Changes

Sikeston grew slowly in the years after the war. Though businesses and a public school were soon added, it had only about 250 residents at the time of its incorporation in 1875. Significant growth did not come until the creation of the Little River Drainage District in 1907, which cleared and drained the swamps of Southeast Missouri and opened the fertile ex-wetlands to agriculture. Land prices quickly rose from 60 cents to over $200 an acre, and Sikeston (like other towns) boomed. A regional history in 1912 noted that it had some 50 businesses, multiple churches and newspapers, and two schools. For a time, Sikeston was said to have more millionaires per capita than any other community in the country.<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=G-AlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA392#v=onepage&q=sikeston&f=false</ref>

Sikeston grew slowly in the years after the war. Though businesses and a public school were soon added, it had only about 250 residents at the time of its incorporation in 1875. Significant growth did not come until the creation of the Little River Drainage District in 1907, which cleared and drained the swamps of Southeast Missouri and opened the fertile ex-wetlands to agriculture. Land prices quickly rose from 60 cents to over $200 an acre, and Sikeston (like other towns) boomed. A regional history in 1912 noted that it had some 50 businesses, multiple churches and newspapers, and two schools. For a time, Sikeston was said to have more millionaires per capita than any other community in the country.<ref>https://books.google.com/books?id=G-AlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA392#v=onepage&q=sikeston&f=false</ref>

'''20th and 21st centuries'''

===20th and 21st centuries===

Sikeston's boom years were ended by the [[Great Depression]], in which two of its three banks failed and many businesses shut down. The policies of the [[New Deal]] had only mixed results; the [[WPA]] constructed some new buildings and paved the major streets, but the [[AAA]]'s efforts to reduce farm production led to a major demonstration by [[sharecroppers]] in 1939. Economic recovery in the area was mainly due to the continued demand for [[cotton]], now an important crop in the Sikeston region.

Sikeston's boom years were ended by the [[Great Depression]], in which two of its three banks failed and many businesses shut down. The policies of the [[New Deal]] had only mixed results; the [[WPA]] constructed some new buildings and paved the major streets, but the [[AAA]]'s efforts to reduce farm production led to a major demonstration by [[sharecroppers]] in 1939. Economic recovery in the area was mainly due to the continued demand for [[cotton]], now an important crop in the Sikeston region.

A number of major highways meet in or near Sikeston. Interstate 55 runs just to the east, passing through the adjacent town of Miner, while the city is also the southern terminus of Interstate 57. Three U.S. Highways also meet in Sikeston: U.S. Route 60 skirts the southern edge of the city; U.S. Route 61 (Kingshighway) runs through it from north to south; and U.S. Route 62, entering Sikeston from the east as Malone Avenue, joins with Route 61 at Kingshighway and continues south.

A number of major highways meet in or near Sikeston. Interstate 55 runs just to the east, passing through the adjacent town of Miner, while the city is also the southern terminus of Interstate 57. Three U.S. Highways also meet in Sikeston: U.S. Route 60 skirts the southern edge of the city; U.S. Route 61 (Kingshighway) runs through it from north to south; and U.S. Route 62, entering Sikeston from the east as Malone Avenue, joins with Route 61 at Kingshighway and continues south.

'''Weather and Climate'''

===Weather and Climate===

Like most of Southeast Missouri, Sikeston has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are usually hot, with winters generally cool. Periods of extreme cold are very rare, but it is not unheard of for summer daytime temperatures to exceed 100°F.

Like most of Southeast Missouri, Sikeston has a humid subtropical climate. Summers are usually hot, with winters generally cool. Periods of extreme cold are very rare, but it is not unheard of for summer daytime temperatures to exceed 100°F.