Chillicothe, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat
of Livingston County, Missouri
, United States
. The population was 9,515 at the 2010 census
. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee
for "big town", and was named after their Chillicothe, located since 1774 about a mile from the present-day city.
Chillicothe is one of only two cities named in the world-famous song "Hooray for Hollywood" that opens the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards (The Oscars).
The 1937 song (lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Richard A. Whiting) contains in the second verse:
"Hooray for Hollywood! That phony, super Coney, Hollywood. They come from Chilicothes and Padukahs..." Both cities were misspelled in the original lyrics. The correct spellings are "Chillicothe" and "Paducah
".
This territory was originally settled by indigenous peoples
of the Americas. The Osage
and Missouri were in the territory at the time of earliest European contact, which was mostly by French explorers and traders. By 1800 the Shawnee
and Iowa
had migrated here. The Shawnee came from the Ohio Country
, where they had been under pressure before the American Revolution
from aggressive Iroquois
and later encroaching European Americans. Displacing the Osage, the Shawnee had a major village known as Chillicothe
about a mile from the present-day city. Chillicothe was also the name of a major band
of the tribe
. Other Native American tribes in the area were the Sac and Fox
, and Pottawatomi, all of whom hunted in the area.
In the early 19th century, European-American migration to Missouri increased. The original survey of Chillicothe by United States citizens was filed for record August 31, 1837, and a resurvey of the same was filed August 5, 1859. Chillicothe was incorporated as a city by an act of the General Assembly, approved March 1, 1855. It was selected as the County seat by commissioners and the first term of the county court began on May 7, 1838. In August of that year an order was made to erect the first Court House, to cost not to exceed $5,000, in the Public Square; The first circuit court for the trial of civil and criminal causes was held on the 3d of July 1887.
Livingston was settled by emigrants from the older counties and others from the Upper South states of Kentucky
and Tennessee
, as well as Ohio
and other "Old Northwest" states, as the westward migration continued. Prior to completion of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad in 1859, the city was minimally developed with cheap frame houses, with little pretense of architectural beauty or design. The building materials being hewed and sawed from the oak and walnut timber surrounding the town, as timber originally covered the site.
The railroad gave an impetus for town improvements. Soon two and three-story brick business buildings were constructed in place of the former frame structures. From 1865 to 1870, the city improved rapidly, then a lull lasted until 1875, when the erection of the beautiful three-story, $36,000 school building was started, now known as "Central School." From that time on Chillicothe made a slow, steady growth up to 1886, when the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad was built through here. That year also was the introduction of the "Water Works" and electric lights. The city continued to modernize in the early 20th century.
, the city has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.1 km²), of which 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²) is land and 0.15% is water. Chillicothe lies near the Grand River
.
The city is crossed by U.S. Route 36
, U.S. Route 65 and Missouri Route 190.
of 2010, there were 9,515 people, 3,608 households, and 2,197 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,370.9 people per square mile (529.4/km²). There were 4,060 housing units at an average density of 620.7 per square mile (239.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.86% White, 3.69% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.35% from other races
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 3,608 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 75.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,053, and the median income for a family was $40,163. Males had a median income of $29,070 versus $19,745 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,172. About 9.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Livingston County, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 9,515 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. The name "Chillicothe" is Shawnee
Shawnee language
The Shawnee language is a Central Algonquian language spoken in parts of central and northeastern Oklahoma by only around 200 Shawnee, making it an endangered language. It was originally spoken in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania...
for "big town", and was named after their Chillicothe, located since 1774 about a mile from the present-day city.
Chillicothe is one of only two cities named in the world-famous song "Hooray for Hollywood" that opens the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards (The Oscars).
The 1937 song (lyrics by Johnny Mercer and music by Richard A. Whiting) contains in the second verse:
"Hooray for Hollywood! That phony, super Coney, Hollywood. They come from Chilicothes and Padukahs..." Both cities were misspelled in the original lyrics. The correct spellings are "Chillicothe" and "Paducah
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
".
History of Chillicothe and Livingston County
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
of the Americas. The Osage
Osage Nation
The Osage Nation is a Native American Siouan-language tribe in the United States that originated in the Ohio River valley in present-day Kentucky. After years of war with invading Iroquois, the Osage migrated west of the Mississippi River to their historic lands in present-day Arkansas, Missouri,...
and Missouri were in the territory at the time of earliest European contact, which was mostly by French explorers and traders. By 1800 the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
had migrated here. The Shawnee came from the Ohio Country
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
, where they had been under pressure before the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
from aggressive Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
and later encroaching European Americans. Displacing the Osage, the Shawnee had a major village known as Chillicothe
Chillicothe
Chillicothe is the name of some places in the United States of America:*Chillicothe, Ohio**Chillicothe Turnpike*Chillicothe, Illinois*Chillicothe, Iowa*Chillicothe, Missouri*Chillicothe, Texas...
about a mile from the present-day city. Chillicothe was also the name of a major band
Band society
A band society is the simplest form of human society. A band generally consists of a small kin group, no larger than an extended family or clan; it has been defined as consisting of no more than 30 to 50 individuals.Bands have a loose organization...
of the tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
. Other Native American tribes in the area were the Sac and Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, and Pottawatomi, all of whom hunted in the area.
In the early 19th century, European-American migration to Missouri increased. The original survey of Chillicothe by United States citizens was filed for record August 31, 1837, and a resurvey of the same was filed August 5, 1859. Chillicothe was incorporated as a city by an act of the General Assembly, approved March 1, 1855. It was selected as the County seat by commissioners and the first term of the county court began on May 7, 1838. In August of that year an order was made to erect the first Court House, to cost not to exceed $5,000, in the Public Square; The first circuit court for the trial of civil and criminal causes was held on the 3d of July 1887.
Livingston was settled by emigrants from the older counties and others from the Upper South states of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, as well as Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and other "Old Northwest" states, as the westward migration continued. Prior to completion of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad in 1859, the city was minimally developed with cheap frame houses, with little pretense of architectural beauty or design. The building materials being hewed and sawed from the oak and walnut timber surrounding the town, as timber originally covered the site.
The railroad gave an impetus for town improvements. Soon two and three-story brick business buildings were constructed in place of the former frame structures. From 1865 to 1870, the city improved rapidly, then a lull lasted until 1875, when the erection of the beautiful three-story, $36,000 school building was started, now known as "Central School." From that time on Chillicothe made a slow, steady growth up to 1886, when the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad was built through here. That year also was the introduction of the "Water Works" and electric lights. The city continued to modernize in the early 20th century.
Geography
Chillicothe is located at 39.793045°N 93.551957°W. According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.1 km²), of which 6.5 square miles (16.8 km²) is land and 0.15% is water. Chillicothe lies near the Grand River
Grand River (Missouri)
The Grand River is a river that stretches from northernmost tributary origins between Creston and Winterset in Iowa approximately to its mouth on the Missouri River near Brunswick, Missouri....
.
The city is crossed by U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 36 in Missouri
In the U.S. state of Missouri, U.S. Route 36 is an expressway that provides access between Kansas and Illinois.-Route description:U.S. Route 36 runs from the Pony Express Bridges in St. Joseph to the western terminus for Interstate 72 which begins in Hannibal, MO....
, U.S. Route 65 and Missouri Route 190.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 9,515 people, 3,608 households, and 2,197 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,370.9 people per square mile (529.4/km²). There were 4,060 housing units at an average density of 620.7 per square mile (239.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.86% White, 3.69% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.35% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 3,608 households out of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 75.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,053, and the median income for a family was $40,163. Males had a median income of $29,070 versus $19,745 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,172. About 9.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 13.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- Chillicothe High School
- Chillicothe Middle School
- Garrison School - headquarters for Title I PreschoolElementary and Secondary Education ActThe Elementary and Secondary Education Act , is a United States federal statute enacted April 11, 1965. It was passed as a part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by Congress...
, Even Start Family Literacy, Parents as Teachers, adult GED classes, and Early Intervention Assistance - Dewey School (K-1st)
- Field Elementary School (2nd-3rd grade)
- Central Accelerated School (4th-5th grade)
- Bishop Hogan Memorial School
- Grand River Technical School
- Litton Agri-Science Learning Center
In popular culture
- City of Chillicothe, a.k.a. "Chili", is the name of a spaceship in Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. HeinleinRobert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
's novel Methuselah's ChildrenMethuselah's ChildrenMethuselah's Children is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein, originally serialized in Astounding Science Fiction in the July, August, and September 1941 issues. It was expanded into a full-length novel in 1958....
. - Chillicothe is known as "The Home of Sliced Bread". On July 7, 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company began selling pre-sliced bread "at quality grocers in the area", marking the first time sliced bread was available commercially in the world. They used the Rohwedder Bread Slicer, a machine created by IowaIowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
inventor, Otto Rohwedder.
Notable residents
- Bower Slack BroaddusBower Slack BroaddusBower Slack Broaddus was a United States federal judge.Born in Chillicothe, Missouri, Broaddus received an LL.B. from Kansas City School of Law in 1910. He was in private practice in Muskogee, Oklahoma from 1910 to 1940. He was a police judge in Muskogee from 1912 to 1914, and was a city attorney...
, judge - Courtney W. CampbellCourtney W. CampbellCourtney Warren Campbell was a U.S. Representative from Florida.Born in Chillicothe, Missouri, Campbell was educated in Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, and the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri....
, congressman - Ray and Faye Copeland, serial killers
- Claude B. HutchisonClaude B. HutchisonClaude Burton Hutchison was a botanist, agricultural economist, educator, and Mayor of the City of Berkeley, California from 1955 to 1963....
, botanist and politician - Jerry LittonJerry LittonJerry Lon Litton was a Democratic U.S. Representative from Missouri who died with his wife and two children while en route via a small plane to the victory party after winning Missouri's state Democratic primary for U.S. Senate....
, congressman - Charles H. MansurCharles H. MansurCharles Harley Mansur was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Mansur attended Lawrence Academy, Groton, Massachusetts....
, congressman - Shirley Collie Nelson, country music artist/actress
- Henry Moses PollardHenry Moses PollardHenry Moses Pollard was a U.S. Representative from Missouri.Born in Plymouth, Vermont, Pollard attended the common schools. He graduated from Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, in 1857. He moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1861...
, congressman - John QuinnJohn Quinn (Missouri)John Quinn is a farmer and Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives. He resides in Chillicothe, Missouri, with his wife Mary and has four daughters. He is a Catholic....
, politician - William Y. SlackWilliam Y. SlackWilliam Yarnel Slack was a Missouri lawyer, politician, and general in the Missouri State Guard during the American Civil War...
, brigadier general and politician - Clarence Edwin WatkinsClarence Edwin WatkinsClarence Edwin Watkins was a long term editor of the Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune.He was born on July 1, 1894 in Chillicothe, Missouri to James Edward Watkins and Martha Pearl Ireland. He died on November 13, 1944 in Chillicothe, Missouri. He was buried on November 15, 1944 in Edgewood...
, publisher - Mike LairMike LairMike Lair is the current representative for District 7 in the Missouri House of Representatives. A Republican, Lair was elected to the House on November 4, 2008.-Personal life:...
, politician and former teacher
External links
- City of Chillicothe, Missouri, Official Website
- "Livingston County History", Livingston County Library
- Grand River Historical Society Museum, Official Website
- Chillicothe, Missouri profile
- Historic maps of Chillicothe in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...