Owensville is a city in Gasconade County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2020 census.

History

Owensville was named after early merchant Frank Owens. According to local legend Owens and blacksmith Edward Luster decided on the name while playing

horseshoes Horseshoe is a shoe for horses and by analogy is applied to many things with a similar shape. Horseshoes (game), a tossing game played with a horseshoe Horseshoe(s) or Horse Shoe(s) may also refer to: Places * Horseshoe Valley (disambiguation) ...

in 1847. According to one account Luster won the contest but thought Owensville sounded better than Lusterville. Another account said Owens won the contest. The first post office was in 1856 and the town was formally platted in 1886 with the arrival of the

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At the end ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. The city is approximately 70.8 miles (114 km) southwest of

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

, 55.5 miles (89.3 km) southeast of

Jefferson City Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the principa ...

and 22.3 miles (35.9 km) north of

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

. Missouri Highways 28 and 19 serve Owensville. In addition, the city is 22 miles (35 km) north of

Interstate 44 Interstate 44 (I-44) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. Although it is nominally an east–west road as it is even-numbered, it follows a more southwest–northeast alignment. Its western terminus is in Wichita Fal ...

Demographics

2010 census

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 incl ...

of 2010, there were 2,676 people, 1,081 households, and 680 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 1,280 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.9%

White White is the 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 reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.2% Native American, 0.4%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.1% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.1% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.1% of the population. There were 1,081 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age in the city was 41.2 years. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 22.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.1% male and 54.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,500 people, 1,059 households, and 655 families living in the city. The

was 1,237.5 people per square mile (477.8/km). There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 595.0 per square mile (229.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 98.44%

, 0.08%

, 0.24% Native American, 0.16%

, 0.08% from

, and 1.00% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.36% of the population. There were 1,059 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were

living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.97. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,913, and the median income for a family was $33,109. Males had a median income of $30,162 versus $20,068 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 city was $15,208. About 11.0% of families and 15.6% 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 t ...

, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public education in Owensville is administered by Gasconade County R-II School District, which operates one elementary school, one middle school, one Owensville High School. Owensville has a

public library A public library is a library that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil service, civil servants. There are ...

, a branch of the Scenic Regional Library system.

Government

Owensville is a fourth-class municipality incorporated under Missouri law. Owensville's government is organized under a Mayor and a four-member City Council. The Council is elected from two wards on an alternating basis. The mayor is elected at-large for a two-year term. Other municipal officials include the City Administrator, City Attorney, City Judge, City Collector, City Clerk, City Marshal, and the administrative heads of the City departments.

Friendship city

Owensville is a friendship city with: *

Altena Altena (; Westphalian: ''Altenoa'') is a town in the district of Märkischer Kreis, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town's castle is the origin for the later Dukes of Berg. Altena is situated on the Lenne river valley, in the northern stre ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

References

External links

Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection-Historic maps of Owensville
* {{authority control Cities in Gasconade County, Missouri Cities in Missouri