Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County
located in Southeast Missouri
in the United States
. It is the county seat
of Butler County
and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S. Census
, the city had a population of 16,651; a 2008 estimate showed the population to be 17,096, an increase of 2.67%, and is the third largest city in Missouri's 8th Congressional District after Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.
The Poplar Bluff Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of all of Butler County. The city is at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 60
and U.S. Highway 67
.
Poplar Bluff is located at 36°45′25"N 90°23′34"W (36.756944, -90.392778), along the Black River
. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 11.6 square miles (30 km²), all land.
Poplar Bluff takes its name from a bluff that overlooks Black River. When first settled, the bluff was covered with poplar trees. The Butler County Courthouse and the offices of the Daily American Republic newspaper sit on this site. Poplar Bluff lies along an escarpment
separating the Ozark Foothills from the Mississippi embayment
in Southeast Missouri. The foothills lie to the north and west and the embayment is to the south and east. The surrounding area is commonly known as the "Three Rivers" with many local organizations and businesses using the name. The three rivers—Current River
, Black River, and St. Francis River
—are 40 miles apart with Poplar Bluff located in the center on the Black River.
exploration party were the first European visitors to the Poplar Bluff area. When De Soto crossed the Mississippi River
in 1539, he traveled to a point below the mouth of the St. Francis River and eventually passed through present-day Butler County. De Soto and his men traveled through what is now Ash Hill and passed just outside of Poplar Bluff.
The French were the first Europeans to assert any territorial rights over the Poplar Bluff area. The French held the area until 1770 when it was ceded by treaty to Spain. Spain held the area until 1802 when it was returned to France. During this time the area of Poplar Bluff, as well as all of Butler County, held almost no European settlements up until 1819, when the first white settler family moved into the Poplar Bluff area. It was reported that about 300 Native Americans
resided in the area at that time.
The earliest permanent settlements in what is now Butler County occurred in the early 19th century along the Natchitoches Trail, an old Native American Trail west of what is now Poplar Bluff on Ten Mile Creek and Cane Creek. Butler County was organized in 1849 and Poplar Bluff was chosen as the county seat. In 1855 the first courthouse was built and the town grew. Finally, on February 9, 1870, Poplar Bluff was incorporated.
In 1927 a tornado
leveled most of the city, especially the original business district along Main and Broadway streets.
The racial makeup of the city was 87.04% White, 9.71% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.48% from other races
, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.
There were 7,870 households out of which 52.7% were married couples living together, 20.28% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.9.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,068, and the median income for a family was $28,744. The per capita income
for the city was $13,996. About 19.3% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
appoints heads of various city departments and agencies including Airport Director, Art Museum Director, Black River Coliseum Director, Finance, Personnel, Collections Director, Fire Department Chief, City Planner, Police Chief, and Street Superintendent.
Elementary schools
Secondary schools
is located in Poplar Bluff and provides college courses along with career and technical programs. TRCC offers the same freshman- and sophomore-level classes as many four-year public universities. The school colors are yellow and black and its mascot is the Raider. TRCC Basketball Coach Gene Bess has more NJCAA wins than any coach in history.
Butler County, Missouri
Butler County is a county located in the southeast Ozark Foothills Region in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 42,794. The largest city and county seat is Poplar Bluff. The county was officially organized from Wayne County on February...
located in Southeast 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the county seat
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 Butler County
Butler County, Missouri
Butler County is a county located in the southeast Ozark Foothills Region in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 42,794. The largest city and county seat is Poplar Bluff. The county was officially organized from Wayne County on February...
and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S. Census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the city had a population of 16,651; a 2008 estimate showed the population to be 17,096, an increase of 2.67%, and is the third largest city in Missouri's 8th Congressional District after Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.
The Poplar Bluff Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of all of Butler County. The city is at the crossroads of U.S. Highway 60
U.S. Route 60
U.S. Route 60 is an east–west United States highway, running from the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast in Virginia to western Arizona. Despite the final "0" in its number, indicating a transcontinental designation, the 1926 route formerly ended in Springfield, Missouri, at its intersection...
and U.S. Highway 67
U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67 is a 1,560 mile long north–south U.S. highway in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues south as Mexican Federal Highway 16 upon crossing the Rio Grande. The northern...
.
Geography
Poplar Bluff is located at 36°45′25"N 90°23′34"W (36.756944, -90.392778), along the Black River
Black River (Arkansas)
The Black River is a tributary of the White River, about 300 mi long , in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas in the United States. Via the White River, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed...
. 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 11.6 square miles (30 km²), all land.
Poplar Bluff takes its name from a bluff that overlooks Black River. When first settled, the bluff was covered with poplar trees. The Butler County Courthouse and the offices of the Daily American Republic newspaper sit on this site. Poplar Bluff lies along an escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
separating the Ozark Foothills from the Mississippi embayment
Mississippi embayment
The Mississippi Embayment is a physiographic feature in the south-central United States, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. It is essentially a northward continuation of the fluvial sediments of the Mississippi River Delta to its confluence with the Ohio River at Cairo, Illinois. The embayment...
in Southeast Missouri. The foothills lie to the north and west and the embayment is to the south and east. The surrounding area is commonly known as the "Three Rivers" with many local organizations and businesses using the name. The three rivers—Current River
Current River (Missouri)
The Current River forms in the southeastern portion of the Ozarks of Missouri and becomes a 7th order stream as it flows southeasterly out of the Ozarks into northeastern Arkansas where it becomes a tributary of the Black River, which is a tributary of the White River, a tributary of the...
, Black River, and St. Francis River
St. Francis River
The Saint Francis River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, about long, in southeastern Missouri and northeastern Arkansas in the United States...
—are 40 miles apart with Poplar Bluff located in the center on the Black River.
History
Hernando de Soto'sHernando de Soto (explorer)
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European documented to have crossed the Mississippi River....
exploration party were the first European visitors to the Poplar Bluff area. When De Soto crossed the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in 1539, he traveled to a point below the mouth of the St. Francis River and eventually passed through present-day Butler County. De Soto and his men traveled through what is now Ash Hill and passed just outside of Poplar Bluff.
The French were the first Europeans to assert any territorial rights over the Poplar Bluff area. The French held the area until 1770 when it was ceded by treaty to Spain. Spain held the area until 1802 when it was returned to France. During this time the area of Poplar Bluff, as well as all of Butler County, held almost no European settlements up until 1819, when the first white settler family moved into the Poplar Bluff area. It was reported that about 300 Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
resided in the area at that time.
The earliest permanent settlements in what is now Butler County occurred in the early 19th century along the Natchitoches Trail, an old Native American Trail west of what is now Poplar Bluff on Ten Mile Creek and Cane Creek. Butler County was organized in 1849 and Poplar Bluff was chosen as the county seat. In 1855 the first courthouse was built and the town grew. Finally, on February 9, 1870, Poplar Bluff was incorporated.
In 1927 a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
leveled most of the city, especially the original business district along Main and Broadway streets.
Demographics
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there were 16,651 people, 7,077 households, and 4,295 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,438.9 people per square mile (555.7/km²). There were 7,871 housing units at an average density of 680.2 per square mile (262.7/km²).The racial makeup of the city was 87.04% White, 9.71% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.48% 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 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.35% of the population.
There were 7,870 households out of which 52.7% were married couples living together, 20.28% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.9.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.7 years. For every 100 females there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,068, and the median income for a family was $28,744. 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 $13,996. About 19.3% of families and 24.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.4% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Poplar Bluff operates under the Council–Manager form of government. The city managerCity manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
appoints heads of various city departments and agencies including Airport Director, Art Museum Director, Black River Coliseum Director, Finance, Personnel, Collections Director, Fire Department Chief, City Planner, Police Chief, and Street Superintendent.
Public schools
The Poplar Bluff R-1 School District serves the educational needs of most of the residents of Poplar Bluff and the surrounding area. There are seven elementary schools, one junior high and one senior high school in the school district. During the 2008-2009 school year, there was a total of 4,934 students and 374 certified staff members enrolled in the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District. The school colors are maroon and white and its mascot is the mule. Athletics offered in the school district include boys' and girls' basketball, soccer, track, cross country, and tennis; boys' baseball, golf, football, and wrestling; and girls' softball, volleyball, cheerleading, and swimming.Elementary schools
- Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center
- Mark Twain Kindergarten Center
- O'Neal Elementary
- Oak Grove Elementary
- Lake Road Elementary
- Eugene Field Elementary
- Poplar Bluff 5th and 6th Grade Center
Secondary schools
- Poplar Bluff Junior High School
- Poplar Bluff Senior High School
Private schools
- Sacred Heart Catholic School
- Thomas M. Lane Seventh-day Adventist Church School
- Westwood Baptist Academy
Colleges and universities
Three Rivers Community College (TRCC)Three Rivers Community College
Three Rivers Community College is the name of two community colleges in the United States:*Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, Connecticut*Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri...
is located in Poplar Bluff and provides college courses along with career and technical programs. TRCC offers the same freshman- and sophomore-level classes as many four-year public universities. The school colors are yellow and black and its mascot is the Raider. TRCC Basketball Coach Gene Bess has more NJCAA wins than any coach in history.
Notable people
- Linda Bloodworth-ThomasonLinda Bloodworth-ThomasonLinda Bloodworth-Thomason is an American writer and television producer....
: Television producer (Designing WomenDesigning WomenDesigning Women is an American television sitcom that centered on the working and personal lives of four Southern women and one man in an interior design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. It aired on the CBS television network from September 29, 1986 until May 24, 1993. The show was created by head writer...
)
- Tyler HansbroughTyler HansbroughAndrew Tyler Hansbrough is an American basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. Hansbrough completed a college basketball career with the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team in 2009, and was drafted into the NBA by the Indiana Pacers with the 13th pick of the 1st round of the 2009 NBA...
: NBA basketball player for the Indiana PacersIndiana PacersThe Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
. Won the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
at UNC Chapel Hill. - Ben HansbroughBen HansbroughBen Hansbrough is an American basketball player who played guard for the University of Notre Dame. He was a fifth-year senior for the Fighting Irish, Hansbrough transferred from Mississippi State after his sophomore year...
: 5th year senior basketball player at UNDUNDUND may refer to:*The University of North Dakota, a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA*The University of Notre Dame, a Catholic university in South Bend, Indiana, USA*Unilateral nuclear disarmament... - Scott InnesScott InnesScott Innes is an American author, songwriter, voice actor, and radio personality.He became known as the new voice of Scooby-Doo in the Scooby-Doo direct-to-video movies made between 1998 and 2001. From 1999 to 2001, he also voiced Scooby's best friend and owner Norville "Shaggy" Rogers...
: radio broadcaster and voice actor for Scooby-DooScooby-DooScooby-Doo is an American media franchise based around several animated television series and related works produced from 1969 to the present day. The original series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969... - Tim LollarTim LollarWilliam Timothy Lollar is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball from 1980-86 for the New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox , primarily as a starting pitcher.- Early career :Lollar played...
: professional baseball pitcher - Julie McCulloughJulie McCulloughJulie Michelle McCullough is an American model, actress and stand-up comedian. She was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Month for February 1986, and played "Julie Costello" on Growing Pains until she was fired on series regular Kirk Cameron's insistence, for having posed nude in Playboy...
: actress/model (Growing PainsGrowing PainsGrowing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
and PlayboyPlayboyPlayboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Playmate) - Derland MooreDerland MooreDerland Paul Moore was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets. An All-American, he played college football at the University of Oklahoma and was selected in the second round of the 1973 NFL Draft...
: professional football player - Gene BessGene BessGene Bess has been the coach of the men's basketball team at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Missouri since 1971. At the end of the 2010-2011 season, his career win-loss record was 1114-290 , making him the all-time winningest junior college coach.Coach Bess is also the first...
: college basketball coach from Three Rivers Community CollegeThree Rivers Community College (Missouri)Three Rivers Community College is a community college in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, USA.Three Rivers was founded in 1967 when voters in the counties of Butler, Carter, Ripley and Wayne approved the taxing district of Butler, Carter, Ripley, and Wayne counties....
External links
- The History of Butler County 1870-1930
- Poplar Bluff Historical Preservation Commission
- Three Rivers Community College (TRCC)
- The Poplar Bluff R-1 School District
- Poplar Bluff Municipal Airport
- Ozark Weather & Radar
- Historic maps of Poplar Bluff 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...