Eminence, Missouri

Eminence is a city in and the county seat of Shannon County, Missouri. It had a population of 600 at the 2010 census.

History

The original town of Eminence was located several miles north of its present location, near Round Spring on the Current River. Its exact date of founding is uncertain, though it appears to have been in existence by 1842, when Eminence Township was formed in the new Shannon County and named for it. A courthouse was built there and remained in operation until its burning during the Civil War; for a short time thereafter, county court was held in a small cave or hollow near the river, now known as Courthouse Cave. Around 1870, the entire community was relocated to its present location, also called Eminence (the original site, now largely uninhabited, sometimes referred to as "Old Eminence").

The basis of the town's name is somewhat uncertain, since Eminence is located in a valley rather than on a hill or a similar geographic "eminence," with one popular story circulating that the wagon bearing materials for the courthouse broke down at the foot of the hill on which it was to be built, and the locals were too lazy to move them by hand. Most likely, it was derived from the position of the county's first courthouse in "Old Eminence," which was in fact built on a bluff overlooking the river.

Despite its long history and position as the county seat, Eminence was not incorporated until 1930. After its fourth courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1938, the city nearly lost its title of county seat to Winona, but eventually retained it and completed construction of the fifth and present courthouse in 1941. Since 1980 its population has generally stabilized around the 600 mark, supported by the presence of the county offices and by local tourism.

Geography

Eminence is located in central Shannon County, at the intersection of Missouri State Highways 19 and 106, about 13 miles northeast of Birch Tree and 10 miles north-northwest of Winona. Its exact coordinates are 37°08’54”N 91°21’32”W.

The city sits in a valley along the scenic Jacks Fork of the Current River, which constitutes part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways; both the river and the surrounding hills of the Ozarks are the source of considerable tourism and recreation for the Eminence area. It has a total land area of 1.88 square miles, and an average elevation of 673 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Eminence had a total of 600 inhabitants, grouped into 254 households, with a population density of 319.1 people per square mile. This figure represented a significant increase from the 2000 census, when Eminence had a population of 548. 95.17% of the inhabitants were White, 1.83% were Native American, 0.17% were Asian, and 2.83% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 0.83% of the population.

The median age in Eminence was 41.0 years, with 24.5% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 9.7% between 18 and 24 years old, 19.3% between 25 and 44, 28.5% between 45 and 64, and 18.0% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 46.7% male, 53.3% female.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Eminence had a median household income of $37,500, and a median family income of $55,769. The unemployment rate was 3.4%. The per capita income was $20,556. About 27.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 25.6% of people under the age of 18 and 20.1% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

Eminence and the surrounding area are served by the Eminence R-I School District (established 1910), a PK-12 public institution with a total enrollment of about 250 students. Its mascot is the Red Wings, and the school colors are red and white.