Monroe County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in northeast

Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,666. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

. It is the birthplace of

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has p ...

History

The county was organized January 6, 1831 and named for James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States. Monroe County was one of several along the Missouri River settled by migrants from the

Upper South The Upland South and Upper South are two overlapping cultural and geographic subregions in the inland part of the Southern United States, Southern and lower Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. They differ from the Deep South and A ...

, especially

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...

and

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to ...

. They brought slaves and slaveholding traditions with them and quickly started cultivating crops similar to those in

Middle Tennessee Middle Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the U.S. state of Tennessee that composes roughly the central portion of the state. It is delineated according to state law as 41 of the state's 95 counties. Middle Tennessee contains the ...

and Kentucky: hemp and tobacco. They also brought characteristic

antebellum architecture Antebellum architecture (meaning "prewar", from the Latin ''ante'', "before", and '' bellum'', "war") is the neoclassical architectural style characteristic of the 19th-century Southern United States, especially the Deep South, from after the ...

and culture. The county was at the heart of what was called Little Dixie.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.4%) is water.

Adjacent counties

* Shelby County (north) * Marion County (northeast) * Ralls County (east) * Audrain County (south) * Randolph County (west)

Major highways

* U.S. Route 24 * U.S. Route 36 * Route 15 * Route 107 *

Route 151 Route 151, or Highway 151, may refer to: Canada * Prince Edward Island Route 151 Costa Rica * National Route 151 India * National Highway 151 (India) Ireland * R151 road (Ireland) Japan * Japan National Route 151 Korea, South * Seocheon– ...

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 8,840 people, 3,656 households, and 2,566 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 4,565 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.66%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 3.83%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.41% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 0.16% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Approximately 0.56% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. 24.7% were of German, 23.2% American, 14.2% English and 11.8% Irish ancestry. There were 3,656 households, out of which 31.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.02. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,871, and the median income for a family was $36,895. Males had a median income of $26,534 versus $20,440 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $14,695. About 8.30% of families and 11.90% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 14.00% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Government and politics

Local

The

Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...

used to dominate politics at the local, state and federal levels in Monroe County. However, like the rest of the state, the county has swung heavily towards the Republican Party in recent years, with Republicans now controlling 10 of the 13 elected positions in the county. The GOP began to make gains in the county in 2006 at the state and federal level, and has gained ground in almost every election since. Monroe County voters have selected Republican candidates over Democrats in 13 consecutive U.S. House elections (

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...

through 2022), the last nine U.S. Senate elections (

2000 File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...

through 2022), six continuous

presidential President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...

contests (

through

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...

), four of five gubernatorial elections (

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

through

), five of six state Senate races, and the last four state auditor races ( 2010 through 2022). In

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

, for the first time in history, Republican

Jim Hansen James Edward Hansen (born March 29, 1942) is an American adjunct professor directing the Program on Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He is best known for his research in climatology, his ...

defeated a Democrat to represent the county in the state House of Representatives. In 2016, for the first time in history, Ron Staggs, a Republican, was elected to a county office when he defeated a Democratic opponent for western commissioner. In 2018 two Republicans were elected to county offices: Talley Kendrick, the first Republican to run unopposed in a general election won as prosecuting attorney, and Lori Decker won a contested election for recorder. In the 2020 general election, four Republicans were elected to county office. In 2022, Curt Wheeler beat a Democrat and an Independent, to become the county's first Republican presiding commissioner. In the 2008 general election, notwithstanding the secretary of state's race, for the first time in history, Monroe Countians gave a plurality to every Republican candidate for federal and state offices, on the ballot, that had a Democratic opponent. Four years later, in the 2012 election, Republican candidates won six of eight state-wide state and federal races, and one was lost by five votes out of more than 4,000 cast. In November 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 every Republican for federal and state office, on the county ballot, defeated their Democratic opponent. In the April 2016 presidential primary, Republicans outvoted Democrats more than 3-to-1, 1,600 votes in the GOP primary compared to 495 in the Democratic, and more Republican votes than Democratic were cast in the 2020 presidential primary. In 2016's August primary, Republicans out voted Democrats 895 to 698; in the 2018 August primary, Republicans out voted Democrats 1,621 votes to 851. In both the 2020 presidential primary and the August primary Republicans outvoted Democrats two-to-one.

State

Monroe County is divided into two representative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, both represented by Republicans. *District 5 �
Lindell F. Shumake
(R-

Hannibal Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Pu ...

). Consists of Monroe City and the northern part of the county. *District 40 �
Jim Hansen
(R- Frankford). Consists of the communities of Florida, Holliday, Madison, Paris, Santa Fe, and Stoutsville. Monroe County is a part of Missouri's 10th District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented b
Jeanie Riddle
(R- Fulton).

Federal

Monroe County is included in Missouri's 6th congressional district and is currently represented by

Sam Graves Samuel Bruce Graves Jr. (born November 7, 1963) is an American politician serving as the United States representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches across most of the northern third of ...

(R- Tarkio) in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Political culture

During the 19th century and most of the 20th century Democrats controlled Monroe County. The county was one of only two jurisdictions in Missouri to be carried by Democrat

George McGovern George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American historian and South Dakota politician who was a U.S. representative and three-term U.S. senator, and the Democratic Party presidential nominee in the 1972 pre ...

in the 1972 presidential election against incumbent Republican President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...

, the other being the city of St. Louis. Monroe County was first carried by a Republican in 1976 by John Danforth in the U.S. Senate race. In 1984, Ronald Reagan became the first Republican candidate for president to win the county. Since 2000, the county has voted Republican in federal and state elections, and now Republicans control two-thirds of elected county positions.

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Missouri presidential preference primary (2016)

In the April 2016 presidential primary, Republicans out voted Democrats more than 3-to-1, 1,600 votes in the GOP primary compared to 495 in the Democrat. In 2016's August primary, Republicans outvoted Democrats 895 to 698.

Education

Public schools

Holliday C-2 School District
– Holliday **Holliday Elementary School (K-08)
Madison C-3 School District
– Madison **Madison Elementary School (PK-06) **Madison High School (07-12) *Middle Grove C-1 School District – Madison **Middle Grove Elementary School (K-08)
Monroe City R-I School District
– Monroe City **Monroe City Elementary School (PK-04) **Monroe City Middle School (05-08) **Monroe City High School (09-12)
Paris R-II School District
–

**Paris Elementary School (PK-06) **Paris Junior High School (07-08) **Paris High School (09-12)

Private schools

Holy Rosary School
– Monroe City (K-09) –

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

Foundation for Life Christian School
–

(PK-12) – Nondenominational Christian

Public libraries

*Monroe City Public Library

Communities

Cities and Towns

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

* Holliday * Madison * Monroe City (partly in Marion County and a small part in Ralls County) *

(county seat) * Stoutsville

Unincorporated Communities

Ash Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...

Clapper Clapper or Clappers may refer to: Miscellaneous *Clapper, part of a bell *Clapper (musical instrument), consisting of two pieces of wood struck together *Clapper bridge, an ancient form of bridge *Clapper Post, urban postal service of Vienna (XVI ...

* Evansville * Granville *

Indian Creek Indian Creek may refer to the following: Communities * Indian Creek, Orange Walk District, Belize, a village in Belize * Indian Creek, Toledo, a village in Belize * Indian Creek, Florida, U.S. * Indian Creek, Illinois, U.S. * Indian Creek No. 7 Pr ...

* Middle Grove * North Fork * Santa Fe * Strother *

Tulip Tulips (''Tulipa'') are a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes (having bulbs as storage organs). The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly coloured, generally red, pink, yellow, or white (usually in war ...

* Woodlawn

Notable people

, American author and

humorist A humorist (American) or humourist (British spelling) is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking, but is not an artist who seeks only to elicit laughs. Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business ...

, was born in Monroe County. The Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site in

Mark Twain State Park Mark Twain State Park is a public recreation area encompassing on Mark Twain Lake in Monroe County, Missouri. The state park offers water recreation, hiking trails, and campgrounds. It is adjacent to the Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic ...

commemorates this occasion. *

Xenophon Overton Pindall Xenophon Overton Pindall (August 21, 1873 – January 2, 1935) was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Arkansas State Senate and acting governor of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Biography Pindall was born at Middle Grove in Mon ...

, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Arkansas State Senate and Acting Governor of the U.S. state of

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the ...

Eli C. D. Shortridge Eli C. D. Shortridge (March 29, 1830 – February 4, 1908) was an American politician who was the third Governor of North Dakota from 1893 to 1895. Shortridge was the first governor to live in the executive mansion. Biography Born Eli Charles ...

, third

Governor of North Dakota The governor of North Dakota is the head of government of North Dakota and serves as the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The Constitution of North Dakota specifies that "the executive power is vested in the governor" in Se ...

from 1893 to 1895' raised in Monroe County.

References

External links

Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Monroe County
from

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus University of Missouri System. MU was founded ...

Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books
Monroe County Sheriff's Office
{{Coord, 39.50, -92.00, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MO_source:UScensus1990 1831 establishments in Missouri Populated places established in 1831 Little Dixie (Missouri)