Overland, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Overland is a city in St. Louis County
, Missouri
, United States
. The population was 16,062 at the 2010 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²), of which 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²), or 0.45%, is water.
of 2000, there were 16,838 people, 7,012 households, and 4,494 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,842.8 people per square mile (1,484.3/km²). There were 7,446 housing units at an average density of 1,699.3 per square mile (656.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.56% White, 11.19% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races
, and 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 7,012 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples
living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,437, and the median income for a family was $43,655. Males had a median income of $31,168 versus $25,352 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,266. About 6.6% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
was first settled in the early 1820s, when travelers westward from St. Louis would stop overnight at what became known as "The Overland Park".
In time, businesses were established and a one-room subscription school, the Buck School, was built in 1846. In 1867, the Ritenour School District was organized. In 1919, the town's name was shortened to "Overland", to avoid postal confusion with the city of Overland Park, Kansas
.
The town was incorporated as a fourth class city in 1939 with a mayoral-city council government. In the 1990s, the city voters approved a change to a third class city. In 2007, the city voted to move to a mayor-council-administrator form of government. Under this structure, the mayor serves as the chief elected official. The city council serves as the legislative body, and is empowered to pass ordinances and resolutions it deems necessary to the operation of the city. The city administrator is a full-time employee of the city, and executes the day-to-day tasks of operations.
An early Overland settler and prominent St. Louis businessman, Dennis Lackland, built the Lackland House in 1844 on the road later named for him. The nearby McElhinney Log House, built in the 1850s, is maintained by the Overland Historical Society.
The Ritenour School, built in 1867 on Woodson Road, was remodeled and expanded over the years and is currently the Ritenour School District's administration building.
Lake Sherwood (originally Lake Laughlin or Loch Lin), which is near the original Overland Park, was developed as a private residence in 1877 and is now a gated community. The lake is spring-fed, and the dam spills into headwaters for the River des Peres
. Construction of the earthen dam was completed in 1894. Its height is 21 feet (6.4 m), capacity is 135 acre.ft, and normal storage is 80 acre.ft. It drains an area of 121 square miles (313.4 km²). At normal levels, the lake has a surface area of 12 acres (48,562.3 m²). The lake is owned by the Lake Sherwood homeowners' association and is used for recreational purposes.
The Gocke-Vance House, on Poe Avenue, was built in 1910 by Edward Gocke. This fireproof house was built from plans drawn by Frank Lloyd Wright
.
Overland boasts several large parks. The Garnett Estate, built in 1907 on Ashby Road, is now owned and maintained by the city as Wild Acres Park; it is a secluded area, offering walking paths and a small fishing lake. Mort Jacobs Park is a rolling acreage of tall trees and hiking paths. Norman Myers Park (formerly Taylor Field) is a large athletic field with a one-third-mile running track and adjacent picnic areas. It is home to Overland's annual Lion's Fair. Other smaller parks dot the city, providing family outing opportunities.
The Frank Munsch Community Center was built to provide Overland residents with year-round access to exercise facilities, whirlpool, sauna, basketball and racquetball courts. City residents over the age of 18 and accompanied minors are permitted to use the center.
The American Legion Thoman-Booth Post 338 hosts a weekly fish fry, every Friday from March through September at Legion Park. This event attracts thousands of visitors from all over the St. Louis area, and has become a traditional gathering place for Overland residents.
is headquartered in Overland, and concentrate manufacturing operations for Dr Pepper Snapple Group
are located in Overland. Overland is less than five miles from the St. Louis Boeing
plant, Monsanto
and Emerson Electric, where many Overland residents are employed. Overland supports a healthy and prosperous retail district.
Overland is the location of the National Personnel Records Center
, which houses discharged and retired service records of all branches of the United States armed forces
. The city was also the location of the Army Human Resources Command, prior to the facility's closing as a result of the military's 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
process.
The following individuals grew up in the Overland area and graduated from Ritenour High School in Overland:
, who had been accused of lying about her career credentials and exceeding her power as mayor. She was temporarily replaced by Alderman Jerry May, and in the August, 2007 election, Councilman Mike Schneider was elected mayor.
St. Louis County, Missouri
St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
, 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 16,062 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Overland is located at 38°41′57"N 90°22′4"W (38.699051, -90.367797).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 4.4 square miles (11.4 km²), of which 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²), or 0.45%, is water.
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 2000, there were 16,838 people, 7,012 households, and 4,494 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 3,842.8 people per square mile (1,484.3/km²). There were 7,446 housing units at an average density of 1,699.3 per square mile (656.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.56% White, 11.19% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.83% 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 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.
There were 7,012 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% 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, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,437, and the median income for a family was $43,655. Males had a median income of $31,168 versus $25,352 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 $18,266. About 6.6% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
History
The area south of the King's Road to Saint CharlesSaint Charles, Missouri
St. Charles is a city in, and the county seat of, St. Charles County, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 65,794, making St. Charles the 2nd largest city in St. Charles County. It lies just to the northwest of St. Louis, Missouri on the Missouri River, and, for a time,...
was first settled in the early 1820s, when travelers westward from St. Louis would stop overnight at what became known as "The Overland Park".
In time, businesses were established and a one-room subscription school, the Buck School, was built in 1846. In 1867, the Ritenour School District was organized. In 1919, the town's name was shortened to "Overland", to avoid postal confusion with the city of Overland Park, Kansas
Overland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
.
The town was incorporated as a fourth class city in 1939 with a mayoral-city council government. In the 1990s, the city voters approved a change to a third class city. In 2007, the city voted to move to a mayor-council-administrator form of government. Under this structure, the mayor serves as the chief elected official. The city council serves as the legislative body, and is empowered to pass ordinances and resolutions it deems necessary to the operation of the city. The city administrator is a full-time employee of the city, and executes the day-to-day tasks of operations.
Notable locations
The historic "Overland Park" wagon train stop is located near the intersection of Midland Boulevard and Lackland Road. A monument marks this site.An early Overland settler and prominent St. Louis businessman, Dennis Lackland, built the Lackland House in 1844 on the road later named for him. The nearby McElhinney Log House, built in the 1850s, is maintained by the Overland Historical Society.
The Ritenour School, built in 1867 on Woodson Road, was remodeled and expanded over the years and is currently the Ritenour School District's administration building.
Lake Sherwood (originally Lake Laughlin or Loch Lin), which is near the original Overland Park, was developed as a private residence in 1877 and is now a gated community. The lake is spring-fed, and the dam spills into headwaters for the River des Peres
River des Peres
The River des Peres is a metropolitan river in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the backbone of sanitary and stormwater systems in the city of St. Louis and portions of St. Louis County...
. Construction of the earthen dam was completed in 1894. Its height is 21 feet (6.4 m), capacity is 135 acre.ft, and normal storage is 80 acre.ft. It drains an area of 121 square miles (313.4 km²). At normal levels, the lake has a surface area of 12 acres (48,562.3 m²). The lake is owned by the Lake Sherwood homeowners' association and is used for recreational purposes.
The Gocke-Vance House, on Poe Avenue, was built in 1910 by Edward Gocke. This fireproof house was built from plans drawn by Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
.
Overland boasts several large parks. The Garnett Estate, built in 1907 on Ashby Road, is now owned and maintained by the city as Wild Acres Park; it is a secluded area, offering walking paths and a small fishing lake. Mort Jacobs Park is a rolling acreage of tall trees and hiking paths. Norman Myers Park (formerly Taylor Field) is a large athletic field with a one-third-mile running track and adjacent picnic areas. It is home to Overland's annual Lion's Fair. Other smaller parks dot the city, providing family outing opportunities.
The Frank Munsch Community Center was built to provide Overland residents with year-round access to exercise facilities, whirlpool, sauna, basketball and racquetball courts. City residents over the age of 18 and accompanied minors are permitted to use the center.
The American Legion Thoman-Booth Post 338 hosts a weekly fish fry, every Friday from March through September at Legion Park. This event attracts thousands of visitors from all over the St. Louis area, and has become a traditional gathering place for Overland residents.
Economy
Build-A-Bear WorkshopBuild-A-Bear Workshop
Build-A-Bear Workshop is an American retailer headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri that sells teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Customers go through an interactive process in which the stuffed animal of their choice is assembled and customized during their visit to the store, and is the...
is headquartered in Overland, and concentrate manufacturing operations for Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. is an American soft drink company, based in Plano, Texas.It was spun off from Britain's Cadbury Schweppes, on May 5, 2008, with trading in its shares starting on May 7, 2008...
are located in Overland. Overland is less than five miles from the St. Louis Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
plant, Monsanto
Monsanto
The Monsanto Company is a US-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is the world's leading producer of the herbicide glyphosate, marketed in the "Roundup" brand of herbicides, and in other brands...
and Emerson Electric, where many Overland residents are employed. Overland supports a healthy and prosperous retail district.
Overland is the location of the National Personnel Records Center
National Personnel Records Center
The National Personnel Records Center is an agency of the National Archives and Records Administration, created in 1956. It is divided into two large Federal Records Centers located in St...
, which houses discharged and retired service records of all branches of the United States armed forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. The city was also the location of the Army Human Resources Command, prior to the facility's closing as a result of the military's 2005 Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure, 2005
The preliminary 2005 Base Realignment and Closure list was released by the United States Department of Defense on May 13, 2005. It is the fifth Base Realignment and Closure proposal generated since the process was created in 1988. It recommends closing 33 major United States military bases and...
process.
Notable people
Charles A. Lindbergh once lived in what was at the time the northeast edge of Overland, the Home Heights area. In October 1920, he took a series of aerial photos of the Overland area.The following individuals grew up in the Overland area and graduated from Ritenour High School in Overland:
- Jayson "Koko" Bridges, multi-platinum music producer of Basement BeatsBasement BeatsBasement Beats is a St. Louis based Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum production team best known for their collaborations with Nelly and the St. Lunatics...
- Maj. Gen. James L. DayJames L. DayMajor General James Lewis Day was a United States Marine, who as a Corporal, during World War II in the Battle of Okinawa, displayed "extraordinary heroism, repeated acts of valor, and quintessential battlefield leadership, ...inspired the efforts of his outnumbered Marines to defeat a much...
, USMC, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient - Jason "Jay-E" Epperson, multi-platinum music producer of Basement Beats
- Ron HuntRon HuntRonald Kenneth Hunt is a former Major League Baseball player. A second baseman who also played third base sparingly, Hunt played for the New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Montreal Expos and St...
, major league baseball pitcher - Mike KeefeMike KeefeMike Keefe is an American editorial cartoonist best known for his work at the Denver Post, for which he has drawn cartoons since 1975. His cartoons are nationally syndicated, and have appeared in hundreds of newspapers as well as in Europe, Asia, and most major U.S...
, editorial cartoonist for The Denver PostThe Denver Post-Ownership:The Post is the flagship newspaper of MediaNews Group Inc., founded in 1983 by William Dean Singleton and Richard Scudder. MediaNews is today one of the nation's largest newspaper chains, publisher of 61 daily newspapers and more than 120 non-daily publications in 13 states. MediaNews... - Ted KulongoskiTed KulongoskiTheodore R. "Ted" Kulongoski is an American politician, who served as the 36th Governor of Oregon. A Democrat, he has served in both houses of the Oregon Legislative Assembly, as the state Insurance Commissioner, the Attorney General, and an Associate Justice on the Oregon Supreme Court.-Early...
, Governor of the State of OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern... - Gene Louis, drummer and lead singer of Bullets and Octane
- Dan Marsala, lead singer of Story of the Year and The F*ck Off and Dies
- Ryan Phillips, lead guitarist/producer/writer of Story of the YearStory of the YearStory of the Year is an American rock band formed in St. Louis, Missouri in 2000. The band was initially named 67 North but was then changed to Big Blue Monkey...
and Greek Fire - Jerry ReussJerry ReussJerry Reuss -- pronounced "royce" -- is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the United States, who had a 22-year career from to ....
, major league baseball pitcher and national sports broadcaster - Bob ScheffingBob ScheffingRobert Boden Scheffing was an American baseball player, coach, manager and front-office executive. Nicknamed "Grumpy," the native of Overland, Missouri is most often identified with the Chicago Cubs, for whom he played as a catcher , coached , and managed .Scheffing also spent 2½ years as...
, major league baseball catcher, coach and general manager of the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League... - Bob ToddBob ToddBob Todd was an English comedy actor, mostly known for appearing as a straight man in the sketch shows of Benny Hill and Spike Milligan. For many years he lived in Tunbridge Wells, Kent....
, retired head baseball coach at Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States... - Billie Lou WattBillie Lou WattBillie Lou Watt was an actress in theater and television, including several voice acting roles for commercials and animated series...
, stage and television actress
Mayoral controversy
On April 3, 2007, Overland residents voted to recall Mayor Ann PurznerAnn Purzner
Ann Purzner was the mayor of Overland, Missouri, having been elected by five votes in April 2006. She was the subject of some controversy and was eventually recalled from office.-Controversy:...
, who had been accused of lying about her career credentials and exceeding her power as mayor. She was temporarily replaced by Alderman Jerry May, and in the August, 2007 election, Councilman Mike Schneider was elected mayor.