La Russell, Missouri
Encyclopedia
La Russell is a city in Jasper County
, Missouri, United States. The population was 114 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land.
. Because of this word change the name La Russell appears to be unique in the United States.
This had been the hunting grounds of the Osage Indians that were known to have camped at nearby Spring River
, a short distance north of present day La Russell. Their lands to the east had been previously purchased by the U.S. Government in 1808 (Treaty of Fort Clark
) and other tribes had been moved to this location as well, and then later all were moved again to the Osage Nation areas elsewhere. Arrowhead
s and other Native American
artifacts can still be found in the plowed fields near the river today.
Although La Russell itself was founded in 1903 because of the railroad, early settlers at this location were among the first in the county dating back to the 1830s. The first public school in Jasper County, Missouri
was established near the future site of La Russell in 1838. This was the Cave Springs School, also known as Teas School in honor of its first teacher Samuel Teas. School sessions during the Antebellum
Era were split into two periods each school year, with a summer session and a winter session because students were needed at home for Spring planting and Fall harvest. The Cave Springs School also served as a church and a military headquarters for the Enrolled Missouri Militia
(Union) during the American Civil War
. Following the burning and destruction of the county seat of Carthage, Missouri
in the Civil War, the state governor moved the temporary Jasper County Courthouse to the Cave Springs School in 1865. The school still exists and can be visited today. A Civil War memorial was also erected by the Eastern Jasper County Historic Sites Association in 2009 at the old Cave Springs Cemetery near La Russell, one of the oldest cemeteries in Jasper County.
The city of La Russell, Missouri expanded as a railroad stop for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in 1905, at the coming of the White River line. In 2011 La Russell is a small rural & predominantly agricultural and livestock raising community.
The La Russell Water Pump (circa 1904) conspicuously located in the middle of the road on Main Street is a local cultural icon
which dates back to the early beginnings of the town. An even earlier community water well
is documented to have existed about two blocks south from the present one (before La Russell was founded), also located in the center of the road until it was replaced at the beginning of the 20th century. The La Russell Water Pump supplied water for the village inhabitants who carried it to their homes in buckets for use, and was also a welcome sight for thirsty travelers and their horses, and in later years for filling automobile radiator
s in addition to a cold drink. The concrete base for the present pump was constructed by the town August 5, 1907 and shows damage from vehicle collisions that occurred over the past century because of its odd location in the center of the street. Due to increased accidents it has also been at the "center of controversy" in modern times as being a safety hazard, though many townspeople have fought against its removal because it it is considered an historical landmark in La Russell. The debate continues to the present time, and this old beloved hand pump
is traditionally decorated by locals during the Christmas holidays each year. The motto Viva La Russell has become a rallying cry for the protection of the pump and emblematic of the town itself.
There were 51 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,000, and the median income for a family was $21,750. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $12,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,451. There were 27.0% of families and 26.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 22.0% of under eighteens and 20.0% of those over 64.
Jasper County, Missouri
Jasper County is a county located in the US state of Missouri. It is included in the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2010 total population of Jasper County was 117,404. It is the ninth most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Carthage, making it one of the few...
, Missouri, United States. The population was 114 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Area
The Joplin Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – Jasper and Newton – in southwest Missouri, anchored by the city of Joplin...
.
Geography
La Russell is located at 31.140812°N 94.061054°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land.
History
The village of La Russell, Missouri was platted and laid out for public use August 18, 1903. La Russell was named in honor of Russell Harding, vice president and general manager of the Missouri-Pacific Railroad at that time and of importance to the towns creation. The French La was added to the original proposed name of Russell in order to prevent confusion with another Missouri town named RussellvilleRussellville, Missouri
Russellville is a city in Cole County, Missouri, United States. The population was 758 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jefferson City, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Because of this word change the name La Russell appears to be unique in the United States.
This had been the hunting grounds of the Osage Indians that were known to have camped at nearby Spring River
Spring River (Missouri)
The Spring River is a waterway located in southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma. It begins in northern Barry County, Missouri south of Aurora, flows north of Verona and turns west across Lawrence and Jasper counties, passing through Carthage, before crossing into...
, a short distance north of present day La Russell. Their lands to the east had been previously purchased by the U.S. Government in 1808 (Treaty of Fort Clark
Treaty of Fort Clark
The Treaty of Fort Clark was signed at Fort Osage on November 10, 1808 in which the Osage Nation ceded all the land east of the fort in Missouri and Arkansas north of the Arkansas River to the United States. The Fort Clark treaty and the Treaty of St...
) and other tribes had been moved to this location as well, and then later all were moved again to the Osage Nation areas elsewhere. Arrowhead
Arrowhead
An arrowhead is a tip, usually sharpened, added to an arrow to make it more deadly or to fulfill some special purpose. Historically arrowheads were made of stone and of organic materials; as human civilization progressed other materials were used...
s and other Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
artifacts can still be found in the plowed fields near the river today.
Although La Russell itself was founded in 1903 because of the railroad, early settlers at this location were among the first in the county dating back to the 1830s. The first public school in Jasper County, Missouri
Jasper County, Missouri
Jasper County is a county located in the US state of Missouri. It is included in the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2010 total population of Jasper County was 117,404. It is the ninth most populous county in Missouri. Its county seat is Carthage, making it one of the few...
was established near the future site of La Russell in 1838. This was the Cave Springs School, also known as Teas School in honor of its first teacher Samuel Teas. School sessions during the Antebellum
History of the United States (1789–1849)
With the election of George Washington as the first president in 1789, the new government acted quickly to rebuild the nation's financial structure. Enacting the program of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, the government assumed the Revolutionary war debts of the state and the national...
Era were split into two periods each school year, with a summer session and a winter session because students were needed at home for Spring planting and Fall harvest. The Cave Springs School also served as a church and a military headquarters for the Enrolled Missouri Militia
Enrolled Missouri Militia
The Enrolled Missouri Militia was a state militia organization of Missouri in 1862 during the American Civil War. It was a part-time force whose primary purpose was to serve as garrison and infrastructure guards, both to augment the Unionist Missouri State Militia in defense versus raids and to...
(Union) during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Following the burning and destruction of the county seat of Carthage, Missouri
Carthage, Missouri
Carthage is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 14,378 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County and is nicknamed "America's Maple Leaf City."...
in the Civil War, the state governor moved the temporary Jasper County Courthouse to the Cave Springs School in 1865. The school still exists and can be visited today. A Civil War memorial was also erected by the Eastern Jasper County Historic Sites Association in 2009 at the old Cave Springs Cemetery near La Russell, one of the oldest cemeteries in Jasper County.
The city of La Russell, Missouri expanded as a railroad stop for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad in 1905, at the coming of the White River line. In 2011 La Russell is a small rural & predominantly agricultural and livestock raising community.
The La Russell Water Pump (circa 1904) conspicuously located in the middle of the road on Main Street is a local cultural icon
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
which dates back to the early beginnings of the town. An even earlier community water well
Water well
A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The well water is drawn by an electric submersible pump, a trash pump, a vertical turbine pump, a handpump or a mechanical pump...
is documented to have existed about two blocks south from the present one (before La Russell was founded), also located in the center of the road until it was replaced at the beginning of the 20th century. The La Russell Water Pump supplied water for the village inhabitants who carried it to their homes in buckets for use, and was also a welcome sight for thirsty travelers and their horses, and in later years for filling automobile radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
s in addition to a cold drink. The concrete base for the present pump was constructed by the town August 5, 1907 and shows damage from vehicle collisions that occurred over the past century because of its odd location in the center of the street. Due to increased accidents it has also been at the "center of controversy" in modern times as being a safety hazard, though many townspeople have fought against its removal because it it is considered an historical landmark in La Russell. The debate continues to the present time, and this old beloved hand pump
Hand pump
Hand pumps are manually operated pumps; they use human power and mechanical advantage to move fluids or air from one place to another. They are widely used in every country in the world for a variety of industrial, marine, irrigation and leisure activities...
is traditionally decorated by locals during the Christmas holidays each year. The motto Viva La Russell has become a rallying cry for the protection of the pump and emblematic of the town itself.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 138 people, 51 households, and 39 families residing in the city. The population density was 405.2 people per square mile (156.7/km²). There were 55 housing units at an average density of 161.5 per square mile (62.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.93% White, 2.17% Native American, 0.72% Pacific Islander, and 2.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.45% of the population.There were 51 households out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.5% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 112.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,000, and the median income for a family was $21,750. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $12,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,451. There were 27.0% of families and 26.6% of the population living below the poverty line, including 22.0% of under eighteens and 20.0% of those over 64.