Ironton, Missouri

Ironton is the county seat and largest city of Iron County, Missouri, located in the scenic Arcadia Valley. It had a population of 1,460 at the 2010 census.

History

Ironton was not among the original settlements of what became Iron County; such towns as Arcadia, Middlebrook, and Pilot Knob had already been in existence for some time and were growing thanks to the mining of iron ore. It owed its development to two local merchants, H. N. Tong and David Carson, who ran a business near the base of nearby Shepherd Mountain and who sought to profit by laying out a new town on the property, which they began to do by 1853. Upon the creation of Iron County in early 1857, Arcadia was chosen as the temporary county seat, but elections were held to select a permanent site, at which time Tong and Carson won the honors for their location by offering to donate money for the building of a courthouse. Officially chosen as the new county seat on September 7, 1857, the town, named in honor of the county, grew steadily as a result, with a population of close to 400 by 1860.

Ironton was the scene of some notable events during the Civil War; a Union brigade under Ulysses S. Grant was briefly stationed there in August 1861, and one of the last major battles of the war in Missouri, the Battle of Fort Davidson, would be fought at nearby Pilot Knob in September 1864.

During the late 19th and 20th century, the town's economy prospered, from the nearby mining operations as well as the attractions of the Arcadia Valley in which it was located. It was frequently used as a summer resort by arrivals from St. Louis and other distant cities, one of the only towns in southeast Missouri to claim such a status. The center of mining activity shifted elsewhere in subsequent decades, however, and Ironton's population has declined somewhat since the 1980s, though tourism, both for the natural scenery and for the Civil War sites, remains a mainstay of the local economy.

Geography

Ironton is located along Missouri State Highway 21 in northeastern Iron County, bounded between the cities of Arcadia to the south and Pilot Knob to the north. Its exact coordinates are 37°36’02”N 90°37’54”W.

The city lies within the Arcadia Valley, a stretch of flat land several miles in length among the St. Francois Mountains and regarded as one of the most scenic valleys in the broader Ozarks region. Taum Sauk Mountain, the highest peak in the state of Missouri, lies a few miles to the southwest, and Shepherd Mountain, itself a mountain of considerable height, rises directly west of Ironton. The city has a total area of 1.39 square miles, and an average elevation of 906 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Ironton had a total of 1,460 inhabitants, grouped into 639 households, with a population density of 1,089.6 people per square mile. This figure was practically unchanged from the 2000 census, when Ironton had a population of 1,471. 96.16% of the inhabitants were White, 1.71% were African-American, 0.34% were Native American, 0.07% were Asian, 0.14% were from some other race, and 1.58% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.51% of the population.

The median age in Ironton was 41.9 years, with 20.1% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 9.8% between 18 and 24 years old, 23.1% between 25 and 44, 26.6% between 45 and 64, and 20.2% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 47.2% male, 52.8% female.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Ironton had a median household income of $33,281, and a median family income of $47,500. The unemployment rate was 3.8%. The per capita income was $20,465. About 29.6% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 41.3% of people under the age of 18 and 10.9% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

Ironton and the adjacent communities are served by the Arcadia Valley R-II School District, which covers most of northeastern Iron County. It is a PK-12 public institution with a total enrollment of just under 1,000 students; all school facilities are located in Ironton. Its mascot is the Tigers, and the school colors are black and gold.

Local Attractions

One point of interest in Ironton itself is Old St. Mary's Hospital. The first hospital in Iron County, it was opened in 1926 and operated by The Sisters of St. Mary in St. Louis (hence its name), until its closure in 1975. The building has since fallen into disrepair, and is claimed by some locals to be haunted.

Other nearby attractions include Elephant Rocks State Park, a recreation area containing a number of large and peculiarly-shaped boulders off Highway 21 northwest of town; and Battle of Pilot Knob State Historic Site, in nearby Pilot Knob, commemorating Fort Davidson and the battle fought there during the Civil War.