built by Wind Capital Group. It was the company's smallest wind farm when it was developed. In 2008, Wind Capital also built a much larger wind farm, the 50.4MW Cow Branch Wind Farm, between Rock Port and Tarkio.
Historic Buildings
Two important buildings in Rock Port are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Atchison County Memorial Building and the John Dickinson Dopf Mansion. Being on this list means they are special and worth preserving.
Where is Rock Port?
Rock Port is located near Rock Creek. This creek is about 2.5 miles east of the Missouri River Valley.
The United States Census Bureau says that the city covers an area of about 2.77 square miles (7.18 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
People of Rock Port
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 305 | — | |
| 1870 | 490 | 60.7% | |
| 1880 | 715 | 45.9% | |
| 1890 | 934 | 30.6% | |
| 1900 | 1,080 | 15.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,053 | −2.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,136 | 7.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,162 | 2.3% | |
| 1940 | 1,406 | 21.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,511 | 7.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,310 | −13.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,575 | 20.2% | |
| 1980 | 1,511 | −4.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,438 | −4.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,395 | −3.0% | |
| 2010 | 1,318 | −5.5% | |
| 2020 | 1,278 | −3.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Rock Port has changed over many years. You can see how the number of people living in the city has grown and shrunk since 1860 in the table above.
Rock Port in 2010
In 2010, there were 1,318 people living in Rock Port. These people lived in 588 households, and 356 of these were families. The city had about 475.8 people per square mile.
The average age of people in Rock Port was 46.3 years old. About 21.4% of the residents were under 18 years old. Also, 23.1% of the people were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (47.7%) and females (52.3%).
Learning and Getting Around
Education
Public schools in Rock Port are managed by the Rock Port R-II School District. The city also has a public library, which is called the Atchison County Library. Libraries are great places to find books and learn new things!
Transportation
If you want to travel to or from Rock Port by bus, Jefferson Lines provides intercity bus service to the city.
Famous Faces from Rock Port
Some notable people have come from Rock Port:
- Loraine Boettner: An American Protestant theologian (a person who studies religious beliefs).
- Michael J. Burg (born 1968): An actor.
- Hardin Cox (1928–2013): A politician and businessman.
See also
In Spanish: Rock Port (Misuri) para niños
