Edgar Springs, Missouri
| Edgar Springs, Missouri
| |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| Settled | 1871 |
| Population | 208 (2010 census) |
| Area (sq mi) | 0.66 mi² |
| Current mayor | William Keith Gallion |
Edgar Springs is a city in southern Phelps County, Missouri. It had a population of 208 at the 2010 census.
History
The origin of Edgar Springs' name is fairly straightforward, deriving from a homestead belonging to John Edgar, the first known settler to the area, who arrived about 1840; his land included a small natural spring. Also sometimes known as Edgar Prairie, a community had evolved by the early 1870s, but it was always small in size and was not incorporated until 1974, the last in Phelps County to attain city status.[1]
Edgar Springs gained some attention following the 2000 census, when it was declared the closest town to the mean population center of the United States, a point marking the theoretical center of the nation based on population distribution. This point was said to be 2.8 miles east of the city. Following the 2010 census, the mean population center was moved further southwest, into Texas County, Missouri.[2] More recently, it drew less-welcome attention as a reputed "speed trap" for motorists on U.S. Route 63; media outlets criticized the community and its police force for squeezing money out of unsuspecting drivers, while town leaders responded that the policy was necessary to stay afloat financially.[3]
Geography
Edgar Springs is located along U.S. Route 63 in southern Phelps County, about 18 miles south-southwest of Rolla and 13 miles north of Licking. Its exact coordinates are 37°42’16”N 91°52’00”W.
The city lies in upland rolling terrain that forms part of the Salem Plateau, a major subdivision of the Ozarks Mountains. A large portion of the Mark Twain National Forest is immediately to its north and west. It has a total area of 0.66 square miles, and an average elevation of 1,207 feet.[4]
Demographics
At the 2010 census, Edgar Springs had a total of 208 inhabitants, grouped into 87 households, with a population density of 320.0 people per square mile. This figure represented a significant increase from the 2000 census, when Edgar Springs had a population of 190. 95.67% of the inhabitants were White, and 4.33% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 0.96% of the population.
The median age in Edgar Springs was 37.5 years, with 23.1% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 11.1% between 18 and 24 years old, 27.9% between 25 and 44, 25.1% between 45 and 64, and 13.0% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 47.1% male, 52.9% female.[5]
According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Edgar Springs had a median household income of $30,469, and a median family income of $28,750. The unemployment rate was 7.2%. The per capita income was $14,871. About 29.4% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 37.9% of people under the age of 18 and 20.8% of people 65 years old or older.[6]
Education
Edgar Springs is served by the Phelps County R-III School District, a PK-8 public institution with a total enrollment of about 180 students. (Most high school students attend either Rolla or Licking.) Its mascot is the Cardinals, and the school colors are red and white.[7]
References
- ↑ https://collections.shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/C2366/phelps-county
- ↑ https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2000/geo/2000-centers-population.html
- ↑ "Messenger: Speed Trap Highlights Policing-for-Profit Dilemma," St. Louis Post Dispatch, Sept. 7, 2016. [1]
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt
- ↑ http://censusviewer.com/city/MO/Edgar%20Springs
- ↑ https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0400000US29_1600000US2921214&d=ACS%205-Year%20Estimates%20Data%20Profiles&tid=ACSDP5Y2018.DP03
- ↑ http://www.pcr3.k12.mo.us/athletics/