Harrisonville, Missouri

Harrisonville is a city in Cass County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,121 at the 2020 census.[5] It is the county seat of Cass County.[6] It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

"Harrisonville" redirects here. For other uses, see Harrisonville (disambiguation).

Harrisonville, Missouri
City
Centerpiece of the Harrisonville Courthouse Square Historic District
Centerpiece of the Harrisonville Courthouse Square Historic District
Location in the state of Missouri
Location in the state of Missouri
Coordinates: 38°39′11″N 94°20′48″W[1]
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
CountyCass
Incorporated1851[2]
Government
 • MayorJudy Bowman
Area
[3]
 • Total10.01 sq mi (25.94 km2)
 • Land9.88 sq mi (25.60 km2)
 • Water0.13 sq mi (0.34 km2)
Elevation
[1]
945 ft (288 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total10,121
 • Density1,024.08/sq mi (395.39/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
64701
Area code816
FIPS code29-30610[4]
GNIS feature ID2394306[1]
Websiteci.harrisonville.mo.us

History

Harrisonville was founded in 1837 upon land donated to Cass County by Congress for county purposes, and was named for Congressman Albert G. Harrison, who was instrumental in obtaining the land grant.[7] The area suffered greatly during the American Civil War, though Harrisonville was one of the few places exempted in Union General Thomas Ewing's General Order No. 11 (1863), which ordered the depopulation of three entire Missouri counties and part of a fourth.[8]

In 1972, Harrisonville was the site of escalating tensions between a handful of mostly Vietnam veterans and town elders, which culminated in a brief rampage by 25-year-old Charlie "Ootney" Simpson. In the town square, in plain view of onlookers, he killed two police officers and a bystander before shooting himself. The victims were officers Donald Marler and Francis Wirt and local businessman Orville Allen. His motivation turned out to be personal, not political; he had saved money to buy a farm, but the seller had recently backed out of the deal, and Simpson had used the money to bail his friends out of jail.[9]

The Robert A. Brown House, Harrisonville Courthouse Square Historic District, and St. Peter's Episcopal Church are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[10]

A May 2017 report from Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway gave the city the lowest possible rating of "poor," citing complex, often overlapping tax districts, contracts awarded without appropriate bidding processes and overuse of money pulled from restricted funds.[11]

Geography

Harrisonville is located in central Cass County at the intersection of U.S. 71, Missouri Route 2 and Missouri Route 7.[12]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.01 square miles (25.93 km2), of which 9.88 square miles (25.59 km2) is land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km2) is water.[13]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860675—
18701,03252.9%
18801,1137.8%
18901,64547.8%
19001,84412.1%
19101,9475.6%
19202,0736.5%
19302,30611.2%
19402,3220.7%
19502,5309.0%
19603,51038.7%
19705,05243.9%
19806,37226.1%
19907,68320.6%
20008,94616.4%
201010,01912.0%
202010,1211.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]

2010 census

As of the census[15] of 2010, there were 10,019 people, 3,854 households, and 2,516 families living in the city. The population density was 1,014.1 inhabitants per square mile (391.5/km2). There were 4,144 housing units at an average density of 419.4 per square mile (161.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 95.0% White, 1.1% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population.

There were 3,854 households, of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.7% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.07.

The median age in the city was 35.5 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.4% were from 45 to 64; and 15.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 8,946 people, 3,457 households, and 2,302 families living in the city. The population density was 1,035.2 inhabitants per square mile (399.7/km2). There were 3,646 housing units at an average density of 421.9 per square mile (162.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.15% White, 0.97% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

There were 3,457 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median household income was $39,498, and the median family income was $47,761. Males had a median income of $31,931 versus $22,416 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,280. About 4.7% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Harrisonville R-IX School District is the local school district.[16] It operates an Early Childhood Center, two elementary schools, one middle school, Harrisonville High School, and Cass Career Center.[17]

Harrisonville has a public library, a branch of the Cass County Public Library.[18]

Transportation

Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Jefferson Lines.[19]

Notable people

References
  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Harrisonville, Missouri
  2. "Harrisonville, MO - Official Website - Read the History of Harrisonville". ci.harrisonville.mo.us. Retrieved July 29, 2017.
  3. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. Eaton, David Wolfe (1916). How Missouri Counties, Towns and Streams Were Named. The State Historical Society of Missouri. pp. 272.
  8. "Living History Continued". Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2009.
  9. Eszterhas, Joe, Charlie Simpson's Apocalypse. Random House, 1974.
  10. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  11. "State audit gives Harrisonville "poor" rating for mismanaged taxpayer money". FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. May 25, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2019.
  12. Missouri Atlas & Gazetteer, DeLorme, 1st ed. 1998, p.34 ISBN 0899332242
  13. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  14. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  15. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  16. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Cass County, MO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  17. "Harrisonville R-Ix School District". Great Schools. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  18. "Locations and Hours". Cass County Public Library. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  19. "Missouri Bus Stops". Retrieved July 21, 2023.
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