East Prairie, Missouri

East Prairie is a city in southwestern Mississippi County, Missouri. It is the second-largest community in the county, with a population of 3,176 at the 2010 census.

History

East Prairie was at first a name bestowed by settlers in the early 19th century on one of several "prairies," open spaces in Southeast Missouri that were slightly higher in elevation and better-drained than the surrounding swamps, making them ideal places for settlement. The community itself was first laid out in 1883 with the arrival of a branch line of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, but was then known as "Hibbard" for one of the early citizens. At some point before 1900, the name was changed to East Prairie.

Like many towns in the area, East Prairie boomed in the early 20th century with the clearing and draining of the swampland and its conversion to agriculture. Between 1900 and 1910, its population more than tripled to over 1,200, thereafter continuing a slow but steady rise to its peak of 3,713 in 1980. Since then, it has declined somewhat but remains a sizable community.

Geography

East Prairie is located about ten miles south-southwest of Charleston in Mississippi County, at the intersection of Missouri State Highways 80 and 105. Its exact coordinates are 36°46’46”N 89°23’05”W.

The city has a total land area of 1.29 square miles, and an average elevation of 305 feet. It lies entirely within the flat lowlands of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. Like most of Southeast Missouri, East Prairie has a humid subtropical climate; temperatures average about 33°F in January and 80°F in July, with an average precipitation of 47 inches.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, East Prairie had a total of 3,176 inhabitants, grouped into 1,294 households, with a population density of 2,462.0 people per square mile. This figure represented a slight decrease from the 2000 census, when East Prairie had a population of 3,227. 95.69% of the inhabitants were White, 2.33% were African-American, 0.38% were Native American, 0.06% were Asian, 0.38% were from some other race, and 1.16% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.42% of the population.

The median age in East Prairie was 38.5 years, with 25.4% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 8.5% between 18 and 24 years old, 24.7% between 25 and 44, 24.3% between 45 and 64, and 17.2% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 45.9% male, 54.1% female.

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, the median household income in East Prairie was $29,481, and the median family income was $38,109. The unemployment rate was 8.8%. The per capita income was $13,036. About 24.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 17.7% of people under the age of 18 and 20.6% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

East Prairie is served by the East Prairie R-II School District, a K-12 public institution which also includes most of southern Mississippi County. It includes two elementary schools (Doyle and Martin), a junior high, and a high school, with a total enrollment of just over 1,200 students. Its mascot is the Eagles, and its colors are red, black, and white.

The town is also home to a branch of the Mississippi County Public Library.

Community Life

Agriculture continues to be a significant part of the local economy, although education and health care now also employ large numbers of residents.

East Prairie has a public swimming pool and several parks, the largest of which, K. S. Simpkins Park, includes baseball/softball fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts.

One of the most important community events is the annual Sweet Corn Festival, first put on in 1975. Usually held in late June/early July, its highlight is the Tour de Corn (a riff on the Tour de France), a bike ride around Southeast Missouri, in which many locals and visitors participate.