Koshkonong, Missouri

Koshkonong, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Settled	1882
Population	212 (2010 census)
Area (sq mi)	0.18 mi²

Koshkonong is a town in southwestern Oregon County, Missouri. It had a population of 212 at the 2010 census.

History

Koshkonong was founded in 1882, alongside a branch of the St. Louis and San Francisco (or "Frisco") Railroad that was being extended through the area at that time. Its unique name was suggested by a railroad superintendent by the name of Diggings, who had previously spent time at Lake Koshkonong in Wisconsin (the word is Indian, but of uncertain meaning).

During the early 1900s, the Koshkonong area was one of the most important centers in Missouri for commercial peach growing; by 1913, some 18,000 acres were planted in peaches, yielding as much as $800 an acre in crops. Within a few years, though, other areas had surpassed it in production, and Koshkonong went into a gradual decline. Since the 1980s it has hovered around the 200 mark in population.

Geography

Koshkonong is located along U.S. Route 63 in southwestern Oregon County, about eight miles northwest of Thayer and about 15 miles southeast of West Plains. Its exact coordinates are 36°35’43”N 91°38’43”W.

The town lies in generally rolling terrain within the Ozarks Plateau. Nearby natural attractions include Grand Gulf State Park just to the south, as well as Cover Prairie and Warm Fork Conservation Areas. It has a total land area of 0.18 square miles, and an average elevation of 974 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Koshkonong had a total of 212 inhabitants, grouped into 85 households, with a population density of 1,177.8 people per square mile. This figure represented a slight increase from the 2000 census, when Koshkonong had a population of 205. 91.51% of the inhabitants were White, 0.47% were African-American, 1.42% were Native American, 0.47% were from some other race, and 6.13% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.42% of the population.

The median age in Koshkonong was 39.0 years, with 23.1% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 13.2% between 18 and 24 years old, 22.2% between 25 and 44, 29.2% between 45 and 64, and 12.3% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 46.7% male, 53.3% female.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Koshkonong had a median household income of $25,625, and a median family income of $36,875. The unemployment rate was 8.8%. The per capita income was $12,392. About 34.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 34.4% of people under the age of 18 and 34.8% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

Koshkonong and the surrounding area are served by the Oregon-Howell R-III School District, so called because it encompasses significant portions of both Oregon and Howell Counties. A PK-12 public institution, it has a total enrollment of about 270 students. Its mascot is the Blue Jays, and the school colors are blue, white, and gray.