Seymour, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Seymour is a city in Webster County
, Missouri
, United States
. The population was 1,921 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
The City of Seymour has an alderman/administrator government structure. The current mayor of Seymour is Wayne Cantrell. The current City Administrator is Darin Chappell, MPA. The current Chief of Police is Mike McFarland. Seymour has two grocery stores, three gas stations, two banks, a YMCA, one high school, one elementary school and one middle school, a modern public library, and a town museum is in the works. Seymour has an active Lions Club, Arts Council and a Masonic Lodge.
Seymour has a weekly newspaper whose office is located on the west side of the town square. The newspaper's editor and publisher is Dan Wehmer, who came to the community in 1996.
The Seymour Merchants Association holds an annual Apple Festival the second weekend of every September. Crowds of up to 15,000 people descend on the town to buy handmade crafts and listen to live gospel and country music. There is still an apple orchard in Seymour.
Outside of Seymour is a large Old Order [Amish] Community. The local McDonald’s, Bank, Post Office Price Cutter, and Seymour Discount Grocery and several other businesses have hitching post for Amish Buggies.
The Town has three murals painted on building sides on the square, one depicts rolling hills of the surrounding Ozarks, and another depicts the former train depot in 1881.
is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1941 Harold Owen opened a theater on the square, it was open and closed through the years; but currently is open in the winter time when the still operating Owen Drive-In is closed for the winter. The Owen Drive-In used to accommodate small plane pilots who could fly into the theater and watch a movie. Harold Owen still operates the Drive-In during the summer and fall.
In the early 1960s, U.S. Highway 60 ran through the middle of town. In Missouri, Highway 60 runs from the Illinois state line near Charleston, in the bootheel, across the state to the Oklahoma state line near Neosho, on the Ozarks plateau. At that time, also, the Frisco railroad ran through town, providing both passenger and freight service to Seymour, including less-than-car-load service. The Frisco was absorbed by the Burlington Northern in 1980. The old Frisco railroad depot has long since been torn down.
In the early 1960s, most of the business district was centered around the public square. There were three major grocery stores in Seymour—White's, which was connected with a general store, and owned by Charles White; the MFA supermarket, which was part of the MFA complex (feed and agriculture, hardware and groceries); the MFA general manager was Sherman Eddings, and two of the ladies who worked in the office were Dorothy Herman and Lucille Brown; and Williams', which was owned by the Williams family, who also had a variety store. There was a feed mill, Marlin Milling, which was owned by the Marlin family. Alvin Marlin had been a paratrooper in World War II and had jumped into Normandy on D-Day. Mr. Pennington owned an Oklahoma Tire and Supply store. Paul Hunter ran the Western Auto Store. The movie theater was owned by the Owen family. The local newspaper, the "Webster County Citizen," was owned and run by Joe Stanard. Miller's cafe was on the square, as was a pool hall. Ron Durnford owned an oil company and also a service station, which was on highway 60. An independent auto garage was owned by Wilson Kale (sp?) and Donnie Fann. Joe Criswell owned and ran the local dry cleaners, which was a short way out of the main town on BB Highway.
The postmaster was Bob Nichols, whose father owned a local implement company. The Mayor was Benton George, who owned a tire recapping company. The agent for the Frisco Railroad was Virgil L. Walker, Jr. He was also a veteran of World War II, having served with the 104th Infantry Division in France and Germany. The medical doctor was J.R. Gill, DO. The veterinarian was Louis W. "Doc" Touchen. The librarian at the local library was Mrs. Erb. The largest church was the First Baptist Church, whose pastor was Rev. Moore. One of the pastors who served the Seymour Methodist Church during this time was Rev. August Wilm.
Dean Matney owned and ran the East Side Barber Shop on the square. George "Speedy" Bolinger owned the sundry store (soda fountain). Cliff Winslow operated the "Anchor Inn," a small restaurant located on highway 60 that was owned by George and Beulah Loveland who owned and operated Loveland Standard Service next to it.. Chuck Carter owned the local propane service.
In the schools, in 1962-63, Walter Hall was superintendent; William Guthrie, principal; in the high school, Bob Mahaffey taught vocational agriculture; Floyd Blankenship taught various science courses; Dean Blankenship taught history; Wayne Barlow taught industrial arts; Bill Halbrook taught physical education and was the coach for sports. Elementary school teachers included Claddie Nichols and Bette Durnford.
City Marshals at various points during the early 1960s time included Jack Griechen and William "Pistol Bill" Silvey. Seymour's policeman was Fred Cornelius. Seymour had public utilities. Oscar Noel was the electric utility man, while Joe Hensley oversaw the water department.
Seymour was the second largest city in Webster County at that time. It is now the third largest city, having been surpassed by Rogersville. The largest city was, and still is, Marshfield, which is the county seat of Webster County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
Seymour is located on the Springfield Plateau in the Ozark Mountains.
of 2000, there were 1,834 people, 711 households, and 479 families residing in the city. The population density
was 699.3 people per square mile (270.3/km²). There were 792 housing units at an average density of 302.0 per square mile (116.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.29% White, 0.05% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.71% from other races
, and 2.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.80% of the population.
There were 711 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,093, and the median income for a family was $30,048. Males had a median income of $23,938 versus $18,481 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $12,486. About 13.7% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 32.1% of those age 65 or over.
Webster County, Missouri
Webster County is a county located in Southwest Missouri. As of 2000, the population was 31,045. The population in 2010 was 36,202. Its county seat is Marshfield. The county was organized in 1855 and named for U.S. Senator and U.S...
, 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 1,921 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area
The Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in southwestern Missouri, anchored by the city of Springfield - the state's third largest city. Other primary population centers in the metro area include Nixa, Ozark,...
.
The City of Seymour has an alderman/administrator government structure. The current mayor of Seymour is Wayne Cantrell. The current City Administrator is Darin Chappell, MPA. The current Chief of Police is Mike McFarland. Seymour has two grocery stores, three gas stations, two banks, a YMCA, one high school, one elementary school and one middle school, a modern public library, and a town museum is in the works. Seymour has an active Lions Club, Arts Council and a Masonic Lodge.
Seymour has a weekly newspaper whose office is located on the west side of the town square. The newspaper's editor and publisher is Dan Wehmer, who came to the community in 1996.
The Seymour Merchants Association holds an annual Apple Festival the second weekend of every September. Crowds of up to 15,000 people descend on the town to buy handmade crafts and listen to live gospel and country music. There is still an apple orchard in Seymour.
Outside of Seymour is a large Old Order [Amish] Community. The local McDonald’s, Bank, Post Office Price Cutter, and Seymour Discount Grocery and several other businesses have hitching post for Amish Buggies.
The Town has three murals painted on building sides on the square, one depicts rolling hills of the surrounding Ozarks, and another depicts the former train depot in 1881.
History
Seymour was incorporated in 1895. The land the town was built on was a marsh. The town's square originally had dirt streets. In 1904 the Seymour area was a leading producer of apples in the state. A post Civil War house was built by Col. Thomas C. Love north of town, the farm had one of the largest apple orchards in the state, giving Seymour its nickname "Land of the Big Red Apple". The Col. Thomas C. Love HouseCol. Thomas C. Love House
The Col. Thomas C. Love House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places a house built after the American Civil War, and is located north of the town of Seymour, Missouri USA. The Love Ridge Farm had one of the largest apple orchards in the State of Missouri in 1904...
is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1941 Harold Owen opened a theater on the square, it was open and closed through the years; but currently is open in the winter time when the still operating Owen Drive-In is closed for the winter. The Owen Drive-In used to accommodate small plane pilots who could fly into the theater and watch a movie. Harold Owen still operates the Drive-In during the summer and fall.
In the early 1960s, U.S. Highway 60 ran through the middle of town. In Missouri, Highway 60 runs from the Illinois state line near Charleston, in the bootheel, across the state to the Oklahoma state line near Neosho, on the Ozarks plateau. At that time, also, the Frisco railroad ran through town, providing both passenger and freight service to Seymour, including less-than-car-load service. The Frisco was absorbed by the Burlington Northern in 1980. The old Frisco railroad depot has long since been torn down.
In the early 1960s, most of the business district was centered around the public square. There were three major grocery stores in Seymour—White's, which was connected with a general store, and owned by Charles White; the MFA supermarket, which was part of the MFA complex (feed and agriculture, hardware and groceries); the MFA general manager was Sherman Eddings, and two of the ladies who worked in the office were Dorothy Herman and Lucille Brown; and Williams', which was owned by the Williams family, who also had a variety store. There was a feed mill, Marlin Milling, which was owned by the Marlin family. Alvin Marlin had been a paratrooper in World War II and had jumped into Normandy on D-Day. Mr. Pennington owned an Oklahoma Tire and Supply store. Paul Hunter ran the Western Auto Store. The movie theater was owned by the Owen family. The local newspaper, the "Webster County Citizen," was owned and run by Joe Stanard. Miller's cafe was on the square, as was a pool hall. Ron Durnford owned an oil company and also a service station, which was on highway 60. An independent auto garage was owned by Wilson Kale (sp?) and Donnie Fann. Joe Criswell owned and ran the local dry cleaners, which was a short way out of the main town on BB Highway.
The postmaster was Bob Nichols, whose father owned a local implement company. The Mayor was Benton George, who owned a tire recapping company. The agent for the Frisco Railroad was Virgil L. Walker, Jr. He was also a veteran of World War II, having served with the 104th Infantry Division in France and Germany. The medical doctor was J.R. Gill, DO. The veterinarian was Louis W. "Doc" Touchen. The librarian at the local library was Mrs. Erb. The largest church was the First Baptist Church, whose pastor was Rev. Moore. One of the pastors who served the Seymour Methodist Church during this time was Rev. August Wilm.
Dean Matney owned and ran the East Side Barber Shop on the square. George "Speedy" Bolinger owned the sundry store (soda fountain). Cliff Winslow operated the "Anchor Inn," a small restaurant located on highway 60 that was owned by George and Beulah Loveland who owned and operated Loveland Standard Service next to it.. Chuck Carter owned the local propane service.
In the schools, in 1962-63, Walter Hall was superintendent; William Guthrie, principal; in the high school, Bob Mahaffey taught vocational agriculture; Floyd Blankenship taught various science courses; Dean Blankenship taught history; Wayne Barlow taught industrial arts; Bill Halbrook taught physical education and was the coach for sports. Elementary school teachers included Claddie Nichols and Bette Durnford.
City Marshals at various points during the early 1960s time included Jack Griechen and William "Pistol Bill" Silvey. Seymour's policeman was Fred Cornelius. Seymour had public utilities. Oscar Noel was the electric utility man, while Joe Hensley oversaw the water department.
Seymour was the second largest city in Webster County at that time. It is now the third largest city, having been surpassed by Rogersville. The largest city was, and still is, Marshfield, which is the county seat of Webster County.
Geography
Seymour is located at 37°8′52"N 92°46′8"W (37.147671, -92.768882).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 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²), all of it land.
Seymour is located on the Springfield Plateau in the Ozark Mountains.
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 1,834 people, 711 households, and 479 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 699.3 people per square mile (270.3/km²). There were 792 housing units at an average density of 302.0 per square mile (116.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.29% White, 0.05% African American, 0.55% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.71% 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 2.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.80% of the population.
There were 711 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% 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, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,093, and the median income for a family was $30,048. Males had a median income of $23,938 versus $18,481 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 $12,486. About 13.7% of families and 18.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 32.1% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- Webster County Citizen
- Historic maps of Seymour 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...