Oregon County, Missouri

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Oregon County is a county in far southern Missouri, within the Ozark Mountains. It had a population of 10,881 at the 2010 census.

Officially organized on February 14, 1845, the county was named for the then-disputed American territory of Oregon, and is one of only three Missouri counties to share a name with another U.S. state (the others being Texas and Mississippi). Alton is the county seat, and Thayer is the largest city.

History

Although it is not entirely clear when the first American settlers reached present-day Oregon County, a few families of pioneers had definitely arrived by the late 1810s, establishing a loosely-knit community along the Eleven Point River in the vicinity of modern Thomasville. Others followed in the 1820s and '30s, mostly from the states of the Upper South; as the region was rather isolated from major transportation routes, though, its population growth was relatively slow, and by the mid-1840s had not much more than 750 residents altogether.

In spite of its low population, however, the region was detached from neighboring Ripley County in 1845 and organized as Oregon County. Its name, as well as its early creation in all likelihood, stemmed from the widespread interest in the Oregon Territory in the Pacific Northwest, which both Great Britain and the U.S. claimed at that time, and some American expansionists were demanding war to gain possession of the whole territory. (The issue would eventually be settled the following year with a division of Oregon between the two nations.)[1]

The county grew more rapidly after its organization, reaching a population of about 3,000 in 1860; like much of Missouri, though, it suffered significant devastation during the Civil War, in which the courthouse was destroyed and civilians were at the mercy of Union and Confederate guerrillas. One notable event during the war was the destruction of a community of Irish Catholic settlers from St. Louis, founded in the late 1850s; by late 1863, harassment by Union army officers as well as guerrillas and criminal gangs led to the settlement being abandoned--ever since then, the area has been known as the "Irish Wilderness."[2]

Geography

Oregon County is located in the southernmost part of the state of Missouri, and lies entirely within the Ozark Mountains. It is bordered on the northeast by Carter County, on the east by Ripley County, on the south by the state of Arkansas, on the west by Howell County, and on the north by Shannon County.

The county has a total area of 791.55 square miles, including 789.80 of land and 1.75 of water.[3] Despite its being part of the Ozarks, Oregon County is considerably less mountainous than other parts of the region, resembling a moderately elevated plateau more than anything else. The highest elevation, 1,080 feet above sea level, occurs at several points in the far west, though the most rugged terrain is found in the so-called "Irish Wilderness" in the northeast part of the county. The lowest elevation, about 360 feet, is found along the Eleven Point River in the southeastern corner as it continues into Arkansas.[4]

The chief river in the county is the Eleven Point River, a tributary of the Spring and thence the Black Rivers farther south. The rugged valley it creates through the area east and northeast of Alton is part of the Mark Twain National Forest, and a stretch of it is further designated as a National Wild and Scenic River, the only one in Missouri to bear that designation. Other natural preserves include Grand Gulf State Park near Thayer, a canyon created by the collapse of an ancient underground cave system.

The main highways in the county are U.S. Route 63, which cuts through the southwestern corner and passes through Koshkonong and Thayer, and U.S. Route 160, which runs from west to east through Alton and the central part of the county. Other roads include Missouri State Highways 19, which passes northeast to southwest through Alton and Thayer, 99, whose southern terminus is at U.S. Route 160 west of Alton, and 142, which runs through the southernmost part of the county and crosses U.S. Route 63 at Thayer.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Oregon County had a total population of 10,881, with 4,374 households and 2,791 families; this represented a moderate increase from its 2000 population of 10,344.[5] The population density was 13.7 per square mile. There were 5,512 housing units, or about 7.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was about 96.60% White, 0.14% African-American, 1.16% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.04% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.09% from some other race, and 1.68% from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.20% of the population.

The median age in the county was 46.7 years. 22.30% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.65% was between the ages of 18 and 24, 19.52% was between the ages of 25 and 44, 30.75% was between the ages of 45 and 64, and 19.79% was 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 49.6% male, 50.4% female.[6]

As of 2018, the median household income in the county was $32,534, and the median family income was $42,311. Males had a median income of $34,935 versus $25,933 for females. The unemployment rate was 3.0%. The per capita income was $18,103. About 23.9% of the population was below the poverty line, including 38.4% of those under the age of 18 and 20.4% of those 65 years old or older.[7]

Communities

Oregon County is home to four incorporated communities, including three cities and one census-designated place (CDP).

Cities

CDP

References